Dolphin DX4 Spins on Main Drains

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M

mhosborn

0
Jul 2, 2011
312
Broken Arrow, OK (Tulsa)
We've been using a Dolphin DX4 with our pool since it was built 4 years ago. Overall, the robot is good (once I learned, after 3 failed power supplies, that the power supply must be covered) but it spends a lot of time "spinning" on top of the main drains. Sometimes it will just spin around one of the drains for 5 minutes or more before "freeing itself" and moving on. This model has a single drive track that spans the entire width of the robot. The problem is that, because it gets "caught" on the main drains so often, it sometimes doesn't clean the whole pool.

Is there a another robot out there (either Nautilus brand or something else) that doesn't have this problem? I don't know, for example, if the Dolphin cleaners that have a "split track" might be better suited for us?

Any suggestions?
 
Call Maytronics and they will send you a free replacement plastic part that redirects the top exhaust. They sent me one, but I have yet to install it, as mine never hangs up on the main drain.

I only ordered it just in case, so I don't know for sure if it works or not.

Jim R.
 
Just a quick update on this....I contacted Maytronics yesterday and they are sending me a kit they say takes care of this problem. They say it replaces the fan cover at the top of the robot with one that makes the unit more buoyant, reducing the likelihood it will get hung up on the main drains. I was told I should get it within 3-4 days, and will provide an update here regarding how useful it is.
 
Later Update:

I spoke too soon with the previous update! I noticed Saturday that the unit still spins on the main drains. I'm sure it's not a full filter bag issue, as I just emptied a 10% full bag on Friday.

I guess the attachment Maytronics sent me doesn't help all that much, after all.
 
I have the modified top cover for my DX5+S and so far it hasn't hung up on the drain covers for me. I also noticed that the robot will now climb better on our top step that it never got up on before - so something with the water jet being re-directed is helping it climb shallower steps.
 

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Santacruz...it appears we're both seeing the same results with the VGB cover. It helps a bit...but the robot still gets stuck on drain covers.

I wish I knew if different robots don't suffer from this. For example, will the Maytronics model with the split scrubber brush be less likely to be hung up by the drain cover? Would their i300 model navigate these covers better? Maybe the Polaris brand is better for this application. Too many unknowns!
 
I think it might be the height of my 2 main drain covers - I have seen some "low profile" drain covers that are still VGB anti-entrapment covers, however I haven't found one in black like I need....plus I don't know if I could hold my breath long enough to change them out!

I see that some of the covers are lower profile, and have sloped edges. My cover is kind of tall and has a big flat surface that the robot gets stuck on. I was thinking of putting a couple of rubber bumpers on the bottom of the robot to allow it to tilt when it sits on something, but I worry it will hang up on other areas. If I could get the covers off easily I could add a bumper to one edge which would tilt the robot when it was on top of the cover...hmmm
 
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