Fault: Continuous or occasional white light not caused by off target hit.

Under normal conditions there is a continuous circuit running from the box through the ground lead, spool, bodywire and foil and all the way back to the box. There is a break in this circuit. Start by checking the foil and work backwards through bodywire, spool and ground lead.

The Foil

Unplug the foil and short out the end of the bodywire by pressing the end of the bodywire plug onto the foil guard (or any piece of metal) so that the end screw and the metal of the plug are simultaneously in contact with the guard. If the flashing light goes out, this tells you that the foil is faulty. In which case check the following:-

• Is the point loose? Twist the whole point firmly from side to side. There should be no movement. If the point is loose, grip it firmly with pliers and give it a strong twist in a clockwise direction.
• Is the handle loose? If so tighten, ensuring that the blade base wire is not trapped.
• Is the blade base wire broken or disconnected? Check that the wire runs continuously from the base of the blade to the socket, give it a light pull to cheque for firmness. If the wire has snapped or become disconnected at the socket end, it should be possible to reconnect it after striping a length of the covering from the wire. If the wire has snapped at the base of the blade, it will be necessary to rewire the blade of perform some rather delicate soldering.
• Has the wire snapped along the length of the blade? Look for any raised and broken sections of wire. Bend the blade backwards, if the light goes out this indicates a break. The blade will require rewiring.

The bodywire

Partially remove the plug from the spool lead and, using a screwdriver or other metal object, form a contact between the two farthest spaced plugs. If the light goes out and the foil is not faulty, this indicates that the body wire is faulty.

Inspect the wire for signs of a break.

Pull the wire fairly firmly close to each plug, if the wire stretches there is likely to be a break. If there is an evident break in the wire close to the plug, pull the rubber cover off, split the two core wire a little further, loosen the screws retaining the wire and feed wire through the holes until the broken section has passed through. Trim of surplus wire, tighten the screws and replace the rubber cover.

Test with a second body wire.

The spool

Unplug the ground lead and press the pins of the ground lead and bodywire plugs together, ensuring a contact between all three pins, if the spool is faulty the light should go out.

Using a screwdriver or other metal object, form a contact between the two farthest spaced plugs at the spool end of the ground lead, if the light goes out the ground lead is not faulty and the spool is suspected.

Check whether any movement or flexing of the lead affects the flashing light.

Plug the bodywire directly into the box, if the light goes out the ground lead or spool is faulty.

The ground lead

Check that the plugs are inserted properly.

Check that they re not broken.

Change the ground lead and see if the problem is resolved.

Plug the bodywire directly into the box, if the light goes out the ground lead or spool is faulty.

The box

If all other checks have been carried out and found nothing, the box must be suspected.

Fault - The electric jacket registers off target

If only certain sections of the jacket register off target, the jacket has 'dead spots' caused by wear. In competition, this should be changed.

If the entire jacket registers off target or the fault cannot be reproduced whilst standing still.

Check the lead from the crocodile clip for a break by seeing if it stretches.

Stretch the lead tight and hold whilst testing the jacket, which will show whether the off target occurs as the lead is stretched during fighting.

Half unplug the bodywire plug from the spool lead and press the point of the foil onto the outer of the two closely spaced plugs. If a coloured light shows then the spool, ground lead and box are not faulty. Check each three pin plug in the same manner on the ground lead until a coloured light is obtained, which shows that the break is at the next stage on in the circuit from the box.

Fault - On pressing the point no light shows

There is a short in the circuit. Progressively unplug everything from the foil onwards until the off target light flashes. The last item unplugged is at fault.