Mythbusters Water Stun Gun

General water gun discussion.
Locked
User avatar
Drenchenator
Posts: 807
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 12:00 pm

Mythbusters Water Stun Gun

Post by Drenchenator » Thu Sep 18, 2008 8:30 pm

Any one see yesterday's episode? It seems water guns finally made it onto Mythbusters, though I must say that the myth wasn't the one we'd have liked to see--CPS 2000 one, that is. Instead, they tested to see if a water gun could be modified into a water stun gun.

When they mentioned laminar flow, I thought that maybe they would build a water gun. After all, they build a lot of air guns--why not a water one? They didn't. They bought several water guns and used a Stream Machine during testing. They determined that the Stream Machine had the most laminar stream, which it did because it was just a long tube with a comparatively large nozzle.

In all, I thought they did a good job on this myth. They said it's busted, but what I would've liked to see would be a homemade water stun gun, not just a stock water gun and stock stun gun mashed together. Perhaps I'm just picky. I still doubt a dedicated water stun gun would work though or be feasible; it would weigh a lot, I'd imagine.

Now that they've done one water gun myth, you think they would do more? Any thoughts on this?
The Drenchenator, also known as Lt. Col. Drench.

User avatar
cantab
Posts: 1492
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 1:35 pm

Re: Mythbusters Water Stun Gun

Post by cantab » Thu Sep 18, 2008 9:43 pm

I didn't see the episode. However, I wonder if the problem might have been using a single water stream, when most stun guns use TWO electrodes, and tasers use two wires. Thus, a water stun gun needs two streams.
Then, they need to be parallel, and close enough to both hit the target, but far enough to not short circuit.
They'll need to be big streams so they stay together.
Of stock guns, this gives the Monster XL as the best choice, with the XXP 275 another possible option.

They'll need to be salt water, to better conduct. And it might be worth adding glycerine or 'superwater' to help keep them together.


I think with the CPS 2000, they would risk the ire of Hasbro. Trying to spin it generically wouldn't really work,
because they're still gonna need a CPS 2000 for testing. No modern gun even comes close.
I work on Windows. My toolbox is Linux.
Arsenal:
Super Soaker: XP215, 2xXP220, Liquidator, Aquashock Secret Strike M(odded), Arctic Blast M, CPS1200, CPS2100, SC Power Pak, 3l aquapack, 1.5l aquapack
Water Warriors: Jet, Sting Ray M, Shark, Argon M, Tiger Shark, PulseMaster
Others: Waterbolt, The Blaster, Storm 500, Shield Blaster 2000, generic PR gun, generic backpack piston pumper (broken), 3l garden sprayer M, 10l water carrier:

aEx155
Posts: 325
Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2008 3:13 am

Re: Mythbusters Water Stun Gun

Post by aEx155 » Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:38 am

I did. It was very interesting, I might add. I was really expecting them to build some kind of water gun with two, ultra-laminar (if such a thing can be shot at someone) to conduct the electricity. That would've made the most sense...

...unfortunately, as Silence said, they used stream machines and a stock stun gun. I'm not sure about the stun gun end, but they certainly could have done something about the water guns. CAP, at least, considering the job it would need to do. If only they knew about us...

If I were to try an make this feasible, I would use some kind of ultra-conductive liquid, so that they wouldn't be plagued by the problems the Mythbusters had (see below). Either that, or switch to a belt fed stun gun of some sort... :p
cantab wrote:I didn't see the episode. However, I wonder if the problem might have been using a single water stream, when most stun guns use TWO electrodes, and tasers use two wires. Thus, a water stun gun needs two streams.
Then, they need to be parallel, and close enough to both hit the target, but far enough to not short circuit.
They'll need to be big streams so they stay together.
On the show they did use two streams; they mounted two Stream Machines together and had the stun gun attached. Wires went from the gun to the outlet of the two guns, where the water was electrified. One problem with the Stream Machines: non-constant pressure. One problem with (salt) water: not enough conductivity.

Those are just my thoughts.

User avatar
isoaker_com
Posts: 458
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2004 12:00 pm

Re: Mythbusters Water Stun Gun

Post by isoaker_com » Fri Sep 19, 2008 3:54 pm

Shucks.. missed the show; sounded like a fun watch. Then again, no cable for me. :P The comments and suggestions above all make a lot of sense if one were trying to make a stun gun out of a water blaster. In the end, though, I think there are more effective means of delivering a stunning charge than using a liquid stream. IMO, water guns are better used for either soaking people, putting out fires, crowd control, or cutting rock.

:cool:
:: Leave NO one dry! :: iSoaker.com / iSoaker.net ::

coolocat
Posts: 29
Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2008 7:45 pm

Re: Mythbusters Water Stun Gun

Post by coolocat » Fri Sep 19, 2008 7:30 pm

Just seen it on youtube its where they used a water gun to direct a stream of water at a dummy. I don't think I've seen it all I just saw the bit where they test the guns for laminar flow using red dye it looks like an interesting episode. :)

User avatar
cantab
Posts: 1492
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 1:35 pm

Re: Mythbusters Water Stun Gun

Post by cantab » Fri Sep 19, 2008 9:38 pm

Indeed. It's possible to make the air itself conduct the current.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolaser
I work on Windows. My toolbox is Linux.
Arsenal:
Super Soaker: XP215, 2xXP220, Liquidator, Aquashock Secret Strike M(odded), Arctic Blast M, CPS1200, CPS2100, SC Power Pak, 3l aquapack, 1.5l aquapack
Water Warriors: Jet, Sting Ray M, Shark, Argon M, Tiger Shark, PulseMaster
Others: Waterbolt, The Blaster, Storm 500, Shield Blaster 2000, generic PR gun, generic backpack piston pumper (broken), 3l garden sprayer M, 10l water carrier:

Locked