A few days ago, my dog found a rat living on our back porch. I shot at it with an airsoft gun (only thing I had handy), it took off and the dog chased it over onto the cat-dude's property (yeah, I'm a really good neighbor). Sprayed some ammonia around to discourage it's return. Well, it was back this morning, shot at it some more, but need a more permanent solution.
I don't want to use poisons, well yeah I do, but it wouldn't be the best idea in this situation. It's outside, so there's the potential for it getting scattered about, dog might get in it. Neighbor's cat (you'd figure one of those mangy little bastards would take care of business, he currently has 11 cats). I like the squirrels, they help keep the oak scrub under control. Spring trap wouldn't be much better. Which only leaves live traps, which would most likely just be another piece of junk to join my clutter, besides, I don't want a live rat, which I'll have to kill anyway, what's the point.
Being I spend a great deal of my spare time tinkering with electronics, this would be the natural choice for taking care of the rat. First, I was thinking a disposable camera flash board, and just soldering some leads to the capacitor. Figure on around 250 volts, but not sure if that would be enough to actually kill a rat, maybe enough incentive to find a new home. Battery life, might not be so great, figure a 'D' cell instead of a AA might last a couple of nights. Thought about hooking through a solar yard light instead, since it only need be active at night, little bit safer for dog and squirrels (cats are just a bonus). Still I wonder if there will be a heavy draw on the battery after the capacitor is charged, or very little (won't be triggering the flash).
Failing that, could use an ignition coil solution, a little bit more construction time, although a good use for the 12 volt SLA that should be here Friday.
Also have 15 large 95 volt capacitors (bigger then 16 oz beer can), but don't have a charging circuit.
Figure on running some 24 gauge stainless steel wire over some aluminum plate in the area I saw the rat. Figure it won't be able to avoid contacting both, and reasonably out of reach of the dog.
I don't want to use poisons, well yeah I do, but it wouldn't be the best idea in this situation. It's outside, so there's the potential for it getting scattered about, dog might get in it. Neighbor's cat (you'd figure one of those mangy little bastards would take care of business, he currently has 11 cats). I like the squirrels, they help keep the oak scrub under control. Spring trap wouldn't be much better. Which only leaves live traps, which would most likely just be another piece of junk to join my clutter, besides, I don't want a live rat, which I'll have to kill anyway, what's the point.
Being I spend a great deal of my spare time tinkering with electronics, this would be the natural choice for taking care of the rat. First, I was thinking a disposable camera flash board, and just soldering some leads to the capacitor. Figure on around 250 volts, but not sure if that would be enough to actually kill a rat, maybe enough incentive to find a new home. Battery life, might not be so great, figure a 'D' cell instead of a AA might last a couple of nights. Thought about hooking through a solar yard light instead, since it only need be active at night, little bit safer for dog and squirrels (cats are just a bonus). Still I wonder if there will be a heavy draw on the battery after the capacitor is charged, or very little (won't be triggering the flash).
Failing that, could use an ignition coil solution, a little bit more construction time, although a good use for the 12 volt SLA that should be here Friday.
Also have 15 large 95 volt capacitors (bigger then 16 oz beer can), but don't have a charging circuit.
Figure on running some 24 gauge stainless steel wire over some aluminum plate in the area I saw the rat. Figure it won't be able to avoid contacting both, and reasonably out of reach of the dog.
