Temp limitations on Robots

[duraleigh]

By Monday, my pool water temp will be around 42-45 degrees. The documentation (it's horrible) for my Dolphin Premier lists no temp limitations for operating the robot in water that cold.

Anybody, regardless of brand, have a manufacturer's limitation for a robot?

 

[uncfan1573]

On dolphins and the Hayward tiger sharks I believe it's anything under 49 F. They won't climb the walls or really steep slopes.

 

[jblizzle]

Something I had not considered. What exactly could be damaged by running in cold water? (although I doubt my water ever gets that cold)

 

[JamesW]

The manuals show 41 F as the low temperature limit.

 

[duraleigh]

The manuals show 41 F as the low temperature limit.

Well, shoot, I might have a couple of degrees to spare!

I doubt they have a cold temp sensing limiter but I imagine the increased resistance of all the cold parts might load up the motors too much and cause them to shut off.......we'll see.

 

[JamesW]

The 41f might be for storage. They show 54 f as a lower limit for "optimal" operation. I can't find a definite lower operating temperature.

 

[duraleigh]

I ran it yesterday......probably around 50 degree temp......it appeared a bit sluggish but it may have been my imagination.

 

[uncfan1573]

As far as I know it just won't climb the walls under 50. Should operate fine other then that

 

[drb]

I have a Polaris 9300 I just got end of this years season. Pool wasn't finished till early Nov and it appeared to work ok in 45 degree water.

Daren

 

[frankvitz]

I have a Polaris 9300 I just got end of this years season. Pool wasn't finished till early Nov and it appeared to work ok in 45 degree water.

Daren

My Hayward Tiger Shark worked fine for 5 years here in West Vancouver where the water drops below 40 degrees in the winter. I have a heater that kicks in and keeps the water from actually freezing when it gets really cold. This strategy has worked fine for years - the water is COLD but the pool stays stable, clean and I don't have to pay for draining and filling etc. But this year the treads on the Bot cracked and broke. I replaced them and they broke again less than a month later. I have replaced them now three times already in 6 months. I suspected at first that the replacement treads were possibly already old when i received them - maybe the rubber material gets brittle with age - but the most recent set are from a completely different lot number. Maybe they changed the formulation of the rubber and the new ones are not as good or... and this is why I am posting here - maybe they are not as resistant to cold as the originals? I can't think of what else it might be. Anyone else have similar problems?

 

[mknauss]

I have a heater that kicks in and keeps the water from actually freezing

Welcome to the forum!

Is this a regular pool heater? Pool heaters are NOT designed for this purpose. They are only to be used when the water being heated is above 68F for a pool volume. For a Spa, they can handle that small amount of water being colder as it warms above that level quickly.

The destruction of the firebox in a pool heater doing what you are describing is typically fairly quick.

Can you add a signature? See Pool School - Getting Started

Take care.