How do you fix a mosquito magnet?
The most common problem is the flame constantly blowing out. The orific that supplies gas to these magnets is very tiny and over time can accumulate enough residue to clog sufficiently to start going out. With a little know-how and a few simble tools the orifice can be removed and cleaned with acetone or alcohol.
You may need to drip some into the hollow portion of the orifice and then blow it through given the tiny size of the hole. Don't try stick pins or anything though. The size of the orifice is important to the correct flame size Recommend reading through all the responses to synthesize your own troubleshooting methodology There is a good overview of MM operation at gra.midco.net/jmanley A forum devoted to fixing MMs is at mosquitomagnet.freeforums.org Here is how I fixed My Mosquito Magnet Liberty Plus: I charged the battery full, shot 3 CO2 Cartridges one after another, gave it a try.
It would not start. I then attached a more robust power supply and attempted to start with the power supply plugged in (jump start). This worked in just a few seconds.
The next gas run-out I tried the normal start, no luck after several tries. I tried the "Jump Start" again with the 12 volt power supply and it started right up in less than a minute. I used a 12 volt supply designed for a 12 volt TV.
I cut the wires off the old supply and connected white to white, black to black. I used my Multi Meter and read 8.9 volts off my charged battery and 15 volts off the power supply. I suppose that since the fan and igniter is rated 12 volts it works fine.
I unplug the supply immediately after I feel heat coming from the black emitter tube where the Octonol is. I talked to a tech that was trained by Applied Biophysics and he said not to leave the power supply plugged in more than 40 minutes. I think this is to protect the battery from too much charging power Based on a little net searching, the MM has a tendency to stop working after a few seasons.
(My MM Defender stopped in the middle of its 3rd season. Had to disassemble several times before I could get it to run.) If you consider the circuit board as a single component, then there are only a handful of components to a MM. There is the power supply, liquid propane (LP) connector, LP 1-way valve, LP hose, LP mixing chamber, Schrader valve, LP solenoid valve, LP sprayer, ignitor, thermocouple, catalytic converter, fan, combustion chamber, and circuit board In simple terms, when you power on the unit, it's supposed to turn on the fan and get good airflow through the combustion chamber.
After that's established, the igitor is energized, the solenoid valve is engaged, and the LP is released into the sprayer. The sprayer sprays the LP into the combustion chamber where the ignitor burns the LP. A thermocouple is there to provide feedback on the combustion.
Any CO from the reaction gets converted to CO2 by the catalytic converter before exiting the head. The Schrader valve (which is normally closed) is there to allow you to put some compressed CO2 through the sprayer to clear any clogs (of course, with the unit off and unplugged from the LP) For thorough troubleshooting, you may need a multi-meter, #2 and #3 Phillips head screwdrivers, a handful of wrenches, some high-temperature silicone adhesive, a 12-volt DC power supply, pipe-tape and other miscellany The power supply converts power from a standard outlet into 12-volt DC. If you turn on your MM and nothing happens, maybe the power supply is dead.
(I ran over my cord with a lawnmower in its 2nd season.) To test, plug in the power supply and use a multi-meter to see if 12-volts DC is coming out of the end that plugs into the MM head. If not, unplug the supply and check for shorts/opens in the cords. If no shorts/opens, then you might need to replace the whole power supply (which I think can be purchased from the manufacturer).
If the power supply is OK but nothing goes on, then it probably is bad news as the circuit board or switches/lights may be fried. You can try to troubleshoot and substitute parts, but you might also need more. If the power supply is OK, lights are going on, but something else isn't working, you probably need to dismantle the head Remove the head from the LP tank, stand, and power supply.(#2 and #3 Phillips head screwdrivers worked for me.) Advice: Dismantle this outdoors, as insects can take up residence in the head unit and may infest your home if you repair indoors!
(Yes, I did this by accident! ) To remove the innards, you'll have to use a wrench and remove the 1-way valve from the hose Inspect the LP connector, 1-way valve, and hose for damage.My guess is that these parts are robust enough that they shouldn't give a problem, but if they are dirty, you should be able to clean them out (e.g. With alcohol or mineral spirits and a bit of compressed air to dry) Unplug things from the circuit board. Bravely now, dismantle the combustion chamber (i.e.
The big, heavy metal thing which is most of the head unit) by unscrewing the 4-5 screws holding the 2 halves together. There is some silicone adhesive holding the 2 halves together, so this may take a little leverage and some elbow grease. Once apart, use this as an opportunity to clean the inside of the unit, including the cylindrical catalytic converter, with mineral spirits The LP hose, mixing chamber, Schrader valve, solenoid valve, and LP sprayer should still be together as a unit.
Using a wrench, unscrew the LP sprayer from the mixing chamber, and soak the sprayer in mineral spirits for ~60 min and dry thoroughly. (The sprayer is a little sensitive, and can get clogged with impurities from the LP tanks. ) If need be, you should be able to unscrew the Schrader valve with a wrench and replace with a new valve from an auto parts dealer.
Once you clean the sprayer, put a little pipe tape on the threads and reassemble the LP hose, mixing chamber, Schrader, solenoid, and sprayer. You can test the solenoid valve by applying 12 volts DC to the plugs and listen for the valve to 'click'. Am not sure of the best way of testing these other parts, but you can theoretically connect it up to your LP tank, trigger the solenoid valve, and see or listen for the spray.
For the brave, you could even use a lighter to check for the spray To check the ignitor, carefully unscrew it from the combustion chamber, and plug it and the power supply into the circuit board. After turning on the unit and waiting a short time, the ignitor should turn bright, hot red. If it doesn't, you can replace with more robust units that are sold on eBay To check the thermocouple, carefully uncrew it from the combustion chamber, and connect the terminals to a multi-meter.As you heat the thermocouple (with say a lighter), the ohms should decrease significantly.
This should be a simple thing to replace, but am not sure where to purchase replacements if it's not working. Note that the thermocouple is held in place by a flimsy nylon screw. Replacement screws can be purchased at just about any home store.
Have heard of others replacing it with a ceramic screw You should be able to test the fan by applying 12 volt DC to the terminals. If it doesn't turn on, you can probably find a replacement at DigiKey Once you've cleaned and tested everything, you can reassemble the combustion chamber by using high-temp silicone adhesive (found at auto parts stores). Be sure to apply the adhesive ONLY in the same areas as where the previous adhesive was applied Once the combustion chamber is back together, you can plug everything back into the circuit board, reassemble, and screw everything back.
(Again, use a little pipe tape on the threads of any of the LP lines. ) Haven't tried this yet, but to prevent future clogging, I'll try to use the compressed CO2 cartridges with the Schrader valve (as recommended by the manufacturer) to try and keep the sprayer from clogging I have been struggling with MM Defender that won't start.
You’re trying your best to enjoy an evening cookout, but a constant swarm of mosquitoes follows you from grill to poolside. A pierce to your skin, leaving behind an itchy red welt and possibly even a serious illness. As you swat madly at the pests, you notice that others seem completely unfazed.
Could it be that mosquitoes prefer to bite some people over others? The short answer is yes. Mosquitoes do exhibit blood-sucking preferences, say the experts.
"One in 10 people are highly attractive to mosquitoes," reports Jerry Butler, PhD, professor emeritus at the University of Florida. But it's not dinner they're sucking out of you. Female mosquitoes -- males do not bite people -- need human blood to develop fertile eggs.
And apparently, not just anyone's will do. Although researchers have yet to pinpoint what mosquitoes consider an ideal hunk of human flesh, the hunt is on. "There's a tremendous amount of research being conducted on what compounds and odors people exude that might be attractive to mosquitoes," says Joe Conlon, PhD, technical advisor to the American Mosquito Control Association.
With 400 different compounds to examine, it's an extremely laborious process. "Researchers are just beginning to scratch the surface," he says. Scientists do know that genetics account for a whopping 85% of our susceptibility to mosquito bites.
They've also identified certain elements of our body chemistry that, when found in excess on the skin's surface, make mosquitoes swarm closer. "People with high concentrations of steroids or cholesterol on their skin surface attract mosquitoes," Butler tells WebMD. That doesn't necessarily mean that mosquitoes prey on people with higher overall levels of cholesterol, Butler explains.
These people simply may be more efficient at processing cholesterol, the byproducts of which remain on the skin's surface. Mosquitoes also target people who produce excess amounts of certain acids, such as uric acid, explains entomologist John Edman, PhD, spokesman for the Entomological Society of America. These substances can trigger mosquitoes' sense of smell, luring them to land on unsuspecting victims. But the process of attraction begins long before the landing.
Mosquitoes can smell their dinner from an impressive distance of up to 50 meters, explains Edman. This doesn't bode well for people who emit large quantities of carbon dioxide. "Any type of carbon dioxide is attractive, even over a long distance," Conlon says.
Larger people tend to give off more carbon dioxide, which is why mosquitoes typically prefer munching on adults to small children. Pregnant women are also at increased risk, as they produce a greater-than-normal amount of exhaled carbon dioxide. Movement and heat also attract mosquitoes.
So if you want to avoid an onslaught of mosquito bites at your next outdoor gathering, stake out a chaise lounge rather than a spot on the volleyball team. As you run around the volleyball court, the mosquitoes sense your movement and head toward you. When you pant from exertion, the smell of carbon dioxide from your heavy breathing draws them closer.
So does the lactic acid from your sweat glands.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.
Related Questions
Are mosquito traps that use CO2 and/or octenol effective in controlling mosquitoes or preventing mosquito bites?
My daughter just put a magnet on my computer screen, and it messed the color all up, is there any way to fix?
What is the Best Xbox E 74 Fix - Should You Fix it Yourself Or Let Microsoft Fix It?
Broken Laptop Screen? Does anyone know how much it will cost to fix? How can I fix it? Who can fix it? HELP?
Broken Laptop Screen? Does anyone know how much it will cost to fix? How can i fix it? Who can fix it? HELP
A current is produce when you move a magnet through a coil wire what factors increases and the amount of electromagnetic induction?