My answer from Silent Parnter

[Dogboy]

I've been using a Silent Partner CL for a year now with no ill effects except the tensioning did seem to be off on every pull, now the answer I got from SP would answer that question, but does the string bed really balance itself out to a consistent string bed, I know other CL owners must have been thinking on the same line, JC I bet you'll know this one.. Is what they told me bunk!?!?
Thanks
"down with the mains"

Skip,

It is normal for the tensioner to have slightly different readings everytime
one testes the CL with a calibrator. Th way the machine is designed, it's
motor will fluctuate with the voltage that runs within the house. The voltage
in your house fluctuates regularily and is not constant. You will find that
the CL acts with the voltage. It will be higher or lower with every pull. The
overall effect this has on the string bed is very minimal. The string bed
tends to average the tension over the course of the string job and the result
is a very nice playing string bed. We have done testing on all of our
tensioners and you will find that they will all be the same.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to ask.

Best,

Steve
Silent Partner

[guitarman]

I have a Eagnas Hyper 220E which is almost a replica of Silent partner CL and I am glad to say that I did not have the same experience you have. My Hyper 220E shows the same tension almost everytime, and I test it 3 to 4 times before using it. One thing I know is different between the two machines is the electric motor of Eagnas is DC as opposed to Silent partners AC.

Eagnas claims and I quote:
"The Silent Partner uses the 1977 General Electric AC motor speed control circuitry. This circuitry is used to control the speed of the AC motor, not the torque of the motor. Therefore, the tension is varied on every motor pull. The tension deviation is about 5 - 10 pounds on every pull. When the AC motor gets warm, it lowers tension."

I guess I believe this claim now because I saw it with my own eyes. Regarding your question about: "does the string bed really balance itself out to a consistent string bed?"

There is probably a grain of truth to this because ultimately after the string being bounced around, the higher tension on strings will be shifted to the lower ones, but for the meantime that it hasn't evened out, that means your strings sucks and think about it, what would be the average tension of your string at that time? Probably something that you did not like.

[Dogboy]

Guitarman,
I talk with some guy at SP on the phone and they swear that if it's set at 60lbs it balances to 60lbs, just sitting around, who knows :confused: The racquets feel great though, might just be JC's method of stringing.

Now is guitarman a guitarman or is it just a name, I knew someone must play guitar on these forums, I thought it was like a tennis type thing. I wanted to go with that name when I started but went with dogboy instead, I'm an Eagles, Neil Young type of player..

- Skip -

[guitarman]

Yap Dogboy, guitarman is guitarman and a tennisman and a computerman and yes I like eagles, I have their Hell freezes Over DVD concert, I like Neil Young too and Led zep but I haven't realllly been playing that much, I used to play a lot 15 years ago but I guess I'm just too busy now. I have an acoustic electric, a nylon yamaha and I used to have a 12 strings but I donated it to my church.

Going back to your post, I'm glad your racket is feeling good, I guess that's what matters.

[Jay Cee]

Hi Guys,

After reading your thoughts on string tensions from electric motors, maybe you can understand why I keep telling anyone that cares to hear, that a damn good drop weight machine (of course I am referring to Stringway/Laserfibre machines) is infinitely more accurate than any machine with an electric motor. :p

The popular opinion is that if it has a motor then it is more "pro" - if the criteria to judge a machine as "pro" is the capacity to put accurate and constant tensions on the strings, therefore providing a good quality string job, then I am personally convinced that a drop weight is better than a motor. There again, the clamps are just as important (if not more so) as the tensioner, a drop weight with average quality clamps (fixed or flying) will not give good results no matter how good the tensioner is. :(

I am aware that most stringers tend to disagree with my opinions on machines, but it is very satisfying to see that more and more of you are finding very good results when using my recomendations for 2 piece stringing with higher tension in the crosses, and on the last strings before the knots. I hope more of you will give this method a try, you won't regret it. :)

One last point for Dogboy, once you start to play, the different tensions on strings will start to balance out, this can take anything from 10 minutes to a couple of hours play (for a 1 piece string job). Sooner or later it will stabilise, the problem is that the time it takes to be stable is probably the time you are playing a match, the changing characteristics are very difficult to cope with, as the player needs to compensate these differences in the performances of his racquet. :(

Tennis is already very complicated, instability in the string bed is one of the most important problems that a good player has to try to overcome. If you can bring this tension stability to your player, you will improve his game out of sight, simply because he will find new confidence in his game, and also in himself and that changes a player's attitude. A positive and confident player will progress very well after only a few weeks. It has to be seen to be believed. I see it happen all the time, it's amazing. ;)

Cheers,
:cool:

[Gaines Hillix]

Just because a machine is electric doesn't mean it is true constant pull. In order for it to be true constant pull it must have a temperature compensated load cell and the appropriate micro processor and circuitry to control the motor based on the input from the load cell. The cheap electric machines don't have controls like this. Caviat emptor!

[edge]

Yes, but cranks are not constant pull either. So if Eagnas cheap electronic tensioner pulls consistently would it be better than a crank machine, Gaines?