Hi swolk,
I just bought EVO 614iq after my active 30i died. I bought from Marina because of all the good mentions about them on this site. However if you read through this thread you have to pay to send it back to Marina for warrantee work if needed.
I have only had it for about a week and I have fine filter as well as standard filter. In my opinion either my pool is a lot cleaner this year (which I doubt) or the pleated filters do much better. If you look back in this thread I believe Jim posted pic of fine mud the fine filter picked up after her got the fine filter and it was a bunch of fine mud or silt. This is what I would get many times with the Active 30 filter, but I am personally not getting it with the fine filter, but the water looks ok.
The Evo has an app to set a daily schedule, which I have not set up yet because I am lazy and do not want to give out all the personal info they require to start it, so I have been pushing the buttons like I did with the Active 30i.
The pro's so far of this unit over the Active 20 (which was what I was considering to buy) is that the cord is thicker and stiffer and the swivel is much better than A20. While this cord can twist it is much less and much much easier to get untwisted. I have run the unit 3 cycles without untwisting (after 3 cycles I took it out to swim not because the line was twisted). the unit is also stronger on suction and has climbed my stairs and tried to clean my steps but it does not do much but at least it returns to the pool and does not flip on its back the way my A30i did if it attempted to climb the steps, which meant someone had to upright it manually so it could run again. It also does not hang up on the bottom drain which A30i did almost all the time, even with bottom drain turned off. I bought a ramp cover to solve the problem but it just sat on top of the drain cover unattached and frequently would get pushed off and it was a pain to reset it. I think Jim is correct that the 2 motors on the Evo prevents it from hanging up on the bottom drain.
Con's vs Active 20 are; there is no automation mode so you can not just plug it into a smart plug and program it to run 3 cycles during the night. Both units usually take 2 cycles to get the entire pool sometimes 3. I feel the fine filters in the A20 catch more in my pool than the fine filter in the Evo, I am not getting that fine silt like stuff that I usually get, however Jim did, so I do not know what to make of it. Cleaning the Evo's filters is much quicker and less messy than A20 because I can use a mist which does not splash as much and only takes a minute but I do not think it will last as long, time will tell and if does not last, it will be worth the $50 for the ease and quickness of cleaning. The other big con is I could buy the A20 locally for $100 more than cost of Evo and take it back for repairs during warrantee. In fact 1 month after my warrantee expired on my A30i the motor was replaced buy this local store (where I bought it). but I had complained about the unit previously so they honored the warrantee. I really would like to have that Automation mode and local warrantee but the real question and deciding factor between the 2 is how long will it last, time will tell.
I just bought EVO 614iq after my active 30i died. I bought from Marina because of all the good mentions about them on this site. However if you read through this thread you have to pay to send it back to Marina for warrantee work if needed.
I have only had it for about a week and I have fine filter as well as standard filter. In my opinion either my pool is a lot cleaner this year (which I doubt) or the pleated filters do much better. If you look back in this thread I believe Jim posted pic of fine mud the fine filter picked up after her got the fine filter and it was a bunch of fine mud or silt. This is what I would get many times with the Active 30 filter, but I am personally not getting it with the fine filter, but the water looks ok.
The Evo has an app to set a daily schedule, which I have not set up yet because I am lazy and do not want to give out all the personal info they require to start it, so I have been pushing the buttons like I did with the Active 30i.
The pro's so far of this unit over the Active 20 (which was what I was considering to buy) is that the cord is thicker and stiffer and the swivel is much better than A20. While this cord can twist it is much less and much much easier to get untwisted. I have run the unit 3 cycles without untwisting (after 3 cycles I took it out to swim not because the line was twisted). the unit is also stronger on suction and has climbed my stairs and tried to clean my steps but it does not do much but at least it returns to the pool and does not flip on its back the way my A30i did if it attempted to climb the steps, which meant someone had to upright it manually so it could run again. It also does not hang up on the bottom drain which A30i did almost all the time, even with bottom drain turned off. I bought a ramp cover to solve the problem but it just sat on top of the drain cover unattached and frequently would get pushed off and it was a pain to reset it. I think Jim is correct that the 2 motors on the Evo prevents it from hanging up on the bottom drain.
Con's vs Active 20 are; there is no automation mode so you can not just plug it into a smart plug and program it to run 3 cycles during the night. Both units usually take 2 cycles to get the entire pool sometimes 3. I feel the fine filters in the A20 catch more in my pool than the fine filter in the Evo, I am not getting that fine silt like stuff that I usually get, however Jim did, so I do not know what to make of it. Cleaning the Evo's filters is much quicker and less messy than A20 because I can use a mist which does not splash as much and only takes a minute but I do not think it will last as long, time will tell and if does not last, it will be worth the $50 for the ease and quickness of cleaning. The other big con is I could buy the A20 locally for $100 more than cost of Evo and take it back for repairs during warrantee. In fact 1 month after my warrantee expired on my A30i the motor was replaced buy this local store (where I bought it). but I had complained about the unit previously so they honored the warrantee. I really would like to have that Automation mode and local warrantee but the real question and deciding factor between the 2 is how long will it last, time will tell.
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