Polaris VRX iQ+ issues & questions

[Isasate]

Good day!

Yesterday I got my brand new Polaris VRX iQ+ for my fiberglass (Eden 27) pool. To say I was excited is an understatement. My pool was relatively clean, but there was still sand and some dirt at the bottom, tanning ledge and sitting areas. I ran the Smart Cycle and I noticed the pool wasn't clean when it finished, so I ran the Deep Clean. After it was done, the same areas where not clean, and it didn't go to my tanning ledge at all, it was full of sand...

So this morning I brushed everything to the bottom of the pool and ran the robot again (filter cleaned after every cycle). Again, it didn't touch tanning ledge or sitting areas. Dirt in the same spots, even thought I brushed them to the center of the floor. Keep in mind my pool is not big, it is only 27 x 13, and my tanning ledge is very modest. Here goes a picture:


Also, because the shape of my pool, the robot has a hard time reaching the waterline in a straight line. There is a "tiny ledge" all around the pool:



I don't understand why I won't go to the tanning ledge. It literally goes to the the very top, stops, and backs up. Every single time. I tried to "Spot Clean" that area, driving it manually to the tanning legde, and it keeps backing up and going to the bottom of the pool. Thanks for nothing!

Here are some of the things I'm talking about:





I'm very disappointed. I've read other posts where people say this robot cleans tanning ledges with 0 issues. I might have to go and measure how many inches to waterline... All I know is that I am $1700 poorer and my pool isn't clean, even after me brushing everything to the bottom. I'm starting to think this robot might not be the right option for my pool. It might do wonders in rectangular pools, and no so much in curved ones. If that's the case, I'd be happy to hear recommendations for different robot cleaners.

Have any of you had the same kind of issues?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Robots are notoriously bad at cleaning ledges. If cleaning the ledge is a deal breaker, then robots are not for you. Also, that small hand-hold ledge all the way around the pool perimeter is going to be hard for any robot, not just Polaris. It looks like it’s exactly at the depth that would cause any robot to not lie flush against the wall.

Can you return it if you’re not satisfied? Cuz I don’t think it’s going to satisfy you …

 

[Isasate]

Robots are notoriously bad at cleaning ledges. If cleaning the ledge is a deal breaker, then robots are not for you. Also, that small hand-hold ledge all the way around the pool perimeter is going to be hard for any robot, not just Polaris. It looks like it’s exactly at the depth that would cause any robot to not lie flush against the wall.

Can you return it if you’re not satisfied? Cuz I don’t think it’s going to satisfy you …

Yes, that hand-hold ledge is going to be an issue to all robots.

I do think robots are for me, if they at least clean the whole floor. So far this one doesn't. At a $1700 price point, it is the least it can do. I think I'm going to return it and get a cheaper robot and go from there.

Thanks

 

[Isasate]

UPDATE:

I ran the Smart Cycle a few more times and it seems the pathing is improving. Maybe it really is learning, who knows. There are not as many missed spots...

Upon more reading on my own, I realized my issue can be solved with another filter. The fine filter or even the ultra fine. I guess I can live with the fact that it won't clean my tanning ledge, as long as it gets everything else.

I will give it another change with a different filter.

 

[ryandkysmom]

UPDATE:

I ran the Smart Cycle a few more times and it seems the pathing is improving. Maybe it really is learning, who knows. There are not as many missed spots...

Upon more reading on my own, I realized my issue can be solved with another filter. The fine filter or even the ultra fine. I guess I can live with the fact that it won't clean my tanning ledge, as long as it gets everything else.

I will give it another change with a different filter.

I’m looking to get the fine filter as well. Please let me know if it gets up the dark colored “dust” debris on bottom.

 

[dschlic1]

Before I purchased my current robotic cleaner, I tested several different makes and models. In my pool I have a, for the lack of a better word, an underwater bench. It is about two feet below water level and about two feet wide. I found that the robots which have tracks could climb up this bench, however the wheeled models could not. What was happening with the wheeled models was as soon as the suction port on the bottom was above the bench, the wheels lost traction. The track type did not. These units use the downward pressure from the suction to help with traction.

 

[Isasate]

I’m looking to get the fine filter as well. Please let me know if it gets up the dark colored “dust” debris on bottom. View attachment 409985

It did. I ended up not needing to upgrade the filter. I found the more I used the Smart Cycle, the better it would perform. Sometimes, if there's too much debris at the bottom, it takes 2 cycles to get everything.

This post was a Karen moment for me, hoping someone would guide me in my disappointment, but it ended up being a great purchase.

 

[kangell]

It did. I ended up not needing to upgrade the filter. I found the more I used the Smaett Cycle, the better it would perform. Sometimes, if there's too much debris at the bottom, it takes 2 cycles to get everything.

This post was a Karen moment for me, hoping someone would guide me in my disappointment, but it ended up being a great purchase.

No, this was helpful to me! I read the first paragraph of your first post and that was exactly me today! First day I could put a robot in my pool after the plaster curing. Glad to hear it will get better. I will update my sig block with my details soon now that I have an actual pool!

 

[Isasate]

No, this was helpful to me! I read the first paragraph of your first post and that was exactly me today! First day I could put a robot in my pool after the plaster curing. Glad to hear it will get better. I will update my sig block with my details soon now that I have an actual pool!

I'm glad to hear that. I'm very happy with the robot now. I just had to accept the fact that it won't clean the waterline as thoroughly as I would want, but that's because of the shape of my pool, and that it won't clean the tanning ledge, which apparently is a well-known thing among pool robots.

Other than that, the robot cleans the bottom almost perfectly. Hope you get the same experience at the end.