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Axe issues that I've come across do far

Bolter

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Aug 19, 2003
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Taken from http://www.zdspb.com

Solenoid:
The solenoid is a "latching" type valve which uses magnetic fields of the surrounding material to reset it while idle. As a result, the solenoid's internal armature can get lodged in the incorrect position and prevent it from sealing up. If this happens you may have to disassemble the valve.
Alternately, the manual doesn't make mention of solenoid maintenance (not that I can recall anyway) but you may wish to clean it out after a while, once it gets filled with grease. Greasy air pressure will be shunted through the solenoid for each pressurized firing, so you may wish to clean it out after a while. This would likely be an infrequent cleaning.

Anyways, the solenoid is held together by three small phillips-head screws, accessed through the top. I've found that you need a perfectly-shaped screwdriver to remove these, or you may strip them out.



When the endcap comes off, there will be one metric o-ring between it and the solenoid housing. It may stick to the endcap or stick to the housing; keep track of it either way (in the below picture, it stuck to the endcap)


The armature sticks out the top of the solenoid housing; it can be removed by pulling it straight out.


The armature is a two-piece component with a seat-seal at each end. Both ends should be reasonably clean as well as the main shaft too. The opposing seat surfaces down inside the solenoid housing and up inside the endcap can be cleaned.

During reassembly, reinsert the solenoid armature down into the housing with the thin, brass (yellow) end facing up/out. You need to be able to view the top port in the armature before reinstalling the endcap. If you can't see the port, pull the solenoid up slightly and it will "suspend" itself in position. Gently reinstall the endcap once it's set.


If the marker is pressurized with the armature in the wrong position, it'll leak and won't seal up. The solenoid is designed to reset itself after being energized, but you never know if it'll go wrong once and foul everything up. The trick that's been circulating for resetting the armature is to crank the dwell setting all the way up (or to an abnormally high setting with an aftermarket board) which should smack the solenoid into the correct position. However if that doesn't work you'll have to take the solenoid apart and reset it yourself, manually.
 
Jan 5, 2006
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Ok chaps - I have a problem, ... a mate's Axe stopped shooting yesterday - only the 2nd or 3rd time out. It was working one minute and the next just won't shoot - nothing - like there was no air. Tried turning the eyes off and still would not shoot.

Air pressure was fine and we replaced the battery. Did not help. It feels like the microswitch is engaging and releasing, so I don't think trigger adjustment drift is a problem (shame, cannot take the grip off and watch the microswitch engage / disengage like you can on some markers).

We took the grip off and checked the board inside the grip and it looks like all the connections are on ok. And the led works fine so not a battery connection problem.

Would appear to me to be solenoid related - something to do with what people are talking about above ?

We tried the 'solenoid' reset process that the manual describes. Did not make any difference.

Has anybody experienced similar, or have any ideas ? Thanks.
 

Bolter

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Aug 19, 2003
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Ok chaps - I have a problem, ... a mate's Axe stopped shooting yesterday - only the 2nd or 3rd time out. It was working one minute and the next just won't shoot - nothing - like there was no air. Tried turning the eyes off and still would not shoot.

Air pressure was fine and we replaced the battery. Did not help. It feels like the microswitch is engaging and releasing, so I don't think trigger adjustment drift is a problem (shame, cannot take the grip off and watch the microswitch engage / disengage like you can on some markers).

We took the grip off and checked the board inside the grip and it looks like all the connections are on ok. And the led works fine so not a battery connection problem.

Would appear to me to be solenoid related - something to do with what people are talking about above ?

We tried the 'solenoid' reset process that the manual describes. Did not make any difference.

Has anybody experienced similar, or have any ideas ? Thanks.
Hi firstly, just to humour me, did he adjust the trigger at all? There is a magnet on top of the trigger, and a magnet on the gun body. If the magnet on the trigger is set too far the one way, it is too far from the magnet on the gun body, and the gun wont work.

Its something alot of people do, and if you could check that first, it would be appreciated. Just wind the set screw up a few turns, one turn at a time. DO NOT force anything, and remember how many turns you did, so you can at least wind it back to the same spot.

If that doesnt work, get back to me on here.

B

Chapter 12 under "notes" http://www.paintballsolutions.com/05pb_solutions/pdf/manuals/empire/Empire_AXE_English_Manual.pdf
 
Jan 5, 2006
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Hi Bolter - thanks for the quick reply. I had replied already, but it has not appeared, so replying again. If both replies suddenly appear it is not because I'm a nutter !

Anyway - he had definitely not adjusted the trigger. The gun was working for one point, then not the next. It did not leave the field in between.

But I wonder if the grub screws were loose enough if the adjustment could of drifted slightly. It did 'feel' like the microswitch was being operated ok, but who knows...

I shall get hold of the gun and follow your instructions, then post back. It may take a few days.
 

Bolter

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Aug 19, 2003
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Hi Bolter - thanks for the quick reply. I had replied already, but it has not appeared, so replying again. If both replies suddenly appear it is not because I'm a nutter !

Anyway - he had definitely not adjusted the trigger. The gun was working for one point, then not the next. It did not leave the field in between.

But I wonder if the grub screws were loose enough if the adjustment could of drifted slightly. It did 'feel' like the microswitch was being operated ok, but who knows...

I shall get hold of the gun and follow your instructions, then post back. It may take a few days.
No probs, its more likely that this is whats happening rather than the solenoid dying, but I could be wrong!