How do stun weapons work
Wednesday, May 14th, 2008OK so here we go. The traditional stun gun has two portruding electrodes (positive and negative) which set up an electrical circuit between them so that current will pass between them when the stun gun is activated.
The early models are typically powered by nine volt alkaline batteries and have longer portruding electrodes. Some of us (including Poppajohn) prefer these. Most of the later models use three volt lithium camera batteries. This allows them to be constructed on a smaller frame. This also makes them a lot more handy and easier to carry. Along with that they typically use smaller electrodes that lay flat across the front of the stun gun, there is no evidence that this makes them any less effective than the larger more portruding electrodes, it does however contribute to their being easier to carry.
Power from the batteries is passed to a coil (some use more than 1) where the voltage is increased to pretty much any level desired. The higher the voltage the more impressive the spark and the electrical noise when testing the unit (scary). Civilian stun guns use high voltage (up to a million or more) at low wattage (7 to 14 watts) and miniscule amperage (around a miliamp) to temporarily disable an attacker for anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes relatively harmlessly. The units do tend to produce two small burn marks where the current enters and leaves the body.
These weapons therefore work by interfering with the communication signals within the nervous system of the target. Conventional stun systems primarily effect the sensory nervous system. Something like static on the communication lines between the brain and the body and in so doing they interfere with the human command and control systems. The effect is the muscles contract and relax at a very high rate.
So stun guns use high voltage and low amperage to temporarily disable an attacker for several minutes. The stun gun does not rely on pain for results. The energy stored in the gun is dumped into the attacker’s muscles causing them to do a great deal of work rapidly. This rapid work cycle instantly depletes the attacker’s blood sugar by converting it to lactic acid. In short, he is unable to produce energy for his muscles, and his body is unable to function properly. The stun gun also interrupts the tiny neurological impulses that control and direct voluntary muscle movement . When the attacker’s neuromuscular system is overwhelmed and controlled by the stun gun he loses his balance, you should then be prepared to catch your assailant and help him to the ground. Should the attacker be touching you, the current will NOT pass to your body! However, a small percentage of people with very high tolerance for electrical stimulation can fight through the effect.
EMD weapons (tasers) use a more powerful 18 to 26 Watt electrical signal to completely override the central nervous system and directly control the skeletal muscles. This EMD effect causes an uncontrollable contraction of the muscle tissue, allowing the M-Series to physically debilitate a target regardless of pain tolerance or mental focus. The ADVANCED TASER M-Series are EMD weapons — specifically designed to stop even the most elite, aggressive, focused combatants. Rather than simply interfering with communication between the brain and muscles, the ADVANCED TASER EMD systems directly tell the muscles what to do: that is contract until the target is in the fetal position on the ground.
Some stun guns are built to resemble something other than a stun gun such as a cell phone or flashlight or some other unique design which gives you a tactical advantage because since it looks like a harmless cell phone or what ever, it will be easy to surprise an attacker. Remember, the purpose of a taser gun or a stun gun, and all other non-lethal self defense products, is to give you time to escape. Use the stun gun, then head for safety. Don’t stand around checking out the slobbering mook on the ground, clear the area.
Poppajohn has some amazing special prices on Taser Guns available for a short time.
TASERS
Always carry personal protection, be aware and have a plan!
