RIKA question/troubleshooting

[Brian James]

To all the RIKA owners,

Last night I just took out my RIKA trainer that had been stored for about 2 years and I'm sad to report it didn't work. The unit turns on, but I'm not sure if the sender or receiver are working because I can not make the unit acknowledge shots, trace lines etc... (lighting is not an issue)

I think my problem maybe that I misplaced the power transformer for the sender and had to use a generic 12v 300Ma transformer. I suspect I'm under powering the unit.

What I am looking for is if anyone can tell me what type of power draw does the sender need (ie 12V 800Ma, 1200ma....)

All other suggestion on how to fix my unit are welcome.

Thanks!

Brian

[Rutty]

Hi Brian,

I shall have a look at our club RIKA this evening and check the power supply values. Have you checked whether you can see a red glow in the two diodes on the target holder?

Rutty

[Brian James]

There appears to be no glow from anything on the targer holder. I need to check if the generic power supply I used was AC/DC.

Brian

[David Levene]

I don't know if it's the same on Rika but with Scatt you need to make sure you use a regulated power supply.

Use of an unregulated one will cause failure of the circuitry, if not sooner then definitely later.

[Rutty]

Hi Brian,

The power supply characteristics are as follows:

Target Sensor: 9V 300mA 2.7VA

Control Unit: 12V 300mA

Our power units are as supplied by RIKA. I also endorse David's comments about using a regulated supply if you source a generic replacement.

Rutty

[fat-tony]

There appears to be no glow from anything on the targer holder. I need to check if the generic power supply I used was AC/DC.

Brian

Your power supply may have the DC polarity reversed. I'm not familiar with the RIKA unit, but check whether the centre contact needs to be positive or negative. The other postings would indicate that the current draw is fairly low at 300mA, so it's likely that your unit is powerful enough.

[Brian James]

Thank you to everyone who posted the specs for the the power transformer. It appears as it the send, aka target holder is powered, but I'm still not recieving anything. My unit turns,but I can't get to pick up a trace, or hear me take a shot.

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas how I could test to see if the reciever was working.

FYI - I am shooting at only 4 meters and with my arm and stance it might be closer to 3m.

[Rutty]

My unit turns,but I can't get to pick up a trace

Are you getting the rotating X in the LED window on the control unit?

Rutty

[Brian James]

I'm only getting the word "ready" on the LCD

The software s v2.44

[Fred Mannis]

I'm only getting the word "ready" on the LCD

The software s v2.44

I believe the latest software version is 3.81.

If the LED's and electronics are working, then the rotating * in the control box display indicates that the sensor sees the LED's. I would hold the sensor unit a few meters from the LED's and make sure it is aligned with the LED's. If you see the rotating *, the source/detector electronics are working. If not, the electronics are shot. My unit did not like incandescent lighting and I used only fluorescents in the shooting area. The incandescent bulbs emitted enough IR to mask the IR from the RIKA source.

[Rutty]

It certainly sounds as if your target sensor is not working. Whether this is due to a power supply problem or a malfunction of the unit itself is a 50/50 guess. The power supply side is fairly easy to check with a multimeter. If that side is seviceable and the unit still will not work (on either polarity) then you have two options:

a. Find someone else with a RIKA and selectively swap components to isolate the fault.

b. Send it back to the agent/manufacturer

BTW, I had this problem and it proved to be the sensor itself that had given up.

Ref the software edition on the Control Unit Panel. This is on board RoM and is not updated by new software versions. AFAIK the control unit software can only be updated with a screwdriver!

Rutty

[Brian James]

I'm adding an update to an old thread. I appear to be having simply bad luck. the target sensor has begun to flash red instead of the constant red it usually is. This is after another transformer died.

Does anyone have a clue what flashing red IR sensor means?

Brian

[Rutty]

Does anyone have a clue what flashing red IR sensor means?

No I don't, but I know a man who will!

Jurgen Strittl General Manager RIKA

Office@RIKA1.com

ATB

Rutty