Hi, I read through the bug zapper posts and didn't find the info I need. The lights stopped working in my bug zapper after many years. When I removed them I found the glue that holds the pins on had come loose from the glass. This old thing isn't worth $30 of new bulbs relying on this old circuit board and ballast to give them life. I thought it would a good idea to remove the florescent lights and update it with uv leds. When I took the top off I found the hv transformer wired in with the florescent bulbs and this hi-tech circuit board. I would like to use this hv transformer without the circuit board and florescent light circuit. My question is can I wire the primary of this transformer 120v? Possibly with a small bulb or resistor in series and if so what size resistor or watt bulb. I have tried to attach a photo.

If I can get the hv transformer working then I can install the led light circuit and add a photo cell and be back on the road again better than before.
Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance
Rob

 

No. The transformer was design for that particular circuit and bulb.
Best to buy a new zapper.

 

Hi, I read through the bug zapper posts and didn't find the info I need. The lights stopped working in my bug zapper after many years. When I removed them I found the glue that holds the pins on had come loose from the glass. This old thing isn't worth $30 of new bulbs relying on this old circuit board and ballast to give them life. I thought it would a good idea to remove the florescent lights and update it with uv leds. When I took the top off I found the hv transformer wired in with the florescent bulbs and this hi-tech circuit board. I would like to use this hv transformer without the circuit board and florescent light circuit. My question is can I wire the primary of this transformer 120v? Possibly with a small bulb or resistor in series and if so what size resistor or watt bulb. I have tried to attach a photo.

If I can get the hv transformer working then I can install the led light circuit and add a photo cell and be back on the road again better than before.
Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance
Rob

I cant get the picture to upload, keep getting a error. Here is a link to a dropbox.
Here are links to the photos.

Moderators note : scaled images and uploaded them

 

Hi, I read through the bug zapper posts and didn't find the info I need. The lights stopped working in my bug zapper after many years. When I removed them I found the glue that holds the pins on had come loose from the glass. This old thing isn't worth $30 of new bulbs relying on this old circuit board and ballast to give them life. I thought it would a good idea to remove the florescent lights and update it with uv leds. When I took the top off I found the hv transformer wired in with the florescent bulbs and this hi-tech circuit board. I would like to use this hv transformer without the circuit board and florescent light circuit. My question is can I wire the primary of this transformer 120v? Possibly with a small bulb or resistor in series and if so what size resistor or watt bulb. I have tried to attach a photo.

If I can get the hv transformer working then I can install the led light circuit and add a photo cell and be back on the road again better than before.
Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance
Rob

The one I bought has a wattless dropper instead of a ballast for the violet tube. The zapper was bought about mid summer and didn't last to its end.

On ordering a stock of spare tubes, I decided the driving arrangement was entirely unsatisfactory. My solution was to graft the PCB from a CFL into the zapper - this only lasted a few weeks, which is a little odd since the tube is rated 6W and I used a 4W CFL board.

Years ago I bought up a pile of blue LED key fobs - assuming I ever remember where I put them, its something I could try out.

Just a note about the tubes:- the ones I ordered used to be stocked by Maplin, but they were already discontinued when I went to buy some, Maplin gave me the name of the company they used to get them from.

 

The imaged apparatus seems to include a discrete magnetic ballast (lower right-center)?

Such being the case, the sole requirement will be a PS for the LEDs


While the starter 'tube' identifies the lamp socket, and, it seems reasonable to assume, the 'red' leads (from the right of the XFMR) connect the secondary to the 'shock-grids', I cannot (with any degree of certainty) determine the interconnections based upon the image --- Owing to attendant safety considerations I hesitate to advise sans further detail/info...

Best regards
HP

 

this only lasted a few weeks, which is a little odd since the tube is rated 6W and I used a 4W CFL board.

Not so odd, if the board was being run at 150% of its rating .

 

The imaged apparatus seems to include a discrete magnetic ballast (lower right-center)?

Best regards
HP

An older model from the same discount store (Lidl) had a ballast inductor - of sorts, as far as I could work out, it also served as a step up autotransformer for the zapper high voltage grid. The newer model used a capacitor/diode multiplier.

Both types had short tube life, and the tubes from Maplin's former supplier, even shorter.

 

On a side note, what is the type of lamp emission that is best for a Zapper?
Max.

 

On a side note, what is the type of lamp emission that is best for a Zapper?
Max.

IIRC the 'response' of most phototropic insects (broadly) peaks at Ca. 400nm (i.e. UVA)

Best regards
HP

 

What is that in 'Home Depot' speak.
Max.

 

What is that in 'Home Depot' speak.
Max.

'Entomology 101' I should think...

 

What is that in 'Home Depot' speak.
Max.

Oh! Sorry! -- I see what you mean --- So... 'In HD speak' that'd be 'woods lamp' or 'purple black light' spectra The slightly longer wavelength UV LED spectra should likewise work well...

Best regards
HP

 

On a side note, what is the type of lamp emission that is best for a Zapper?
Max.

As the replacement lamps had even shorter life - I just gave up!

There's probably a few tubes lurking somewhere in original packaging, which may even have that info printed on it.

Remembering where I saw them last is a whole 'nother matter.

The light looks more blue than properly violet, I was thinking of giving blue LEDs a try - and if that doesn't work - UV LEDs have been available for some time now.

 

Oh! Sorry! -- I see what you mean --- So... 'In HD speak' that'd be 'woods lamp' or 'purple black light' spectra The slightly longer wavelength UV LED spectra should work well as well...

Best regards
HP

The so called black light is what they use in discos - the bug lamps are similar to sunbed tubes, but more blue IMO.

 

The so called black light is what they use in discos - the bug lamps are similar to sunbed tubes, but more blue IMO.

Hmm... 'tanning' lamps exhibit a 'band' in the (more energetic) UVB region (Ca. 300 to 350 nm) very hard on the peepers!

FWIW I expect anything in the range of 350nm to 450nm should 'do the trick'... And, of course, all of these tubes are, in essence, 'optical noise sources'


Best regards
HP

 

Hmm... 'tanning' lamps exhibit a 'band' in the (more energetic) UVB region (Ca. 300 to 350 nm) very hard on the peepers!

FWIW I expect anything in the range of 350nm to 450nm should 'do the trick'... And, of course, all of these tubes are, in essence, 'optical noise sources'


Best regards
HP

Apparently - some bug lamps are yellow.

Or so I've heard.

 

Hmm... 'tanning' lamps exhibit a 'band' in the (more energetic) UVB region (Ca. 300 to 350 nm) very hard on the peepers!

FWIW I expect anything in the range of 350nm to 450nm should 'do the trick'... And, of course, all of these tubes are, in essence, 'optical noise sources'


Best regards
HP

Years ago I had a box of sunbed tubes, but I'm pretty sure I binned them.

They had the UVx band stamped on the glass at one end, I thought it was UVA - but I could be wrong.

Unfortunately, can't go have a look now.

 

Apparently - some bug lamps are yellow.

Or so I've heard.

In point of fact, the yellow 'bug lamp' is designed to be non-attractive to insects! (handy in 'porch-light' applications, etc...)

Best regards
HP

 

In point of fact, the yellow 'bug lamp' is designed to be non-attractive to insects! (handy in 'porch-light' applications, etc...)

Best regards
HP

With only 3 primary colours - the only opposites can be with secondary colours, the primary are; red, green & blue. the secondary are; yellow, cyan & magenta.

Since blue and yellow combine to make white, I'd assume that blue and yellow are a pair of opposites.

 

Years ago I had a box of sunbed tubes, but I'm pretty sure I binned them.

They had the UVx band stamped on the glass at one end, I thought it was UVA - but I could be wrong.

Unfortunately, can't go have a look now.

You won't aquire a tan from UVA

FWIW: Here's a (qualitative) 'breakdown' as it were (by decreasing wavelength / increasing energy)

UVA -- Special effects, some forensic applications
UVB -- Tanning and other dermatological applications
UVC --- Germicidal lamps, UV-EPROM erasers...
UVD --- Ozone generators
EUV --- Low energy radiography (e.g. crystallography, mammography, etc..)
UEUV --- 'Standard' medical diagnostic and radiotherapy 'X-Rays'

Best regards
HP