I wanted something for inside my kitchen . I get killed in the summer with gnats and green flies. glad I seen your video cause that thing is HUGE. PS that one is $189.99 on flowtrons site and the bigger one is $199.99
I have the smaller one, it's provided good service for my small yard for 8 years. I was curious about what the voltage is on the metal grid. I sent a email to Flowtron to what voltage is supplyed to the interior grid. It's 5600 peak output volts! At that voltage it vaporise mosquitos & other small flying bugs.
Animals like frogs 'n lizards don't have to be attracted to any kind of light. They just show up in environment, walk or jump around and find their way into coveted places - at times to hide or be inquisitive in looking for insects I believe.
Looks like the MC9000 is the best bug zapper on the market. I like the dark green color which blends in better with the landscape. Do you know if the MC9000 is a newer model? I am guessing it is a newer introduction from Flowtron because I see fewer video reviews of this model compared to the FC8800, so there are not as many of them out there yet.
Yes, I believe it’s newer than the FC8800 even though the fc8800 is slightly larger. My parents had one of the fc8800 about 12 years ago so I know it’s been out quite a long time. I like the MC9000 because of the thick bars on the outside. Makes it seem much more durable. The mc9000 is wrapped in something like chicken wire.
Should we be concerned that it will kill friendly animals/insects like bees, lizards and frogs? What solution have you found to help eliminate this? Perhaps some smaller-hold mesh wire around the unit so just small insects like mosquitoes, flys, moths can enter through adapted smaller holes? What idea have you folks come up with as a solution because it's one of the dangers/disappoints at this point to use electronic to "throw the baby out with the dishwater?" Thanks
So I’ve never found that bees are a problem because they are not attracted to UV light. And then frogs just eat the dead bugs below. It’s like a free meal for them..
@@MSRWorkshop - I can't even get FLIES to go into the UV lighted bug killer. It's mostly small "light bugs" that hang around/attracted to lights at night. Flies must be to smart for the unit. I only run it during the day when flies are around. In nighttime, I turn it off and put it back on during the daytime.
You must not have any moths! Mine caught fire from the moths on the cheap highly flammable nylon cord that they use to support the inner grid, unfortunately every brand uses this very poor design probably so they can sell a ton more since they only last three months before the moths destroy the inner grid. I was looking at the MC9000 but I would have to find a better material for the inner grid than the nylon cord that they still use.
I shoot entirely with my iPhone 12pro max. I shoot in 4K hdr 60 and edit everything with Luma Fusion. I tried final cut and it’s terrible to edit 4K HDR. Luma fusion is so easy to get the hang of and a way different experience than Final Cut Pro. Because I use Mac, I just air drop everything from one device to another. Probably my number one favorite feature with using Mac!
On your bk-80d, you can clearly see that the neon starters are burnt out. Replace that and I bet it will start working. Someone else did a video where he replaced the neon tube with a standard fluorescent lamp starter socket + standard starter cartridge. You could do this and it would be easier to replace the starter in the future. I am planning on buying a bk-80 and want to replace the old school magnetic ballast plus starter with a modern electronic ballast which should lead to longer lamp life and will also eliminate the need to replace with the starters. Thank you for this video though, because I couldn’t find any photos of the internals of the bk-80d anywhere, and wasn’t sure if my plan would be possible. It seems that on the bk-15 and bk-40, the high voltage transformer doubles as a ballast for the light as well as high voltage source for the grid, and I wasn’t sure if replacing the ballast would affect the zapping performance. On the bk-80 and the bigger model, it looks like there is a separate ballast for the lamp in addition to the high voltage transformer. Also want to note, that leaving the unit on 24/7 would probably actually make your bulbs last longer, and would definitely make the neon starter tube last longer. There are a bunch of different technologies used in fluorescent lamp ballasts/starters, but the one used here, the neon tube is energized every time you start the bug zapper, reducing the life of the tube. They are cheap, and debatable whether the power used to keep it on 24/7 is more than the tube replacements, but it’s worth considering. That’s why I’d like to replace the old tube technology with a modern ballast which would allow you to turn it on and off without significantly affecting the life of any components. Thanks again for the video!
I considered fixing it but the new I really wanted a new one. I’m loving the steel outer grates !. I replaced the bulb starters one time in its life and it’s worked fine. Actually the bulbs work fine on the 80 and it’s turning on right away but the killing grid had no power. I didn’t really want to fiddle with it, also the bulb sockets were completely worn. The new one is a beast and I’ll keep it as long as I can get parts.
@@MSRWorkshop makes sense - 15 years is a long time so you got your money’s worth for sure. I have several cheap bug zappers and the grids clogged and they eventually stopped working within a few months last year so I want something with a lot more power and think the flowtron might be the answer. I only have 1 acre of land so I’m debating whether the 40 or 80 model is the right size. The stainless steel one looks awesome but is a bit more than I’m willing to spend. I also have a dynatrap which catches a ton of bugs in my back yard, so I’m kind of leaning toward the 40 watt model for the front yard.
I have never heard of neon starters so bear with me 😉 When you say they are "clearly" burnt out, how can you tell? Are they easy to replace for DIY types who aren't electricians? Thx for the detailed comment.
@@fjoy3376 I said they were clearly burnt out since the tubes were internally coated with a black coating like a burnt out light bulb, but I am actually not so sure, since I wrote that comment before my bk-80d bug zappers arrived. The neon starters are little glass tubes stuck into two of the pins on top of each light socket. They should be easy to replace although they can be physically hard to pull out. Having a pair of pliers helps if you can’t easily pull it out. Although if it’s burnt out it doesn’t matter if you accidentally break it when pulling out the old one. If you have trouble pushing in the new starter wires, you can pull the plastic cap off the light socket and use a pocket knife or razor to push the metal tabs that hold the wires In place, back to their proper position. The reason I’m not so sure they were burnt out anymore, is that I noticed that the neon starters on my brand new zapper quickly had that same black color that I thought indicated them being burnt out. The only way to tell for sure, is to take the cover off the bug zapper and plug it in. If the neon starter is working properly, it will flash the second you plug the bug zapper in, and go out once the main lamp ignites. If the starter keeps flashing but the lamp never ignites, the issue is most likely the main lamp itself. There is a bimetallic strip inside the neon starter, which functions the same way a flashing Christmas light works. When the starter metal strip heats up and touches the other internal contact, a high voltage spike is generated from the lamp ballast which should ignite the lamp. The technology used in these bug zappers is actually quite old, and I modified my bug zapper to use a modern digital fluorescent lamp ballast, in addition to a few other changes including adding a light sensor to turn it on automatically at night. That’s a bit more involved since the lamp and the actual high voltage transformer that provides the power to zap the bugs is combined in a clever way to save on components. I found that once I wired up the lamps separately, the transformer was now receiving more power and heated up faster, so I also added a cooling fan and a power factor correction capacitor to my zapper. I think my new design is superior to the original one, but if you just want to replace the neon starters, you can simply pull the old ones out, and stick in a new one which you can buy for something like $3 from the flowtron website. They should have used a standard fluorescent lamp starter rather than a bare neon tube, to make replacing it easier. There is another video on TH-cam that shows someone else who decided to add a proper lamp starter socket to his zapper. But that’s probably more details than you needed. This is what my zapper now looks like: imgur.com/a/vYuom80
Actually, the fluorescent starters that you are referring to have that coating from the factory. While it may be the starter that has failed, it is not obvious nor clear without troubleshooting.
I just bought MC9000 it will be coming tomorrow…Thanks for information can’t wait to set mine up!
I wanted something for inside my kitchen . I get killed in the summer with gnats and green flies. glad I seen your video cause that thing is HUGE.
PS that one is $189.99 on flowtrons site and the bigger one is $199.99
The green one looks like a power cell for the starship enterprise 😀
Haha you’re right! I hadn’t thought of that, and I even just watched that movie this last week 😆
thanks for the review.
I have the smaller one, it's provided good service for my small yard for 8 years. I was curious about what the voltage is on the metal grid. I sent a email to Flowtron to what voltage is supplyed to the interior grid. It's 5600 peak output volts! At that voltage it vaporise mosquitos & other small flying bugs.
Thank you!
I was curious to !
Thank you for this video I really needed to know this I just bought one for myself or actually I bought two.
Glad I could help!
FANTASTIC! Glad I found you! New sub!
Thanks 🙏
I found a crispy fried blacked lizard on ours years back
Animals like frogs 'n lizards don't have to be attracted to any kind of light. They just show up in environment, walk or jump around and find their way into coveted places - at times to hide or be inquisitive in looking for insects I believe.
Looks like the MC9000 is the best bug zapper on the market. I like the dark green color which blends in better with the landscape. Do you know if the MC9000 is a newer model? I am guessing it is a newer introduction from Flowtron because I see fewer video reviews of this model compared to the FC8800, so there are not as many of them out there yet.
Yes, I believe it’s newer than the FC8800 even though the fc8800 is slightly larger. My parents had one of the fc8800 about 12 years ago so I know it’s been out quite a long time.
I like the MC9000 because of the thick bars on the outside. Makes it seem much more durable. The mc9000 is wrapped in something like chicken wire.
Should we be concerned that it will kill friendly animals/insects like bees, lizards and frogs? What solution have you found to help eliminate this? Perhaps some smaller-hold mesh wire around the unit so just small insects like mosquitoes, flys, moths can enter through adapted smaller holes? What idea have you folks come up with as a solution because it's one of the dangers/disappoints at this point to use electronic to "throw the baby out with the dishwater?" Thanks
So I’ve never found that bees are a problem because they are not attracted to UV light. And then frogs just eat the dead bugs below. It’s like a free meal for them..
@@MSRWorkshop - I can't even get FLIES to go into the UV lighted bug killer. It's mostly small "light bugs" that hang around/attracted to lights at night. Flies must be to smart for the unit. I only run it during the day when flies are around. In nighttime, I turn it off and put it back on during the daytime.
Birds and frogs etc aren't attracted to blue light nor do they fly at night lol
@whatweshouldknow5648 frogs and lizards and birds aren’t but they sure are attracted to flying insects and the free meal the zappers leave.
@@MSRWorkshop - this is TRUE.
Thank You!
How does it fare against the Japanese Beetle? I have the pheromone attractant to lure them in, but will this device kill them?
They’re pretty big and clumsy, but if they can get through the grates, then yes, it will kill them
You must not have any moths! Mine caught fire from the moths on the cheap highly flammable nylon cord that they use to support the inner grid, unfortunately every brand uses this very poor design probably so they can sell a ton more since they only last three months before the moths destroy the inner grid. I was looking at the MC9000 but I would have to find a better material for the inner grid than the nylon cord that they still use.
Exactly what I thought, that it was gonna catch fire from the moths
Cool needed this video
That fly at 3:14 was right on queue… he has no idea what’s about to happen to him!
Thanks mate, great explanation.. Yes >8-D
No problem 👍
Son of a biscuit eater 😮 you killed a bird with that thing, dang
It only cost $20 for a tank of propane. If that last for 2 months that doesn't sound too bad. I use more than that grilling.
I want the most badass highest voltage bug zapper I can get, is this it?
There is one size larger. The voltage I think is the same but it has one more row of bulbs. So yes this is the best
The toads and frogs aren't stupid either and will gather near the light to catch more bugs and get fat!
The zap isn't as strong as the old Flowtron. the moths are still alive. Try putting it on a crate and put a pan of water below the Flowtron.
what camera do you use to record your videos? how do you export the videos in HDR?
I shoot entirely with my iPhone 12pro max. I shoot in 4K hdr 60 and edit everything with Luma Fusion. I tried final cut and it’s terrible to edit 4K HDR. Luma fusion is so easy to get the hang of and a way different experience than Final Cut Pro. Because I use Mac, I just air drop everything from one device to another. Probably my number one favorite feature with using Mac!
@@MSRWorkshop thanks i do the same thing, but i have not tried to use HDR yet.
for now i am with FCP
Give luma fusion a try. I think it’s Really Game changing
@@MSRWorkshop is it faster than FCP?
@@gabakbusiness way way faster. At least I think to. It’s a completely different experience
On your bk-80d, you can clearly see that the neon starters are burnt out. Replace that and I bet it will start working. Someone else did a video where he replaced the neon tube with a standard fluorescent lamp starter socket + standard starter cartridge. You could do this and it would be easier to replace the starter in the future. I am planning on buying a bk-80 and want to replace the old school magnetic ballast plus starter with a modern electronic ballast which should lead to longer lamp life and will also eliminate the need to replace with the starters.
Thank you for this video though, because I couldn’t find any photos of the internals of the bk-80d anywhere, and wasn’t sure if my plan would be possible. It seems that on the bk-15 and bk-40, the high voltage transformer doubles as a ballast for the light as well as high voltage source for the grid, and I wasn’t sure if replacing the ballast would affect the zapping performance. On the bk-80 and the bigger model, it looks like there is a separate ballast for the lamp in addition to the high voltage transformer.
Also want to note, that leaving the unit on 24/7 would probably actually make your bulbs last longer, and would definitely make the neon starter tube last longer. There are a bunch of different technologies used in fluorescent lamp ballasts/starters, but the one used here, the neon tube is energized every time you start the bug zapper, reducing the life of the tube. They are cheap, and debatable whether the power used to keep it on 24/7 is more than the tube replacements, but it’s worth considering. That’s why I’d like to replace the old tube technology with a modern ballast which would allow you to turn it on and off without significantly affecting the life of any components.
Thanks again for the video!
I considered fixing it but the new I really wanted a new one. I’m loving the steel outer grates !. I replaced the bulb starters one time in its life and it’s worked fine. Actually the bulbs work fine on the 80 and it’s turning on right away but the killing grid had no power. I didn’t really want to fiddle with it, also the bulb sockets were completely worn. The new one is a beast and I’ll keep it as long as I can get parts.
@@MSRWorkshop makes sense - 15 years is a long time so you got your money’s worth for sure. I have several cheap bug zappers and the grids clogged and they eventually stopped working within a few months last year so I want something with a lot more power and think the flowtron might be the answer. I only have 1 acre of land so I’m debating whether the 40 or 80 model is the right size. The stainless steel one looks awesome but is a bit more than I’m willing to spend. I also have a dynatrap which catches a ton of bugs in my back yard, so I’m kind of leaning toward the 40 watt model for the front yard.
I have never heard of neon starters so bear with me 😉
When you say they are "clearly" burnt out, how can you tell?
Are they easy to replace for DIY types who aren't electricians?
Thx for the detailed comment.
@@fjoy3376 I said they were clearly burnt out since the tubes were internally coated with a black coating like a burnt out light bulb, but I am actually not so sure, since I wrote that comment before my bk-80d bug zappers arrived.
The neon starters are little glass tubes stuck into two of the pins on top of each light socket. They should be easy to replace although they can be physically hard to pull out. Having a pair of pliers helps if you can’t easily pull it out. Although if it’s burnt out it doesn’t matter if you accidentally break it when pulling out the old one. If you have trouble pushing in the new starter wires, you can pull the plastic cap off the light socket and use a pocket knife or razor to push the metal tabs that hold the wires In place, back to their proper position.
The reason I’m not so sure they were burnt out anymore, is that I noticed that the neon starters on my brand new zapper quickly had that same black color that I thought indicated them being burnt out. The only way to tell for sure, is to take the cover off the bug zapper and plug it in. If the neon starter is working properly, it will flash the second you plug the bug zapper in, and go out once the main lamp ignites. If the starter keeps flashing but the lamp never ignites, the issue is most likely the main lamp itself. There is a bimetallic strip inside the neon starter, which functions the same way a flashing Christmas light works. When the starter metal strip heats up and touches the other internal contact, a high voltage spike is generated from the lamp ballast which should ignite the lamp.
The technology used in these bug zappers is actually quite old, and I modified my bug zapper to use a modern digital fluorescent lamp ballast, in addition to a few other changes including adding a light sensor to turn it on automatically at night. That’s a bit more involved since the lamp and the actual high voltage transformer that provides the power to zap the bugs is combined in a clever way to save on components. I found that once I wired up the lamps separately, the transformer was now receiving more power and heated up faster, so I also added a cooling fan and a power factor correction capacitor to my zapper.
I think my new design is superior to the original one, but if you just want to replace the neon starters, you can simply pull the old ones out, and stick in a new one which you can buy for something like $3 from the flowtron website.
They should have used a standard fluorescent lamp starter rather than a bare neon tube, to make replacing it easier. There is another video on TH-cam that shows someone else who decided to add a proper lamp starter socket to his zapper. But that’s probably more details than you needed.
This is what my zapper now looks like: imgur.com/a/vYuom80
Actually, the fluorescent starters that you are referring to have that coating from the factory. While it may be the starter that has failed, it is not obvious nor clear without troubleshooting.
Do these work with horse flies?
Unfortunately no. Flies aren’t attached to uv light like moths.
It will kill some
Can these be out in the rain ?
I turn mine off in the rain. They are fine outside but being on in a rain storm, no
Mini split to a door wtf?
Sir, that bug zapper is literally half the size of you.
🤣 and to think there is a bigger one. About three inches larger.
A lot of those bugs are going to clog your coils
They will so every year I do a thorough cleaning
Learn more from your video.
You will own nothing , eat z bugs!