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Troubleshooting Ball Jams

  1. There are no adjustments to the robot, so if a faulty or worn part causes the robot to malfunction, replace that part.
  2. If you are not skilled at soldering, you should send in your Control Box for service if soldering is indicated. Control Box parts are small and easily damaged. Improper soldering may void your warranty and service policy.
  3. If you open the Control Box, unscrew only the 4 corner screws. Do not remove the 4 screws in the middle.
  4. The following solutions will apply to all models of Newgy Robots, except if marked with the following
    footnotes: 1 Robo-Pong® 1000 only, 2 Robo-Pong® 2000 only, 9 Model 1929 only.
PROBLEM: Balls jam inside the machine. Ball jams are normally indicated by a humming noise from the Control Box.
SOLUTIONS:
  1. Oversize, irregular or out-of-round balls. Check the balls using the ball gauge in the Ball Dams. Discard any balls that do not pass easily through the gauge. Be sure to rotate the ball inside the hole when testing to check all diameters of the ball. Use only approved 1-Star, 2-Star, or 3-Star balls. Avoid any balls that have a rough seam even if they pass the ball gauge test.
  2. Head angle may be too severe. Reduce angle so head is not all the way up or down.
  3. Using new balls. New balls have a tacky finish that tends to create excess friction as the balls move through the robot. As the finish wears down, there is less friction created. To remove the tacky finish quickly, wash the balls in warm soapy water and then dry them off before using. Running the balls through the robot at high speed also helps.
  4. Dented or cracked balls. Anytime balls jam, check to be sure none of them get dented or cracked; otherwise, those balls can cause additional jams. Ball denting may also be caused by build-up of dirt on the Friction Block and/or Ball Discharge Wheel. Periodically inspect these parts and, if necessary, thoroughly clean with Rubber Drive Cleaner and a cloth or an all-purpose, water-based cleaner and an old toothbrush.
  5. Foreign objects or loose parts in the ball feed path. Remove the Front Cover and inspect for any objects that are preventing the Ball Feed Main Gear from turning or from balls sliding up the ball feed channel. Also check inside the robot head. Reattach any loose parts or remove any foreign objects.
  6. If balls are bridging in the area where the right Ball Return Tray meets the Center Trough, take two strips of duct tape and tape across the 90 degree angle on the inside front surface of the Center Trough where the pivoting table mounting mechanismis attached. When the tape is properly positioned, this 90 degree angle is changed to approximately 45 degrees, preventing balls from hanging on that corner and causing a ball bridge to be created.2
  7. If the problem is with a RP1000, request Newgy to send you two free parts to help prevent ball jams inside the 1000's Ball Bucket: (1) Ball Feed Gear Blocking Screw and (2) Ball Feed Stir Spring. These 2 parts are easily installed and greatly reduce the number of ball jams.1
  8. Ball Speed Motor runs backward. See Owner's Manual.
  9. Worn Ball Discharge Spring. Open the robot head and inspect the back surface of the Ball Discharge Spring for wear. Replace if any flat shiny surface is found. This spring should be completely round with no flat spots. See Owner's Manual.
  10. Restricted ball feed channel. Occasionally the walls of the ball feed channel may warp inward enough to keep balls from moving easily upward. Remove the Front Cover and while holding a known good ball (as tested in A above) slide the ball up and down the ball feed channel to verify that it does not hang up. If it does, it is possible to warm the walls with a hair dryer and carefully bend the walls apart at the restricted area to increase the clearance. See Owner's Manual.