I see they are up and running again. Anyone purchase through their site yet? Reviews?
www.skimbot.com
www.skimbot.com
Skimbot
- Thread starter Pool_Medic
- Start date
- May 23, 2015
- 24,492
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Look up Solar Breeze NX or NX2. A few people have posted about them. Same kind of roving skimmer. Rechargeable batteries don’t last as long and the units will get stuck in corners, rock features or shallow steps. Some people have had to lower their water level an inch or so to keep the unit from getting wedged under cantilever coping.
For a little bit more money (like $100) you can buy a Dolphin robot cleaner that will be far more effective at cleaning your pool than that toy skimmer.
For a little bit more money (like $100) you can buy a Dolphin robot cleaner that will be far more effective at cleaning your pool than that toy skimmer.
If these were reliable I know 30 clients that would buy them in a heart beat. A robot grabs what has sunk, but pools are constantly requiring skimming, skimming that certain owners won’t do.
BowserB
Silver Supporter
- Jul 29, 2018
- 777
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Agreed Pool Medic. My Dolphin M500 with three brushes gets the bottom and sides, mostly, but floating stuff when the pump is off just sits there. I can skim with a net, but that's about 10 hours a day when I might need to do something else (my filter pump runs at night for low electric cost.) Eventually everything sinks, but until then I'd like to get them skimmed. I've looked at Solar Breeze a couple times. When I've finished reading all the reviews I can find, then I conclude that $600+ for the apparently short life of the thing, is excessive. It seems that two years is common and some not that long. I welcome a competitor to this field and will make a note of skimbot and follow it on the web, but I'm too old to be a guinea pig. I want to hear that they last at least three or four years or have a four year replacement warranty with no charges on warranty shipping. I really like the idea, but so far hate the poor reliability (of Solar Breeze anyway.)
I’m always skeptical of anything that’s just sold by one person or company. There is no mention of warranty or even part availability. I wish Pentair or Hayward would develop a solar powered surface skimmer or even buy out these guys.
Katodude
Silver Supporter
- Aug 22, 2017
- 2,627
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I have had some pretty good experience with my Solar Breeze. This is actually the 3rd one that I have owned. The customer service at the company is very good. They have offered a discount to legacy owners. Each model is better than the last and is also built better. The NX2 seems pretty solid, but I have had it for less than a year. Between the 2 year warranty and the credit card I now have a 3 year warranty for this thing which is reasonable. Are there some other features I wish it had, sure, but I guess that is for the next one.
I really hate anything that floats in my pool and I do get a lot of stuff. The NX2 does a really good job of picking up most of it up. My manual skimming is fairly minimal compared to what it used to be.
I really hate anything that floats in my pool and I do get a lot of stuff. The NX2 does a really good job of picking up most of it up. My manual skimming is fairly minimal compared to what it used to be.
I just learned recently after buying my new fridge that discover stopped offering their extra protection. All big purchases For me will now go on Visa/MasterCard and I’ll doublecheck before.
Katodude
Silver Supporter
- Aug 22, 2017
- 2,627
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I usually buy most things with my Amex and they are incredibly good at their warranty claims. In fact I would in most cases rather claim from Amex than the manufacturers.
Discover was too until I looked it up after the fact. Turns out I deleted that ‘change of terms’ email with the 57 other ones like it that day.
Exlonghorn
Gold Supporter
- Jun 16, 2019
- 119
- Pool Size
- 18000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Truclear / Ei
I had my gen 1 Solar Breeze for a year before the paddle wheel gears gave out and stopped propelling the unit. Sent the unit back and they replaced the parts under warranty, but it took over a month in the middle of summer. The solar panels are also clouding over at 18 months. There are plenty of products that have solar panels that can go YEARS being outside 24/7 without this problem, so I consider this another function of a cheaply-built product. The latest issue is that when I move the power switch to the OFF position, the unit simply starts running in the opposite direction...a bizarre flaw in the design that should be impossible. The design is really good overall, but the materials in the first generation unit are pretty poor. I suppose I'll try the second generation when this one finally die out again, but I'm going to closely look at the latest reviews before deciding.
BowserB
Silver Supporter
- Jul 29, 2018
- 777
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Here is the complete list of surface skimmers that I have seen: Skim Devil, Solar Breeze NX2, SolaSkimmer, Skim King, Skimbot. If I can determine one with 90+ percent 4 or 5 star average reviews, I'm buying it. So far, though, no luck.
All I’ve seen are the small start ups that are over priced, we need Hayward or Pentair to buy out one of these guys and up the quality control.
