Electronic spider repeller not working

[mrs sumner]

Hi all. I'm in need of some help...

OK - this probably sounds a bit odd, but I bought an electronic spider repeller to try to keep the nasty things out of my house. It's supposed to work by emitting ultrasonic waves and also sends electromagnetic fields down the house wiring, apparently. It worked for about three days (well, the lights came on and it ran for three days - whether it actually worked or not is another matter!), then I noticed that it had failed. None of the indicating lights were on at the front of it, and no test sound was emitted when the "test" button was pressed. It plugs directly into the socket in the wall, so I tried another socket - still nothing.

So I've pulled it apart. I have a multimeter and have checked the connection of the pcb to the plug connectors, and this is fine. There is a fuse on the board and this also is ok. So, from here, where do I start looking/testing?

[Wizard]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

BUNK.

Spiders doesn't have ears. They feel vibrations.

Cheers, Wizard

[kc8adu]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

post a pic of the worthless thing.
it is likely a simple fix.
ps to get rid of the spiders get rid of their food.this means other bugs in your home.
no food=no spiders.

[Krankshaft]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

It's not that Rid X pest remover from TV is it?

Just more infomercial crap.

[mrs sumner]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

Ok - I will post some pics. I'm at work at the moment so will be back with them tomorrow.

As for it being BUNK, well, that's as maybe, but for 20 quid, as long as I sleep a little easier at night, it's worth it

And yes, my house is crawling with bugs, but I've only just bought it and am in the process of sorting it out. It was empty for four years before I moved in...

[Toasty]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

>>And yes, my house is crawling with bugs, but I've only just bought it and am in the process of sorting it out.<<

Tent it. Gas it. Ask any exterminator.

Those electronic devices are bunk/junk/crap/whatever. If they *really* worked, the insect control people would be out of business.

They've been marketing them in one form or another for near 30 years. They didn't work then, they still don't. Consumer Reports reported on them years ago saying they were useless. Recent TV Consumer investigators also found the same thing. No change in bugs. It's a *Jedi mind trick*. You are led to believe it will work so when there are fewer bugs one day you say "see, it's working". Only to infested with them the next day.

P.T. Barnum was right.

Sorry

Toast

[kc8adu]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

i remember seeing one of those bug repellers that was full of roaches.
seems it stayed warm and they liked the heat.so much for it working!

[mrs sumner]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

Well, here are the photos anyway (hope it works!).

Do you think it could be a diode problem? The four diodes (presumably AC/DC rectification) near the power leads show resistance in both directions, when I'm testing with my multimeter on the diode symbol. Is this correct? I thought they were supposed to pass current in one direction only, so would show next to nothing resistance in one direction and infinite in the other?

[kc8adu]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

looks like it uses that big red cap as a "ballast" and the diodes to rectify.
are they zero in both directions?
also look for a shorted zener that would be used as a regulator.

[mrs sumner]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

looks like it uses that big red cap as a "ballast" and the diodes to rectify.
are they zero in both directions?
also look for a shorted zener that would be used as a regulator.

Is it likely to be the big red cap, and how would I test it?

No, the diodes were giving a reading of something like 600, or maybe 0.6 in BOTH directions on the diode setting on the digital multimeter. But this was measured with them in place on the PCB. I'm going to remove one leg each off the board and try again...

[kc8adu]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

no the big cap is probably ok.
is the fuse blown?
i would look for a shorted zener.

[mrs sumner]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

The fuse looks ok, and there's no resistance testing it end to end on the board.

Are zeners always a browny orange colour (like the ones I've boxed in green)? I would say there's three or four of them on the PCB. Then there are the black diodes I've boxed in yellow. They are not zeners are they?

Thanks for all your help, by the way.

[Krankshaft]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

Through hole zeners are almost always in glass bodies and orange.

Unlikely the bridge rectifier blew then it would have blown the fuse.

To test diodes set the meter to diode check don't use the resistance function. Reading in only one direction around 0.700 for GP diodes is fine.

[ratdude747]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

forget it. its a waste of power and time. get an exterminator or home bait kits and go from there.

besides, spiders keep the bugs down. they are your friend.

[Topcat]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

besides, spiders keep the bugs down. they are your friend.

Tell that to the people who have been permanently scarred and disfigured from brown recluse bites....

[momaka]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

Tell that to the people who have been permanently scarred and disfigured from brown recluse bites....

I doubt those bites are from spiders. More like bed bugs or something else like that.

I have one small spider in my room and I never kill it or remove its web. It tends to catch a lot of gnats and other small bugs. Occasionally I clean up the dead bodies that it accumulates .
There's also one spider in the basement that caught a mid-sized centipede - and those just look nasty. Of course if it's one of those spiders with big, hairy and round bodies, I won't keep it either (I still don't kill it though).

Worst bugs are roaches. If you have those don't count on some electronic gimmick-of-a-gizmo to get rid of them. Call an exterminator immediately. Same goes for termites.

[ratdude747]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

yeah... i meant orb spiders and such. not black widows or b.r.'s. but the box is snake oil, so not worth fixing.

[Topcat]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

I doubt those bites are from spiders. More like bed bugs or something else like that.

HUH?!? Umm, google the effects of a brown recluse bite and its venom, its not pretty. They're kinda like wasps in the sense that it doesn't affect everyone the same, and not everyone is allergic to them. Some people, it won't harm....while others have severe reactions.....which include severe muscle deterioration (rotting) around the site of the bite and illness. I don't know about Virginia, but brown recluses are very common around here.

Roaches are one of the most destructive household insect, second only to termites. Roaches are also just plain gross. The stink, shit all over your food and food preparation areas, and will ruin anything they touch (especially electronics). No electronic dohickey will rid your home of them, definitely call an exterminator for any insect infestation regardless of what it is.

[kc8adu]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

for anyone who doubts the danger of the brown recluse just do a google search for brown recluse bite.
click on images at the top then turn safesearch off.weak stomachs need not apply!
as for the spider repeller box we all know its a fraud.the o.p came here to troubleshoot it.we will try to help.

[Krankshaft]

Re: Electronic spider repeller not working

Brown recluse bites are rare as they are not outwardly aggressive most bites occur when it's inside clothes or bedding (pressed against the skin) and necrosis (whats shown in those pics) is even less likely only around 10% of all bites become necrotic. Most peoples reactions to the bites are minor.

But damn it's suprising what damage that little thing can do given the right circumstances. Incidentally I watch too many zombie movies so I'm desensitized to the pics.

Back on topic I see they scratched the part numbers off the ICs I guess they don't want the competition stealing their snake oil .

That aside if you have any more circuit questions post back.