| Welcome back! In the previous installment of this | | | | In order to overcome the electrical resistance of the |
| three-parts guide I discussed how to select the right | | | | assailant's body, stun guns use high voltage to |
| stun gun shape for you (regular stun gun, mini stun | | | | forcefully push a relatively low electric current. |
| gun, cell phone stun gun, or stun baton). It is the | | | | Despite the high voltage electrical discharge they |
| main goal for this second part of the stun gun article | | | | provide, stun guns actually don't have enough current |
| series to discuss how to choose the best voltage. | | | | (amperage) to kill someone in normal circumstances. |
| Let's get started! | | | | To give you an idea, it would take approximately one |
| Selecting the right voltage is one of the most | | | | amp (6 billion-billion electrons passing by, every |
| confusing decisions people are faced with when | | | | second) to kill a person (it must be said, however, |
| buying stun guns. How high is too high a voltage? | | | | that at least 200 milliamps (2/10 of an ampere) can |
| And conversely...How low is too low? Certainly, | | | | make the heart beat uncontrollably (fibrillate), and |
| nobody wants to find themselves killing another | | | | thus can be fatal). But stun guns only have 3-4 |
| human being, but they definitively don't want to face | | | | milliamps, which is far below 200 milliamps, and farther |
| an attacker with a low powered and ineffective non | | | | below one amp. As a result, stun guns are able to |
| lethal weapon either. | | | | temporarily incapacitate an attacker for a few |
| "So how do I achieve the perfect balance between | | | | minutes without causing any lasting harm. |
| powerfulness and non lethality, in terms of voltage?", | | | | Which brings us back to our original question: "How |
| most people ask. To understand the answer to that | | | | do I achieve the perfect balance between |
| important question, first you need to understand the | | | | powerfulness and non lethality, in terms of voltage?". |
| difference between "electric current (amperage)" and | | | | The correct answer is: Just get the highest voltage |
| "voltage". So...Are you ready to stroll down your | | | | stun gun you can afford. It will only push a low (non |
| school days memory lane? It will be interesting, I | | | | lethal) current harder...and more effectively. |
| promise. So, let's go! | | | | And why is that important? Again: because of the |
| If you remember your science classes, you will | | | | human body's electrical resistance. "But what does |
| remember that an atom is the smallest portion into | | | | electrical resistance mean specifically?", you might ask. |
| which an element can be divided and still retain its | | | | Well, it refers to the opposition that the human body |
| properties. It is composed of a positively charged | | | | presents to the flow of electricity. Because of |
| nucleus surrounded by a system of electrons | | | | electrical resistance, it will take a high voltage to |
| (negatively charged particles that orbits the nucleus | | | | force enough electrons through a person, in order to |
| of an atom). Many of those electrons are easily | | | | temporarily incapacitate him/her. While a low voltage |
| detachable from the rest of their atoms, and that | | | | may not be able to accomplish that task, a high |
| allows them to travel from one place to another. | | | | voltage stun gun (by overcoming the body's electrical |
| Consequently, an electric current is a flow of | | | | resistance) will definitively increase the effectiveness |
| electrons traveling from one place to another. While a | | | | of your lawful self defense strategy. |
| few flowing electrons equals low current, a great | | | | Getting the highest voltage stun gun you can get is |
| number of flowing electrons equals a high current. As | | | | also important because of additional factors that may |
| the current increases, so does the lethality of the | | | | affect the aggressor's electric resistance. For |
| current (by the way, the electric current is measured | | | | instance, larger size persons require a stronger |
| by a unit called ampere - so the higher the amperage, | | | | discharge than smaller individuals in order for your |
| the higher the current, and thus, the greater the | | | | stun gun to be effective. Likewise, if your attacker |
| lethality). | | | | happens to be in a good physical condition, the |
| Voltage, on the other hand, represents the strength | | | | required discharge might be higher as well. Because |
| with which the electric current is made to move from | | | | you must be ready to defend yourself no matter |
| one place to another. In other words, voltage refers | | | | what your attacker's physical characteristics are, as a |
| to the amount of push that urges electrons to move. | | | | general guideline we tend avoid stun weapons with |
| By itself, voltage cannot electrocute a person. | | | | less than 200,000 volts (TASER guns are the only |
| Voltage depends on the intensity of the ampere | | | | exception, but they work on a completely different |
| (electric current) to do so. | | | | technology than stun guns). But again, the best |
| It wasn't that hard to understand, was it? Now, let's | | | | guideline you can follow is to get the highest voltage |
| apply what we've just learned to some specific | | | | stun gun you can afford. You won't regret you did. |
| examples: A high electric current (high ampere) | | | | Well, that's it for this second installment of the stun |
| combined with a relatively low voltage can result in | | | | gun buyers guide! You are now ready to select the |
| lethality. Graphically: (High Electric Current) + (Low | | | | best stun gun for you, taking into account its voltage. |
| Voltage) = (Lethality). That's why you can get a | | | | On the next -and last- installment of this article series, |
| serious jolt from a 12-volt automobile battery: despite | | | | I'll talk about adding rechargeable stun guns and |
| its low voltage, it can deliver a very high electric | | | | disable pins into your buyer's equation. Also, we will |
| current of a hundred amperes or more! | | | | wrap up all three articles by choosing what we |
| However, a low electric current (low ampere) | | | | believe are the best stun guns per category (regular |
| combined with a high voltage is definitively not lethal. | | | | stun gun, mini stun gun, cell phone stun gun, or stun |
| Graphically: (Low Electric Current) + (High Voltage) = | | | | baton), using the acquired knowledge (shape vs. |
| (Non Lethality). That's precisely the case of stun | | | | voltage vs. rechargeable capacity and disable pins) . |
| guns. | | | | Be sure not to miss it! |