2 year old Warrior SE not working

[mwemaxxowner]

I have a Pentair Warrior SE bought in June of 2020 (so just out of warranty) that is no longer working.

It starts its initial test sequence, goes forward and reverse, pauses, then shuts down.

I've had this happen a few times that was due to hair being wrapped around the prop on the pump. I would clean it and restart and it would be fine. This time there is nothing obstructing the prop and preventing it from turning, but that is the issue. It's not turning the pump on to move water, verified by checking with my hand under water with it while it's trying to begin.

I wonder if hair wrapping around it could over time have burned that motor up, and if that is maybe likely to be my problem?

If so, is that motor a part that I can order and replace to get us back in business?

Thanks!

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Yes parts are available online if necessary, but I would wait to see if anyone here has had this problem and fixed it. What did they do??

Maddie

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Very likely the motor assembly is dead due to water ingress. You can pull it out of the water and set it up on the bench to test it by running the robot with the filter basket out. You should hear three distinct impeller speeds if the water pump motor turns on and the directional actuator should move side to side. The drive motor should go forwards and then backwards. If any of those motors fail to turn on, the motor assembly is dead and has to be replaced.

We’ve gotten many reports like this over the last few months. Most robots will only last about 5 seasons on average. Seems like yours is on the low end of failure. You can call Pentair and see if they’ll do a warranty repair since your issue is so soon after the warranty expires. If not, a new motor assembly is $450.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

That's a bummer . I think the whole unit was $700.

Thanks for that test sequence. I don't know why, but I was under the impression it had to be under water to do that. That makes it simple.

Knowing how expensive that is, I probably will be calling to see if maybe they'll still warranty it. A repair at 65% of the cost of new just outside warranty period is a hard pill to swallow!

Once it is running again, while it is apart, is there anything that can be done to seal it better to help it last longer the next go-round?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

That's a bummer . I think the whole unit was $700.

Thanks for that test sequence. I don't know why, but I was under the impression it had to be under water to do that. That makes it simple.

Knowing how expensive that is, I probably will be calling to see if maybe they'll still warranty it. A repair at 65% of the cost of new just outside warranty period is a hard pill to swallow!

Once it is running again, while it is apart, is there anything that can be done to seal it better to help it last longer the next go-round?

Yup, it sucks and it’s the reason why I have switched back to using a suction cleaner. Robots, in my opinion, are not worth it. My S300i cost me nearly $1,100 and I only got 5 seasons out of it … you can look at the link in my signature, I detailed trying to rebuild it and get it working but ultimately could not because Maytronics keeps critical internal
components off the retail market. This is how Maytronics makes their money - make the replacement costs so high that the pool owner is basically forced to buy a new unit. It’s their revenue model and I’m guessing it works out well for them.

There’s not much you can do to make them last longer. The only realistic solution, which everyone seems to universally hate, is to NOT leave it in the water 24/7. There are 3 rotational seals and 6 total seals on the motor assembly. Water ingress is all but assured. Maytronics claims an IP68 rating for their motor assembly but, like automakers and miles per gallon benchmark tests, the testing method is flawed and easily manipulated to get that high rating.

I would definitely call Pentair and ask them if they can help. No harm in asking as all they can do is say no.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

Thank you so much.

I have left it in the water 24/7, but knowing this now I won't going forward.

I walk out when I get home from work to look it over most every day already. It won't hurt to toss it in at that time to clean, then remove it after dinner.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

Well, I can at least say Pentair didn't tell me to kick rocks.

They opened up a case for me and assigned it to "Pool Pros of the Carolinas".

There is supposed to be a sticker with a serial number inside the unit that I didn't see last night. I'll look for it again. This is the only sticker I saw and it doesn't have the right info.




There is a sticker on the control unit that has a serial number, but I need to find one on the cleaner itself.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Well, I can at least say Pentair didn't tell me to kick rocks.

They opened up a case for me and assigned it to "Pool Pros of the Carolinas".

There is supposed to be a sticker with a serial number inside the unit that I didn't see last night. I'll look for it again. This is the only sticker I saw and it doesn't have the right info.

View attachment 439961


There is a sticker on the control unit that has a serial number, but I need to find one on the cleaner itself.

My serial number was actually written on the receipt and invoice that I kept. It’s actually important as that is what identifies the robot in their system and used by the Dolphin App.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

It's not on my invoice. It should be on the unit somewhere.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

It's not on my invoice. It should be on the unit somewhere.

Do you still have the box or instruction manual that came with it?

It was on the box, and instruction manual (as a sticker put there at the factory) and hand written on my receipt by the shop I bought it from. I was told to keep the number because it was very important for warranty purposes and registering the cleaner with the App.

Who did you buy it from originally? Maybe they have a record of the sale with the serial number?

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I bought it from Marina. They've been unresponsive to email, I'll try to call them this afternoon.

The box is definitely long gone. The manual may still be around.

 

[Apsuhead]

I went through the exact same thing recently …

Pentair Warrior SE motor problem & Warranty replacement

I bought a new Pentair Warrior SE from Marina in Nov 2020 for my new fiberglass pool. I always keep it cleaned out and hanging in my equipment shed. It was a little sluggish over the winter while I kept my pool open but I just figured it was the cold water. It would just get stuck in the shallow...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I just read through your thread, great content!

It's a shame we don't have a good source for a new motor. If I don't get anywhere through warranty I'm going to open mine up also and see what I find before I spend $450. I'm pretty handy and good with electronics. A hobby of mine for about 20 years now is electric rc trucks and buggies.

It's really a crying shame they have set this up to be this difficult.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I just read through your thread, great content!

It's a shame we don't have a good source for a new motor. If I don't get anywhere through warranty I'm going to open mine up also and see what I find before I spend $450. I'm pretty handy and good with electronics. A hobby of mine for about 20 years now is electric rc trucks and buggies.

It's really a crying shame they have set this up to be this difficult.

You’ll find that the impeller motor can be rebuilt but the drive motor is sealed and not repairable. It’s also locked onto the plastic hub by dint of how it’s designed and cannot be unscrewed from the hub without damaging it. Neither of the motors are sold online or by retail shops. Maytronics doesn’t allow them to be sold separately. You can find some scavenged motors on eBay, typically from overseas sellers in Israel and Europe.

At the end of the day, if the motor assembly has water in it, it’s toast. There’s no fixing it. You might catch a break and only have the impeller motor needing repair and it can be partially rebuilt. But if the drive motor is dead, your only option is to replace the whole thing.

Sucks, but that’s how Maytronics makes it’s money - 3 to 5 years of use then make the customer buy a new robot.

 

[Mdragger88]

I just read through your thread, great content!

It's a shame we don't have a good source for a new motor. If I don't get anywhere through warranty I'm going to open mine up also and see what I find before I spend $450. I'm pretty handy and good with electronics. A hobby of mine for about 20 years now is electric rc trucks and buggies.

It's really a crying shame they have set this up to be this difficult.

If u bought it with a credit card check to see if u have extended warranty protection. Mine adds an extra year to my manufacturer’s warranty.

 

[Mdragger88]

I also keep copies of expensive receipts on my google drive- & file my manuals for future reference.
What can I say - I’m old school. But it has definitely served me well in the past.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

You’ll find that the impeller motor can be rebuilt but the drive motor is sealed and not repairable. It’s also locked onto the plastic hub by dint of how it’s designed and cannot be unscrewed from the hub without damaging it. Neither of the motors are sold online or by retail shops. Maytronics doesn’t allow them to be sold separately. You can find some scavenged motors on eBay, typically from overseas sellers in Israel and Europe.

At the end of the day, if the motor assembly has water in it, it’s toast. There’s no fixing it. You might catch a break and only have the impeller motor needing repair and it can be partially rebuilt. But if the drive motor is dead, your only option is to replace the whole thing.

Sucks, but that’s how Maytronics makes it’s money - 3 to 5 years of use then make the customer buy a new robot.

I am assuming the drive motor is fine. It drives forward and backward several feet, but the impeller never comes on. I haven't tested it while also watching for the directional control motor working. I guess it could be that and it's failing that test before it tries to test the impeller.

I ordered it online and have my invoice from Marina, but it does not have the serial number on it. There isn't a serial number inside the unit and I don't still have any manuals. I assumed any numbers ever required would be on the cleaner itself. Lesson learned there. I am still hoping Marina has it on file... although it seems they may help me without it.


I gave them my invoice, shipping information, and the numbers that I do have on the device.

 

[Apsuhead]

Yep, my serial number tag is around the top of the inside of the unit. The spot at the end of your video. It must have came off.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

Part of me really wants to just order the motor assembly and be back in business. If finances weren't stretched so thin these days I would have already!

I saw that Pentair sent you a new motor unit under warranty. I wish they'd just do the same for me,rather than set me up with someone to take it to.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

Some testing out of the water tells me that the impeller motor is, indeed, bad. I can sometimes start it by "flicking" it with my finger, and it will suddenly start spinning. Even when I do that though, it still fails the test cycles and shuts down.

However, there seems to be another problem. Sometimes it doesn't even get that far and shuts down as soon as it reverses direction the first time.


There seems to be a lot of play in the one drive wheel that has the gear inside it, and sometimes that seems to get in a bind. When testing out of water you can hear the motor under extra strain when that happens. Other times it is fine. Also, while turning the roller by hand, when I turn it that direction I can feel the resistance and see things sort of bind up, and if I try to force it it jumps a tooth or something to relieve the extra tension.

Is this unheard of? And what parts are available to fix that?

Seems like for forever it would occasionally fail for seemingly no reason, or not run a scheduled cycle like it was supposed to. That was only occasional and I never thought much of it, but I wonder if that has been happening with it all along. I'm not totally sure that it's abnormal, because the opposite side has the same amount of play on the idler wheel (checked with the tracks off).

Kind of looks like these things are general junk and should cost more like $200 new.