Kegel FLEX 17-5801, Operator'S Manual

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Troubleshooting Lane Conditions
Troubleshooting lane conditions can be very tricky. You must first think about what you
want to accomplish, who the adjustment will affect, and if the machine is calibrated
correctly. We suggest reading the following scenarios to see if it is similar to your problem
(and to maintain your sanity before making adjustments).
1. First, why do you think there is something wrong with your conditions? Are all of
your bowlers complaining, or is it just a few? Are the bowlers right to complain?
Don’t let bowlers manage your lane maintenance program, you can please some of
your bowlers all of the time but you can’t please all of them all of the time.
Sometimes good personal relations make your customers just as happy as good
conditions.
2. Looking for the Holy Grail of lane conditions is something you can’t get caught up in
either. Bowlers can and will adjust to all kinds of conditions but only if they can bowl
on the same thing more than once. Don’t make a change for the sake of change.
Think before changing the pattern. It is best to prove a change before unleashing it
on your bowlers.
3. Never make pattern adjustments before checking the stripping; run your machine in
clean only. If your lanes are not coming clean like they should, this could be your
only problem. Check your squeegee, cleaner volume, and duster adjustments. Refer
to Chapter 3 for the cleaning troubleshooting for solutions to possible problems.
4. Who mixed the cleaner last? Concentration of the cleaner is very important and
must stay consistent. At Kegel, we have seen mixed diluted cleaner mistaken as the
concentrate. Then it was diluted again making a very, very weak solution. However,
mixing cleaner stronger than a 4 to 1 ratio is not good either.
5. When was the last time you checked your oil calibration? Maybe someone adjusted
the pump and didn’t tell anyone. This should be one of the first things checked along
with cleaning. Calibration should be checked regularly
and if there is an oil output
problem check the troubleshooting section for the conditioning system .
6. Now that you have no cord to watch out for, walk alongside the machine while it
runs; look at the display for speeds and on the way back check the back end for
cleanliness. Check to see if the pattern looks uniform across the house. Do this each
day and you may be able to stop and correct problems before they happen.
7. A general inspection of the machine should be done whenever there is a concern
that something may be wrong. Just because there were no 300’s and 800’s shot last
night does not mean you should make a change. Bowlers don’t always bowl great.