Thermacell Mozzie Protection

[Peterng]

It's not everyday that you find a product that has the "wood" over the mozzies, but this product named Thermacell is pretty close...damn close.
I have used this product for about a month and it is slowly winning me over.
So what is Thermacell?
It is a encased butane lighter that heats up a chemical infused pad and the fumes do the rest...keep the mozzies/midgies/sandflies at bay.
Disclaimer: This product difuses fumes into the atmosphere in close proximity to where you are sitting...beware of allergic reactions..ie asthma
See it here http://www.thermacell.com.
My niece's residence backs onto swamp easement near the Gove Golf course, so on about dusk...the mozzies come out to play.
I bought the Thermacell, on recommendation from a fishing mate..who boasted between ales, that he fishes on dusk with no shirt on with the Thermacell going in the bow of his boat.
He takes this thing everywhere he goes fishing and camping and hasn't been bitten whilst the contraption is working.
So I went around my nieces place, got the gizmo started and sat down in shorts, t shirt and thongs with a few quite ales...ready to take a "hit for the team".
I had no Northern Territory perfume (Insect repellant etc) on...just me and the thermacell taking on the Gove Golf Course Swamp mozzies.
I sat there for 3 hours and did not get a single bite..
Not bad I thought...
Last weekend, on a full moon...midgies love a full moon...I and the betroved one, camped out and had the Thermacell going.
We never got a hit, whilst the Thermacell was operating..I got 1 mozzie bite early the next morning.
So I am sold...I went a got another one...
The Thermacell works within a radius of about 20sq meters.
The pads last for about 4 hours, whilst the small butane bottles last for about 8 hours.
Cost...for the initial kit $50.00, maybe cheaper on evilbay...refills..vary from $13.00 to $44.00 depending on the amount of pads and butane bottles you want.
You can buy them from reputable camping and outdoor stores...
4 out of 5 stars for this product.
Now how to work out refilling up the butane bottles...

[justcruizin]

X2. Can get them at Bunnings too.

[Ian H]

I've had one for a few years and yes, they work well. BCF have them too, at least they did last time I was there buying a refill. In a wind they aren't as good, obviously. The other thing is to remember to turn them off when you go to bed. I've learnt the hard way that the gas doesn't last all night.

[Dicko1]

HOW TO REFILL THE THERMACELL CARTRIDGE...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dvQeAjv3eg.

Off to buy one today for a trip I have in 2 weeks time. Look forward to seeing how it performs. Mind you midgies and mozzies dont seem to go for me much at all when camping. Yet others attract them profusely. Probably cant handle the good quality blood!!

The golf course mozzies certainly have ruined many a party . Even Bundy rum didnt help!!

[sharkcaver]

Wow, that's expensive, it would want to be good!

Hard to beat the old mozzie coil, used worldwide in high mozzie populations, with the same active ingredients as the thermacell.

Mind you, a mozzie coil in a boat wouldn't be a great idea.

It would be good to conduct a side by side test (say one on each side of the verandah etc, outside of the effective range of each) to see the value in the thermacell.

Noting Dicko's vid, there is a heap of stuff there for refilling your own, gas and pads. Permetherin, being readily available. Working out the concentration to use would be the most difficult bit. Worth investigating if the thermacell kicks butt over the humble coil.

[Dicko1]

Wow, that's expensive, it would want to be good!

Hard to beat the old mozzie coil, used worldwide in high mozzie populations, with the same active ingredients as the thermacell.

Mind you, a mozzie coil in a boat wouldn't be a great idea.

It would be good to conduct a side by side test (say one on each side of the verandah etc, outside of the effective range of each) to see the value in the thermacell.

Noting Dicko's vid, there is a heap of stuff there for refilling your own, gas and pads. Permetherin, being readily available. Working out the concentration to use would be the most difficult bit. Worth investigating if the thermacell kicks butt over the humble coil.

Had a look at other vids about reusing the pads and it tells you what concentration they found worked.

[Ian H]

Wow, that's expensive, it would want to be good!

Hard to beat the old mozzie coil, used worldwide in high mozzie populations, with the same active ingredients as the thermacell.

Mind you, a mozzie coil in a boat wouldn't be a great idea.

It would be good to conduct a side by side test (say one on each side of the verandah etc, outside of the effective range of each) to see the value in the thermacell.

Noting Dicko's vid, there is a heap of stuff there for refilling your own, gas and pads. Permetherin, being readily available. Working out the concentration to use would be the most difficult bit. Worth investigating if the thermacell kicks butt over the humble coil.

We spend a lot of time on the back deck at home and have mozzie coils, saldlewood sticks, mozzie zappers (which are useless) and the Thermacell. Mozzie coils fill the place with smoke and don't work well in my opinion. The Thermacell works great and I place it on a ledge under the outdoor table. You don't even know it's there but as I said, that's a trap because I forget about it and leave it on more often than not. Particularly after a few reds.

[sharkcaver]

Had a look at other vids about reusing the pads and it tells you what concentration they found worked.

Yes a 20% solution of 10% Permetherin.

For the non mathematical peop's out there, any Permetherin insecticide of strength 100g/l is 10% Permetherin. You can sort the 1:5 (20%) solution he suggests from there (200ml/L).

I use the stuff at home at 25ml/l (ant and termite killer, also a weaker spider killer version) at 1/10th the concentration he suggests and it has a very strong, pungent smell. Not sure if that's the Permetherin itself or the hydrocarbon its mixed with, but I reckon a few dabs at 20%, once heated would be a little off putting. The Mrs cant handle when I do my spider spraying at home.

So a question....does the thermacell genuine pad once heated produce an odour?

Mozzie coils fill the place with smoke and don't work well in my opinion. The Thermacell works great and I place it on a ledge under the outdoor table.

Interesting observation

[Peterng]

HOW TO REFILL THE THERMACELL CARTRIDGE...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dvQeAjv3eg.

Off to buy one today for a trip I have in 2 weeks time. Look forward to seeing how it performs. Mind you midgies and mozzies dont seem to go for me much at all when camping. Yet others attract them profusely. Probably cant handle the good quality blood!!

The golf course mozzies certainly have ruined many a party . Even Bundy rum didnt help!!

The niece went out an bought one from the camping shop the next day...now she can go outside and have a "narli" without getting attacked.
She' sold.
I like the way I will be able to refill the gas bottles and the pads when they get low.
I had the BBQ fired up last night on dusk, whacked on the Thermacell, nada..no mozzies or midges.
What was interesting though...
...no flies hanging around the BBQ area either...
But the dog was....

[sharkcaver]

FYI, on special at BCF till Sunday:

http://www.bcf.com.au/Product/Thermacell-Mosquito-Repellent-Unit/316927?menuFrom=5041664