Dolphin Diagnostic Review

[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.

[korinian]

Uhhhh.... I'd like to change my opinion . Apparently, this thread was the kiss of death for me. My Dolphin stopped working this week. It runs for about 10 minutes and stops. What’s odd is that I can still remotely “drive” the unit around the pool, but the propeller on the top is not spinning. I tried running the unit without a bag in it to satisfy their support people. The same thing happens. I called SmartPool to get an RMA and I’ll box it up and send it back this weekend. I’m having visions of CarlD’s Dolphin nightmare . We’ll see what happens.

[mbar]

My friend got talked into buying a Dolphin last year. This year it stopped working, took it back to the pool store, was told it was the power cord, and they could not open it because it void the warranty. She sent it back to them, and they told her it would cost $600.00 to fix it - it needs a new cord and box She is really mad, she knows it was getting power, so it needs just the cord - she is in the process of fighting with them right now. I wish I could have told her about the Dolphin before she bought it.

[CarlD]

The handle is more important than you think...it's a float so when the unit is on the wall it "walks" whichever way the handle is angled for that cycle--to the right or to the left. That's why it "untangles" the cord to switch it each cycle.

But the techs at SmartPool ALWAYS start by telling you that, and to set your pool chemistry to a ridiculous level, like pH at 7.1 and FC below 3, water temp over 65 but below 88 "or it won't work". Nonsense.

I wish Dolphin would replace SmartPool as their US rep with someone who could actually diagnose the thing.

If the impeller on top isn't spinning then a belt must be off the pulley or broken.

I'm now in my second season using the Blue Diamond and while it has its idiosyncracies, I find it much more effective. I just have to pull the ladder out before I start. The bags filter just as well as the Dolphin's but are a single thin layer and much easier to clean--you don't have to launder them.