Dolphin caddy question!

[gregch]

I went ahead and bought a Dolphin robot, SX20 (I think it's the same as the S100 or E20). This model only has one roller, at the front, and around the other three sides of its underside it has soft rubber "skirts" presumably to contain and direct the debris it's sucking up.

I also got the Dolphin caddy.

Now, I feel like an idiot, but I can't figure out how to put the robot on the caddy without its soft rubber "skirts" getting squished. The assembly instructions for the caddy (which seem to be based on power supply design, I followed the instructions for models with a power supply like mine) have, as step 1, to fit this plastic piece across the back "humps" of the caddy (I'll try and attach a photo).



I wonder if it's that piece that's squishing the rubber skirts? Does anyone have an E20 or S100 and a caddy?

 

[reggiehammond]

I have a S200 equivalent which looks like the image of SX20 I just found online.
I can’t recall even what my caddy looks like - but are you loading the robot on sideways?

 

[gregch]

I've tried it every which way, I think! I think the robot is supposed to go with its roller facing the handle of the caddy, ie the robot is facing "backwards". But that part (called Caddy Adapter S-line on the caddy's assembly instructions) seems to squash the rubber "skirts" under the robot flat - because the adapter part is shaped like a bridge so it runs right across.

Probably over-thinking it, or worrying about nothing - but even the SX20 costs 1200 USD here, so I want to take care of it. I thought buying the "official" caddy for it would solve the worry about where to put it down without flattening its roller, tracks, or skirts... but maybe not!

 

[PoolBrews]

I have the Warrior SE (same as S200). The front roller sits in the front of the caddy near the handle. I've seen no issues with regards to "squashing" any part of the bottom of the robot.

 

[gregch]

I think maybe the S200 is different - the SX20 is more like the more basic S100, in that it only has one roller (at the front) and underneath there are soft rubber "skirts" around the other three sides. It's these (the ends of them nearest the roller) that are getting squished flat. Maybe I just let them squish!

 

[trivetman]

Does dolphin only make one universal caddy? I wonder if its truly universal? Maybe its not perfectly compatible with the S100 model?

 

[gregch]

Does dolphin only make one universal caddy? I wonder if its truly universal? Maybe its not perfectly compatible with the S100 model?

I think you're probably correct! Yes, there's only one universal caddy - that clip on 'adapter' part is apparently required for S-line models, and there's two ways of assembling the caddy depending on the type of power supply your robot has, but yes it does seem that it's not a perfect fit for the S100/SX20.

Funnily enough I reached out to Maytronics, and they tell me it's fine, the rubber skirts (called 'suction strips', apparently) might get flattened but will straighten out again after a couple of cycles... except of course that then the robot will go straight back on the caddy and they'll be flat again, so they'll never function correctly. Not great!

 

[gregch]

Other than that, the robot itself is fantastic. Maybe I fashion my own storage solution and stick the caddy on ebay!