tcat
Silver Supporter
- May 30, 2012
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Aiper Seagull Pro Review
- Thread starter Dman77720
- Start date
Hey all... Below is an email that I just wrote to Aiper. I really wanted to like the Seagull PRO as it looked like it would do exactly what I wanted, and the CLEANING did work really well... The programming just isn't yet up to snuff in my opinion:
I want to thank you for the incredible shipping. This was ordered on Monday morning and it was in my pool by Wednesday afternoon. Awesome!
Unfortunately, I have been less than impressed since it did get into my pool. I have a fairly large 33,300 gallon in ground 'L' shaped pool. All of the sides are straight and the corners have two 45 degree angles rather than a hard 90. The deep end sees the bottom sloping down steeply on three sides to 9 feet. All in all, I though it would be the perfect candidate for the Seagull PRO.
On Wednesday afternoon I set it to 'floor' and lowered it into the pool. It started cleaning immediately and after working into the deep end a time or two, it worked itself into the short end of the 'L' in the shallow part of the pool.... and got stuck in a loop there for the next 45 minutes. It would approach the end of the pool at such an angle that it would straighten the robot out and it would continue until it hit the far wall. It would back up, turn, and go back to the near wall, turn, and retrace its exact path until it hit the end of the pool straighten out until it reached the far wall, and repeat. A few times it would back up from the end wall, just far enough to put it back into its own path, then continue on again the way it had been.
Thursday morning I decided to try to start it in the deep end. It seemed to be doing well... Until it high-centered on the drain cover. I used the pole to move it off, it moved forward, turned, then high-centered itself right back on the drain. I grabbed it and pulled it away, it turned, pulled forward and high centered on the OTHER drain cover.
Thursday evening I decided to try the wall cleaning. I started it on the wall in the shallow end. It was doing a great job... until it reached the deep end. The steep slope from the side to the bottom threw it off, it drove itself to the other side of the pool then climbed up and started cleaning the waterline. It lowered itself back down to the slope, but because of the angle between the slope and the wall, it turned enough that it climbed back up in the exact spot it had just come down. It cleaned to the waterline, came back down... hit the slope, got turned, then climbed up at exactly the same spot.
I had to leave, but when I returned it was parked just below the area that it had been retracing, so I have no reason to believe that it ever left that spot.
I really like the idea, and the CLEANING portion of the machine seems to work great. The LOGIC portion of the machine does not seem to work well, at least on my pool.
I am open to suggestions, or if you have a software update that I could install... but at it is right now, I just can't justify keeping it the way that it performs.
I look forward to your response. Please send either a suggestion on how I might be able to fix the situation or a return shipping label.
I want to thank you for the incredible shipping. This was ordered on Monday morning and it was in my pool by Wednesday afternoon. Awesome!
Unfortunately, I have been less than impressed since it did get into my pool. I have a fairly large 33,300 gallon in ground 'L' shaped pool. All of the sides are straight and the corners have two 45 degree angles rather than a hard 90. The deep end sees the bottom sloping down steeply on three sides to 9 feet. All in all, I though it would be the perfect candidate for the Seagull PRO.
On Wednesday afternoon I set it to 'floor' and lowered it into the pool. It started cleaning immediately and after working into the deep end a time or two, it worked itself into the short end of the 'L' in the shallow part of the pool.... and got stuck in a loop there for the next 45 minutes. It would approach the end of the pool at such an angle that it would straighten the robot out and it would continue until it hit the far wall. It would back up, turn, and go back to the near wall, turn, and retrace its exact path until it hit the end of the pool straighten out until it reached the far wall, and repeat. A few times it would back up from the end wall, just far enough to put it back into its own path, then continue on again the way it had been.
Thursday morning I decided to try to start it in the deep end. It seemed to be doing well... Until it high-centered on the drain cover. I used the pole to move it off, it moved forward, turned, then high-centered itself right back on the drain. I grabbed it and pulled it away, it turned, pulled forward and high centered on the OTHER drain cover.
Thursday evening I decided to try the wall cleaning. I started it on the wall in the shallow end. It was doing a great job... until it reached the deep end. The steep slope from the side to the bottom threw it off, it drove itself to the other side of the pool then climbed up and started cleaning the waterline. It lowered itself back down to the slope, but because of the angle between the slope and the wall, it turned enough that it climbed back up in the exact spot it had just come down. It cleaned to the waterline, came back down... hit the slope, got turned, then climbed up at exactly the same spot.
I had to leave, but when I returned it was parked just below the area that it had been retracing, so I have no reason to believe that it ever left that spot.
I really like the idea, and the CLEANING portion of the machine seems to work great. The LOGIC portion of the machine does not seem to work well, at least on my pool.
I am open to suggestions, or if you have a software update that I could install... but at it is right now, I just can't justify keeping it the way that it performs.
I look forward to your response. Please send either a suggestion on how I might be able to fix the situation or a return shipping label.
Ran my replacement through a cycle today when I could watch it for the most part. Had to shove it off the main drain every single time. Even with the wheels barely crossing the drain that was enough to throw it off course and start endless circling. I'm seeing pretty much the same navigation behavior as LordNorth reports above.
I don't have time to babysit an $800 machine for 2 hours so it can do what it's supposed to do. I don't want the hassle of that either. I could brush the dirt and sand to the deep end and manually vacuum with less trouble and in half the time.
Just sent an email to Aiper asking for a return label so I can ship it back for a refund. Hopefully they'll follow through. I'll report back with what they say.
I don't have time to babysit an $800 machine for 2 hours so it can do what it's supposed to do. I don't want the hassle of that either. I could brush the dirt and sand to the deep end and manually vacuum with less trouble and in half the time.
Just sent an email to Aiper asking for a return label so I can ship it back for a refund. Hopefully they'll follow through. I'll report back with what they say.
gworrel
Well-known member
- Jul 24, 2007
- 58
With all due respect, I think you are expecting too much out of the programming of these things. I would run it 5 times and see how much of the pool it misses. If you can't live with having to clean manually the parts that it misses, then send it back. I've had several robots and none of them are perfect. I have to do very little manual cleaning, but I run the robot at least once a day and let it do its thing. The last thing I will do is watch it and expect it to get everything in a methodical manner. That just is not where the state of the art is with these things. It's not going to clean everything in one round. That is a pipe dream.
I bought a battery powered Pool Blaster to get the sand that my Dolphin robot missed. The Aiper does a better job on the sand but it does miss some areas.
If the cleaner is getting stuck or "high centered," then that is something else. I had to look up what "high centered" meant so I wonder if the Aiper people are going to know what you are talking about. If it is going around in a circle and only getting 10% of the pool cleaned on each run, then that is a deal breaker. But if it is just not being as methodical as you think it should be, maybe you should just put it in and walk away so it doesn't frustrate you. If it gets half the pool on each run, then running it once or twice a day will save a lot of vacuuming.
tcat
Silver Supporter
- May 30, 2012
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Agreed. Mine looks like it's being stupid, but after a storm with leaves every few inches, it got every one in one cycle. It happened to not get stuck on the drains, but I expect it to, unless I increase the back wheel diameter .5" (+.25" to radii), tested and works. But I'll wait for it to get stuck before modifying again.
My pool (380 sq ft) is kidney shape with large radii everywhere. So it doesn't ever hit a "wall". If approach is at an angle, it just starts going up, rotates some odd angle (as if it's going to fall over), then takes off in another direction. It tries to do logical paths like it does walls, but fails. Does amazing on walls! It does seem to cover the whole pool in it's 3 hour floor cycle. Now if it just doesn't die, or have a switch malfunction...
My pool (380 sq ft) is kidney shape with large radii everywhere. So it doesn't ever hit a "wall". If approach is at an angle, it just starts going up, rotates some odd angle (as if it's going to fall over), then takes off in another direction. It tries to do logical paths like it does walls, but fails. Does amazing on walls! It does seem to cover the whole pool in it's 3 hour floor cycle. Now if it just doesn't die, or have a switch malfunction...
Has anyone received a refund from Aiper? I returned the cleaner for a refund, 6 days later still no refund.
Is that 6 days since you shipped it or 6 days since they received it? If it’s ship date, I’d be patient, they may not have had time to process yet. If it’s since they received it, a nudge in their direction should do the trick.
Ahultin
Bronze Supporter
- Aug 19, 2021
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Figured I'd throw an update on here. Our seagull pro is in its third month of usage. I throw it in almost daily and thus far it meets or exceeds my expectations.
I do have three relatively minor complaints still
1. I really could use a fine filter
2. It occasionally gets stuck on one of our two main drains -must be something to do with the way the plaster was done there
3. The selector can be tough to move sometimes - this is sporadic so I am baffled
I do have three relatively minor complaints still
1. I really could use a fine filter
2. It occasionally gets stuck on one of our two main drains -must be something to do with the way the plaster was done there
3. The selector can be tough to move sometimes - this is sporadic so I am baffled
tcat
Silver Supporter
- May 30, 2012
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Yes on fine filter! Everyone that has one of these should bug them about producing what they advertised.
gworrel
Well-known member
- Jul 24, 2007
- 58
I have had the same problem. I find that if I use two hands I can turn it without much trouble. If it gets any worse, then it will be an issue. It almost seems like it might be due to squeezing it to turn it with one hand makes it catch. But with two hands, the pressure is more evenly distributed on the knob and so turning it is okay. Or maybe I'm just stronger when I use two hands on it.
tcat
Silver Supporter
- May 30, 2012
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I seemingly got those tires to stick. Used super glue gel. https://a.co/d/bEQ3r9b Just a dab on every other rib on existing tire about 1/3 from outside edge. Hasn't gotten stuck on drain yet.
Bought my Seagull Pro very recently.
Does anyone on here have a tiled pool with the little tiles and it cleans the walls?
Mine simply won't go up the walls at all. At the bottom of each wall there is a curve going from floor to wall.
Whilst my pool is not square, it's not that weird of a shape for it not to go up any wall in my opinion.
Also, like everyone, the filter simply can't handle dust, has anyone come up with a working solution yet?
Thanks
Does anyone on here have a tiled pool with the little tiles and it cleans the walls?
Mine simply won't go up the walls at all. At the bottom of each wall there is a curve going from floor to wall.
Whilst my pool is not square, it's not that weird of a shape for it not to go up any wall in my opinion.
Also, like everyone, the filter simply can't handle dust, has anyone come up with a working solution yet?
Thanks
tcat
Silver Supporter
- May 30, 2012
- 1,664
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- Chlorine
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- CircuPool Edge-40
My pool has big radii at bottom and corners too. It does walls very well. Goes to coping, brushes a few seconds, goes back down. I only do walls every week or two (walls only). I haven't tried walls and floor mode. They need to release the fine filter!
Is yours tiled similar to mine? It's almost as if it is slipping. Tiles too shiny maybe?
tcat
Silver Supporter
- May 30, 2012
- 1,664
- Pool Size
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- CircuPool Edge-40
Mine's pebble with 6" tile waterline. I read one other guy had a problem with fiberglass not climbing, so maybe you slick. I think they need grippier tires.
I think the tires were a problem for my liner pool. Both units I had climbed fine but backflipped at the waterline. It did a great job picking up sand and leaves from the bottom though. Absolutely needs a finer filter.
I was torn between the Seagull Pro and the Dolphin Liberty. I eventually went with Dolphin Liberty 200. It seems to be working well but I have had to order the ultra fine filter panels due to an absolute nightmare situation with concrete being poured in my pool. The new filters aren't here yet. Has anyone done a direct comparison of the Seagull Pro to the Dolphin Liberty? ..or has anyone used both and can share some personal reviews? I did a brief search in the forums and saw several posts about Seagull Pro vs other Dolphin models, but not the Liberty. I think I am really just trying to convince myself I made the right decision by going with Dolphin. Any thoughts?
New thread just posted
So read about 4 pages so far Amazon and here say it gets stuck on drains. Is this the case? I don’t understand as it looks like my Polaris p955 and it never gets stuck I don’t even understand how this could get stuck when it has 4 wheels to move it and presumably 4wd.
tcat
Silver Supporter
- May 30, 2012
- 1,664
- Pool Size
- 17000
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- Plaster
- Chlorine
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- CircuPool Edge-40
Depends on drain height. Mine are about 3/4" from what I can tell, gets stuck on both. I modified the rear wheels with modified tires from Polaris (Amazon less than $15). Superglue gel seems to work. Hasn't got stuck since. They add 1/4" to the radius, so fine seem to effect suction. After my 3rd replacement, I'm happy, other than it needs a fine filter option. Throwing a hair net in the basket picks up some finer stuff.