Ep 9. Fireball Stun Gun

In MythBusters season 8 episode 9, titled "Fireball Stun Gun," the team explores the myth that a stun gun can create a fireball if fired at a spray can holding flammable liquid. The hosts Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman are joined by new team members, Tory Belleci, Kari Byron, and Grant Imahara, who bring their expertise in building and designing gadgets to the show.

To test the myth, the team starts by firing a stun gun at a spray can of flammable liquid. They find that the spark produced by the stun gun is not enough to ignite the liquid and create a fireball. However, they notice that the spark does create a faint glowing effect on the can.

To explore the idea further, the team designs a custom stun gun with a higher voltage and more current to produce a stronger spark. They test the new stun gun on a variety of flammable liquids, including gasoline and propane. Despite their efforts, the stun gun still fails to create a fireball.

Undeterred, the team experiments with different types of spray cans, including ones that are designed to spray a wider and more continuous stream of liquid. They also try adding a small amount of aluminum powder to the spray can in the hope of creating a more explosive reaction. However, none of these tests produces the desired fireball effect.

Finally, the team decides to take the myth to the extreme by setting up a controlled detonation of a large quantity of propane. They construct a custom-made stun gun that can fire a spark at the propane from a safe distance. After several attempts, they are able to create a small flame that quickly extinguishes itself.

In the end, the team concludes that the myth of the fireball stun gun is busted. While the stun gun can create a spark, it is not powerful enough to ignite a spray can of flammable liquid and create a fireball. Even when used on a large quantity of propane, the spark produced by the stun gun only creates a small flame that is quickly extinguished.