PlanetMace Blog

Why Don’t Stun Guns and Tasers Electrocute People?

The beauty of stunning devices such as stun guns and tasers, is that they provide effective self defense in a non-lethal manner that has proven reliable enough for law enforcement as well as private use despite delivering voltages as high as 800,000 volts. Given that this is comparable to the charge given off by a bolt of lightning, many people wonder why these stun devices do not kill people.

The answer lies in the low amperage inherent to these currents, meaning there is not a large difference between the positive and negative nodes of the devices, and so there the current does not oscillate to the high frequencies that cause heat and combustion. The amperage of stun guns and tasers is typically only 3 milliamps, which does not affect the muscle tissue of the body, and does not cause disruptions in the heartbeat that might cause cardiac arrest. It also limits the effects of the current to the body of the target, as the current is able to pass out of the gun, into the muscles of the attacker, and back into the device without the possibility of others who come into incidental contact with the target to be shocked.

As such, these stunning devices do not actually work by inflicting pain on the subject, but rather work by causing a chemical reaction in the muscles that causes them to rapidly discharge their available energy reserves: stored as blood sugar. Blood sugar is rapidly converted in to lactic acid, which is what causes our muscles to feel sore when we over exert ourselves from physical activity. Essentially, this causes the target of a stun device to expend as much energy from their muscles as they would by spending all day in the gym in just a few short seconds. This causes them to lose power until they can recover, and even then are likely to feel soreness and tightness of muscles. In rare occasions, the rapid amount of work done by the muscles in the body can cause convulsions that may themselves cause ruptures in the back vertebrae of the target, but this is rare.

The devices similarly disrupt the neuron transmitters that control motor functions from the brain to the rest of the body, and this similarly causes the target to lose control over their body and collapse to the ground. While the act of falling may cause additional injuries to the head and arms in particular, the effect does not rely on pain to disable the aggressor.

Also, there is a common misconception that blue electricity is hotter or more powerful than a yellow spark, when in fact the opposite happens to be true. While blue may make for a powerful statement, yellow sparks indicate a higher voltage and will typically disable an attacker in about half the time it takes for a lower charged, blue spark to achieve the same effect.

How are Tasers Different than Stun Guns?

Tasers and stun guns are both highly effective personal security devices that operate on the principal of delivering a high voltage, low amperage current of electricity into a person’s body that drains the muscles of their energy and disrupts nerve signals that control motor function. While both have many similarities that make them equally effective for personal self defense, each has some key differentiating features that make them ideal for different situations.

Similarities:

Both stun guns and tasers work by passing a non-lethal current from the ‘nodes’ of the device into the target, and work by applying this charge, or ‘spark’ through the clothing and skin of the target into the body of the attacker. While applying these devices to any part of the body will suffice in delivering a shock to the nervous system, safety professionals advise that aiming for the body, back, or upper thigh area of an assailant is the best technique for achieving maximum disablement.

The current itself is high voltage, which creates as chemical reaction in the target’s muscles that rapidly converts blood sugar into lactic acid, which drains the muscles of energy and renders the target powerless to continue their assault. Additionally, the current disrupts nervous signals sent from the brain to the body, which both mentally disorients the target and interrupts the signals that control motor function. The net effect of this transfer of current will effectively disable an attacker for up to 15 minutes, which is plenty of time for the victim of a violent assault to flee the scene and seek help from law enforcement authorities.

The voltage of the current discharged from these devices typically ranges from 150,000 and 800,000 volts, while the amperage is typically as low as 3 milliamps. In general, the higher the voltage, the shorter the amount of time in which the stun device must be remain in contact with the target in order to accomplish the desired immobilizing effect. For example a 150,000 volt stun device will take up to 7 seconds of contact time in order to disable an assailant, while stun devices that range from 600,000- 800,000 will only take 2-3 seconds to achieve the same results. Many states have restrictions on the level of potency these devices are able to provide, so check your local laws before purchasing a device for personal use.

Differences:

The main difference between stun guns and tasers is that the ‘nodes’ of stun guns are affixed to the base unit of the device: like two prongs that stick out and allow the current to travel out from one prong and into the other. Tasers, on the other hand, shoot these ‘nodes’ out of the tip of the device and these projectiles are connected back to the taser by thin electrical wires. These projectile nodes are typically barbed in order to affix themselves to the target and the current passes through these barbs in order to affect the assailant.

The main advantage of tasers is that they can be used to stop an attacker from a distance of up to 5 meters, and allow the defending person to stop an oncoming aggressor from a safe distance without having to come into close contact with someone who might be armed with a knife, club, or other weapon. The disadvantage to this approach is that it relies somewhat on accuracy, and missing the target entirely can leave the defender with no recourse.

It is a common misconception that Tasers offer the benefit of distancing a defending person from the attacker so that in the case of incidental contact with the attacker they are not shocked as well. In fact, even stun guns provide the assurance that the current will not pass from the target’s body back into the body of the defendant, as the current travels back into the device rather than into other objects.

Conclusion

Tasers and stun guns are both highly effective devices that rely on a high voltage, low amperage current for disabling an attacker during a violent assault. The main difference is the ability to engage an attacker at a distance verses having to be in close proximity to the attacker in order to deliver the current. As such, stun guns rely somewhat on an element of surprise, as a forewarned attacker may be able to avoid contact with the device, or use some other weapon such as a bat or club to disarm the defending subject. Tasers on the other hand, can be used more effectively as a deterrent to ward off attackers prior to an attack, and have the ability to disable attacker before they reach the target.

In order to assess which device is right for you, do some research on the Internet and consult with your local law enforcement department to better understand what devices are allowing in your area and to learn of any restrictions on these personal self defense items before making your purchase.