Alien Independence - User Manual

Independence
By
Warning:
Paintball markers are dangerous pieces of sporting equipment. Like any air rifle or air
pistol, it can cause injury or death.
By purchasing this paintball marker you assume all liability. Alien Paintball Equipment,
INC. (Alien) assumes no liability for its use, misuse, injury or death. Please follow all
federal, state and local ordinances.
Remember it is the “unloaded” gun that hurts people.
Independence retains air even after the bottle has been removed. It can retain a charge
for hours or even days after the bottle has been removed. Before removing protective
eyewear always check and double check that there are no balls in the chamber and that
the marker has no air pressure.
Risk of injury, especially blindness, can be greatly reduced by proper use and handling.
It is of the utmost importance that user and everyone within 300 feet of the marker have
proper paintball goggles on at all times. Some “finned” paintballs can increase this
distance to over 500 feet.
Always have a safety plug in, or a safety sock on, between uses. Always put on a
paintball-approved safety goggles before uncovering barrel. Always cover the barrel
before removing safety goggles.
Eyes are not a safety feature! Eyes limit ball breakage. The gun will fire regardless
of the LED color!

Summary

Safety Warnings

General Safety Precautions

Essential safety guidelines for operating the paintball marker, covering injury prevention.

Comprehensive Safety Guidelines

Playing Field Safety

Rules for commercial fields, chronographing, and eye protection.

Marker Handling Safety

Pressure Regulators Overview

Key Adjustment Factors

Factors controlling ball speed: dwell, LPR pressure, and inline regulator pressure.

Low Pressure Regulator (LPR)

LPR Design and Servicing

Explanation of LPR components, operation, and maintenance.

Inline Regulator (High Pressure)

Inline Regulator Design and Maintenance

Details on the 'Alien Air Force' inline regulator, its parts, and servicing.

Firing Mode Configuration

Firing Mode Descriptions

Details on Semi-Auto, Ramping, Burst, Full Auto, and Response firing modes.

Software Configuration

Programming Mode Overview

Accessing and navigating the marker's programming menu for advanced settings.

Advanced Settings Adjustment

Adjusting Dwell and Debounce

Modifying dwell, electrical, and mechanical debounce settings for performance.

Eye Delay and Bounce Sensitivity

Firing and Safety Settings

Rate of Fire and Safety Shots

Configuring maximum rate of fire, safety shots, and ramp activation.

Trigger Memory and Ramp Timeout

Overview

1. Usage Features
2. Maintenance Features

The Independence paintball marker, by Alien, is a high-end, tournament-level paintball gun designed for speed, reliability, and accuracy. It features an open bolt, pneumatic ram design, distinct to Alien, where the solenoid is placed on the ram, and the ram and solenoid module are on the trigger frame. This "Independent Ram" design eliminates torturous air paths and lengthy hoses, resulting in shorter air passages and faster cycling times. The marker also incorporates a patented "Sweep Valve" and "Sweep Bolt" to minimize turbulence and create a "Sweep Trajectory" for improved accuracy, sweeping the ball with a rotating, expanding pulse of air rather than poking it.

Usage Features

The Independence marker is designed for ease of use and troubleshooting. It can be separated into three main pieces (gun body, ram, and trigger frame) while powered up and aired up, allowing for quick identification and resolution of problems.

Power and Firing Modes: To turn the marker on, press the Power Button; the LED will light up, typically red. If the LED blinks, flashes, or pulses red, the battery is low and should be replaced. A green or blue LED indicates a ball in the breech, so ensure the firing chamber is clear. To turn off the marker, press and hold the Power Button until the LED flashes white, then release.

The marker offers several firing modes:

• Semi-Automatic: Indicated by a green LED, this mode fires one ball per trigger pull. Trigger Memory and Ball Wait Time (BWT) settings are active.
• Ramping: Indicated by a blue LED, this mode adds extra shots at a selected rate once the trigger pull rate reaches the Ramp Activation level. Ramping stops if the pull rate drops below this level. Safety Shots apply if the time between trigger pulls exceeds the Ramp Time Out setting. Trigger Memory and BWT are active.
• Burst Fire: Each trigger pull fires a number of balls determined by the Ramp Scale setting.
• Full Auto Fire: Continuous fire when the trigger is held down.
• Response Fire: Fires when the trigger is pulled and when released. Trigger Memory and BWT settings are active.

Forced Shot: Holding the trigger back for 1 second will fire the marker once, even without a ball in the breech. This feature is useful for clearing a rolled-past ball or starting a sound-activated hopper. However, caution is advised as it will fire any object in the barrel or breech.

Eyes ON/Off and Eye Error: The marker powers on with eyes active. To quickly turn eyes off, press the Power button. In case of an eye malfunction, the marker automatically turns the eyes off, and the LED changes color. Eyes turn back on, and the LED color changes when they function normally.

Regulator Adjustments: The Independence includes an HPA Inline regulator and a Low Pressure Regulator (LPR). For regular play, it is recommended to adjust only the Inline regulator to achieve the desired ball speed. Clockwise adjustments (In or Down) lower air pressure, while counter-clockwise adjustments (Out or Up) increase it.

Trigger Pull Adjustment: The trigger features four adjustments:

• Trigger Contact Point: The top setscrew on the front of the trigger. Clockwise makes contact sooner, counter-clockwise later.
• Trigger Travel Backward: The bottom setscrew on the front of the trigger. Clockwise reduces travel, counter-clockwise increases it.
• Trigger Return Travel: Adjusted with an Allen wrench through a hole in the trigger lever. Clockwise increases travel, counter-clockwise limits it.
• Trigger Spring Tension: Visible when the bolt, Ram Cap, and hammer are removed. Clockwise increases tension, counter-clockwise lessens it. It's best to start by increasing tension to get a feel for the spring, then adjust to preference or minimum pressure.

Quick Start Modes: The marker offers several Quick Start Modes with pre-set configurations for tournaments. To access these, ensure the Tournament Lock is off. Hold the trigger and press the Power Button until the LED flashes yellow, then release. The LED will be red. Pull the trigger to cycle through mode choices. To select a mode, hold the trigger for 3 seconds until the LED flashes multiple colors, then release. The marker will shut off automatically and power on in the selected mode next time.

Programming Mode: With the Tournament Lock off, hold the trigger back and turn the On/Off ON. Continue holding until the LED flashes multiple colors, then release. The LED will be red. Pull the trigger to cycle through settings. To change or verify a setting, hold the trigger for 1.5 seconds. To change a value, pull and release the trigger the number of times corresponding to the desired new value. To exit programming mode, turn the marker OFF.

Maintenance Features

General Maintenance: Regular cleaning of the bolt and trigger after use is essential to prevent dirt buildup. A blinking red LED upon startup indicates a low battery, which should be replaced. Inconsistent shots often point to a low battery. High-grade alkaline batteries with a mAh rating close to or over 1,000 mAh are recommended for optimal performance.

Ball Detents: Double feeding typically results from worn detents. The Independence uses Spyder-type rubber catch bumpers, which are widely available. Clear polyurethane detents wear well but are hard to see, while black rubber detents wear faster.

LPR Service: The LPR body generally does not require frequent removal. If a leak develops, servicing the O-Rings is usually sufficient. To service the LPR, remove the cap, purge the gun, and slide out the "T" shaped piston. The top spring will fall out. The setscrew can be removed from the cap to re-grease O-Ring (4) and the additional O-Ring LPR housing. Both are number 010 O-rings. Re-lubing the O-rings is usually the only necessary service. If LPR creep persists after lubing/replacing O-rings, the 3/16" seal at the bottom of the "T" piston (9) should be replaced.

Inline Regulator Service: Servicing the inline regulator should be limited to annual or semi-annual lubrication of the O-Ring on the piston and the O-Ring at the top of the base. The seal is easily removed and replaced. Complete rebuilding involves replacing the seal, the two O-Rings on the adjuster, the O-Ring on the piston, and the O-Ring in the base.

Cup Seal Valve: The cup seal valve should only be removed if there is a leak down the barrel. Ensure the gun is not pressurized, remove the setscrew, and use needle-nose pliers to pull out the assembly. Check for foreign substances, nicks on O-rings, or bumps/catches on the raised ridge of the Cup Seal, which indicate a leak. Oil the O-rings before replacing the Cup Seal assembly, ensuring the pin is on the spring and the open end faces inside the body. Do not force the Cup Seal, as O-rings can be cut. If the gun cycles but doesn't shoot, turn the cup seal around.

Lubrication: The solenoid valve's piston comes greased from the factory. While some players oil internals by putting oil in the bottle adaptor, this can wash off the original grease. If internal oiling is chosen, use only synthetic oil, as petroleum-based oils deteriorate O-rings. Once started, several drops of oil must be added every time the marker is used. However, constant removal of the Rammer or lubricating through the bottle adaptor is not recommended, as the Independence is designed for hundreds of thousands of shots with minimal maintenance beyond cleaning the bolt and changing the battery.

Disassembly for Troubleshooting: To access wires, remove the left panel. To access the tournament lock, remove the right panel. The tournament lock is engaged when all four toggle switches are down. For programming, the fourth switch should be up.

To disassemble the gun into its main components:

1. Remove the bolt.
2. Take off the left grip panel.
3. Remove wires to the eyes and solenoid, and straighten them.
4. Remove the two screws on the underside of the gun (one under the trigger guard, one at the back).
5. Slide the trigger frame and gun body apart, feeding the wire up through the trigger frame until fully separated.

The ram can be removed by pushing the fitting release toward the fitting body and pulling on the ram body. The valve pin can be opened by pressing it with an Allen wrench.

Reassembly: When reassembling, ensure the trigger frame has the right side panel on, left panel off, with the trigger, spring stop, and setscrews in place and loctited. The On/Off pin and board pins should be seated. Check that trigger wires are not broken by turning the board on and pulling the trigger; the LED should change color.

Assemble the gun body, ensuring the cup seal valve's setscrew is tightened, the valve pin opens with light pressure, and ball detents are in place. Inspect the LPR for spring placement and lubed piston. Ensure the ram cap is on and solenoid screws are tight.

Slide the ram into the gun body while sliding the hose into the fitting. Feed eye and solenoid wires into the trigger frame (do not connect to the board yet). Align the body over the trigger frame, positioning the trigger frame about half an inch forward of alignment to the gun body. Push eye wires into the groove in the trigger frame to prevent cutting.

While observing both sides of the gun, pull solenoid and eye wires into the trigger frame, then slide the two halves together snugly without force. Ensure no wires are pinched. Screw the gun together with the two screws, one under the trigger guard and one at the back under the ram. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN. Finally, connect wire leads to the board and screw on the grip panel.

Alien Independence Specifications

General

Model	Independence
Feed System	Force Feed
Barrel Length	14 inches
Body Material	Aluminum
ASA	On/Off ASA
Manufacturer	Alien Paintball
Firing Modes	Semi-Auto
Type	Electronic Paintball Marker