MOT powered Wasp Zapper [5600 Volts DC]

[RODALCO]

This is the second year we have an underground wasp nest in our garden, last year I got stung fifteen times, and build a 2200 Volts MOT wasp Zapper which worked fine, but I had to limit the current with a damp sand ballast.
This year my wife was stung by wasps.
This improved design works well and doesn't require current limit as the Capacitors more or less control the current.

Output is 5600 Volts DC.
1 x MOT with Voltage doubler made from 2 x 1 µF microwave capacitors.
The supply is fed through a small overhead line to the device.

As lethal voltages are present, it is wise to remain on site while zapping the wasps.
The wasps actually explode when touching or nearby the grid.

I made up a wasp series on YouTube for whoever is interested.
Done also tests with a ZVS driver, and an old 14" CRT TV.
All devices work fine, but the Capacitor one is the best to use.
I made up an event counter after I blew up the first 5000 wasps.
The nest is still active and every afternoon I switch on and reduce the wasp population.

We have a big problem with these Yellow Jackets in New Zealand.
They are very aggressive and do a lot of damage to our native insects and caterpillars.

 

[DerStrom8]

Good to see you RODALCO! It's been a long time!

I had a similar problem in my back yard a few years ago. I was mowing around the "garden" (for planting--I'm American) and stumbled across an in-ground hornets nest. It was a very unpleasant experience!

I have a few MOTs, but I think I would sooner use one of my NSTs that I have lying around. No need for ballast, and those things are built to last outdoors (the large potted ones anyway). I would never have thought to use them to solve a hornet problem....

Cheers,
Matt

 

[RODALCO]

Hi Matt,

A NST would be ideal, you don't need much current 10 mA at high voltage (10 kV) is enough. Just the spacing of the grids has to be set for the voltage.
Just destroyed a pvc standoff between the grids, experimenting with two MOT's back to back which carbonized one of the PVC standoffs.
Captured it on video. I needed to alter the spacing anyway so no drama.
Will keep you posted.

Greetings
Raymond (Rodalco)

 

[strantor]

That's sexy! Your mesh grids are the same principle as the mosquito light but the difference is the mosquito light actually attracts the mosquitoes to it; the mosquitoes have a good reason to find themselves between the grids. Your device, while obviously already effective, might be made more effective by eliminating the need for the wasps to get into a specific location (between the grids ). Or in other words, by giving them more options of locations to get zapped in.

It seems a wasp could more easily fly between vertical columns than horizontal planes. If you had a base with a series of columns of opposite polarity I would expect it to be doubly effective at least. But if you're mindset is "don't fix it if its not broke," I get that . I only make the suggestion as something you might try next, as this seems to be an evolving project.

Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed the video.

 

[killivolt]

Hi, RODALCO just spotted this "Thread" and I echo D8. Glad to see your still making VID's of HV and it's potential hazards or merit.

I had one of those nest's by my front door, I was lucky I found it in winter. Some poison spray and was gone in short order, but maybe you don't have cold and hibernation.

Revenge and entertainment for added value by incorporating some visual HV.

Well done.

kv

 

[tvtech]

Great RODALCO. Good to see you still up to doing HV stuff. Nice video and interesting successful project

tv

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

This is the second year we have an underground wasp nest in our garden

Why not just pour petrol down it, and drop a match on it?

I'm a bit horrified at using an MOT for such a dangerous use

 

[tvtech]

Aha. Better blowing them up only instead of maybe your house foundations too..

I know of people that have poured Petrol into holes in their garden...to kill moles...crash bang boom. House gone.

 

[debe]

Verry satisfying way to deal with wasps.

 

[Tony Stewart]

We moved into a house that had wasps in the house wall thru a gap between the siding and brick chimney.
So I plugged up the gaps with foam sealer . Then it was a problem. I thought they were trapped. Some tried to eat their way out thru the instafoam, but that made them ill. A few escaped each day inside until they were all gone for good. It was a big colony.

 

[Mosaic]

Well burning termite mounds with a bit of kerosene to get it going is quite satisfying once it's not on your house. It will smolder until all ash as it's mostly cellulose.