"Dave" wrote in message
ups.com...
Seems like it might be a good idea to provide a way to have it turn
back off after a few seconds. I don't think I would enjoy the smell
of burning rat.

Maybe the primary should be in series with an appropriate light bulb.
Obviously a good mechanical design would be needed to keep the
electrodes clear.

I actually built one of these (or I wouldn't have known about the mice not
using the ramp when it's on). However, it was an "observed" machine. I had
so many mice and rats in my goat barn that they'd come out even if you were
working there.

So, I set the thing up on a light circuit (with wall switch), loaded the
bait tray with sweet-feed, got a can of beer, sat by the switch, and just
watched.

The tip-tray actually was the switch... no mechanical parts, per-se. It
would just fall down against one of the secondary terminals. 10KV doesn't
jump very far in dry air, so (IIRC) my switch gap was only about 1/4".

When thumping noises, zzzzaaaaapppp!s, and smoke emerged from the tunnel, I
just flicked off the light switch and killed the power. One mouse launched
out the end of the tunnel like a bullet -- stone, cold dead, but at very
high speed! G

LLoyd