Has Wanda Whale Lost Her Mind?

[dpool]

Okay - I just confirmed it, after 4 years??? of great service with NO TROUBLES AT ALL, I just watched my Wanda Whale for an hour and she NEVER made a LEFT TURN.

Her usual pattern is lots of right hand turns then a straight away with a lot of left hand turns and then a straight a way then lots of right hand turns ... you get the idea.

Well, thanks to the fact that I've got a pretty small splasher type pool 9x17 - she's still covering MOST of the bottom, crawling up the sides and still can get herself out of the corners by the ladder when she get's kinda stuck.

So my questions ... do I take a one sided Wanda who won't go left and open her up and see what's making her stick? Or leave things be with the idea I'll have to give her a shove across to the other end once in a while to get the whole pool bottom covered?

Are there any parts that would need to be lubed or just cleaned? Or is it all just wear and tear (and a gear box replacement)?

I saw a video of a guy pretty much stepping through the whole process of taking a Wanda apart but the replacement parts are almost the same as a new one (if those are the parts needed???). I don't want to mess her up more if she's not really broken ... just one sided. I'm leaving her be for now because it's too late to do anything about it. And yes - I was out there with a flashlight saying, "go left!, go left!" HA!

dpool

 

[dattia]

Perhaps Wanda just has a need to always be right...

Sorry

 

[Lershac]

Stop letting wanda listen to Rush Limbaugh. (Tho I wont stop!).

This is a documented side effect of listening to his show.

 

[Bowlin]

If she is going right please keep her that way enuff of everyone wanting to be like Obama and be too far left!!!!!

My navigator goes right and my pool gets clean, guess that means right is correct way to be.

HMM!!!

 

[dpool]

Okay - funny funny you all, but not too helpful.

I'm thinking I'm going to leave my 'conserative' pool cleaner as she is for now but if she gets a inkling for going to the 'left,' I'll be 'accepting' of that.

As far as her listening to too much RUSH - who knows what the pool equipment and toys are doing when we're not home!!! But I've always suspected they're up to something because they're NEVER where we've left them last.

dpool

 

[Guest]

The above posts are not really appropriate in this thread when the OP was asking a serious question about his pool cleaner! Three posts and not ONE helpful answer. Personally, I found the one about the President a bit offensive. (Although I will not move these posts to the Hall Of Lame at this time, but one of the other Mods might since at least one of these posts are in violation of forum rules)
Forum rules expressly prohibit the discussion of religion and politics.
pages/rules/
I am not that familiar with the Hayward patterned cleaners internally other than that they are gear driven. I would take ti apart and see what's going on. It might be something as simple as a sticking gear.

 

[Bowlin]

First let me say that my navigator has had some issues as well but after many years still performs well.

Secondly, I would like to offer my apologies if I offended anyone with the remarks that I made in earlier post. I was not aware of the rule.
No discussion of 'touchy' subjects. This includes political and religious discussion. We pride ourselves on running the friendliest pool community online. Discussion of politics and religion does nothing but create tension between members.
Again I am sorry and will only offer pool questions in the future as this board has been an absolute refreshing place, ie quick answers to pool problems I have had.

 

[dpool]

Happy Day!

I just wanted to report (with no political implications) that my Wanda Whale is back to doing her thing and making RIGHT and LEFT turns. Yippe!

After viewing a video I found on eHOW that described, in detail, every part of the process of dismanteling, reassembling and maintaining a Wanda Whale(this in no way implies that ALL videos on eHOW are this helpful), I was able to take her all apart and looked at every thing. I didn't find anything broken or cracked or even really jammed up. I'm thinking that the small gear box may have just been STUCK because it didn't make the sound it was suppose to when blown through. I managed to get that all taken apart and looked at each gear but again, nothing was stuck, jammed or broken. However, when I put it all back together and blew through the unit - I did get the noise it's supposed to make - a high pitched wirring. So who knows.

The video never said anything about using lube and I was VERY tempted to put some of that silicone stuff that I've got TUBES of for gaskets and moving parts around the pool but I didn't. I was worried that it might gum up the parts but that doesn't make sense to me since I use it on other plastic parts in and around the pool. I did break down at the very end and put a pea sized glob around the ring so that it would hit each of the clear turn wheels but only because that whole part was not moving as smoothly as it could and that's what helps get Wanda out of the corners. Now, she might just ZIP out of the corners. Too funny.

So, that's today's project - DONE. Now, back to figuring out how to make an above-ground pool cover reel.

Have a great day!

dpool

To the MODS: I, too, appreciate the 'no touchy' subject rule and apologize for any leading comments that may have contributed to the reminder. I understand that policy like this are needed and why this board IS a refreshing and SAFE place to get share pool problems and get help and info. THANKS!

 

[Guest]

No worries!
Now, let me indoctrinate you all with MY political and religious views and if ANY of you don't agree you are banned for life!

btw, I am glad that Wanda is feeling better and acting balanced again. I know how hard it is when a loved one starts acting unbalanced! Just be glad that she did not need electroshock or a lobotomy! (and if anyone does not think a pool cleaner is a "loved one"...!)