Robotic Vacs for IG Pool- Good and Bad Experiences Please

[myLABSpool]

Hi,
I am in the market for a robotic vac for my free form IG vinyl pool, 18 x 36, 8 foot deep end.

I am looking for something that climbs the walls and has good filtration and can grab stuff down to fine algae and pollen. I normally don't get a heavy load of leaves, mostly just fine debris. I'd like something that can take the place of periodic brushing. I don't need it to have the remote control either.

I've been looking at the various versions of Aquabot, but it is not real clear on the differences. For example Aquabot Xtreme vs. Supreme. Also looked at the Hayward Shark Vac, the Tiger Shark, Aqua Clean and Dolphin. Some of the models have a filter element, some have a bag. Is the bag or filter element better? After reading some info on line it looks like the Dolphin is troublesome even though the guy at Leslies swears by them. I'd like to stay under $1000, which seems very possible.

Does anyone have any experiences, good or bad on Robotic vacs that they could share?

Thanks
Andy

[TomC]

Hi Andy,

Read my post in the thread entitled Best pool cleaner. I've had an aquabot turbo since 2001 and it's been great. It has a 2 micron filter bag, and filters 6500 gallons of water per hour. My pool is a 41,000 gallon True L, that gets a ton of use from the kids and their friends. No big repairs, and you don't hook it up to your pool"s filter. Keeps it sparkling clean!

Tom

[myLABSpool]

Thanks Tom C for your vote for Aquabot. I will probably end up getting one of those perhaps the Xtreme or Supreme model. My neighbor and another friend have two different versions of the Aquabot and they both said they are great.

I'm still looking for others that can throw any support for Hayward Shark Vac, Tiger Shark or Aqua Clean. The one thing that is enticing about these three models is a better warranty and a couple use pleated micron filters instead of a bag which I would think would be better. Anyone with any experience, good or bad on these three models? Your feedback would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[CarlD]

Right now both my Blue Diamonds are in the shop...luckily the old was still under warranty. They say they'll be fixed by next week, latest.

The first one ran four years then a motor popped a seal and it started leaking oil. The second ran for 2 months and died.

But I had a Dolphin Dynamic before and it ran GREAT for 2 years, then wouldn't run. I sent it back to them 3 times because each time they said it was fixed and it wasn't (and took over a month each time). The last time they sent me a new unit! That worked OK but had trouble climbing the walls (Motors are too small). I sold it because the first Blue Diamond was so much faster and more effective.

We'll see how they do on the repairs.....Check back with me in 2 weeks.

[myLABSpool]

So I ended up buying a Aquabot Supreme. Based on the specs posted on the Aqua Products website, the Supreme appears to have the exact same specs as the Turbo T, except 1 yr vs. 3 yr warranty. I've clean the pool with it twice now and so far so good.

[CarlD]

OK:

For those still shopping: One of my Blue Diamonds is back from the shop.

I dropped them off Tuesday (Cedar Grove, NJ isn't far) and last night, Thursday, one of them was at my doorstep! That's TWO DAYS after I dropped it off, folks! It's chugging away now nicely! I had NO expectation of such amazingly fast service! And they were really nice about it!

When I had problems with my Dolphin Dynamic it was a nightmare to get servicing in comparison. They kept sending it back unfixed and then accused me of lying. They finally gave up and sent me a brand new unit--after months of nonsense. So I was expecting problems from Blue Diamond too.

WOW! TWO DAYS!

(Obviously, getting one of the two back working is FAR more important than getting one back).

Now I'm not happy that this one failed after just 2 months, but BOY did they handle it properly--and the other one got in BARELY under the warranty period!

So Blue Diamond's service is A+.

[PBLsQuad450]

As I said in a different thread, also with TomC loving his. Mine is gathering spider webs. I manually vac. It is the difference between "picked up" and "clean" to me. The Aquabot does a decent job although it always misses some stuff, but it will get stuck on the ladder and sometimes on the main drain. I wouldn't run it if wasn't around paying at least a little attention to it. I guess, to me, there is something to starting the weekends in the summer with that sparkling, perfect, squeaky clean feeling liner (and walls). I tend a 33,000 gallon IG vinyl rectangle. I'm kind of in the woods too if that matters. I don't generally need to brush my pool after the opening fun, I just thoroughly vac 1X per week weather permitting. It takes about an hour and a half from start to finish.

Good luck, i hope you love it and it works out great for you!

PL

[CarlD]

My BD gets stuck on the ladder as well--or it did. I can remove my ladder in less than 30 seconds so I do so when cleaning--I also pull out the floating thermometer.

I tried once to develop a cage that would block off the ladder so the cord couldn't get under but was unable to. Strangely, the Dolphin NEVER had a problem with the ladder--it's only real advantage.

[cleancloths]

I had a Dolphin Dynamic for about three weeks - it was terrible. Did not clean that well, and then just started going back and forth in a 10' straight line without leaving that area. Fortunately I bought it online from Costco, so I just took it back to the store and got my money back. That was something like three years ago. I got a Blue Pearl to replace it, and it works great. It has run with no issues until a few weeks ago when the little internal drive belts that take power from the motor to the traction belts wore out. Bought new ones online from ebay for $20 and now she is back in business working great.

[myLABSpool]

As I said in a different thread, also with TomC loving his. Mine is gathering spider webs. I manually vac. It is the difference between "picked up" and "clean" to me. The Aquabot does a decent job although it always misses some stuff, but it will get stuck on the ladder and sometimes on the main drain. I wouldn't run it if wasn't around paying at least a little attention to it. I guess, to me, there is something to starting the weekends in the summer with that sparkling, perfect, squeaky clean feeling liner (and walls). I tend a 33,000 gallon IG vinyl rectangle. I'm kind of in the woods too if that matters. I don't generally need to brush my pool after the opening fun, I just thoroughly vac 1X per week weather permitting. It takes about an hour and a half from start to finish.

Good luck, i hope you love it and it works out great for you!

PL

I've now had my Aquabot Supreme for about 1 week and have run it 4 or 5 times for 2-3 hours/run in my 18x36 free form vinyl pool. I am highly impressed with its performance. Within 2 hours or so, it has cleaned the entire pool. It does NOT get stuck behind the ladder. It does hit the ladder, but it reverses itself after several seconds. It climbs the walls without problem right up to the water line and also partially climbs and cleans my walkin steps. The filter bag is loaded with small debris that I could not see. My water is sparkling clear and as long as the Aquabot lasts a long time, I will be VERY HAPPY with this purchase.

[CarlD]

Ultimately, all of them come from the same family. I don't know who was first, but the story I heard was it was invented by an Israeli family and the various members had a falling out and each started their own version--which is why the Aquabot, Blue Diamond and Dolphin are all basically the same design--two or three motors (depending on whether the treads are single or doubled), angling handle, center motor vacuums up junk and sucks the thing down so it sticks to the wall.

I figured out that since there aren't any sensors in these things, they must sense the change in current draw when they hit an obstacle and they can even analyze that change to determine whether to reverse or try to climb the wall. Kind of like when a power saw is pushed TOO hard and the lights dim. Since they were all family there must have been some agreement on patent sharing too.

[George in Georgia]

This web site has some good info on robots, and also some hints for repairing the Diagnostic Dolphin: http://www.i-love-my-aquabot-automatic-pool-cleaner.com/index.html

I can give you a users' report on the Dolphin. We bought one about 5 or 6 years ago. For some time all was well; it climbed the walls, it vacuumed, it dusted, it polished. However, about 2 years after we bought it the strain relief on the power supply gave way. I opened the power supply (the horror!) and determined that replacing the plastic fitting wouldn't be beyond my abilities, if I had the fitting. Maytronics, the Dolphin's momma, refused to sell me the fitting, told me I should send the ENTIRE unit to them, at my expense, of course. They said they'd update software, etc.

About $60 shipping each way, my dime both ways, plus about $150 for Maytronics' expertise the Dolphin returned with the strain relief fixed, plus a float added to the supply cord about 2 feet from the robot. This, I was told, was to insure that Dolph wouldn't trip over the cord. Problem is, now even with the floats on the handle removed Dolph's wall climbing is but a shadow of its former self.

Early this summer I noticed that the flexible clear plastic cover over the power supply switch was deteriorating. An extensive net search located one, with a $25 minimum order for a $3 part. I called the local Diagnostic distributor in the Atlanta area, and was told that the design of the cover had been changed, so shipping the power supply might be necessary. After a little whining and pouting on my part, they located a cover (on someone's desk?) and sent it to me gratis.

At one point Dolph had thrown a tread. I used the above site and took off the side plates and removed .... a plastic shard from one of those really flimsy little pots that bedding plants come in. The plastic was barely thicker than 30 pound paper! Nasty job undoing Dolph, I left some blood behind, and I've done car clutch jobs, etc.

Long story short, I doubt we'd buy another Dolphin. YMMV, of course.

[CarlD]

I loved my Dolphin until it failed in its 3rd year--and I had to deal with the nightmare of Maytronics.

When my newest Blue Diamond failed, I dropped it off at the repair depot in Cedar Grove, NJ. Two days later it was on my doorstep, fixed perfectly, at NO cost to me. Their service blows Dolphin's out of the water and into the Gobi Desert!

[bobjersey]

My experience is with the "Aquabot" line of robotic pool cleaners. The function of the product is great, it reduces the need to vacuum your pool and takes a lot of stress off of your filter system (and is also a lot easier to clean than your filter). The downside is bad though, the units on average are over $800, parts and service are very expensive, and in my experience they rarely last more than 2-3 years without needing major repairs.

Right now my current Aquabot is totally dead and I doubt I will be shelling out the money to temporally repair it or to buy a new one.

[CarlD]

I think the Blue Diamond has the longest warranty--4 years.

[myLABSpool]

I've now had my Aquabot Supreme for about 1 week and have run it 4 or 5 times for 2-3 hours/run in my 18x36 free form vinyl pool. I am highly impressed with its performance. Within 2 hours or so, it has cleaned the entire pool. It does NOT get stuck behind the ladder. It does hit the ladder, but it reverses itself after several seconds. It climbs the walls without problem right up to the water line and also partially climbs and cleans my walkin steps. The filter bag is loaded with small debris that I could not see. My water is sparkling clear and as long as the Aquabot lasts a long time, I will be VERY HAPPY with this purchase.

Just a quick and final update (unless something changes my opinion). I've now had my Aquabot Supreme for nearly a month and we could not be happier. We run it every few days as needed and our water has never been clearer nor pool walls and bottom cleaner. We have teenagers, their friends, a black lab and golden retriever that use the pool regularly. The amount of dog hair, dirt and grass clippings picked up by the vac amazes me. I am absolutely amazed at how much stuff I find in the filter bag each time it runs, even when the bottom only looks slightly dirty.

The Aquabot usually covers our entire 18x36 24K gal free form pool including walls up to the waterline in about 2 hours, although I usually set the timer for 3 or 4 hours to take advantage of the water filtration capability and help my filter. In fact, I have not backwashed since I got my Aquabot.

I am very, very fussy about ultra crystal clear water and I know the Aquabot has been a big help in getting me there.

So if you are in the market for a robotic vac and have $1000 budget, I would highly recommend the Aquabot Supreme.