Dolphin Nautilus Plus Shedding Styrofoam?

[tucsontico]

I've owned a Dolphin Nautilus Plus (aka "Robbie") since 2016. I run it about twice per week. I'm quite meticulous about cleaning and maintaining it. I also never leave it in the pool more than one day. Last week I noticed small pellets of styrofoam in my skimmer. Not a lot of them, but enough to gather into a quarter-sized group. The only source for this debris has to be my pool robot–"Robbie".

I've not disassembled Robbie yet to check for any obvious internal damage that would cause it to shed styrofoam. Has anyone else seen this issue? If so, what did you do to cure it? Who (besides Maytronics) is a good source for parts? Appreciate the help!

 

[Jimrahbe]

T,

I would suspect the foam inside the weir doors in your skimmers before I would think it is a robot...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

We've taken an old Dolphin apart and never saw any foam in its construction?

Maddie

 

[tucsontico]

Jim,
My weir gate does not have any styrofoam in it. It is a lightweight plastic material with no cavities for any buoyant foam.

Maddie,
If you look closely at the Dolphin Nautilus Plus parts diagram below, you'll notice there are actually 4 pieces of styrofoam inside the Nautilus. (Part labels 13, 14, 19 and 23.) These are required for buoyancy. I also believe they are covered with a plastic sheath so it should be very difficult for the styrofoam to break free.

Thanks to both of you. I'll contact Maytronics to see what they suggest before I dismantle "Robbie".

 

[tucsontico]

I contacted Maytronics regarding my Nautilus Plus shedding styrofoam pellets. Here's their reply:

"It is extremely rare for the foam floats to disintegrate, unless the pool chemicals get out of balance. Please try checking your pool chemicals before launching the dolphin, and that may help. Chlorine should be 2-4PPM, Ph, 7-7.4. Saline pools should be under 5,000 PPM. However, if the Dolphin was in the pool a few times while not in balance, the damage may require replacement. If you find that they need to be replaced, whatever the reason, please let us know."

Via a reply to the above email, I asked if my Nautilus was still under warranty, etc. I've heard nothing back in over 5 days since my reply.

I disassembled my robot and discovered that the float on one side had somehow contacted the drive tread. This contact released lots of styrofoam pellets inside the Nautilus' body. (See photo.)


I am uncertain how the drive tread rubbed the float as nothing else was misplaced or broken. I am replacing the drive treads on both sides and the floats. Giving "Robbie" a tune-up.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Oh my! Never saw that in there.... you really did take it apart! Keep us updated if Maytronics responds positively to the warranty question since you took it apart....?