How Many Volts Are In A Bug Zapper: Explained
If you have an electric bug zapper hanging on your American porch, sitting in your garage, or standing in your backyard, you may wonder how much electricity runs through it. The bright blue or purple light looks harmless, but the metal grid inside carries a surprisingly high voltage. Most household models use a high-voltage electrical grid to kill insects when they touch two charged metal wires.
The important detail is that the voltage at the killing grid is not the same as the voltage coming from a household electrical outlet. A typical US plug-in bug zapper may use 120 volts AC as its input while producing several thousand volts across its internal grid. Some battery-powered models also raise their lower battery voltage to a much higher grid voltage. This guide explains typical voltage ranges, how the electrical system works, what the numbers mean, and how to handle a bug zapper safely.
