Robotic Pool Cleaner - A30i/S300i feedback

[dogmatix]

Hi, I am getting ready to buy a robotic pool cleaner and I have noted from the forum discussions that many people are happy with the Dolphin and I called Marina Pools to get the details of the models they sold. I am thinking really hard about the A30i - from your person experiences, can you tell me if the $250 additional cost is worth the bluetooth and remote start capabilities?

Thank you in advance for your time and feedback

 

[Jimrahbe]

dm,

It is a matter of what is important to you.. Do you really need all the bells and whistles? I have two S200s and would buy them again in a heart beat.

I do not personally need a cart, or a blue'd tooth, or anything else. I had a Dolphin Premier, with the remote. I used it once and it is still sitting the shelf.

All of their robots have a timer function, where the robot will automatically come on and run every day, or every 2 days, or 3 days for a week...

I got my S200s through Margaret at Marina pool and spa...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[bwikel]

My robot controller has a function where you can use a external timer to start/ stop it so I bought an outdoor wifi switch that I can set up and operate from an app on my phone. The switch was in the $20 range and it works great.

 

[dogmatix]

Thanks for your responses. I just ordered an A20/ S200 and I am looking forward to setting it up!!

 

[Jimrahbe]

dm,

Pretty hard to set up.. If I remember correctly, you plug it in and throw it in the pool...

Here is some free advice... Somehow it knows when you are watching it.. If I have a dime sized leaf in my pool, and I watch it, it will do everything but pick up that one leaf.. If I go away for 10 minutes, when I come back, the leaf will be gone... Just like magic...

I have never had it miss a spot... Of course, like all robots it will not clean steps or sun decks... So I sweep them into the main pool before I throw the robot in..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Culleebo]

dm,

It is a matter of what is important to you.. Do you really need all the bells and whistles? I have two S200s and would buy them again in a heart beat.

I do not personally need a cart, or a blue'd tooth, or anything else. I had a Dolphin Premier, with the remote. I used it once and it is still sitting the shelf.

All of their robots have a timer function, where the robot will automatically come on and run every day, or every 2 days, or 3 days for a week...

I got my S200s through Margaret at Marina pool and spa...

Thanks,

Jim R.

Hey Jim,
What filters did you say to ask Margaret for when purchasing the S200 through Marina Pool & Spa?

 

[Jimrahbe]

The S200 comes with the pleated filter that looks like this... Amazon.com : Dolphin Ultra-fine Filter Panels : Gateway

And if you ask, Margaret will add a Rough Filter at no extra charge.. I have the rough filter, but I can't see where it makes a lick of difference... Amazon.com : Dolphin Rough Filter : Gateway

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[bmoreswim]

The S200 comes with the pleated filter that looks like this... Amazon.com : Dolphin Ultra-fine Filter Panels : Gateway

And if you ask, Margaret will add a Rough Filter at no extra charge.. I have the rough filter, but I can't see where it makes a lick of difference... Amazon.com : Dolphin Rough Filter : Gateway

Thanks,

Jim R.

I don't think adding the rough filter in addition to the fine filters makes a lick of difference in the cleaning ability, but it does make a notable difference in the ease of cleaning out the fine filters. The rough filter stops all of the small leaflets and such, including dog hair, from getting into the pleats of the fine filters. It just takes that bit of frustration away when cleaning the pleated filters. And removing a small frustration from something I do every week is nice.

You will really enjoy your S200. I have the A20.

 

[Jimrahbe]

I must be doing something wrong, as my rough filters stop very little.. almost everything gets to the fine filters... You can't really put it in wrong, so I am not sure what it could be..

Jim R.

 

[bmoreswim]

I wonder if there is something that is keeping the rough filter insert from seating down all the way and allowing a bypass of the rough.

The only material that makes its way to my pleated filters is dust-like debris. Which I think is dust and the the really the slow wearing off of my plain plaster finish.