Blog - Zapper Questions and Answers

Zapper Question of the Day - Rechargeable Batteries

Recently we got a zapper returned with a note: "The ON button rarely works any more, meaning sometimes it works, but usually does not. What is the matter with my zapper?"

Use ALKALINE Batteries in your Zapper

When I tested it, I found that the owner had replaced the high quality alkaline 9 volt battery we supply with a "9 volt" rechargeable battery. That battery was actually a 7.2 volt battery, with 6 NiMH cells inside that supply 1.2 volts each. It was an Energizer NH22N, marked Size: 9 V, and it had the familiar rectangular shape. But in TINY print near the bottom it said "7.2 V" The actual voltage measured 6.48 volts, and the zapper would not start because the built-in automatic battery test will not let the zapper start if the battery is below 6.5 volts. This is 30% above the 5 volt minimum specified by Dr. Clark in her books, and was chosen to ensure that you will always get correct current from a Professional Auto-Zap zapper.

Replacing the battery with the recommended 9 volt alkaline battery restored correct operation, with the Start switch working perfectly every time.

Save yourself headaches - use only high quality alkaline 9 volt batteries in your Auto-Zap zapper. You will get 500 hours of use out of each battery, for the lowest battery cost of any zapper. And you will ensure correct and reliable operation.

If you have questions or comments about Zappers, please contact us using our comments form.