"Do you only sell Lobster Tennis ball machines?"

NO! We have done a lot of research into tennis ball machines and constantly monitor what's on the market. As the UK's leading reseller of Lobster Elite machines we tend to be amongst the first to be offered any new machines by other manufacturers. Our focus has predominantly been on Lobster machines as we know sales of Lobster machines account for over 75% of all tennis ball machine sales in the UK and we feel they provide the most comprehensive range of machines in terms of functionality. After further research and careful consideration we have recently added other brands to our range so it is now possible to order machines such as the Slinger, Spinfire Pro 2 and Sports Tutor ProLite machines from us. By adding these machines we feel we can now cater for all customer needs whether that be function or cost driven.

"Can I use any tennis balls in my Lobster machine?"

YES! You can use both pressurised and pressureless tennis balls although we recommend using pressureless balls though as they will stay harder and more consistent. Pressurised balls can lose pressure over time and become flat meaning that they won't fire out of the machine as well.

"Can I leave the machine outside?"

NO! No ball machine in production will withstand this. We do sell storage covers for the Lobster and Spinfire machines but they are not designed as an all weather cover and don't offer sufficient protection to be stored outside. All machines must be kept and stored dry, otherwise the warranty is invalidated and/or serious damage can occur.

"Do I charge the Elite machine only when I need it?"

NO! The machine must be put back on charge the same day of use regardless of how long it has been used for. Leaving it in a state of part-charge for days can ruin the battery and means you may not have enough charge in the battery for your next session. We recommend always topping up the battery for storage and charge again at least once a month during extended periods of inactivity.

"Can I leave the machine on charge?"

YES! The charger that is supplied with the machine is a 'smart' charger so will not overheat/charge the battery. Once the battery has reached full capacity the charger automatically stops so you can leave the machine on charge.

"So what are the recommended charging instructions?"

The battery types used in the UK are described by the manufacturers as being 'Suitable for Cyclic and Standby use'. To explain the jargon, when regularly discharged and subsequently recharged, the battery is said to be in 'cyclic use'. When fully charged and ready to be used it is said to be in 'standby use'.

When not in use the battery is best left plugged in and on charge at all times using a 1 amp smart trickle charger (supplied as standard with Lobster Elite machines bought from sportsequip). This is referred to as constant trickle charging and there is no risk of overcharging the battery. If preferred, when the machine is not being used for a prolonged period, the battery should be fully charged prior to storage but then must be topped up at least once a month.

The lights on the machine only indicate battery power when the machine is on and in use. During charging the light on the charger shows the charging status - red when charging and green when fully charged.

"Do the machines have any maintenance requirements?"

NO! No regular maintenance other than good housekeeping, storage and charging is required. Annual servicing is not a requirement.

This is how good housekeeping is described in the user manual:

"Always turn the power OFF when cleaning the machine. The outside of the machine may be wiped down with a mild detergent. The inside of the machine may be vacuumed to remove dirt and debris (i.e. ball fluff, leaves, sand particles, dirt, etc). To help keep the inside of machine clean, remove all small debris from the balls before refilling the hopper."

We also advise not to leave tennis balls in the hopper when the machine is not is use, balls can fall into the machine through the chute and cause a ball jam.

"What if something goes wrong with my machine outside of the warranty?"

sportsequip work closely with the main UK import agents who maintain a servicing workshop. We strongly advise that the customer keeps the box that the machine is delivered in, the machine can be put back in its box and sent to the service agent. Any problems requiring the return of the machine are taken seriously but collection is only arranged once the machine has been safely and securely packaged.

"Do I have to register the warranty with Lobster Sports?"

NO! The warranty becomes valid automatically from the day of purchase with the UK import dealer/agent not Lobster Sports in the USA.

 

< Return to Tennis Downloads & Resources

 

This page is available to download as a PDF file. Please think before you print.