New AquaBot Rapids XLS and 4WD

[tcat]

Yeah, your pool was dirtier than mine! Good to see it holds a lot of gunk. Design of the basket could have been a little better, since crud gets "stuck" between the plastic inlets and mesh, and you need a spatula to get some of it out (a blast of water doesn't always work). Other than that it does clean very easily.

 

[dbizzle22]

Yeah, your pool was dirtier than mine! Good to see it holds a lot of gunk. Design of the basket could have been a little better, since crud gets "stuck" between the plastic inlets and mesh, and you need a spatula to get some of it out (a blast of water doesn't always work). Other than that it does clean very easily.

Agreed. While spraying it out is plenty easy, leaves and some gunk get stuck up top along the clear plastic window and also behind the door on the backside. Not the biggest deal but it does usually end up causing me to splash myself with water a little since I have to aim a strong stream of water at it.

 

[jlongbottom]

Great write up and comparison.
Appreciate that. Is the fine dust possibly algae?

So you freaked me out. I was pretty certain the fine dust was not algae since it wasn't green when I swept it, would cloud up, and then settle again. I just got my TF-100 test kit. So performed my first OCLT. It showed a 1 - 2 PPM drop in FC. I repeated the test a few times just to make sure and it was a 1.0 - 2 range. So maybe I have the beginning of an algae problem but I am so anal with my brushing and my chemical levels that it it staying in check. In any event I will perform the test again tonight just to be certain.

 

[mpk1970]

Here's a video I took of my Breeze 4WD after I first ran it. Keep in mind that my pool hadn't been swept or cleaned in a good amount of time. You'll see a ton of dirt, algae, leaves and even I think an acorn in there? Gross but the Breeze did a great job of cleaning it up.

Also, I think I'm getting the hang of taking the robot out without having a bunch of junk falling out. You have to pull it up quickly so the doors close as you pull it up. Keep moving it upwards without lowering and the gravity will keep the doors shut the entire time, thus keeping all the loose debris inside the robot.

Switch it to HD if it doesn't automatically do it for you

[youtube:1sfn25tq]amlWIJA070A[/youtube:1sfn25tq]

Gosh dang a lot of debris. Amazing how much was picked up. Makes my pool look like a Mr. Clean product LOL

 

[caycarem]

Wife vs. Robot round 3 - Wife can be like a robot maybe a few times a week. :lol:

onto the 4WD - last 4 times it ran it just went back and forth across the middle of my pool where it slopes between the shallow and deep end. very weird, i hope this isn't permanent or i'd be very disappointed. I've had it start at shallow end and deep end, always ended up in the middle after a while and stayed there.

I think my wife would disagree and reverse this comment onto you/me (i.e. shopping)

C'mon guys this Aquabot is like women, sometimes you just gotta drag their butts to a certain place whether they like it or not (i.e. sporting event)

 

[tcat]

Did you watch it the full 3 hrs? Mine trends to do the same, but I watched most of its cycle today and seemed to get the whole pool (definitely not all the walls). It is amazing the crud on the bottom you don't know is there that this thing pucks up. It seems to be programmed to turn about 45 degrees, and sends if it turned 90 it would do better.

 

[caycarem]

not full 3 hours but i check every now and then, it's always at the middle wall or running towards it. i started in the shallow and after a while i found it in the middle.
it's like whenever it crosses the slope it turns sideway straight into the wall.

 

[caycarem]

hmm...I think I bought the wrong 4WD....this is the 4WD I want:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riA_tbn1Rac

 

[tcat]

Cool, looks like the same Aquabot cleaner with a chlorine generator. I don't have a salt pool, so no loss here.... but may have made a salt pool more tempting.

Curious, does anyone use one of these: http://www.amazon.com/PoolSkim-Pool-Ski ... m_sbs_lg_1
I was thinking since it runs off of water pressure, I'm thinking that attaching a hose adapter to the top of the Aquabot 4WD, you might be able to cause suction on this thing, and with a "short" flexible hose, it could travel along skimming while cleaning. Sound feasible? I'm getting a lot of cottonwood tree "cotton" falling in the pool lately, doesn't seem to make it to the wall skimmer.

 

[antoniosp]

Looks interesting. any idea how much it costs? I did a quick google search nothing came up price wise, which usually indicates to me a high price tag.

 

[caycarem]

same price as a SWG, they said. dont even see it for sale.

 

[mpk1970]

hmm...I think I bought the wrong 4WD....this is the 4WD I want:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riA_tbn1Rac

This might be the worst idea I've ever seen in the pool business.

1. If you simply run the unit when you need to clean your pool you will have absolutely no chlorine available and your pool will look like green slime (algae) in two weeks.

2. In order to get proper chlorination you will need to run the unit 8 hrs a day.

3. I have a salt chlorinator/salt water pool. You have to run your pump 8 hrs a day so that the "cell" can create the chlorine.

4. What idiot would make a salt cell within your pool cleaner? Doesn't even make sense as additional salt chlorinator because you don't need additional salt in pool. I put salt 1x every 3 months or so. Just a bag or two. The cell does the rest.

5. Additionally the cell is so small you probably can't even properly chlorinate a Mr Turtle pool.

6. If you have chemical chlorine pool then again this salt pool cleaner won't do a thing.

Please everybody don't even consider this POS. just buy an aquabot AWD if you like the unit. If you want a saltwater pool buy proper freestanding equipment not directly linked to your pool cleaner.

 

[mhoy]

If the AWD hits $600 again please post to this thread... I'm investigating getting a robot and there are too many choices. This one seems to do a lot well, also considering Hayward Tigershark QC and the Dolphin Dynamic DX5. All are about $800. How easy is it to get serivce & replacement parts for the Aquabots?

 

[notactjack]

Hey guys, if anyone is still looking to buy the 4WD and get a deal, the vendor that I purchased mine from is selling another. The price is discounted because he claims it to be a visual display only and never turned on or used. I bought mine Thurs morning and Friday afternoon it was already in my pool and def fit the description. Also, already used it twice and the 2nd time I did notice that the automatic timer did kick in!
http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem ... 0921633555

I bought this one. Do you know if the warranty is still valid? I am going to use it for my 30x13 pool. I have a couple of large palm that are kicking in a ton of debris.

 

[notactjack]

I'm pretty happy. I don't like cleaning and the bot has been working like a charm.

 

[mhoy]

OK, ordered a 4WD last week from PoolSupplyWorld who were willing to do a price match to another online place. Mind you also got a Pentair VS Pump and EasyTouch system... every little bit helps. There is also a small rebate from Aquabot depending on price paid.

 

[dssxxxx]

Finally finished reading all the posts.

Have had Aquabots since pool was built in 1985. Had gone through about 6 or so.

Using Aquabot Turbo (have always used the top of the line Aquabot) with 4 year warantee. Have always thrown it in the pool, it climbs the walls with every pass and only runs one hour and thoroughly cleans the pool (22 x 38 kidney - 9 ft. deep end).

Just FYI.

 

[houstonguy]

My iRobot Verro 300 (rebranded Aquabot Turbo T-Jet) has died after 6 years of use. After some research, and this thread in particular, I think I've decided on an Aquabot 4WD to replace it. THe best I can find is a Rapids 4WD for $699, however Doheny's appears to be selling an open box return of their AWD for $529.

Any one purchased a discounted return item from Doheny's? The full warranty still applies, so it seems like a pretty attractive option to save $170. Or should I hold off and see if a 4WD pops up for $599 again somewhere in the coming weeks.

FYI, it looks like iRobot is also selling its own version of the 4WD at a pretty hefty markup.

 

[alinford]

Found a new Aquabot 4wd for $600. I just bought one from Doheny, so do not need it. If someone wants it, let me know, and I will pass the info to you.

 

[BayScoutTim]

After reading this series of post I bought the Breeze 4WD. I have never had a robot before so I have nothing to compare it to except a pool pole-vacuum head-50ft. Of hose-time. The robot wins hands down!

So, the one thing I noticed is that debris get caught between the screen and the intake port on both baskets. This was mentioned in a previous post. After several weeks of use and thinking . . . .

Has anyone tried sealing the screen to the vacuum port in this area? Maybe a thin coat of silicone? It really does not serve any purpose and seems like performance would not be affected.