+1 on the "Cheap" static grass applicator. 
I picked up one on Ebay last year and it works very well, (BTW, it's a Chinese Knock-off). It uses two "D" cell batteries and puts out one heck of a static charge, (don't ask me how I know). 
The "ground" is important (I use a small steel nail in the area I'm "planting" the grass which is where I connect the ground wire from the applicator). Like Big Boy 4005 said, if you turn the applicator on and lightly brush the ground wire against the wire mesh on the applicator, you should get a spark. If no spark, more lithium crystals will be necessary. 
Chief Bob (Retired) 
