Need a robot for fine dirt/sand...

[tfpusername]

I've been using a Kreepy Krauly with a leaf basket + skimmer sock combo (to save my main filter from all the dirt/sand), and it works semi ok, but it's always a pain to get the suction dial just right (the thing would constantly get stuck or just stop moving for no reason). Today, my Kreepy Krauly stopped working completely, even with a brand new diaphragm.

I'm looking for a better solution that is...

- Battery powered (I'm done with extension cords).
- Not crazy expensive (500ish?).
- Don't care about walls/stairs (in fact my last robot scuffed my fiberglass walls, so I would prefer it to just stick to the pool floor).
- Most importantly, has a filter that will pickup fine dirt. Previously I had a Dolphin with a good paper/pleated filter basket (worked great on dirt/sand), and another no name brand with a cheap screen door/mesh basket (which just blew the dirt around the pool).

There are tons of cordless robots in the 200-500 range on Amazon, but it's hard to tell if they're any good (and if they have pleated filters for fine dirt).

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Newdude]

There are tons of cordless robots in the 200-500 range on Amazon,

Got links ? At that price point they sound like toys.

 

[tfpusername]

Are we allowed to post links here? Just search "cordless robotic pool cleaner" on Amazon, there are dozens of them in the 100-400 range. I'm sure they would work perfectly for my needs IF they only had paper/pleated filters, but I have a feeling they use the cheap screen/mesh ones, which just suck the dirt in, then blow it right back out.

A couple had reviewers who claimed it worked on fine dirt, but then other reviewers say it doesn't. And the reviews rarely talk about the type of filter.

Really hoping somebody here has experience with a particular model. I can easily rake up leaves/small debris (and these robots are good at that too), I just need help getting the dirt/sand/silt (that blows in after a wind storm).

 

[mgtfp]

I replaced the Kreepy Krauly that the previous house owner left with a Poolvergnuegen "The PoolCleaner". Very happy with it. Quiet, doesn't get stuck in corners, works over a wide range of pump speeds.

 

[Newdude]

IF they only had paper/pleated filters, but I have a feeling they use the cheap screen/mesh ones, which just suck the dirt in, then blow it right back out.

Between suction force / filtering ability, and runtime........ if they worked as good as the $1000+ models, nobody would buy the $1000+ models. Heck, I'd happily buy the $194 one every year.

 

[tfpusername]

Between suction force / filtering ability, and runtime........ if they worked as good as the $1000+ models, nobody would buy the $1000+ models. Heck, I'd happily buy the $194 one every year.

But the suction doesn't need to be crazy (we're only talking about very light dirt), and the runtime seems fine (90min is plenty for a small pool). The only technical limitation of these cheaper models seems to be the fact that their genius engineers didn't think to include a secondary paper/pleated filter (like you get with most Dolphins).

I wonder if you could just MacGyver them so they work better with fine dirt. Like by adding an additional skimmer sock somehow...

Or ideally if anybody has personal experience with one that works well for dirt, please let us know.

*and mgtfp so does that Poolvergnuegen "The PoolCleaner" use a paper/pleated filter? I assume you're saying it does a good job with fine dirt? After doing all this research on cordless bots though, I would really like to get rid of the tubes/cords...

 

[Newdude]

But the suction doesn't need to be crazy (we're only talking about very light dirt),

It does because it needs to push the water through the filter. So pick your poison. A weak vac with a large particle filter, or a powerful ($$$) vac with a small particle filter.

I wonder if you could just MacGyver them so they work better with fine dirt

I saw mentions on reviews of the large robots of people putting foam in the filter basket to filter finer particles. They said the suction drop off was noticeable.

and the runtime seems fine (90min is plenty for a small pool)

90 mins is plenty for a large robot in a small pool. It may or may not be plenty for a small robot.

Or ideally if anybody has personal experience with one that works well for dirt, please let us know.

+1. Kinda surprised they almost never come up, not good, bad or ugly. We should have at least 1 of the three

 

[mgtfp]

*and mgtfp so does that Poolvergnuegen "The PoolCleaner" use a paper/pleated filter? I assume you're saying it does a good job with fine dirt? After doing all this research on cordless bots though, I would really like to get rid of the tubes/cords...

The Poolvergnuegen doesn't have any filter, it's just a suction cleaner, but I think a much better one than the classic Kreepy Krauly. Just the noise of the Kreepy Krauly I found unacceptable, and I don't want to know what the neighbours were thinking.

In my setup (1980ties pool) I have to use the cleaner through the skimmer via a plate. The advantage is that I don't need a leaf catcher like that, but I can't skim and run the cleaner at the same time.

Usually I put a paint strainer bag in the skimmer basket, that catches most standard dirt like leaves, pine needles, seeds, blossoms etc without impacting water flow. When I'm after finer dust (or during duck breeding season) I use actual skimmer socks. That does the trick for me.

There are many pretty much identical cleaners to the Poolvergnuegen from other manufacturers.

I have read too many reports here about robots failing after a couple of years, it's just not worth the investment for me. And I don't really trust the cheaper ones. And I am not a friend of buying cheap stuff and keep replacing frequently, there is already enough plastic garbage in our world.

It's a personal choice - I prefer a good quality suction side cleaner over a robot.