New EVO 614i Robot Pool Cleaner Review

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pfgiv said:
What is your method Jim?
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pf,

I have an in-ground pool... Once the cycle is done I just use the cord to pull the robot up to coping level.. Then, I use the handle to pull it up on the coping and at the same time, I rotate the robot so that is it level.. Instead of pulling it straight up and allowing all the water to drain out the back..

I have also drilled a small hole in the handle, and have the cable zip-tied to the middle of the handle. The basic idea is to reduce any strain of the cable connection into the robot.. Not at all sure if that even matters...

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
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Jimrahbe said:
pf,

I have an in-ground pool... Once the cycle is done I just use the cord to pull the robot up to coping level.. Then, I use the handle to pull it up on the coping and at the same time, I rotate the robot so that is it level.. Instead of pulling it straight up and allowing all the water to drain out the back..

I have also drilled a small hole in the handle, and have the cable zip-tied to the middle of the handle. The basic idea is to reduce any strain of the cable connection into the robot.. Not at all sure if that even matters...

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I didn't want to pull on the cord at all. I wish they included a button on the power supply to retrieve it. At least it is in the app, which I still need to download.
 
pf,

I have been using robot for about 15 years and I have never had an issue 'pulling' on the cord..

Obviously, you are not going to pull the robot out of the pool using the cord, but pulling it up and over to the side of the pool will not cause any issues..

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Thanks for this great thread and info. I have recently had to purchase a new robot, and after having read all the pros and cons in this thread I decided to go with the EVO. It was a good robot, but I had the same problem as one of the other thread contributors - with its ability to pick up really fine silt that gets left in the pool after the winds we get here in the CA desert. After trying it for a couple months with the fine mesh filter, I ended up returning it and purchasing an Active 20. The Active 20 is heavier, but it does a better job of picking up the silt I mentioned previously. So, just wanted to let you know my experience in case it helped someone else in the same situation. Lastly, I have to give a huge shout-out to Marina Pools and Spa for the help and troubleshooting they provided. Their service is second-to-none. Thanks again for this great thread!
 
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Quick update from using it for a couple of months - I regularly get palm tree trash spines/strings wrapped around in the middle of the front/back rollers, and it's a hassle to unwrap/remove them every week. the motor shaft/blades also got wrapped in those strings, same thing that I saw with the Dolphin S200. it might be a little easier to twist the cover off and clean the shaft. so not all rosy with this cleaner. Time will tell how long it'd last.
 

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Jimrahbe said:
Cay,

You don't have a robot problem... You have a landscape issue. :poke: :mrgreen:

Thanks,

Jim R.
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Unfortunately you are right Jim! I'm probably in the minority here, most people should not have these issues (except those with palm trees near the pool - we just had some pros cut/clean them up but didn't seem to help a whole lot). That said, I'm still hoping for a new robot without these flaws in the future versions.
 
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I just ordered a 604 from an online retailer here in Canada to replace my Dolphin S300. I didn't think it was worth paying C$150 more for the 614 as all it seems to give you is the app connectivity which is of limited use. The price was C$849 which is about US$620.
 
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I have used only Aquabot Classic up until this point in my 10 years of pool ownership. The first one was gifted to me when it was 10 years old and I got 3 years out of it before I stupidly dropped it one day. This thing was a tank! It climbed the walls of my above ground on EVERY PASS and was a huge help when opening the (some years) uncovered pool. However when it quit, money was tight and I went with a lesser (rover type) model for a few years. But I hated that it didn't climb the walls and so about 4 years ago bought another Classic. It performed just like the previous one, however this year outer coating of the cord was breached and the smaller interior cord got so twisted that it shorted out. I expected to get more than 4 years out of it based on my "original unit" but as the saying goes, "They don't make 'em like they used to". Anyway, finally to my question... Have any of you Evo owners had an Aquabot classic and how would you compare your EVO to it? I have read all 25 pages in this thread and just do not want to be overly disappointed if I pull the $800 trigger on a unit that isn't as robust as I found the Aquabot. Thanks!
 
Debris pick up is overall a big improvement over my last cleaner.

The baskets with the slit and trap door at the bottom let quite a bit of stuff out especially when the robot is being retrieved from the water.

The EVO's basket may be a little bit smaller in volume but its overall a much better design.
 
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My Dolphin S200 has bigger basket than my EVO, but I have found that when you have a lot of leaves, the 'bag' at the entry to the S200 basket will plug long before the basket is full..

My EVO does not seems to have that issue..

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
I have used my EVO 604 for a couple of days, and a few comments. I am mainly comparing it to a Dolphin S300 that was about six years old. I bought the 604 rather than the 614 since it is about C$150 cheaper and from what I have heard the app is pretty crappy so that is an egregious premium to pay. As far as I can tell the smart connectivity with the app via Bluetooth (or maybe wifi) is the only difference between the two models.
  • The Dolphin Caddy works for this cleaner. I was able to hook my control where the Dolphin caddy went and the cleaner sits in the lower spot. The cable is a little tricky to wind around the handle, but that was also the case with the dolphin.
  • The cleaner seems to do a better job picking up debris than the Dolphin, even compared to what I remember when the Dolphin was new.
  • The 604 seems to do a better job cleaning the entire pool. My Dolphin used to seem to miss a few spots, especially the shallow end which was the far end from the controller.
  • The cable has a swivel but it still seems to get a bit twisted.
  • The cable seems like it is less susceptible to degrading over time, but I guess I shall see. The blue cable on my Dolphin starting coming off on my hands.
  • As others have mentioned, the basket design seems better and seems less likely to clog. I didn't have a lot of leaves in my pool so I can't yet tell with a heavy load. But the basket is smaller. It is easier to rinse out the basket as well as the somewhat conical shape clears easier than the cubic shape of the Dolphin basket.
  • The water drains quicker than it did from the Dolphin which is nice. And debris doesn't seem to fall out when you take it out of the pool, unlike the Dolphin which would do this.
  • Even when set to wall+bottom mode it doesn't seem to climb up the walls as often as the Dolphin did and it doesn't horizontally scoot along the walls as much as the Dolphin. Not sure if this will be an issue.
  • The 604 handles my bottom drains better. The Dolphin used to sometimes get stuck, on these for a minute or two. The 604 just drives right over them.
  • I am pretty happy so far, especially given the reasonable price. Hopefully it lasts over five years!
Photo of the 604 on the Dolphin caddy:
1723431578823.jpeg
 
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First of all, thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread, it was very helpful to me. I had the Nitro Smart Kleen robot for 12 years, but is finally died last month, and the cable also began to deteriorate. It was an OK performer but never got to all of the pool. I spoke with Margaret at Marina pools and she suggested I look at the EVO line, as it would be all I really needed for my pool which is flat-bottomed, 4 ft deep, oddly shaped basically a triangle with the a small piece of the corners cut off! But I have trees surrounding it, mainly Texas Coastal Live Oaks and a couple of hackberrys. So there are lots of leaves all year round, plus acorns in the Fall.

After reading the comments here, I decided I did not need the app control system, and not needing a 60 ft cable nor concerned about the dual mode option, I decided to go with the 502 rather than the 604, saving $270. I was a little concerned that the lack of the extra pair of brushes might lessen performance, but since the Nitro only had one pair, it was worth a try. Also I was not concerned about the lack of the anti-tangle cable, since many comments here said that the device wasn't that good anyway!

So it arrived and I set it to work. There were lots of leaves, mostly the hackberry, spread out all across the floor. The robot did a good job of picking them up and also went into parts of the pool that the Nitro always missed. It did well climbing the walls and cleaning the waterline, and even climbed the steps which the Nitro never did. At one time I thought it would turn turtle coming off the steps, but it righted itself and continued.

When the cycle was over, there were still a few leaves here and there around the pool. When I removed it from the pool, the filter was completely filled with leaves, which may be the reason why some were left. It does not hold as much as the Nitro bag did, but it is far easier to clean with just the water hose.

I maybe should have emptied the filter mid-cycle but I am not sure if that will start the entire cycle over again. Any input on that will be appreciated.

Bottom line is that I am pleased so far, and if it lasts as long as the Nitro, I will be very happy. It cleans well with just the two front brushes.

I will run it again today to see if it picks up the few remaining leaves.
 
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Texaspops said:
First of all, thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread, it was very helpful to me. I had the Nitro Smart Kleen robot for 12 years, but is finally died last month, and the cable also began to deteriorate. It was an OK performer but never got to all of the pool. I spoke with Margaret at Marina pools and she suggested I look at the EVO line, as it would be all I really needed for my pool which is flat-bottomed, 4 ft deep, oddly shaped basically a triangle with the a small piece of the corners cut off! But I have trees surrounding it, mainly Texas Coastal Live Oaks and a couple of hackberrys. So there are lots of leaves all year round, plus acorns in the Fall.

After reading the comments here, I decided I did not need the app control system, and not needing a 60 ft cable nor concerned about the dual mode option, I decided to go with the 502 rather than the 604, saving $270. I was a little concerned that the lack of the extra pair of brushes might lessen performance, but since the Nitro only had one pair, it was worth a try. Also I was not concerned about the lack of the anti-tangle cable, since many comments here said that the device wasn't that good anyway!

So it arrived and I set it to work. There were lots of leaves, mostly the hackberry, spread out all across the floor. The robot did a good job of picking them up and also went into parts of the pool that the Nitro always missed. It did well climbing the walls and cleaning the waterline, and even climbed the steps which the Nitro never did. At one time I thought it would turn turtle coming off the steps, but it righted itself and continued.

When the cycle was over, there were still a few leaves here and there around the pool. When I removed it from the pool, the filter was completely filled with leaves, which may be the reason why some were left. It does not hold as much as the Nitro bag did, but it is far easier to clean with just the water hose.

I maybe should have emptied the filter mid-cycle but I am not sure if that will start the entire cycle over again. Any input on that will be appreciated.

Bottom line is that I am pleased so far, and if it lasts as long as the Nitro, I will be very happy. It cleans well with just the two front brushes.

I will run it again today to see if it picks up the few remaining leaves.
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Did you say 12 years?!
 
ifunlisted said:
Did you say 12 years?!
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Yes, bought in 2012, but I only ran it during the Summer, as I covered the pool November to April. Also I always took it out after each run and cleaned it out, and kept it in the garage between uses to keep it out of the hot sun. I did have to replace the bag about 3 years ago as the original developed holes, which cost me $35. I did try to fix it this time but to no avail, so decided to splurge on a new unit!

Any suggestions on what to do with the Nitro? The bag is still OK and so are the other components. Might be good for parts. I hate to just dump it!
 

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