MY VIDEOS OF THE AQUABOT AWD

[mpk1970]

Ok decided to film the Aquabot. Here you go!!

This one intro Aquabot AWD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qu4b6MilbwE

2nd video, shows start of the Aquabot AWD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZdOB2a8W_E

3rd video shows more performance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMtl2mtPkgk

4th video- Final analysis, shows cleaning the cartridges, and all the dirt picked up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg-Iv8TZppo

Hope everybody enjoys these videos on the Aquabot AWD

 

[tcat]

Great videos, thanks! Supposed to get mine Tuesday. Does the intake on the baskets have a flap to hold the dirt in? Just curious with some folks saying dirt can fall back in the pool if not careful. A flap should prevent that.

While cleaning the baskets looks easy, it really isn't much different than my Legend bag, looks like either takes a minute or two. I'm sure it cleans much better with the brush and more suction. Definitely looks like it does walls better (but not great).

Sure wish more people would do videos like this on all the different models they own, would make decisions much easier! Thanks again!

 

[mpk1970]

Great videos, thanks! Supposed to get mine Tuesday. Does the intake on the baskets have a flap to hold the dirt in? Just curious with some folks saying dirt can fall back in the pool if not careful. A flap should prevent that.

While cleaning the baskets looks easy, it really isn't much different than my Legend bag, looks like either takes a minute or two. I'm sure it cleans much better with the brush and more suction. Definitely looks like it does walls better (but not great).

Sure wish more people would do videos like this on all the different models they own, would make decisions much easier! Thanks again!

tcat, it does have a flap to prevent this but when you see how much water is inside the cartridges you will understand how some does get back in the pool when you lift it out of the pool.
Key is slowly lifting it out of the pool. If you quickly do it, a ton of "gunk" will recede from the unit.

 

[tcat]

One other test you might do. Put a black dot on a wheel and see how many rpm's it's doing. That would put "speed" to rest. My pressure cleaner is set at 32rpm and moves what I would call normal speed.

 

[caycarem]

mpk1970, thank you for posting your video. your bot seemed a little faster than mine and went up a little further. mine never goes up to the water line at the deep end (8-8.5'), but it does get up on the shallow end.

I took it out and did a test on ground. with power off, i pushed the bot forward and then backward. it went in one direction just fine, but the opposite direction it seemed very hard to move, the wheels had a real strong resistance. I am calling out 4WD owners, can you test yours and see if that is normal? does your bot move, when on land and pushed by hand, both directions at the same speed?

One other problem i have is that my pool is next to a busy road and very fine dust got in the pool and stayed at the bottom. the polaris 380 seemed to be able to stir them up for the filter to suck in, but this 4WD couldnt do that and they accumulate at the bottom. maybe there is a finer bag than the default one to catch very fine dust?

 

[caycarem]

Great videos, thanks! Supposed to get mine Tuesday. Does the intake on the baskets have a flap to hold the dirt in? Just curious with some folks saying dirt can fall back in the pool if not careful. A flap should prevent that.

While cleaning the baskets looks easy, it really isn't much different than my Legend bag, looks like either takes a minute or two. I'm sure it cleans much better with the brush and more suction. Definitely looks like it does walls better (but not great).

Sure wish more people would do videos like this on all the different models they own, would make decisions much easier! Thanks again!

dirt falling back in shouldnt be a concern, usually stuff got stuck in the basket wall and nothing would fall out. if you have a basket full of stuff then maybe, but this basket is huge and the intake mouth is raised up maybe 1" so stuff at bottom of the basket will not come out.

 

[mpk1970]

mpk1970, thank you for posting your video. your bot seemed a little faster than mine and went up a little further. mine never goes up to the water line at the deep end (8-8.5'), but it does get up on the shallow end.

I took it out and did a test on ground. with power off, i pushed the bot forward and then backward. it went in one direction just fine, but the opposite direction it seemed very hard to move, the wheels had a real strong resistance. I am calling out 4WD owners, can you test yours and see if that is normal? does your bot move, when on land and pushed by hand, both directions at the same speed?

One other problem i have is that my pool is next to a busy road and very fine dust got in the pool and stayed at the bottom. the polaris 380 seemed to be able to stir them up for the filter to suck in, but this 4WD couldnt do that and they accumulate at the bottom. maybe there is a finer bag than the default one to catch very fine dust?

You're welcome. Its great if I can help people out with the videos.
I am sending that maybe you have some type of problem? Not sure exactly but does your reverse in the pool with no problem or have you seen it at all go in reverse?

If you look at my last video, I show all the Crud my unit sucked up. Yes I have this very fine dirt as well. Sometimes it does get "caked" on so it may take a pass or two but
it does clean my pool very good.
Actually, I get more of this fine dirt than anything which is really annoying and the Aquabot AWD does a great job.

Maybe 1. make sure the those ports on bottom are pulled all the way down. (I talk about this on videos somewhere) 2. Suction problem? Check it in shallow end do you see rippling of the water on top? 3. Do you let the air bubbles out by turning the unit upside before placing in the pool?

Other than that, I would be hesistant to use further better be safe than sorry and use your right to a warranty claim.
Call the company. Say your buddy (me) has one and it performs much much better and your unit has a problem. They should rightfully pay for your shipping and everything.
If not, you bet your rear end I would file a BBB complaint vs. Aquabot and send them a not so nice letter.

Just my input. Of course my decisions are rarely the right way to handle things.

 

[SPKNout4CHRIST]

What did you get your Aquatbot AWD for? I am seeing $699 online.

 

[tcat]

Some price info in this thread: new-aquabot-rapids-xls-and-4wd-t57246-100.html

 

[caycarem]

I did everything, worked fine just a little slow. still wondering about this test:
does your bot move, when on land, power off, and pushed by hand, both directions at the same speed?

mpk1970, thank you for posting your video. your bot seemed a little faster than mine and went up a little further. mine never goes up to the water line at the deep end (8-8.5'), but it does get up on the shallow end.

I took it out and did a test on ground. with power off, i pushed the bot forward and then backward. it went in one direction just fine, but the opposite direction it seemed very hard to move, the wheels had a real strong resistance. I am calling out 4WD owners, can you test yours and see if that is normal? does your bot move, when on land and pushed by hand, both directions at the same speed?

One other problem i have is that my pool is next to a busy road and very fine dust got in the pool and stayed at the bottom. the polaris 380 seemed to be able to stir them up for the filter to suck in, but this 4WD couldnt do that and they accumulate at the bottom. maybe there is a finer bag than the default one to catch very fine dust?

You're welcome. Its great if I can help people out with the videos.
I am sending that maybe you have some type of problem? Not sure exactly but does your reverse in the pool with no problem or have you seen it at all go in reverse?

If you look at my last video, I show all the **** my unit sucked up. Yes I have this very fine dirt as well. Sometimes it does get "caked" on so it may take a pass or two but
it does clean my pool very good.
Actually, I get more of this fine dirt than anything which is really annoying and the Aquabot AWD does a great job.

Maybe 1. make sure the those ports on bottom are pulled all the way down. (I talk about this on videos somewhere) 2. Suction problem? Check it in shallow end do you see rippling of the water on top? 3. Do you let the air bubbles out by turning the unit upside before placing in the pool?

Other than that, I would be hesistant to use further better be safe than sorry and use your right to a warranty claim.
Call the company. Say your buddy (me) has one and it performs much much better and your unit has a problem. They should rightfully pay for your shipping and everything.
If not, you bet your rear end I would file a BBB complaint vs. Aquabot and send them a not so nice letter.

Just my input. Of course my decisions are rarely the right way to handle things.

 

[danacc]

I tried pushing mine; I didn't push too hard because I met with resistance and didn't want to create a problem with the cleaner. It didn't want to move in either direction. There was resistance if I tried to push it "forward", and resistance if I tried to push it "backward". I didn't push hard enough to overcome it. So, if yours is moving easily when you push in one direction, then that is different from mine.

Of course, if we're each pushing with a different force, this all means nothing.

 

[mhoy]

Thanks for the videos. I'm looking for a robot right now (so I can remove the booster pump) and the AWD has many appealing features (correct me if I'm wrong)....

Pro:
-scrub brush for bottom/sides of the pool (I can do the water line)
-good filtration at two micron
-simple technology to drive the wheels (basically via the water pump), so as long as the pump is working, everything else is replaceable plastic/metal.
-easy to access filter on the top and not bags
-fairly light weight

Cons:
-no anti-swivel cord (probably a patent somewhere on this one) but your video comment that it doesn't appear to tangle anyway.
-can't spot clean (which may be a Pro as there are no motors to drive each wheel set separately)
-not exactly inexpensive, but then again we are talking pool stuff...
-online spare parts seem hard to come by

Questions:
Will it work well under a solar cover (my Polaris sure doesn't, floating water cord adds too much drag).
How does the Ebay guy end up with so many 'floor models'...

 

[tcat]

I've had mine a month or so and use it once a week. Does a great job (much nicer than my Pentair pressure side cleaner). The brush is in the center, so doesn't really do the waterline. Sort of does walls (I would guess after 9 or 10 three hour cleans it might hit every wall spot). I've only brushed my walls once or twice in a year... if you don't let algae start growing, walls really don't need much cleaning.

The filters are what I like best. Exceptional material, filters out "everything" but nothing really "sticks" to the material. Very easy to hose off, and looks brand new after you do. I believe the wheels are programmed from the main control box. They will rotate the unit right after coming off a wall, sometime a little, sometimes a lot. My pool always looks clean, but when I run it each weekend, it still picks up all kinds of crud.

Cord is very lightweight. Has a floating jacket that keeps most of it floating. I would think it would have no problem under a solar blanket. Mine never seems to have a twist issue, but easily fixed if you stretch it out. I actually have about 25' of my cord cable tied together near the control box, since 30-35' is plenty for my pool. My EE access is at about the center of the pool, so it only needs to go 25' each way.

I'd ask about the warranty from the Ebay guy and maybe confirm with the manufacturer (they respond to email, dtapper at aquaproducts.com was my contact).

I removed my Booster pump this past weekend tying that line into the returns. Hooking up my new 2 speed pump next weekend. So nice not having to have the pump on to clean the pool!