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Tech index -> Shocker SFT -> Troubleshooting and repair -> Vision malfunction
This includes problems relating to the 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 (stock board).
Marker fires the first shot then no other shots, even though paint is loaded (stock board).
· Vision mode on the stock board will only fire if it detects a ball load into the chamber. This means that it won't fire if a ball is loaded, only if it sees it load. To test this, pull the trigger in Vision mode so the LED is blinking slowly, once every second (this means no ball loaded). Then, drop a paintball into the chamber, push it out, then drop it in again (you must do it twice in this situation). The board should then register the ball as loaded by blinking fast and allowing you to fire once. 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 gas 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 eye hole that it sits in. When this happens, the eye thinks something is blocking the chamber continuously, so it is unable to see a ball load, fire, and reload (thus the eye appears to not work at all). Some eyes are angled higher than others, which causes a problem for some eyes but not for all. To remedy this, read below.
· If you are using a Predator 5.0 board or higher, increase your eye sensitivity (register 15). It can be adjusted between 2 and 20; the lower the setting, the less likely it will be to detect the eye hole. Try decreasing the eye sensitivity until it doesn't detect the eye hole any longer, and this will work as your new eye setting. Please note that Virtue boards do NOT have adjustable eye sensitivity. What Virtue calls "sensitivity" is actually a delay time used when detecting the ball, it has nothing to do with how sensitive the eye operates. Adjusting this won't help.
· 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.
· Try repositioning the eye as far down in the chamber as possible, by loosening the eye screw and positioning the eye lower, then tightening it back down. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE EYE SCREW!
· I don't recommend this but I should mention it anyways. You can try cutting the screw hole in the Vision ribbon a little higher, so the eye will be able to position lower. 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.
· Use a soldering iron to reposition the actual eye at a lesser angle on its ribbon (such as straight perpendicular). This requires desoldering the eye then resoldering it, which you may or may not be able to perform. I recommend this only for those with advanced soldering experience since achieving leverage on the eye can be very difficult, and it is also easy to fry the eye ribbon.

· Last-ditch effort to remedy this problem involves drilling or dremelling out the eye hole, so it's wider or taller. This helps to prevent the eye from detecting the metal by simply removing it. After performing this mod you must be sure to chamfer down the rough edges, and keep any metal burrs from sticking into the chamber. If there are any large burrs the bolt will ride on them and get scratched, then continuously leak down the barrel (requires a replacement bolt).
· Please note! Replacing the eye is NOT a guaranteed fix to this problem. The eye is functioning perfectly fine, it's just detecting too much. 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.

Related Links:
· Troubleshooting general electronics problems
· Troubleshooting Shooting/Leaking

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