Frequently Asked Questions
LOCATION
A. Yes, there have been successful installations on these.
A. No, Avishock is not recommended for any places where there might be volatile/explosive chemicals in the air.
A. Yes, the braid, Straight/Corner Connector terminals and Quick Tap Jumper terminals are made from stainless steel; and the spade connectors are made from zinc chromate coated brass. Avishock has been used successfully in coastal areas.
A. Yes, Avishock is widely used in all weather conditions in both very hot and cold snowy climates.
A. The energiser transformers can be plugged directly into any 110 to 240V AC power socket outlets. Installers may decide to promote that the power supply will not be left unintentionally unplugged by ensuring it is plugged into a socket outlet specifically for purpose and positioned away from where other equipment may be used.
A. NICEIC (National Inspection Council For Electrical Installation Contracting) believe that the concern here is current induced into the track from the power line.
A. NICEIC believe the building structure may be considered as ground level irrespective of height.
A. NICEIC believe that parallel is the worst case scenario.
A. These are current building regulation heights in UK and HSE suggested these were appropriate heights to specify as minimum. Other countries might need to check their own Health and Safety Guidance.
SPECIFICATION
A. Basically braid attachment to the substrate and electrical properties. The warranty covers track integrity; it does not cover discolouration of the track, nor being overcome by debris or droppings nor being shorted out (a pressure wash generally cures that).
A. Our energiser supplier gives a 2 year warranty that covers everything except: water immersion, incorrect input voltage, lightning strike, physical mishandling, and contamination by battery acid.
A. This is not a requirement. The warranty covers the breakdown of the product: the Track has a 5 year warranty and the Energiser 2 years as per Section 8 PG2 of the Avishock Technical Manual.
A. The colours are colourfast. However, over 5 years the stone and brick red tracks can fade towards grey. The black track keeps its colour well.
A. Yes, both the PVC base and the stitching thread are protected.
A. The thread used is UV protected PTFE plastic, as used on yacht sails where it needs to survive sun and saltwater. It is not likely to rot within the guaranteed lifespan of the Avishock.
A. Yes, fire retardants are included in the plastic.
A. SHK040 uses 1 Watt and SHK120 uses 2 Watts. The power is used to charge the capacitor, and this charges up and discharges whether the circuit is shorting out or not. So even if it shorts out there is no extra current drawn.
A. They can be fitted at up to 180°, however, this is unlikely to be useful as it would mean having parallel tracks at just 15mm apart.
A. Around 1 ohm per metre and the resistance of each connection is around 1 ohm, although this can be quite variable.
A. Around 40cm (taking about 60cm of track to go around 90 degrees). Avifix ‘High Tack’ adhesive is recommended for quicker adhesion to help prevent the track buckling.
A. Yes these do come in the scope of the WEEE & RoSH directives and are compliant. The crossed out wheelie bin is on the rear label and WEEE producer number is NJY281.
USE
A. We advise quarterly maintenance visits.
A. The HSE agreed to the customer responsibilities listed in the Avishock Technical Manual on Section 6 PG3. We recommend that installers give their customers a copy of Section 6 and ensure this is signed for by their customer at completion of their work.
A. Installers of bird products should check with their insurance provider.
A. The Lead Wire can be overpainted. The track though will not work when painted. If this has occurred the easiest solution is to replace the track.
A. We have spoken to MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency) about this. They said Avishock would be a fairly low risk; that touching live track could possibly inhibit functioning of the pacemaker; and that it was also a possibility that it could put the pacemaker into backup mode. If you wear a pacemaker it is not recommended that you install Avishock, but Avishock, like other electric fences, is safe for general use.
A. www.inductionloop.org states that an intermittent voltage would not affect induction loops.
A. Avishock will usually continue to function normally in the rain. However, if water around the track is excessive, this can affect the system. Water just bridging the top of the track might lead to arcing. If the track is under water or snow at any point, then the power to the complete track (both sides of the flood) will stop until the water has subsided.
The Avishock system has a residual effect, in that birds that have landed on it and received a shock, will often remember it and avoid returning for some time, even though the track might be off for some reason. So temporary periods of snow or flooding do not affect the overall value of the Avishock system.
