Instapark Betta review

[November Cadet]

Can someone share why you bought one of these? I understand it's a solar powered skimmer that cruises around and sucks up surface debris, but I'm not sure about why anyone needs one of these. Does your pool not already have skimmers? Are your skimmers not effective so this augments them? Does this allow you to always run your pool pump at a low speed and thus save energy? Is it just a cool device that is actually redundant, but so what? Just curious. Thanks.

Hey Sdor! My pool has 2 skimmers but the betta 2 seems to get more than the skimmers do, for my pool. I have several poplars, oaks, pines, etc surrounding my pool and even on a good day I would skim 2x a day then again before going for a swim. With the Betta 2, I don’t have to do any extra work. It’s as effortless as cleaning the filter out every couple days.
I have a waterfall that runs 2x a day and it goes under it just fine. It’s gone through bad rains, cloudy days, it just keeps plugging away. The 1 thing I will say is important, is take it out before swimming. If you do a cannonball right next to it, most of the stuff in the filter will get washed out.

 

[HyzerFlip519]

The 1 thing I will say is important, is take it out before swimming. If you do a cannonball right next to it, most of the stuff in the filter will get washed out.

Or god forbid you land on the cute little guy!

 

[November Cadet]

Or god forbid you land on the cute little guy!

I’ll try to grab a picture the next time he does it, but my 4yo will put his toy cars and little action figures on it and say they are going for a ride.

 

[HyzerFlip519]

I’ll try to grab a picture the next time he does it, but my 4yo will put his toy cars and little action figures on it and say they are going for a ride.

Too cute.

12 days later and this thing continues to impress me. If I had to guess it's likely been running for 120hrs+ total since I've bought it, I'll get up in the middle of the night to pee and peek at the pool and see him cruising around still cleaning at 3am. Seriously love this thing, hope the redesigned propeller motors have a decent lifespan. I've only skimmed a single time since it's been in the water.

*puts feet up on desk and takes a drink*

 

[tcat]

Mine goes from green to red at 2 or 3am. But even on red keeps moving every so often. My pool is at least 50% shade, total shade until noon. But just from indirect light turns green and starts moving by 9am. It's very impressive. During the day I see 1 or 2 June bugs, but opened it up to empty this morning and it was full of them! Definitely doing a decent job at night!

 

[Katodude]

Ok, you are all making me crazy. Going to order one this weekend.

 

[blazer58]

Mine is also going strong
Only sligh hiccup is it gets stuck on my top step every so often even with the legs extended
I put a cleaning brush on step for now and it seems to keep him off

 

[tcat]

Mine is also going strong
Only sligh hiccup is it gets stuck on my top step every so often even with the legs extended
I put a cleaning brush on step for now and it seems to keep him off

The Betta2 has step avoid legs.

 

[Orion7319]

Ok, you are all making me crazy. Going to order one this weekend.

You will be impressed with how well it works.

 

[blazer58]

The Betta2 has step avoid legs.

I have them down but there is just enough water for them to still clear the top step
I could run the water a little low seeing how I am not using the skimmers as much

 

[Katodude]

Ok, my Sub Zero refrigerator repair only cost $1600 to replace an evaporator coil. Its a $200 part, but at least I only paid about $500 an hour for the labor.

But I did not have to buy a new fridge which is about $15,000, so according to shopping math I am about $13,000 ahead.

So I ordered my Betta 2 this morning in white (Blue is back ordered). Added the 3 year year warranty.

Looking forward to doing a head to head review against the Ariel.

 

[Katodude]

Its in Marion, Tx. All you Austin folks wave hit to it. Should be here on Monday.

As I manually move my Ariel to the sunny side of the pool, where it currently sits idly.

 

[DanF]

Looking forward to doing a head to head review against the Ariel.

As I manually move my Ariel to the sunny side of the pool, where it currently sits idly.

Sounds like it won't be much of a competition

 

[Katodude]

I am keeping an open mind. Charging up the GoPro now so I can do some time lapse.

 

[DanF]

Good approach, Kato. Looking forward to your findings.

 

[Orion7319]

I am keeping an open mind. Charging up the GoPro now so I can do some time lapse.

Neat!

 

[November Cadet]

Mine is also going strong
Only sligh hiccup is it gets stuck on my top step every so often even with the legs extended
I put a cleaning brush on step for now and it seems to keep him off

That same thing happens to mine every once in a while. Even when the water is high, sometimes it gets stuck. Sometimes it goes right over them. I think it has something to do with how it turns.
but man, what a great machine.

 

[rjb1211]

I have had my Betta 2 for over a month now. It does a great job of cleaning and run time is great, but I have already had two problems.

First, after about 2 weeks the screw on one of the propellers backed out and the prop came off. I wasn't able to find the screw but I was instructed to enter a warranty claim and they sent me screws promptly.

I now have another problem. A few days ago I noticed that it was making some unusual noise. Today it stopped moving with the lights flashing green and red. I checked and one of the motors is binding. I can't see anything fouling it.

Can these motors be taken apart and cleaned or is it best to just enter another warranty claim?

 

[wireform]

I'd say don't mess with it if it's still under warranty. They may want it back for learning and upgrading.

 

[Orion7319]

I have had my Betta 2 for over a month now. It does a great job of cleaning and run time is great, but I have already had two problems.

First, after about 2 weeks the screw on one of the propellers backed out and the prop came off. I wasn't able to find the screw but I was instructed to enter a warranty claim and they sent me screws promptly.

I now have another problem. A few days ago I noticed that it was making some unusual noise. Today it stopped moving with the lights flashing green and red. I checked and one of the motors is binding. I can't see anything fouling it.

Can these motors be taken apart and cleaned or is it best to just enter another warranty claim?

Contact instapark. Yours is the first beta 2 that we are aware of that has failed.