Portek Scatterbird Mk3 User manual

1
Servicing & Repair
Scatterbird Mk3
Birdscarer
portek.co.uk

2
If you are having trouble with your Scatterbird MK3 this guide will help you
determine the problem and remedy any issues to get your Gas Gun up and
running again. Please refer to the operating instructions in conjunction with
this guide.
Most problems can be tracked
down to:
1. Hose damage
2. Blocked barrel
3. Battery low
4. Low gas pressure
5. Corroded earth connections
6. System in wrong mode
after storage
7. Circuit board alignment
8. Spark plug gap
9. Blocked jet
10. Failed circuit board
Guidelines in this publication will help
you to troubleshoot these issues.
Before you start
Safety note:
Before testing your Scatterbird, always turn off
and disconnect the gas supply and make sure all
residual gas has been expelled from the barrel.
If you intend to test fire in the yard, remove the
barrel first to avoid a loud bang.
!
See the troubleshooting video
at www.scatterbird.co.uk
ALWAYS USE THE APPROPRIATE SAFETY AND PROTECTION EQUIPMENT

3
BUTTON A CONTROLS
VERTICAL LIGHTS TO
CHOOSE THE MODE
Just as with any mechanical device, it’s best to eliminate simple
problems before digging further into the technical details - carry out
these simple checks first
1. Hose damage: Check the gas hose for damage and replace if needed as vermin do
damage hoses through chewing.
2. Blocked barrel: Look for foreign material such as a bird’s nest or dead vermin in the barrel
which are commonly found. Remove obstruction and clean barrel as required.
3. Battery condition: Ensure your battery is fully charged and delivering 12 volts. Old tractor
batteries lose their charge very quickly; a deep cycle leisure battery (caravan battery) is ideal.
Initial checks
4. Make sure the Controls Panel is switched on:
Turning on the Scatterbird.
Connect the power supply - using either external battery or Portek internal battery accessory.
BUTTON B CONTROLS
HORIZONTAL LIGHTS
• ON/OFF - PINK BAND
• NUMBER OF BANGS - PINK BAND
• BANG INTERVAL - YELLOW BAND
• MORNING DELAY - GREEN BAND
• PRE-DUSK SHUT OFF - RED BAND
The unit is OFF if the 2 lights
are showing here.
Press button B to move the
light right into one of the ON
positions. (1,2,3,4 or 5 in
the PINK band)
Press button A - the unit is ON
when the the top light is in
the PINK band and the second
light is in the numbered bangs
section of the firing scale.

4Basic conductivity checks
7. Spark generator contacts:
Take the spade terminals off the spark
generator, clean the contacts, and
replace using petroleum jelly to protect
if needed.
The spark generator may be green in
colour and not white as shown.
If the gun still does not fire after these simple contact
cleaning procedures, move onto the next stage of this guide.
Make sure all the contacts are clean and free from corrosion
6. Spark plug maintenance: Remove the rubber cap and unscrew the plug lead followed by
the spark plug. Clean the thread, reset the gap using a £1 coin and reassemble making sure
you replace the rubber cap.
5. Corroded earth: Remove the back
plate and unscrew the earth wires. Clean
the connectors and the earth point with
emery cloth and reassemble, using
Vaseline (petroleum jelly) to protect
against future corrosion.
This might
be green in
colour

5
Testing the circuit board
TESTING THE CONTROL PANEL AND SYSTEM
To set up the control panel for testing the firing mode, connect to a fully charged battery and
allow all the lights to go out. The Scatterbird will only run through the test sequence if it is in
DAY MODE. The Scatterbird may be in the wrong mode after a period of storage and will need
to be “trained” to work correctly in DAY and NIGHT MODE. To enable the unit to learn, you can
do either:
1. Leave unit outside for 24 hours switched on OR
2. If you cannot wait, the Circuit Board can be forced to reset by:
Switching on Scatterbird and leave in strong light for 2 - 3 hours. Then disconnect the battery,
press button Aseveral times to clear the memory.
Re-connect the battery and you are ready to start the Test Sequence - the unit should now be
in DAY MODE - the Scatterbird can only be tested in DAY MODE.
If the unit will not go into DAY MODE it will probably be a fault with the circuit board.
Go to page 7 for more information.
DAY MODE
LOW BATTERY WARNING
If there are 4 lights across the FIRE line
this will indicate a low battery. Charge to
12 volts or replace if the battery is not
holding the correct charge. Old tractor
batteries do not hold their charge and
can drop their voltage within hours,
so always use either a Portek internal
battery or a deep cycle leisure battery.

6Test fire sequence
TESTING THE FIRING SYSTEM
Turn the gas supply off before the following tests
To eliminate other components and to establish if the gas will fire.
With no lights showing, (wait for lights to go out) press and hold Button B, and then press
Button Aat the same time. The control panel lights will illuminate in succession from right
to left. There will then be a audible ‘click’, which is the sound of the solenoid opening to
let gas into the chamber. After three (3) seconds, a series of soft ticks will follow as the
spark generator fires the spark plug to ignite the gas. (All these sounds and functions will
happen without the gas turned on).
If any of the above do not occur, it could be down to an issue with either the control panel, the
spark plug, the spark generator or low battery.

7
Circuit Board
CIRCUIT BOARD - TESTING AND REPLACEMENT
If there are no lights, check the wiring to the battery is not damaged and there are no loose
connections, and check for a faulty or dead battery. Charge or replace as required.
SPARK PLUG
If gas is being delivered, but there is no ignition
then check the following:
Firstly, remove the back plate and disconnect the
wiring from the spark generator to ease access.
Take off the spark plug lead and unscrew the
spark plug.
The scatterbird uses only NGK BR6S spark plugs.
Change if the wrong spark plug is fitted.
Next check the gap.
It must be between 2 to 3 mm.
Use a £1 coin to measure the gap.
If the lights do not move it could be down to a
poorly fitting board. To fix this, remove the
steel cover and try to operate the circuit board
without this cover by pressing button Aand B. If
this works, make sure the board is seated in the
moulding correctly.
Check the 4 spade terminals at the rear of the
panel for corrosion also by undoing the 3 screws
(circled in white) and inspecting and cleaning.
Re-connect and try again.
If no lights are showing after these tests you will
need to fit a new circuit board.
Undo the three screws, remove the board and
disconnect the wiring. Replace the wires on the
new board in the same sequence as they were
disconnected, applying Vaseline (petroleum jelly)
to stop corrosion and then re-test.

8Spark Generator and Gas Delivery
SPARK GENERATOR
If your Scatterbird is still not working, check and clean the wiring to the spark generator and
test again.
2 TYPES OF GAS JET
Early Scatterbirds were fitted with a single piece
jet (B) which was later superseded by the
two part jet (A).
We recommend replacing the single piece
jet with the two piece jet for faster and more
convenient maintenance. For removing the one
piece jet please contact technical services on
01234 889 454.
Note: If the Scatterbird is fitted with the two
part jet, ensure that the rubber cap is fitted
to the top of the spark plug (see page 4)
to make sure it is not shorting against the
solenoid housing.
GAS DELIVERY
To check for problems with gas delivery, check the bottle is turned on and contains gas. Try
to avoid completely emptying the bottle as it contains sediment which can block jets and
regulators.
You will hear an initial click of the solenoid
opening to allow the gas in, followed 3
seconds later by the rapid clicking of the
spark generator firing the spark plug. If you
cannot hear a rapid clicking and all the spade
contacts have been thoroughly cleaned, then
the spark generator will have to be replaced.
If you do not hear the initial click then the
issue may be with the solenoid.
The spark generator may be green in colour
and not white as shown.
Next, check that the correct regulator is
fitted. Use only a One Bar Regulator. If the
correct one is fitted, check the connections
for damage or loose fitting. Replace or
tighten as necessary. When changing the
regulator make sure it does not come into
contact with the ground as soil particles can
block or damage the unit.
TWO
PIECE JET
EARLY SINGLE
PIECE JET
This might
be green in
colour
A
B

9
Setting up
CLEANING THE JET
If there is gas getting to the Scatterbird but there are no bangs or intermittent bangs, it could
be a blocked jet. The symptoms of this are only 1 or 2 successful ignitions in a series of
4 or 5, due to insufficient gas being delivered each time.
1. To access the 2 piece jet, loosen the screw
from the solenoid that retains the connector.
2. Remove the split pin.
3. Pull out the complete jet assembly.
5. Clean carefully using a 1.0mm drill or
an appropriate jet cleaner and
re-assemble and test.
4. Hold the jet and solenoid firmly and unscrew
the jet from the housing with a 7/16” spanner
NOTE: it is a tapered thread.
Split pin
Remove jet assembly
Screw
If your Scatterbird comes with the one
piece jet which was fitted only to early
models of the MK3, we recommend
replacing it with the two piece
version for faster and more convenient
maintenance. For removing one piece
jets please contact technical services on
01234 889 454.
1
2
3
4
5

10 Solenoid
SOLENOID
Finally, it may be an issue with the solenoid not working, but this is very rare. If you do not
hear the initial click of the solenoid during testing, this could be a problem related to the
wiring, the control panel, or the solenoid itself may have a fault, in which case it will need
replacing. Our advisors can help you diagnose this issue as it requires more in-depth testing.
If you require further information or parts, please contact
one of our Technical Advisors. Portek will also repair or
service your Scatterbird if required. Please contact your
local dealer for details.
See the troubleshooting video at www.scatterbird.co.uk