Dolphin cleaners work while automatic pool cover is closed?

[scottkathi]

I have an automatic pool cover on my pool. I'm about to buy a Dolphin cleaner but haven't been able to confirm how it works when the cover is closed. I'm curious about if waterline cleaning is an issue, and if there are any issues with the power cord working under the cover. Does anyone have any first hand experience?
Thanks!

 

[Homebrewale]

I can't answer your question but I have one of my own. Why do you need to run the cleaner when the pool cover is covering the pool? What would be the source of dirt that needs cleaning?

 

[scottkathi]

We live in the Seattle area, so 8 or 9 months of the year the only time we open is to check water balance, clean and brush. Even with a cover, the pool still gets dirty - worms, leaves, etc. In the summer, we would have the cover off when using the cleaner. In the winter, with the rain and wind we get, I'd much prefer to leave the cover closed as much as possible.

 

[Homebrewale]

Maybe I'm not visualizing your automatic cover. My neighbor has a solid cover on embedded tracks in his concrete so nothing gets in when closed. With his pool, I don't see how he would run the electrical cord to the cleaner that wouldn't interfere with his cover.

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

Maybe I'm not visualizing your automatic cover. My neighbor has a solid cover on embedded tracks in his concrete so nothing gets in when closed. With his pool, I don't see how he would run the electrical cord to the cleaner that wouldn't interfere with his cover.

I am jealous of your neighbor. Like @scottkathi, I have an auto-cover and still get crud in the pool. There is a small gap, maybe 1 inch at the widest, into which bugs crawl, tree bark falls, and worms enter (by the hundreds in rainy weather). It's just not a perfect seal.

I don't have a robot, but I do run my Polaris pressure-side cleaner under the cover every day, usually without incident. I had one incident when I opened the cover while the Polaris happened to be at the pool surface, dragged up by the reverse valve. The Polaris got stuck in the cover and punctured it, requiring several patches. I now make sure the cleaner is off before opening the cover. Never having owned one, I don't know whether robots ever swim to the surface.

If the robot cord can't be made to go through the small gap at the end of the pool, the cord can be fed through a skimmer.

 

[topherchris]

I have an autocover and a dolphin. I usually open the pool while the dolphin is running so that it cleans the sides above the waterline. I have run it with the cover closed and it worked fine, but I don't think it gets the sides as well. It also helps to air out the pool every few days to let chloramines escape.

 

[scottkathi]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts!

 

[Puertex]

I have an automatic pool cover on my pool. I'm about to buy a Dolphin cleaner but haven't been able to confirm how it works when the cover is closed. I'm curious about if waterline cleaning is an issue, and if there are any issues with the power cord working under the cover. Does anyone have any first hand experience?
Thanks!

One consideration...On the Maytronics cleaners with wifi you can program the cleaning cycle to just the bottom and not the sides.
My Active30i only comes out of the water about a couple of inches max when it is cleaning the waterline.
I dont see how a cable can get tangled with a auto cover...
Puertex

 

[jimbowrench]

I have an auto cover a use my dolphin all the time with the cover on. No issues. The typical move for me, I wake up, start the cleaner, drink coffee and have a bite, roll the cover back, and go for a swim in a spotless pool an hour later. Easy peasy!

 

[Katodude]

Just make sure you get one that you can program. Ie s300 or m600. You can then set those to clean the bottom only.

 

[avspin]

I usually only run it with my cover on. My cover stays closed all the time unless I'm in it. My cover runs on top of the concrete (biggest mistake I made in getting a pool, should have been rectangle to run under coping) so there is room for the cleaner to come up to the water line. The leading edge has about a 1"gap and with the wind I always get stuff in there.