Instapark Betta review

[Katodude]

Is it bad for the motors to run it out of the water?

 

[Holydoc]

As for the Betta, they packed it with a sheet giving tips on keeping it charged during winter with shorter days and lower sun angle.

I am also very interested in what this sheet states @RedScare . Would it be possible to take a picture of it with your phone and post it here?

 

[sultanoswing]

After several years with first an NX, then an NX2 (and cobbling together parts from the NX to keep the NX2 going as long as possible) I now need another surface skimmer for our outdoor SWG pool. The surface skimmers really do make a good difference for leaves, pollen and other debris in our pool.

Soooo.....with the Ariel reviews being very mixed (to put it mildly), I decided to try another brand, and ordered a Betta SE from Amazon yesterday for $399. Here's hoping it lasts, since shipping from NZ back to the US for regular warranty repairs isn't going to be viable.

It's quite interesting reading the 34 pages of this thread to see the issues people have had, the company's response, and R&D which has led from Betta 1 to Betta 2 to Betta SE. It seems customers are ... *ahem* .... beta testers towards a better product.

 

[Katodude]

Well it looks like either my solar panels or the battery has gone bad. The unit takes forever for the lights to go green in full sunlight, and it wont hold a charge. Emailing the company today, but it looks like it needs to go back.

 

[DanF]

Bummer Kato! Sorry about that. How old is yours?

 

[Katodude]

It was purchased in May 22. They are having me remove it from the pool and put and keep it in bright sunlight for the whole day. They say the batteries should last about 24 hours after a full charge. I needs to be on in order to charge.

BTW. It does answer the question. It ok to leave it on and remove it from the pool and let it run in bright sunlight to charge.

And the sun just set a little bit and it’s flashing red already after being in the sun all day. Time to report back.

 

[Katodude]

Their service however, is excellent. I have had 3 or 4 back and forth with them. I believe the result will be them shipping me a refurbished unit and I send my old one back. They did try to upsell me to a new unit, but I declined. I still have 15 months left on my extended warranty (although they did offer to transfer the warranty).

 

[Katodude]

Again, did I say their service was excellent. They have already shipped me the refurbished unit and it should be here Friday.

 

[Newdude]

I also applaud their customer service. I just think you're nuts for continuing to prove that over and over and over.

At the same time, I also greatly appreciate your guinea pigging for the rest of us.

 

[Katodude]

I think it is fair to say that surface skimmers in general will not have a long lifespan. I have had every generation of the SolarBreeze, and this is my first Betta. They all fail and generally at under 2 years. So customer service has an outsized value for these devices.

Plan for failure. Get a warranty that you will be happy with and assume the device will turn to dust about 6 months after that warranty ends.

 

[DanF]

BTW. It does answer the question. It ok to leave it on and remove it from the pool and let it run in bright sunlight to charge.

Thant's what I'm trying right now, as my Dolphin and the Betta don't play nice together in the water. Seems counterintuitive that the Betta can charge while the prop is running, but what do I know?

 

[Saint3448]

Anecdotal, but we got a Beta in Sept of 2022. It's run pretty much 24/7 since then, except for a 1 week down period when it was sent in for service due to motor failure (Was very noisey/grinding).

I realize YMMV, but I'm pretty impressed for something that survives in harsh chemicals and sun this long. And the cleaning job it does is fantastic.

 

[DanF]

Anecdotal, but we got a Beta in Sept of 2022. It's run pretty much 24/7 since then, except for a 1 week down period when it was sent in for service due to motor failure (Was very noisey/grinding).

I realize YMMV, but I'm pretty impressed for something that survives in harsh chemicals and sun this long. And the cleaning job it does is fantastic.

I agree!

 

[tcat]

Betta2 since April '22, returned once in 22, once in 23. Been going strong since last June 24/7. Hopefully they got the motors right last time, seems quieter for much longer.

My Aiper Seagull Pro has also been going strong since last summer. Been throwing it in once a week with no issues.

 

[grunky_peep]

Looks like they just announced the Betta SE Plus, which mercifully has the option to plug it in to charge, in addition to solar. It also has something called a shallow water guard, which I'm guessing makes it navigate stairs easier. Looks like it's $429, and then according to the email I received, you can get 10% off with coupon code PLUS.

Betta SE Plus - Solar Powered Smart Robotic Pool Skimmer

The Betta SE Plus, an upgrade from the Betta SE, offers dual charging options, solar power and AC adapter, for consistent operation in any weather. Its innovative Aqua Dynamics design ensures exceptional efficiency, enabling 30+ hours of continuous cleaning on a single charge, even on rainy or...

bettabot.com

I don't think $387 is worth it just to get wall charging over my 2, but maybe next time it breaks I'll take them up on their discounted upgrade. I'll probably change my mind during the fall when it's cloudy for 3 weeks straight and my pool is filled with tree junk, and curse myself for not spending $388 or whatever.

 

[tcat]

I just ordered it. I have enough leaves to use both. The new one can start much earlier in the morning. If you don't have one $387 is a bargain, if you have one $387 is a new toy.

 

[grunky_peep]

I just ordered it. I have enough leaves to use both. The new one can start much earlier in the morning. If you don't have one $387 is a bargain, if you have one $387 is a new toy.

Ohhhh battling Bettas. Great idea.

 

[Orion7319]

Hello, everyone! I haven’t posted in a while.. been very busy with work, health issues, a new puppy ect… This thread wont die I see.. lol! I’m planning on taking off the pool cover this weekend and I just got an email about the new Beta SE plus. I’m still on my old non SE Beta, as I know how to keep these things going now. Going to order the new one anyway as I like the idea of being able to charge it with a plug on overcast days. Also I can run two at the same time.. I really hate skimming… also need to order refills for the test kit..

 

[tcat]

Hello, everyone! I haven’t posted in a while.. been very busy with work, health issues, a new puppy ect… This thread wont die I see.. lol! I’m planning on taking off the pool cover this weekend and I just got an email about the new Beta SE plus. I’m still on my old non SE Beta, as I know how to keep these things going now. Going to order the new one anyway as I like the idea of being able to charge it with a plug on overcast days. Also I can run two at the same time.. I really hate skimming… also need to order refills for the test kit..View attachment 559672

I decided not to use covers anymore. More stuff falls in and chemistry is always way off. 2 Bettas will help a lot with leaves, especially if at least one can run almost 24 hours. Will be interesting to see how long a full charge takes, and lasts. And when one gets sent back to fix, you have one that working. I unchecked that $11 fee which seems like extra shipping protection, but charge card and shipper should cover any shipping issues.

 

[Orion7319]

I decided not to use covers anymore. More stuff falls in and chemistry is always way off. 2 Bettas will help a lot with leaves, especially if at least one can run almost 24 hours. Will be interesting to see how long a full charge takes, and lasts. And when one gets sent back to fix, you have one that working. I unchecked that $11 fee which seems like extra shipping protection, but charge card and shipper should cover any shipping issues.

I can’t live without my pool cover. I totally ignore my yard for 4 months a year.