SpudFiles

Well i hate to be posting topic after topic but this deals with something else besides the switch.

Basically, as the title says, the circuit board is shorting out. I have desoldered, and soldered the area that shorting, but it seems to be a problem with the circuit board. The little wire is not soldered in the circuit board.

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i didn't say this before but why r u bothering with a taser circuit. that's kinda overdoing it for a cannon. there r cheap automatic grill igniters that put out about 5-10 sparks a second. they r powered by a aaa battery that also doubles as the switch. and if u still want to use ur LED switch it wouldn't take much thought, time, or effort to add it.

Isn't it supposed to jump a gap? I remember on the circuit I had, the spark jumped a gap on the circuit board but still produces a spark at the wires (or electrodes).


I can't be certain, but i'm pretty sure it always jumps a gap on the circuit board.

I'm not really much help in this field, just offering what I have.

Depends how you define "shorting out".

If you see a small arc on the board, then as MrCrowley pointed out, it's just a feature of the taser that prevents damage to the board when there is nothing to electrocute.

If your battery is overheating and the circuit is doing nothing...well, then you've got some problems

Yes MrCrowley, there is a cross built onto the board with a gap between the upper bar and lower bar.

VIDEO!

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Ignore the music, and my dog. (Its ukrainian folk music if your wondering).

i-will wrote:i didn't say this before but why r u bothering with a taser circuit. that's kinda overdoing it for a cannon. there r cheap automatic grill igniters that put out about 5-10 sparks a second. they r powered by a aaa battery that also doubles as the switch. and if u still want to use ur LED switch it wouldn't take much thought, time, or effort to add it.

Stun guns can be had as low as $10...BBQ ignitors aren't any cheaper than that. Stun guns are far superior for serious projects. Those 5 -10 spark per second grill ignitors are nothing more than glorified stun guns....basically the same circuit.

true. i just always thought that the igniter was easier to come by. i used to get them free from work and always saw them at every store for about $2. i guess it's a Dallas thing. everyone knows that texans like to grill.

A couple things about stunguns;

1. There must always be a functioning spark gap. Without a gap the board will fry itself pretty quick because it'll arc somewhere it isn't supposed to. That what I suspect the video is showing. BTW, don't run one of these stunguns for as long as in the video, they weren't designed for it!

2. There is an internal spark gap on the circuit board itself. It usually looks like two pieces of sheet metal in an X pattern with a small gap between the two. That gap is part of the low to high voltage step-up circuit. That gap should spark. (Look at the photos in the spudwiki).

3. Try hooking up a proper spark gap to the stungun's output and see if that stops the shorting on the board.

4. Cheapo stunguns usually have a limited lifetime. The spark is pretty to look at but if you keep running it it'll crap out pretty quick. In my experience the total operating lifetime of these stunguns is only a couple minutes. If you run'm continously for more than a few seconds out of a couple minutes they literally fry themselves.

5. RTV silicone (basically good exterior caulk) is a pretty good insulator. If the board still sparks when it has a proper external gap you can try putting a big glob of caulk on the area that is sparking. Let the caulk cure for at least a day or two before using the circuit.