Shocker SFT Vision Troubleshooting [ZDSPB Tech]

Shocker SFT Vision troubleshooting
This includes problems relating to the reflective Vision eye only. Please refer to the other Troubleshooting guides if necessary.

Listed are the gun's symptom along with a series of possible causes, and how to remedy them. The possible causes are in a specific order, more likely first with the less likely causes lower down the list. When diagnosing problems, you should try each item listed in order.

Marker doesn't fire with paint loaded.
Marker fires the first shot then no other shots, even though paint is loaded (stock board).
· Vision mode on Smart Parts boards (stock, NXT, Blackheart) only fires if it detects a ball "load into the chamber". This means that it won't fire if a ball is simply loaded, but rather it fires when it sees the action of the chamber going from empty to loaded. To test this, pull the trigger in Vision mode a couple times to clear the shot. Then block the reflective eye with your finger, then unblock it, then block it a second time. The board should register the chamber as loaded by blinking fast and allowing you to fire once. If you're able to manually get the eye to detect your finger then chances are the paint being used is too dark (eye sensitivity can be adjusted on Predator 5.0 or Tadao M7 boards). If it doesn't work then there may be another electronics issue, read below.
· To test whether or not the eye is working, disassemble the marker and remove the eye from the body. Then, reconnect the eye to the upper board and try to "detect" an object such as the tabletop. Be sure there aren't any light sources shining directly into the eye, or it may interfere with the eye. If you are able to detect an object, skip down to the "eye angle problem". If you aren't able to detect anything, read ahead.
· Make sure the eye is plugged in with the silver contacts facing up (Shocker/Impulse eye only).
· Remove the eye from the Shocker body and clean it using a q-tip. Make sure there isn't any built-up paint, grease, or other debris on the eye, especially between the eye and the ribbon. You can try blowing it out, or using compressed air to clean it. Be very gentle since the eye is fragile and can be damaged.
· Check the wire harness for any broken wires; replace it if you are unsure.
· Check the small pins inside the connectors for the wire harness (on both boards). See the Bent Pins at the bottom of the page.
· Check the wire harness plugs and connectors for any paint splatter. This may cause a jump in the circuit and exhibit a problem.
· Remove the Vision eye from the body and check to see if it has been disconnected from the ribbon. If it is loose, then it will need to be repaired or replaced.

Marker fires with no paint loaded (aftermarket board only).
· To test whether or not the eye is working, disassemble the marker and remove the eye from the body. Then, reconnect the eye to the upper board and try to "detect" an object such as the tabletop. Be sure there aren't any light sources shining directly into the eye, or it may interfere with the eye. If the eye allows the marker to fire even if nothing is in front of the eye, then read ahead. However if the eye works correctly while not installed in the Shocker, skip down to the "eye angle problem".
· Remove the eye from the Shocker body and clean it using a q-tip. Make sure there isn't any built-up paint, grease, or other debris on the eye, especially between the eye and the ribbon. You can try blowing it out, or using compressed gas to clean it. Be very gentle since the eye is fragile and can be damaged.
· Check the small pins inside the connectors for the wire harness (on both boards). See the Bent Pins at the bottom of the page.
· Check the wire harness plugs and connectors for any paint splatter. This may cause a jump in the circuit and exhibit a problem.

Eye angle problem (stock or aftermarket board)
This problem involves the Vision eye detecting the milled hole in the Shocker body surrounding the eye itself. When the eye detects the hole, the marker's board will think the chamber is being blocked continuously, which prevents the board from telling the difference between the ball and the eye hole. Some reflective eyes are angled higher than others, which causes a problem for some eyes but not for all. To remedy this, read below:
· Some boards have adjustable eye sensitivity (Predator 5.0-10.0 or Tadao M7). Changing the eye sensitivity can often overcome this issue. However, this often depends on the color of paint being used, so it can be difficult to nail down a universal setting.
· Remove the eye from the Shocker body and clean it using a q-tip. Make sure there isn't any built-up paint, grease, or other debris on the eye, especially between the eye and the ribbon. You can try blowing it out, or using compressed gas to clean it. Be very gentle since the eye is fragile and can be damaged.
· Loosen the eye's screw then carefully try respositioning the ribbon as far down as possible, then tighten the eye screw. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE EYE SCREW!
· If all of the previous measures fail to solve the problem, you will need to resort to permanent modifications to fix the issue. The easiest possible modification is to alter the eye ribbon so that it has a larger hole for the screw, or cut the hole a little further upwards (which will allow you to position the eye further downward). Use a small paper punch or other tool (not the large three-hole-binder type, only the small 1/16" punch). Don't just chop off the top of the eye ribbon; it must retain a "hole" so the eye won't come out of position.
· A more risky modification involves drilling or dremelling out the eye hole, to make it wider or taller. This helps to prevent the eye from detecting the metal. After performing this mod you must be sure to de-burr the rough edges, and keep any metal burrs from sticking into the chamber. Large burrs will permanently damage the marker's bolt.
· The last-ditch effort is to use a soldering iron to change the eye's position as it sits on the ribbon. This is risky because the eye ribbons are extremely fragile and easy to burn. Essentially you need to de-solder the eye then adjust its angle to be straight instead of angled upward (see picture below). I recommend this only for those with advanced soldering experience since the parts are so small and fragile.

· Please note - Replacing the eye is NOT a guaranteed fix to this problem. The eye is functioning correctly from an electronic standpoint, however it's detecting too much light. If you simply replace it, there's no guarantee you won't receive another that will detect the eye hole just like your current one.

Bent Pins in Wire Harness Connector:
A sample picture of this issue can be seen below. In the picture, the third pin is bent down right at the base. The second picture shows a normal connector.