Dolphin Diagnostic Review

[HHead]

I went to Leslie's in Atlanta the other day to buy a whale brush. While I was in there, all the times I've wished I had an automatic pool cleaner came to memory like a flood. I liked the looks of the Dolphin Diagnostic the best and the store manager said it was by far the best of the cleaners he sold. He also offered a two week "trial" period and for any reason, I could return the unit for full credit.

After assembling the cart wrong for about an hour, I finally got it right and thought, while kinda flimsy, should serve the purpose. The instructions for the cart were all drawings of what goes where and were just plain difficult to read.

The manual for the Dolphin was also difficult to understand since you have to pick out the English sentance from the multi-language pages. I might also add the outer cover for the manual was upside down from the pages. Anyway what the heck, the rain cleared and it was time to put it in the water.

It just worked beautifully, the first time. (Don't stop reading yet) It didn't miss a single spot and even scrubbed the walls all the way up to the copping. I even invited my best friend over to "see this thang", he, a Polaris owner. Well that's the last time it worked "beautifully".

Now for the next time, it cleaned a back and forth swath in the deep end for about an hour and a half, then shut off. After restarting it, it was doing the same thing when twice I caught it hung up on the bottom drains. It never went to the shallow end. The next day, it looked like it would take off and do right, however after only a few minutes, it got back on it's deep end OCD and just cleaned that one place the whole time.

I started reading about the Diagnostic on several forums and quickly came to realize, I'm darn glad I got this somewhere with a return rather than my usual shop for it then buy it on eBay. This company apparently doesn't have a very good reputation for customer service.

Yesterday, I decided that before taking it back, I'd try it one more time. It started cleaning the whole floor, but wouldn't touch the walls. After about 20 minutes it floated to the top and turned it self off.

The two things that I noticed particularly were there is no rhyme or reason to how long the cleaning cycle is, one time about an hour and a half, the next about 20 minutes, then once I just finally had to turn it off.

If it would do like it did the first time, I'd be as happy as can be, but this thing is like a 13 year old child with ADHD trying to study while the TV is on and three more days till the test.

To you happy Dolphin users, am I missing something? Based upon what I'm seeing now, it's going back.
Herb

[cleancloths]

The device is a POS! I had one briefly last year that I bought and returned to Costco under their great return policy. Mine did many of the same things you report.

The good news, I replaced it with a Blue Pearl which does a great job. Best machine I have ever seen. I was a former Polaris owner as well.

[CarlD]

Just search for posts by me and Dolphins from last year...they actually ended up sending a whole new unit, cart and all.

I use a Blue Diamond with remote control instead and it works just great!

[korinian]

After about 20 minutes it floated to the top and turned it self off.

Once my Dolphin is in the pool and running I've never seen it float? Maybe you've got trapped air somewhere in the machine...??

Regardless, I'm sorry to hear about another bad machine. I've had nothing but great luck with mine and timely help from SmartPool for a snapped locking clasp... which was my fault. I know CarlD had a nightmare time with his machine and with the company trying to get some support. I'm not justifying the machine as a whole, or the company, just reporting my experiences. I'm very happy with it.

[CarlD]

Once my Dolphin is in the pool and running I've never seen it float? Maybe you've got trapped air somewhere in the machine...??

Regardless, I'm sorry to hear about another bad machine. I've had nothing but great luck with mine and timely help from SmartPool for a snapped locking clasp... which was my fault. I know CarlD had a nightmare time with his machine and with the company trying to get some support. I'm not justifying the machine as a whole, or the company, just reporting my experiences. I'm very happy with it.

Sure did. The first year and 1/2 I had it, it worked great and I loved it. But early last season the trouble started. The ONLY possibility I can come up with is clogged bags--where the weave gets clogged and won't allow the suction to happen. Maybe. Whack the bag, when it's dry against something or get an old-fashioned rug beater and see if you can free up the pores. Maybe.

[west1745]

Sure did. The first year and 1/2 I had it, it worked great and I loved it. But early last season the trouble started. The ONLY possibility I can come up with is clogged bags--where the weave gets clogged and won't allow the suction to happen. Maybe. Whack the bag, when it's dry against something or get an old-fashioned rug beater and see if you can free up the pores. Maybe.

I have had my Dolphin for a year now. No troubles yet. BUT the one thing I did notice, is that when it acts a little slow or erratic you need to clean the impeller - because stuff can get caught in there. It is easy to take the top off of it and clean it. No troubles yet - we love our Dolphin.

I do clean the bag after each use - I hose it and then put it in the washing machine and then hang to dry. It always looks like new.

[waldreps]

I also have a Dolphin and am pretty happy with it. I've had it for two full seasons and while it doesn't work perfectly, it does a pretty good job. Mine has also never floated.

[nater]

I want to jump on the badwagon and defend my Dolphin, but as it ages the Honeymoon is coming to an end. Granted, I still love it, would repeat the purchase, and am in no hurry to scrap it. BUT, for the purposes of providing info for those who may browse this thread to make a purchase, I want to leave some feedback.

I have a regular Diagnostic, no remote that is 2.5 seasons old. It will spend 60% of its time cleaning the same area of the deep end of my 16x32 Vinyl IG. If I don't rinse the bag after every use and turn the handle to the opposite side, it will do this. Only when the impeller and bag are spotless will it cover the entire pool without doing this. Doesn't make sense to me, none of those things should matter, but its what I see happening. Maybe if I had the remote I could program it differently. As is stands now, I have to yank the cord and redirect it.

Still, sure beats manually vacuuming. I'd be interested to know if the Blue Pearl does the same thing as it ages.