Product Description

Protect your family from mosquitoes and biting flies with PowerTrap

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #635136 in Lawn & Patio
• Brand: Flowtron
• Model: MT-150
• Dimensions: 14.00" h x 10.00" w x 14.00" l, 19.00 pounds

Features

• Attracts mosquitoes, biting flies with heat, moisture, carbon dioxide, scent
• Powered by electricity but uses propane gas to produce attractants
• Vacuum draws attracted insects into removable catch tray to die
• Computer-controlled electronics turn device on and off at preset times
• 36-inch pole mount included; hardware included for bracket mounting

Amazon.com Review
High-tech in concept and operation, this electrical device converts propane gas into heat, moisture, and carbon dioxide and adds scent to attract mosquitoes and biting flies, making it safe and comfortable to spend warm evenings outdoors. It's effective over 1/2 acre and can either be mounted atop the two-section, 36-inch pole that accompanies the device, hung from a lantern-type pole with an arm, or hung from a wall bracket. (The ring and hardware for hanging the device from a lantern-type pole or wall bracket are included, but the lantern-type pole or wall bracket must be ordered separately.) Best situated 20 to 40 feet from where human activity takes place, the device weighs 18 pounds and comes with a 50-foot power cord (installable above or below ground) and a power pack that plugs into an outdoor outlet. It has a rugged, weatherproof housing that won't rust, crack, or fade. It works with either disposable propane cylinders or an outdoor-grill-type refillable tank. (A hose for the latter must be ordered separately.) Key to the device's operation is a flameless platinum catalytic converter that combines propane gas with air to produce heat, moisture, and carbon dioxide--the best attractants for mosquitoes and biting flies. (The device does not attract beneficial insects.) Boosting effectiveness is a time-release capsule of Octenol, a scent. The capsule lasts about four months and can be replaced with others ordered separately. After being attracted, insects are drawn by a powerful vacuum into a catch tray, where they dehydrate and die. The tray removes for debris disposal. Computer-controlled electronics operate all functions automatically except time, which can be selected on the control panel from four options. The device carries a one-year warranty against defects. --Fred Brack

Customer Reviews

Mosquito Powertrap vs. Mosquito Magnet Liberty
I own both the Mosquito PowerTrap and the now the Mosquito Magnet Liberty (MML). I have owned the Powertrap for about nine months and did not get very good results, I put it in numerous positions in my yard resulting in very few captured mosquitoes regardless of location (maybe 10 a week). In one 24 hour period from the time I installed the Mosquito Magnet (in exactly the same place and position), it trapped more mosquitoes (probably 75 to 100) than the Powertrap captured during the prior nine months. The difference is already noticeably with fewer mosquitoes buzzing the yard.

Although these two products claim to do essentially the same thing using very similar processes, the Powertrap failed miserably to perform. Although the MML is considerably more expensive than the Powertrap, buying the Powertrap, in my opinion, is a waste of money. You would be better off buying ... bug spray.

Now this is obviously an expensive way to test/compare these two products, but living in Florida we hoped to be able to reclaim our yard with the Powertrap and we were very disappointed. Now we hope that our children will be able to play in the yard without being eaten alive.

I hope our experience can help some of you avoid making the mistake we made.

As an update to my review. I recently discovered that the manufacturers of the MML will provide a ...credit towards the purchase of the MML, for anyone who has purchased a competing model (including the Powertrap). All you have to do is visit their web site, print a form and send your competing product to them to receive the discount on an MML, which must be purchased through the manufacturer. Hope this helps.

Tried 2 of them, returned it for the Mosquito Magnet
I bought the MT-150 and set it up in my yard. I live in Minnesota and mosquitos are everywhere. The first unit would run for a while and I would have to reset it by unplugging it. The reset on the panel would only work once in awhile. I didn't catch very many at all. I had it for about 2 weeks and caught very few. I called Flowtron and they said to return it. The second unit the resetting problem went away but the fan would quit every once in awhile like it was on a cycle. The problem is that when the fan quits, the bugs can find their way back out of the unit. I also found out if the wind blows above 15 mph or more the unit would shut down and give the out of propane indication.

I then ordered the Mosquito Magnet Liberty. While assembling the unit in my garage I fired it up to make sure it worked and it captured 3 mosquitos in the first 5 minutes. I knew it was going to do a better job. I moved the Mosquito Magnet within 10 feet of the Powertrap to see which would capture more. The wind was still blowing and it blew out the powertrap over and over. The Mosquito Magent just stayed running. The next night the wind was calm but cool out. I emptied the net on the magent and the catch tray on the Powertrap and began my side-by-side test. The next morning the Powertrap had 2 mosuitos and the Mosquito Magnet had 24. No comparison!

I did like the catch tray and the ability to set a program on the Powertrap but it simply didn't work. The Mosquito Magnet Liberty runs 24hrs and will empty the gas and Octnal in 18 days or so but I really don't care now, I am catching a ton more of the bitting bugs! The mosquitos are flying and swarming the Mosquito Magnet all the time. Again there is no comparison in performance, buy the Magnet! It was worth the extra [money[ for the Mosquito Magnet.

Buggy Bug Trap
I purchased one of these with high hopes. I
was very much looking forward to being able to
use my front yard without having to slather
myself with OFF. However, I've been very
disappointed.

I purchased a unit via mail order in February.
Once the weather warmed up, I set it up and
started it running. Right up front, the
photocell didn't work, and so the machine
would not start up at dawn or dusk. But I could
get the unit to run OK if I just left it in
manual mode...that is, for the first day.
After that, the Power Trap would stop
working and flash three LEDs, indicating
that the propane wasn't connected
properly or was empty. Since I had a full
20lb tank of propane, I re-seated the hose.
The unit started up, ran a couple hours,
then stopped, again indicating that I was
out of propane.

I Figured I had a bad unit, so I purchased another
one locally. This one worked fine with the
photocell, but as with the one from mail-order,
it stopped working after about two days. I swapped
propane tanks, and tried everything else I could
think of (disconnecting power, re-seating the
propane hose/plug, trying different operating
modes, etc), but all to no avail.

I don't know if this unit would actually work
to capture a lot of mosquitos, because I could
never get it to operate long enough to tell. But I
wasted a lot of life energy on this beast. I
figure the technology isn't here yet, or perhaps
I need to take a look at the competition's
model (i.e., Mosquito Magnet).