Sports Tutor POLYBALL TUTOR User manual

OWNER’S MANUAL
Introduction
This manual contains important information concerning the proper use and care
of your Polyball Tutor. Please read it completely before operating your Polyball
Tutor.
Check for shipping damage
Even though the Polyball Tutor may
appear undamaged, it is possible for
internal parts to be damaged even if the
external case is undamaged. If your
machine is damaged, contact Sports
Tutor immediately at 1-800-448-8867.
Save the original shipping carton
The original carton should be used if
it ever becomes necessary to ship your
Polyball Tutor for service under warranty.
What’s Inside
Page
Important Warnings 2
Battery Charging (DC model only) 2
Polyball Tutor Assembly 3
Recommended Pitching Distance 4
Mechanical Controls 4
Polyball Tutor Set-up 4
Control Panel 5
Operating Polyball Tutor 6
Pitch Consistency 6
Removing Ball Hopper 6
Optional AC Power Supply 7
Maintenance and Cleaning 7
Storage 7
Service or Questions 7
Warranty 8
POLYBALL
TUTOR

Use Polyballs or Foam Balls Only
Polyball Tutor is designed to throw baseball-size polyballs, but it will also throw most
commercially available foam balls also. Use of other balls may cause a safety hazard
and will void the warranty. NOTE: Some foam balls will not work with the auto-
feeder and will need to be manually fed after auto-feeder is removed.
If a baseball is put into the Polyball Tutor it will jam the pitching mechanism and may
also damage the pitching wheels or motors.
If a baseball or other ball is jammed in the Polyball Tutor you will need to remove it
while the Polyball Tutor is off. Put your hand into the ball ejection opening and push
the ball back up the ball delivery chute.
Battery Charging (DC Model Only):
Included with your Polyball Tutor is a “Smart” Battery Charger. The Smart charger
will not overcharge the battery so it should be connected to the machine at all times
when not being used. The Smart charger has a LED light that will switch from red to
green to indicate when the battery is fully charged.
It is not uncommon for a seasonal machine like the Polyball Tutor to be stored for
several months. It is important that you keep the Smart charger connected to AC
power and to the machines when being stored. If not, the battery can discharge from
inactivity. If the battery is allowed to discharge significantly, it may prevent it from
recharging properly.
A fully charged battery should provide up to 2 hours of playing time.
-2-
IMPORTANT WARNINGS
DO NOT STAND IN FRONT OF BALL EJECTION OPENING.
DO NOT INSERT HANDS OR FOREIGN OBJECTS INTO THE MACHINE.
DO NOT OPERATE POLYBALL TUTOR WHEN WET.
Never put wet polyballs balls in Polyball Tutor.

Polyball Tutor Assembly
First, assemble the three tripod legs. Depress the button on the neck of the top leg
piece and slide it into the bottom leg piece. Twist until the button snaps into the align-
ment hole. To disassemble the legs press the button and twist the legs apart. To use
the Polyball Tutor at a lower height use only the bottom half of the tripod legs.
Set the Polyball Tutor upside down on the ground. Loosen the wingnut until it is
about 1/4” inch from the end of the threaded bolt. The leg clamp will raise as you
loosen the wingnut.
Align the semi-circular cut-outs in the leg clamp with the leg guides inside the tripod
base as shown in the diagram at right. Slide the legs into the tripod base. Tighten the
wingnut until the legs are firmly held in place by the leg clamp. When the legs are
secure lift the Polyball Tutor into its upright position.
-3-
Installing the Tripod Legs
Wingnut
Tripod Base
Leg Clamp
Leg Guides

Recommended Pitching Distance
The recommended pitching distance for the Polyball Tutor is 30 to 40 feet. The
Polyball Tutor can be used as close as twenty feet for soft tosses to beginning batters.
To simulate speeds faster than the top speed, move Polyball Tutor closer to the plate,
which will give the hitter less reaction time.
Polyball Tutor Set-up
Aim the forward leg of the Polyball Tutor tripod toward the
plate as shown in the picture above right. The Height Control
should be on the right side when you stand behind the
Polyball Tutor.
Important: When using only the short legs of the tripod,
aim the forward leg away from the plate as shown in
the picture at right, or your Polyball Tutor may tip over
and be damaged. The Height Control should be on the
left side when you stand behind the Polyball Tutor.
Mechanical Controls
Height Control - To adust the height of the pitch hold
the Polyball Tutor firmly with your left hand as shown in the diagram above, and loos-
en the Height Control by turning it counter-clockwise with your right hand. Position
the Polyball Tutor at the desired pitching angle with your left hand, and then firmly
tighten the Height Control by turning it clockwise. The pitching angle is adjustable
from a slight downward angle to a loft of approximately 20 degrees. The automatic
feeding mechanism will work throughout this entire range.
Turret Control - The Turret Control is
used for accurate horizontal adjustment
of pitch placement. Loosen the Turret
Control by turning it counter-clockwise
one to two turns. Swivel the Polyball
Tutor to the desired position and
tighten the Turret Control. The Turret
Control will allow the Polyball Tutor to
rotate a full 360 degrees.
Set-up with long legs
To Plate
Set-up with short legs
Pitch placement is controlled by Height and Turret controls
Height
Control
Turret
Control
-4-

Control Panel
1) POWER SWITCH - Pushing to the ‘ON’ position
begins a start-up time delay period of approxi-
mately four seconds before balls begin to shoot.
2) SPEED CONTROL - Turning clockwise, from ‘1’
to ‘10’, increases the ball speed.
3) CURVE CONTROL - To pitch the ball straight
point the arrow on the knob to the ‘STRAIGHT’
position. To pitch a curveball turn the knob
to the right or the left. The further to the right
or left that you turn the knob, the more pro-
nounced the right-handed or left-handed curve
will be.
DC MODEL ONLY
4) BATTERY CHARGE JACK - Plug the battery
charger into this jack and a live AC outlet to
charge the battery.
5) BATTERY INDICATOR - This will illuminate when the battery charger is plugged into the
Battery Charge Jack. It will change in color from red when the battery is discharged or
partially charged, to green when the battery is fully charged.
POWER SWITCH RESET POSITION - If the Polyball Tutor has no power, first check for any-
thing obstructing the wheels and clear the obstruction. Then turn the Power Switch to the
OFF/Reset position and wait for ten seconds. Then push the Power Switch to the ON posi-
tion and the Polyball Tutor should begin operating. If the Polyball Tutor continuously shuts
off with no obstruction present it may need service.
AC MODEL ONLY
FUSE HOLDER - If the Polyball Tutor has no power, first check to see that you are using a
working electrical outlet and that the extension cord is firmly connected. If they are work-
ing properly the Polyball Tutor’s protective fuse may have blown. Before checking the fuse,
make sure that there are no balls obstructing the pitching wheels, and that the Power Switch
is ‘OFF’. To open the fuseholder unscrew the cap counter-clockwise. If the thin wire in the
fuse is broken or missing, the fuse needs to be replaced Use only a fuse rated at 1 or 1-1/2
Amps, 120V or 250V. If the new fuse blows immediately then your Polyball Tutor requires
service.
EXTENSION CORD - Connect only to a three prong grounded extension cord which is con-
nected to a three prong grounded AC outlet. Do not attempt to defeat the grounding feature
of the AC cord supplied with the Polyball Tutor by using a two prong extension cord. We
recommend a 18 gauge or heavier outdoor rated extension cord.
-5-
BY SPORTS TUTOR
CURVE
STRAIGHT
RIGHT
HAND
LEFT
HAND
4. BATTERY
CHARGE JACK
1. POWER/RESET
SWITCH
5. BATTERY
INDICATOR
3. CURVE
CONTROL
2. SPEED
CONTROL
DC Model Shown

Operating Polyball Tutor
Once the Polyball Tutor is set up, turn it on and adjust the controls for the desired pitch. The
Polyball Tutor has a built-in time delay once it is turned on before balls are pitched. This
allows a player practicing alone to move to the hitting position before balls are pitched. To
reset the time delay once the controls are set, turn off the Polyball Tutor, wait for five sec-
onds, then turn it on and move to your hitting position.
Do not put balls that are obviously not round into Polyball Tutor because they may stick in
the ball delivery chute. If the Polyball Tutor stops pitching balls even though there are still
balls in the hopper, check to see if a ball has jammed in the delivery chute or the ball feeding
mechanism.
Notes on pitching curveballs: (1) As the amount of curve on a pitch is increased, the speed of
the pitch will decrease. (2) The effect of the curve control is greater at higher speeds.
Pitch Consistency
Pitch consistency is dependent on the speed of the pitch and the amount of curve. Polyball
Tutor will be more consistent when pitching a straight ball than when pitching a curveball,
and more consistent when pitching a slower ball than a faster ball, just like a human pitcher.
This is because small irregularities in the ball are magnified at higher speeds. Therefore, it is
important for pitch consistency that the balls you use are not broken, ripped, or damaged.
If your Polyball Tutor appears to be losing consistency, it is probably the result of dirt build-
up on the wheels that pitch the balls. Cleaning the pitching wheels as
described in the section ‘Maintenance and Cleaning’ will restore consis-
tent performance.
Removing the Ball Hopper
To set-up for manual feed of sinking or ris-
ing fastballs first remove the ball hopper by
unscrewing the four phillips screws shown
in the diagram at left. Gently lift the hopper
about five inches above the case, and discon-
nect the electrical plug (now visible) from the case.
Remove the shoulder bolt shown in the diagram below left with
a 1/8 inch allen wrench. Tilt the Polyball Tutor on its side as
shown in the diagram above right by loosening the height control.
Re-tighten the height control to lock the Polyball Tutor in place.
Aim the ball ejection opening toward the plate by manually point-
ing the tripod. The turret control now functions to adjust the
-6-
Set-up for sinking
or rising fastballs
Remove four screws from top.
Shoulder
Bolt
Remove one shoulder bolt.

Optional AC Power Supply (DC Model only)
The optional AC Power Supply can be used to operate the Polyball Tutor-DC Model
continuously from a standard AC power source. Plug the AC Power Supply into an
AC outlet and into the Battery Charge Jack of the Polyball Tutor.
The battery in Polyball Tutor must be at least half charged for the AC Power Supply to
operate properly. If the battery is not charged some power from the AC Power Supply
will go into the battery, and there may not be enough power left to run the machine
properly.
Do not use the AC Power Supply in place of the battery charger. Use of the AC Power
Supply as a battery charger will damage your battery.
Maintenance and Cleaning
Polyball Tutor requires no regular maintenance other than routine cleaning. To clean
the case use a slightly damp cloth. Do not use chemicals or abrasive cleansers to clean
either the case or the pitching wheels.
You should clean the pitching wheels only if there is a noticeable dirt build-up on the
wheels.
Clean the pitching wheels only when the Polyball Tutor is off. Sand the wheels with
medium-grit sandpaper to remove the dirt build-up. Sand the entire circumference
of each wheel. The pitching wheels can be sanded through the ball ejection opening
without the need to open the case.
Storage
Store the Polyball Tutor in a clean dry place. Charge the battery before storing.
Charge the battery for at least one day every three months while in storage. Do not
store Polyball Tutor with the battery charger plugged in.
Do not store the Polyball Tutor in the trunk of a car. Heat build-up inside a car trunk
can reach 180 degrees, which may damage your Polyball Tutor.
Service or Questions
If your Polyball Tutor should ever need service, or if you have any questions
regarding the Polyball Tutor, please call Sports Tutor, Inc. toll free at 800-448-8867,
or at 818-972-2772.
-7-

Polyball Tutor Limited Warranty
Warranty period
Sports Tutor, Inc. warrants Polyball Tutor for a period of two years from the date of original
purchase.
Scope of warranty:
This warranty covers all defects in material and workmanship. The following are not covered by the
warranty:
1. Units on which the serial number has been deleted, modified or removed.
2. Units damaged by accident, misuse, abuse, neglect, unauthorized product modification or
failure to follow instructions contained in the owner’s manual.
3. Units damaged by repair by anyone not authorized by Sports Tutor.
4. Units damaged during shipment (claims must be presented to shipper).
Who is protected
This warranty protects the original purchaser and any subsequent owner(s) during the warranty
period, so long as the Polyball Tutor was purchased in the United States and a copy of the original
bill of sale is submitted whenever warranty service is required.
What Sports Tutor will pay for
Sports Tutor will pay for all labor and materials to repair a warrantable defect. Sports Tutor will also
pay for shipping charges to return the Polyball Tutor to you.
How to obtain warranty service
Call or write Sports Tutor, Inc. Deliver the unit POSTAGE PREPAID to Sports Tutor. Include your
name, address, daytime phone number, copy of original bill of sale, and a brief description of the
problem.
Limitation of implied warranties
All implied warranties, including fitness for a particular purpose and merchantability are limited in
duration to the length of this warranty. We neither assume nor authorize any representative or other
person to assume for us any other liability in connection with the sale or shipment of our products.
Limitation of incidental or consequential damages
Sports Tutor is not responsible for any incidental or consequential damages of any kind. Our liability
is limited to the repair or replacement, at our option, of a defective product. Some states do not allow
limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts and/or do not allow the exclusion of incidental or
consequential damages so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you. This warranty
gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
Sports Tutor, Inc.
3300 Winona Ave.

height of the pitch. To manually feed balls push them into the ball chute. Use the curve control to
pitch sinkers or risers.

© 2005 Sports Tutor, Inc.

Burbank, CA 91504-2507
Call Sports Tutor toll free at 1-800-448-8867.