Are piezo static guns just glorified gas stove lighters?

[maxro]

Well, as the title suggests, I was just wondering if static discharge guns like the Zerostat and Ionoclast are basically the same as a $5 handheld piezo-electric gas stove lighter. I don't want to cheap out if it's going to do damage to my vinyl, or not do what the anti-static guns are supposed to do. It just seems like they are working on the same principle and 5 bucks sure beats 38 to 100 dollars.

Max

[Pano]

Good question! Geez, that Ionoclast even loooks like a lighter with a new snoot shrink wrapped on.

Hope someone knows, as I was about to buy a ZeroStat to kill static on film.

[maxro]

This one looks almost exactly like the Ionoclast.

[valveitude]

The piezo lighters have a short duration arc, and I believe the Zerostat has a prolonged high voltage corona (not a spark) as you squeeze the trigger.

-Casey

[mightydub]

Originally posted by valveitude
The piezo lighters have a short duration arc, and I believe the Zerostat has a prolonged high voltage corona (not a spark) as you squeeze the trigger.

-Casey

Correct - same principle, but a much longer duration from the zerostat.

An old friend used to use his zerostat to charge up his long haired persian cat - the poor thing would be puffed up about the size of footstool until it got near something grounded. Zap! MEOWWWWW! Poor cat, after a while it would run and hide anytime he opened the door to the stereo cabinet.

[maxro]

Valveitude,

Good to know. The Ionoclast, like a stove sparker, does not have the long throw trigger of the ZeroStat. It probably cracks open a stubby Canadian spark, rather than the (required?) long-neck Corona (to find the beer analogy you didn't know you had hiden in your post).

Max

[maxro]

Originally posted by mightydub
An old friend used to use his zerostat to charge up his long haired persian cat - the poor thing would be puffed up about the size of footstool until it got near something grounded. Zap! MEOWWWWW! Poor cat, after a while it would run and hide anytime he opened the door to the stereo cabinet.

The effect was probably even better while listening to Van Der Graaf Generator.

[neutron7]

If you take away metal part that the spark can jump to and instead, extend the point and heat shrink it (so the spark can not jump), but instead an "ionic wind" happens instead. the actual peizo zapper mechanism is the same.

a long time ago you used to be able to put a wire on one of those and stick it in a space invaders or pinball coin slot, it would give you about 50 credits

[valveitude]

(to find the beer analogy you didn't know you had hiden in your post).

You can never have to many of those..analogies that is

If you take away metal part that the spark can jump to and instead, extend the point and heat shrink it (so the spark can not jump), but instead an "ionic wind" happens instead. the actual peizo zapper mechanism is the same.

I'm not so sure. The piezo lighter gives you a "pop" as you release the spring loaded catch, the Zerostat gives you a "B-Z-Z-Z-Z-T" as you pull the trigger. Modding the lighter would give you the corona, I just don't think it would last long enough to give you the desired effect.

-Casey

[maxro]

Originally posted by neutron7
space invaders

So, at least the cheap ones are good for fighting a certain type of "cling-on", if not those on your records.

Max

edit: spelling