Robot pool cleaner with auto cover?

[lindamg]

I'm trying to decide whether to go with a robot pool cleaner in my pool, under construction. Couple of questions: has anyone used a robot pool cleaner while a pool cover is closed, perhaps going through the skimmer for the cord? Also, I understand the Dolphin M5 is discontinued and there is a Dolphin Supreme or M500 to replace it, but cannot a model like that at epicpoolsupply.com.

Thanks for any comments.

 

[JVTrain]

A robot should work fine with an auto cover. You have two choices for the cord. Through the skimmer like you mentioned or at the end of the cover where it closes. At the end may damage the cord over the long term unless you were able to leave a small opening for the cord to pass through. I use my robot with my bubble-type solar cover and was very worried that it would grab the edge of the cover when climbing walls and chew up the cover and break roller bearings in the robot. Has not happened in the 20 or so times I've done it this summer. There would be no risk of that with an auto cover in a track.

The only concern would be if the robot would climb too high on the walls and the roller brushes rub on the bottom of the auto cover. Even if that happened, I wouldn't suspect damage or long term extra wear in that area with the rubber style robot brushes. My neighbors have an autocover and chose to go with a pressure side cleaner, Polaris 360. They're OK with it because it's got it's own pressure return and so it's easy to run with the cover on, but it's not the greatest for cleaning and the hose gets tangled all the time.

 

[lindamg]

Joel,

Thank you for the comments about your experience. It seems there is not much negative to going with the robot cleaner then, except of course for the cost.