Epee Troubleshooting

Basic troubleshooting guide for electric epee.

{mosimage}Weapon fails weight test.

1. The main spring is too soft. Get a new spring or stretch the old one.
   
2. Friction between the barrel and point is overwhelming the spring. Clean the inside of the barrel, or replace the entire tip if the barrel or point is bent/warped.

Weapon fails shim tests.

1. The contact spring is too long. Adjust or compress it.
   
2. Point and barrel are mismatched. Replace.

Hitting the strip produces a light.

1. The strip is not grounded, or is dirty/corroded.
   
2. The tip is dirty/corroded.

A touch to the guard produces a light.

1. The guard is dirty/corroded.
   
2. The exterior of the tip is dirty/corroded.
   
3. The body wire (in particular the ground) is faulty (test against the ground pin of the body cord; if the lights continue, the body wire or reel is at fault).
   
4. The contact between the clip and weapon is faulty or corroded.
   
5. The guard is loose.
   
6. The ground pin socket is loose in the weapon clip.

Epee produces lights when the tip is not depressed.

1. The tip is jammed shut. Slap on the floor to free it.
   
2. Grit in the tip is shorting the circuit. Slap on the floor to dislodge the grit, or disassemble and clean the point.
   
3. The blade wires are shorting to each other. Check the insulation, especially inside the guard.
   
4. The scoring box is on the wrong weapon setting.

There is no light when a touch is made.

1. You are not hitting properly.
   
2. Friction between the barrel and point is preventing the point from depressing. Slap on the floor to loosen it; otherwise clean or replace the tip.
   
3. Main spring is too heavy. Compress it or heat one end with a match.
   
4. Contact spring is too short. Adjust or stretch it.
   
5. The barrel is loose.
   
6. Point contacts are dirty/corroded.
   
7. The epee wire is broken. Re-wire the blade.
   
8. The epee wire is shorting to the weapon.
   
9. Something has come unplugged between you and the box.
   
10. The wires are improperly fastened to the weapon clip.
    
11. The body wire is broken.
    
12. The reel or floor wire is broken.
    
13. The scoring box is on the wrong weapon setting.