Is my new robot lazy or overwhelmed?

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QuiltinMom

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Mar 24, 2013
203
Central Iowa
Just purchased a Aquabot S2-50 and it arrived yesterday. Set it up and put it in the pool right away. I have been running it on 2 hour cycles. After each cycle has run then I pull it out and clean out the filter bags (I put the larger hole filters in for this initial cleaning). So far it is bringing out a lot of green sludge for lack of a better explanation. Our pool is a green swamp, we are still in the process of bringing the water level up before we can turn on the pump and filter. There has only been about a hand full or so of actual leaves. I don't believe there is leaf debris on the bottom, I believe it is mostly just the green sludge, however, we can not see the bottom.

So out of curiosity I have watched the robot off and on. It seems to travel about 3' away from the pool wall, then stop and sit there for about a minute or so and then will come back to the pool wall and sit at the pool wall for another 30 seconds to a minute.

Is this how it is supposed to work?

I have even picked it up, but kept it under water and just held it there for a while. The motor isn't running, then all of a sudden it will run, then it stops for a brief second then seems to be pushing water out of the other direction. Sorry, I am not explaining this very well.

I have tried watching YouTube videos (we have limited internet access, so have to be careful watching videos) and I haven't been able to find a video that shows this same robot when it is stopping and restarting. So I guess that is why I am questioning if this is working correctly or not.

Any help would be appreciated. THANKS!!!
 
THANKS!!! I called Aquabot. I was very happy with their customer service.

They said it does stop periodically to change directions. She also thought it was maybe filling up the bag very quickly with sludge and that could be what is making it stop. She said it shouldn't be used until all of the algea is out of the pool and suggested putting in an algecide and running the filter system before running the robot some more. (don't worry, I am not going to do the algecide).

Another issue I have had 3 or 4 times now is that one of the filter bags keeps getting caught in the plastic frame that is guarding the propellers. I asked her about it and she asked if the plastic frame was broken anywhere. I don't see that it is broken. Has anyone else experienced this? Of course, since it has gotten caught, now the filter bag has a hole in it. Aquabot is going to send me a replacement bag.

So far, though, I am happy with it. It sure has brought out a lot of sludge.
 
I wouldn't use a cleaner to open a pool. You are better off using a leaf rake to get out most of the debris or you will be constantly cleaning the robot.

Remove as much as debris as you can with the leaf rake.

Slam the pool until it passes OCLT.

Vacuum to waste.

Then run the robot to finish up.
 
When I try and use the leaf rake I am not really getting anything. Just some green gunk. The leaves and whatever else is broken down to just algea or green sludge. We haven't fired up the pump and sand filter yet as we are still trying to get the water level up. As soon as the water level is up then we will fire up the pump and filter and get them working as well. We live in the country and are on a well, so don't really have the option of just dropping a garden hose in there. We have had lots of rain that is helping bring up the water level and we have used our well some also. We are hoping some time this weekend to get the water level up and get everything working together.

We haven't put any bleach in yet either. Again, trying to get all of the sludge out before wasting the bleach.

THANKS for your response!!!
 
You need to kill the algae so you can see what you are doing. It is the algae suspended in the water that will use up the chlorine the most so you might as well kill it.

And just to be clear by leaf rake, I mean this:

Pool-Master-Leaf-Rake.jpg

That should pick up anything on the bottom of the pool sludge or otherwise.
 
Ok, thanks. I thought that we should get as much out as possible instead of letting the algae consume all the bleach. I have been using a leaf skimmer and I can't seem to really get anything. It seems to be too small of particles. However, the robot seems to be able to get it. I am using the bags that are not as fine.

How fine is the leaf rake thing you showed above? Will it get the really fine particlrs, not just the leaves still in tact? I will have to find one of those.

I am still having trouble with the leaf collector bags being sucks up in to the propellers. Almost every time the lights are flashing and it is caught. I am beginning to wonder if there is something missing or what the problem is. It is getting old real fast. Will refer to the owners manual and see if I can find a solution.

Thanks for the help.
 
You will trash your robot if you continue to try and do the clean up with that. Again, in order:

1) SLAM until you pass OCLT, run filter in recirculate

2) Vacuum dead algae to waste

3) Then start using your robot and filtering normally
 
We are still in the process of getting the pool filled back up. We do not have the water level high enough to turn on the pump and filter. We thought this would be a good option to jump start the cleaning until we can get the water level up.

Because we don't have the pump and filter running we haven't put in any bleach yet. Will bleach be any benefit if it isn't circulating around the pool? I thought it was advised against putting in bleach until it can circulate.

THANKS for letting me know that we shouldn't use the robot for this. We will stop until we can get the pump and filter running.
 

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You can use bleach now, I added 2 gallons this winter/spring :) Just pour while walking along the edge and then brush the sides and bottom of the pool for about 10 to 15 minutes :)

you don't want to pour in one spot while no pump running and then let it sit

:)
 
cowboycasey said:
You can use bleach now, I added 2 gallons this winter/spring :) Just pour while walking along the edge and then brush the sides and bottom of the pool for about 10 to 15 minutes :)

you don't want to pour in one spot while no pump running and then let it sit

:)
Click to expand...

THANKS!!! I didn't think it would help to put anything in now. I will add bleach to my list of things to pick up when I go to town again.

- - - Updated - - -

mas985 said:
The act of filling will help to mix up the chlorine and if you brush, that too will mix up the chlorine.
Click to expand...

We have put the garden hose in a couple of times and let it run for 5 hours or so. It only brings the level up about an inch, if that!!! We have to keep an eye on our well so we don't drain it. We have had a pretty we spring so that has helped. The water level in the pool is just barely touching the bottom of the skimmer surround. Getting close to so we can get everything running and get it cleaned up.

THANKS for the help and suggestions.
 
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