Cleaning
To clean the housing, we recommend taking the feeder apart. If your housing is mounted, lift the feeder to dislodge it from the pole.
First, remove the back panel.
To remove the back panel, we recommend turning the feeder upside down and placing it in your lap.
Once upside down, locate the two indents.
Hold the feeder with both hands, and put your thumbs on the semi-transparent plastic between the two indents. With your thumbs, push downwards and then outwards (away from the blue housing).
This will slide the back panel out.
It can be more difficult and robust the first couple of times you do it, but it should be easier afterwards.
Note: there is no need to press on the indents directly; they are there as guidelines. General pressure on the back panel, inwards and outwards, will dislodge them.
Next, press the two buttons on the battery and solar insert inwards, so you can lift it and remove both the battery insert and solar panels from the main housing.
We recommend using both hands for easier access to get the buttons to snap into the opening.
To remove the front panel, gently push it from the back side at the areas where it is snapped into the main housing, and it will snap out of the housing easily.
If you want to remove the orange perch extender, gently pull at the sides of the perch - this allows you to pull the extender out from the openings at the front of the feeder.
When cleaning the main housing, ensure you clean the area below the perch as well, as dirt can accumulate under it.
Important notice: every part of the housing can be submerged in water and cleaned with soap, except the battery insert with the solar roofs and the camera.
Take those out of the housing before you clean the rest, and wipe them down with a soft, damp microfiber cloth. Don't submerge them or run them under water, and avoid the USB-C port/sillicone cover on the battery insert.
Once all cleaned parts are completely dry, reassemble your feeder in the following order:
- Reattach the front panel. Align it with its original attachment points on the main housing and gently press it into place.
- Reinsert the battery insert with the solar panels attached. Lower it into its original position, ensuring both side buttons engage securely with the openings in the housing.
- Replace the back panel. Align it with the housing and slide it back into its original position, making sure it is securely seated.
- Reinsert the camera module into its designated slot in the front panel.
Storage
Extreme temperatures can affect the capacity of your camera module battery and reduce the device's lifetime. If the outside temperature is significantly below or above the operational range of the device (below -5°F / -20°C or above 120°F / 50°C), temporarily store your feeder inside.
To store only the camera module itself, you can simply remove it from the housing and store it inside (in a dry location protected from severe temperatures).