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BuildthisStunGun

BuildthisStunGun
"Man's fascination with high voltages began with the first caveman who was terrified by a bolt of lightning.
In more recent times, electronics experimenters and hobbyists have found the Tesla Coil and the Van de
Graaff generator equally fascinating. In this article we'll show you how to build a hand-held high-voltage
generator that is capable of producing 75,000 volts at a power level as high as 25,000 watts. The Stun Gun
can be used to demonstrate high voltage discharge and as a weapon of self defense (law permitting in your
area). Before building one, however, you should read and pay very close attention to the warning in the
accompanying text box, as well as to the description of physiological effects that follows."

byRobertGrossblattandRobertIannini
ReproducedwithpermissionfromRadioElectronicsMagazine

ClickheretoREADTHIS
FIRST!
PhysiologicalEffects:
Sothatyoumayunderstandthedangerinherentin
thestungun,let'sdiscussthephysiologicaleffects
first.Whenahighvoltageisdischargedonthe
surfaceoftheskin,thecurrentproducedtravels
throughthenervoussystembyexcitingsinglecells
andthemyelinesheathsthatenclosethem.When
thatcurrentreachesasynapseconnectedtoa
muscle,itcausesthemuscletocontractviolently
andpossiblytogointospasms.
thelongercontactwiththehighvoltageis
maintained,themoremuscleswillbeaffected.If
thehighvoltagemaintainscontractwiththeskin
longenoughtocausemusclespasms,itmaytake
tenoffifteenminutesbeforethebrainisabletore
establishcontroloverthenerveandmuscular
systems.
Howmuchpowerisrequiredtocausesuch
spasms?Thatisnotaneasyquestiontoanswer
because,althoughitisrelativelyeasytomake
precisemeasurementsofthepowerproducedbya
highvoltagedevice,itisdifficulttoratethehuman
body'ssusceptibilitytoshockaccurately.Some
obviousfactorsincludeageanddiseasessuchas
epilepsy.Butthebottomlineissimple:Theonly
onewhofoolsaroundwithastungunisafool!
Theamountofenergyadevicedeliversisactually
theamountofpowerdeliveredinagivenperiodoftime.Forourpurposes,itmakessensetotalkabout
energyinjoules(wattseconds).Usingafresh9.8voltNiCadbattery,thestunguniscapableofdelivering
peakpowerpulsesof25,000watts.Actually,pulsesstartoutatpeakpowerandthendecayexponentially.
Thelengthofthedecaytimedependsonthecomponentsusedinthecircuit,theambienttemperature,the
battery'scapacity,andpositioningoftheoutputcontactswithrespecttoeachother.
Assumingthatthedecayrateispurelyexponential,thestunguncanproduceabout0.5joulesofenergy,
providedthatthebatteryisfullycharged.Let'sputthatnumberinperspective.
BoththeUnderwriter'sLaboratory(inBulletinno.14)andtheU.S.ConsumerProductSafetyCommission
statethatventricularfibrillation(heartattack)canbecausedinhumansbyapplying10joulesofenergy.
Sincethestungunonlygeneratesabouthalfajoule,youmightthinkthatadevicethatproducesonlyone
twentiethofthecriticalamounthasmorethanadequatemarginofsafety.Don'tbetonit.Abriefcontact
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withthestungun'sdischargehurtsagreatdeal,butittakesonlyfivesecondsofcontinuousdischargeto
immobilizesomeonecompletely.
Let'scomparethestungun'soutputwithasimilardevice,calledaTasergun,whichappearedonthemarket
awhileback(andnowusedbyseveralpoliceforces).Youmayhaveseenafilmdemonstratingjusthow
effectivetheTasercouldbeasadeterrent.Afoolhardyvolunteerwaspaidanenormoussumofmoneyto
havetheTaserfiredathim.Nomatterhowbig,strong,(andstupid)thepersonwas,assoonastheTaser's
"darts"hithim,hewouldcollapsetothegroundandgointouncontrollableconvulsions.
TheenergyproducedbytheTaserisonly0.3joulesabout60%ofwhatourstungunproduces!Evenso,
theTaserhasbeenofficiallyclassifiedasafirearmbytheBureauofTobaccoandFirearmsbecauseitshoots
itselectrode"darts"throughtheair.Eventhoughourstungundoesn'toperatethatway,theTaserputsout
considerablylessenergythanthestungun.Keepthosefactsandfiguresinmindwhenyouassembleanduse
thedevice.

HowitWorks:
Theschematicdiagram
ofthestungunis
showninFig.1.
Basically,it'samulti
stagepowersupply
arrangedsothateach
succeedingstage
multipliesthevoltage
producedbythe
precedingstage.The
finalstageofthecircuit
feedstwooppositely
phasedtransformers
thatproduceextremely
highvoltagepulses.If
thatdescriptionsounds
familiar,you've
probablystudied
capacitivedischarge
ignitionsystemsthe
stungunworksonthe
sameprinciples.
ThefirstsectionofthepowersupplyisaswitchercomposedofQ1,Q2,andtheprimarywindings
(connectedtoleadsE,F,G,andH)ofT1.WhenFireSwitchS1isclosed,R1unbalancesthecircuitandthat
causesittostartoscillating.SincebasecurrentisprovidedbyaseparatewindingofT1(connectedtoleads
CandD),thetwotransistorsaredrivenoutofphasewitheachother,andthatkeepsthecircuitoscillating.
ResistorR2limitsbasedrivetoasafevalue,anddiodesD1andD2aresteeringdiodesthatswitchbase
currentfromonetransistortotheother.Oscillationoccursatafrequencyofabout10kHz.
TheswitchingactionofthefirststagegeneratesandACvoltageinT1'shighvoltagesecondary(leadsAnd
B).Theamountofvoltagedependsonthebatteryused,butabatteryofseventoninevoltsshouldproduce
250to300voltsacrossT1'ssecondary.
ThatvoltageisrectifiedbythefullwavebridgecomposedofdiodesD3D6.CapacitorC2chargesthrough
D7ataratethatiscontrolledbyR3
ThevalueofcapacitorC2affectstheoutputofthestungun.Thegreaterthecapacitance,themoreenergy
thatcanbestored,sothemorepowerfulthedischargewillbe.Alargercapacitorgivesbiggersparks,but
requiresmorechargingtime,andthatgivesitalowerdischargerate.Ontheotherhand,asmallercapacitor
givessmallersparks,butafasterdischargerate.IfyouwishtoexperimentwithdifferentvaluesforC2,try
3.9F(asshowninFig.1),7.8F,and1.95F.Thosevalueswerearrivedatbyusingone3.9Fcapacitor
alone,twoofthesameinseries,andtwoinparallel.

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Meanwhile,UJTQ3produces15spulsesatarateof
about20ppm.ThatrateiscontrolledbyC3andtheseries
combinationofR6andR7.Whenapulsearrivesatthe
gateofSCR1,itfiresanddischargesC2.Thatinducesa
highvoltagepulseintheprimarywindingsofT2toT3,
whoseprimariesmustbewiredoutofphasewitheach
other.TheresultisaringingwaveofACwhosenegative
componentthenreachesaroundandforcestheSCRto
turnoff.WhenthenextpulsefromQ3arrives,thecycle
repeats.
Theoutputsofthestungunappearacrossthesecondaries
ofT2andT3.Thehotleadsofthosetransformers
connecttotheoutputelectrodes,whichshouldbeheld
securelyinpositionabouttwoinchesapart,andwhichshouldbeinsulatedfromeachotherandfromthe
environmentwithhighvoltagepottingcompound.

Batteries:
Thestunguncanbepoweredwithalmostanybatterythatcansupplyatleast7voltsat1amp.ANiCador
NiMhbatterywouldbeagoodchoiceR8andJ1willallowthebatteryberechargedwithoutremovingit
fromthecase.
Thehigherthebattery'svoltage,thehigherthestungun'soutputvoltage.Most9voltNiCadsactuallyhave
maximumfullychargedoutputofonly7.5volts.However,batteriesthatdeliver9.8voltswhenfully
chargedareavailablefromseveralsources.

Construction:
Keepinmindthefactthatthestungunproducesdangerouslyhighvoltages,
anddon'tapproachtheconstructionofthestungunwiththesame
nonchalantwithwhichyoumightbuildalightdimmer.
ThecircuitcanbebuiltonaPCboardoronperfboard.Ifyoubuildthecircuitonaperfboard,followour
partslayoutcloselyotherwiseyoumayhaveproblemswitharcing.
Duetothecriticalnatureofthethreetransformers,weareNOTprovidingdetailsofwindingthem.They
are(were)availablefromthesourceinthepartslist.ReferringtothepartsplacementdiagraminFig.2,and
thephotosinFig.3and4,mountallcomponentsexceptC2,T1,T2,andT3onyouboard.Notethatseveral
componentsmountonthefoilsideofthePCboard:C1,D7,andJ1.DOnotinstallthosepartsyeteither.
Afterallcomponents(exceptthosementionedearlier)areinstalled,checkyourworkverycarefully,
especiallyD1D6,R1,andR3,becauseT1willbeinstalledabovethem,andtherewillbenochanceto
correcterrorslater.Afteryou'reabsolutelysurethatthey'reinstalledcorrectly,installT1withtheblack
markonthewindingsmountedtowardC2.
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PartsList:
Allresistors1/4watt,5%,unlessotherwisenoted

R1=1K
R2=110ohms,1watt
R3=2K2,1watt
R4=36ohms
R5,R8=100ohms
R6=39K
R7=22K
Capacitors
C1=10uF/25V,electrolytic
C2=3.9uF/350V,electrolytic
C3=1uF/25V,electrolytic
Semiconductors
D1,D2=1N4001,50voltrectifier
D3D8=1N4007,1000voltrectifier
Q1,Q2=D40D5,powertransistor
Q3=2N2646,UJT
SCR1=2N4443

OtherComponents
B1=9VNiCadbattery
S1=SPSTmomentarypushbuttonswitch
T1=12to400voltssaturablecoretransformer,Seetext
T2,T3=50KiloVoltpulsetransformer,0.32joules,400primary.Seetext
Note:Thefollowingcomponents*used*tobeavailablefromInformation
Unlimited,P.O.Box716,Amherst,NH03031:T1,T2&T3(orpotted),C2,
PCB,Case,Charger,9.8Vbattery,oracompletekit($40in1992).
WedoNOTsupplyanypartswhatsoeverforthisproject!

FoilsideComponents:
OneofJ1'stabssharesaholeonthePCboardwithresistorR8,whichshouldbemountedalready.Solder
thetabofJ1thatcorrespondstothetip(notthebarrel)ofaninsertedplugtotheindicatedpad.Thenmount
C1andD7.last,soldera13/4inchpieceof18gaugewiretothebarrelpinofJ1,andconnecttheopposite
endofthatwiretotheappropriatepadbeneathS1,theFIREswitch.

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PreliminaryCheckout:
WARNING:Whilemeasuringvoltagesandcurrents,keepyouface,hands,andallmetallicobjects
awayfromthehighvoltageendofthestungun.Ifyouwanttoprodacomponent,useaNON
conductiverodsuchasaplasticTValignmenttool.Highvoltagebehavesverydifferentlythanlow
voltage.Anymaterialthatretainsmoisturecanserveasadischargepath.THATINCLUDES
WOOD!Also,neverworkonorusetheunitwhenyourhandsarewet.
Connectavoltmeter(settoa1000voltDCrange)togroundandtotheoutputoftheD3D6diodebridge.
Thenpowerupthecircuitusingeitherafreshlychargedbatteryoranexternalsupplycapableofdelivering
9.8voltsat1amp.Ifeverythingisworkingproperly,youshouldmeasureabout400voltsDCattheoutput
ofthebridgewhenyoupressS1.Andplease,PLEASEbecareful.Beingcarelessornotalertcanbea
painfulshockingexperience!
Ifyoudon'tmeasurethatvoltage,connectanoscilloscopetothecollectorofQ1orQ2.Youshouldseea
squarewavewithaperiodofabout100s.Ifthatwaveformisnotpresent,theswitchingcircuitisnot
operatingcorrectly.Removepowerandcheckyourwiringagain.DoNOTdebugthecircuitwithabattery
connected!
ResistorR6controlstherateatwhichtheUJT(Q3)discharges,andR3controlstherateatwhichC2
charges.Youcanexperimentwiththevaluesofthosecomponentsifyouarenotsatisfiedwiththecircuit's
highvoltageoutput.R3canvaryfrom2K2to4K7.YoucanalsoexperimentwiththevalueofC2.
Afterthecircuitisoperatingcorrectly,attachJ1totheboardwithhighvoltagepottingcompoundorRTV.
Andbeforeyoumountthecircuitinacase,makesurethere'snoarcingonthePCboard.Ifthereis,youcan
stopitwithaliberalapplicationofRTV,paraffin,orepoxy.

Conclusion:
Thestungun'sdischargeisveryimpressive.Thesparkishighlyvisibleandeachdischargeproducesa
sharp,resoundingcrack.Thecircuitcanteachyoumuchaboutvoltagemultiplyingcircuitsandpower
supplydesign.Butdon'teverforgetthatthestungunisnotatoy.Itcancausemuchdamagetobothyouand
others.Neverleaveitlyingaroundwherechildren,pets,oranyoneunfamiliarwithhowtouseitcanhandle
it.It'sagoodideatoremovethebatterybeforestoringthestungun.Aboveall:becareful!RE

Editor'snoteandDisclaimer:TheStunGunisanillegalfirearminCanada,exceptforuseby
specialtyforces,lawenforcementorspecialpermits.Exceptforlaboratoryexperimentation,
andunderclosesupervision,havingaStunGuninyourpossessionisthesameashavingan
illegalgunoragunwithouttheproperFACpermits.Itispresentedhereforeducationaland
experimentalpurposesonlyaspartofourHighVoltageProjects.WedoNOTsupplypartsor
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materialsofanykindforthisproject.Again,dependingonyourStateorProvince,itmaybe
illegaltopossess,haveinpossession,orbuiltthisdevice.Buildand/oruseatyourownrisk.
TheSentexCorporationinCambridgeOntario,hostof"Tony'sWebsite",orTonyvanRoon
himself,cannotbeheldliableorresponsibleorwillacceptanytypeofliabilityinanyevent,in
caseofinjuryorevendeathbybuildingand/orusingormisuseofthislethaldeviceoranyother
highvoltagedevicepostedonthiswebsite.
Byaccessing,readingand/orprintingthisarticleyouagreetobesolelyresponsibleviathe
aboveterms/disclaimer.Asstatedpreviously,wedoNOTsupplyanypartswhatsoeverforthis
project.
CopyrightandCredits:
TheoriginalarticlewaswrittenbyRobertGrossblatt,andRobertIannini.ReproducedfromRadio
ElectronicsMagazine,September1986,bypermissionofGernsbackPublishing,Inc.(GernsbackPublishing
isoutofbusinesssinceJanuary2000).Documentupdates&modifications,alldiagrams,PCB/Layout
redrawnbyTonyvanRoon.
Repostingortakinggraphicsinanywayorformofthisprojectisexpresslyprohibitedbyinternational
copyrightlawsandenforcedbyInternationalLawEnforcement.
BacktoHighVoltageProjectsIndex
PageCopyright2002TonyvanRoon

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