Shipping can be rigourous, so you want to check the operation of the wand right away. 

The buzz of a violet wand is a 'rough'-sounding buzz because of the vibrating magnets inside the wand.  As you turn the knob up and down, or as you move the wand around, you will hear differences in the strength and speed of the buzz.  This is normal.  The 'roughness' of the buzz is also normal.  It should sound like a big angry hornet.

Tilt the wand up and down in your hand while it is running.  You will hear the buzz change as you do this.  When you tilt the wand, the magnets inside the wand also move.  Sometimes they may move too far apart while you move the wand.  In fact, if you have the wand turned down low, and turn the wand below horizontal, the magnets might stop buzzing.  This is normal.  Just move the wand closer to horizontal  or more upright, or turn up the adjustment.

Hold your wand at the same angle as if you would hold a tennis racket.  That is the ideal angle to hold a wand while you are using it, and will keep your wand from 'cutting out' when you have it turned down low.

Hold the wand at the farthest end near the cord, again, just like a tennis racket.  The electricity comes out of the nosecone, and if your hand is too close to the electrical spark, the sparks could jump to your hand. Electricity is always trying to travel, and if your hand is the nearest thing to it, then you will get the sparks.  Holding your wand well at the base keeps this from happening.  Keep your hand behind the middle 'ring' of the wand body as shown by the red line in the figure at left.

About the adjustment knob.  The Knob is set to a range of outputs which can also be affected by factors like how you are holding the wand. That means there will always be a quiet zone at the low end of the adjustment knob, during which you turn it up and it will still be quiet until it 'comes on' as you continue turning.  At the upper end of the knob's range, there will be a high-end sputter where the wand runs rougher.  This is like revving your car engine a little too high.  When you reach the rough sputter, back the wand down before using it.

If you were to turn the wand's knob past the sputter, there may also be a dead space at the upper end of the adjustment range.  You have adjusted your wand's contacts to be so close they are touching now, and the wand completes a circuit and 'cuts out'.  It's normal to have that dead space at the top end of your adjustment knob, but don't leave your wand like that.  Back the adjustment knob down until it reaches a usable operating level.

Ready?  Let's test!

Turn your wand on to medium-high power.  Set it down on a table.  Plug it in, and allow it to run for 5 minutes.  Running it for 5 minutes while it is on a table, removes operator error.  (shifting magnets, etc). 

• Normal: 
• Wand cuts out or sputters while you're moving it around.
• Wand sputters or stops operating when you turn the knob down too low.
• Wand runs 'rough'.
• Wand sputters or stops when you turn it up too high.
• Wand stops operating when you turn it up too high.
• Electricity comes through the plastic near the end the electrode goes in.

• Not Normal:
• Wand cuts out when it is running at medium high power and laying on a table.
• Wand ceases operation when it is running at medium high power and laying on a table.
• Electricity comes through the plastic on the ridged 'handle' part of the wand.

You are now finished with checking your violet wand's operation. 

IF your wand fails to work or cuts out WHILE it is lying motionless on the table, it has been disrupted during shipping.  Please enter a help ticket so that we can take care of you.