• Moving the Mosquito Magnet^®
• When should you use the Quick Clear Valve?
• What size CO₂ cartridge to use with the Quick-Clear Valve, when a Quick Clear cartridge is unavailable.
• Swap Out Tank programs. Can you use them?
• Why do I need to shake my Mosquito Magnet^® Pro?
• Why is placement so important?
• How to check if you have a good vacuum.
• Why you should NEVER force the gas valve to stay pressed in.
• The difference between the red and black regulator.
• Can I use a gas gauge so I know when my tank is empty?

Placement of the Mosquito Magnet^® is very important for an effective mosquito catch. For this reason to do your lawn maintenance or for various other activities you may need to move your Trap. Whenever you move the trap you MUST disconnect the regulator from the tank. The tank should then be removed from the stand. There is a good chance your tank will fall off of the stand if you move the Mosquito Magnet^® with the tank installed. If the regulator assembly is damaged while you are moving the trap it IS NOT covered by the warranty and there is a charge to replace this part.

We caution against the use of propane swap out programs. For example, a program where you take an empty tank to a dealer and they give you a different full tank each time. Most swap out tank dealers do not refill the tanks themselves and so are less knowledgeable about the propane tanks than a propane dealer would be. Many of the issues, for traps that will not start or stay running, have been linked back to the use of a swap out propane tank. Since you do not know the true history of the propane tank itself you can never be sure that the tanks has been correctly purged and there isn't any air remaining in the tank from the refill process. Having a purged tank is extremely important. A propane tank that is not purged may not work properly and it may cause the Mosquito Magnet^® to stop while running or not start at all.

For best results it is recommended that you purchase, own and refill a dedicated propane tank with a certified propane dealer for use with your Mosquito Magnet^®. Tanks that have been used before work best. See the section on Tank Purging to know why.

If your only local option is to purchase propane from one of these swap programs, it is recommended that you look for certified propane dealers. These dealers, who fill the tanks themselves, will have the best knowledge of the correct methods of maintaining and filling a propane tank.

For more information about propane tank see our Propane Tank Info section

Inside the Mosquito Magnet^® Pro there are catalytic beads that if they are not loosely packed and level the unit may not start. During shipping and/or times where the Mosquito Magnet^® is idle or even moved from one location to another there is the possibility that the beads can become settled or uneven. When the beads become settled inside of the machine this can restrict the flow of propane through them and this will result in the machine not starting. If they are uneven inside the machine, the machine may start, but it may not heat enough to continue running and if it does, it will not produce enough CO₂, and this will effect your catch rate.

To shake the Mosquito Magnet^® disconnect the gas line where it connects to the Power Pack, stand on the side of the unit and with one hand on the green housing and one hand on the power pack shake it vigorously back and forth. Then reconnect the gas line and try to start up the Mosquito Magnet^®

Placement of the Mosquito Magnet^® is a key element in how it works. If it is not placed properly there is the potential for a low catch or no catch at all. For further assistance with placement click here.

To see if you have a good vacuum you need to hold a piece of tissue, about half the size of a dime, under the opening of the trumpet shaped part under the green housing. Place the piece of tissue about a half inch into the trumpet shaped part. The arrows in the picture below show where to hold the tissue. Release the tissue, and it should be pulled upwards into the trap. It may not get vacuumed all the way in through trap and into the net. Mainly you are looking to verify that there is air current moving in the right direction. The vacuum may not seem very strong, but keep in mind we are only trying to pull in a very tiny insect.

You should NEVER modify the trap to hold the gas valve down to start or keep the trap running. Doing this will bypass safety features that are built into the trap that can cause damage to the Mosquito Magnet^® and possibly cause an unsafe operating condition. This is not covered under warranty. This gas valve is designed so that if the Mosquito Magnet^® reaches an unsafe condition, it will automatically close the valve and stop the flow of propane into the trap, shutting off the unit. If the unit starts up and does not stay running, there could be an internal problem causing it to shut down.

When the Mosquito Magnet^® was originally introduced, there weren't OPD valves on propane tanks. In the past few years, OPD valves have been placed on new propane tanks and old tanks can be fitted with this valve. In 2003 there were government regulations put into place, that make it mandatory for all tanks to have an OPD valve. If a tank does not have an OPD valve, the tank can not be filled. If you have a Mosquito Magnet^® that has a regulator with a red cap then contact Mosquito Magnet^® support for information on how to get a part with the new OPD style regulator.

It is not recommended that you use a propane tank gauge which is placed in line between the propane tank and the Mosquito Magnet^® regulator, (similar to the one pictured). The Mosquito Magnet^® requires a very precise pressure and flow of propane at all times. These gauges may restrict the propane flow and cause the trap not to function properly. These gauges have not been tested with the Mosquito Magnet^® trap.

When our regulators and gas lines are built they are thoroughly cleaned to greatly reduce any contaminates in the system and to prevent clogging of any kind. There may be contaminates in the gauge, or in the o rings used in the manufacturing of the propane tank gauge. These contaminates may get into the fuel system and possibly cause a clog. This will cause your trap not to function properly and may eventually prevent it from starting.

The best way to know when your propane tank is empty is to mark on a calendar the day that you refilled the tank and restarted the trap. Then count 21 days from that date, that will be your maintenance and refill date. The Mosquito Magnet^® uses less than 1 pound of propane a day and will consume a full tank in about 18 to 22 days.

If you still need additional assistance
Please contact technical support

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