- Jun 1, 2018
- 16,019
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
So this just happened....
- Thread starter JoyfulNoise
- Start date
Apsuhead
Bronze Supporter
- Apr 27, 2020
- 509
- Pool Size
- 19250
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-9)
- May 23, 2015
- 25,699
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I’m totally printing that out and hanging it up in my garage …
This is the only award that I have ever received.
May the 4th be with you!
- May 23, 2015
- 25,699
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
UPDATE - IT'S ALIVE !!!!!!!
(one of my all time favorite movies)
So I finished installing the carbon brushes and then I cleaned off the printed circuit board using IPA (isopropyl alcohol, not india pale ale ... although I do like a nice IPA every now and then ...). Sadly the PCB had some serious hot-spots on it and what looked like a fried tracing. I'm not sure how long it will hold up but it's likely to be the weakest link. After cleaning up all the o-ring seals and lubing everything, here are some pre- and post-assembly pictures -
You can see the old carbon brushes at the top and the new ones that I had to whittle down to get the correct shape and length.
The pump motor assembly was put back into place with the wire harness reattached and I added two desiccant packs (silica gel and clay). I hot glued them down.
I pulled out my suction cleaner and put the robot in for his first test run ... and off he goes!!
He cleans the tile line too ...
The App and Bluetooth controls still worked (thankfully) so I was able to do a test that I was really interested in - manual control to make the robot do it’s thrust turns. Before the robot died not only was it sluggish to move but when it would turn it could barely turn more than a few degrees. When new, a thrust turn should propel these bots about 90 degrees. So, when it was in the water, I put it in manual control mode and made it turn. Sure enough, BOOM, it reared up on its back brush really high and turned more than 90 degrees!!! Yay. So that tells me that the water pump motor which creates all the thrust in these bot, was severely degraded. It also moves faster in the forward direction which also indicates improved thrust. All in all, the robot is back to normal but definitely will need lots of TLC to keep it running. It completed a full 2 hour clean cycle and I pulled it from the water. The filter screens were full of pollen (it’s been bad here lately) and I hosed everything off. It will now dry off and remain outside the pool until I need it again.
At the end of the day, this is a rebuilt bot on a short lease for life. My plan is to use him here and there but never leave him in the water 24/7. Given the amount of time I dumped into rebuilding him and, not an insignificant amount of money in parts, my wildest dream would be to get another 5 years of service out of him. If I do, then it will still be the costliest cleaning choice I have ever made. All in all, I don't plan on buying another robot after this unless something significantly changes in how these robots are designed and engineered as well as priced and/or warrantied.
Words of Advice -
(one of my all time favorite movies)
So I finished installing the carbon brushes and then I cleaned off the printed circuit board using IPA (isopropyl alcohol, not india pale ale ... although I do like a nice IPA every now and then ...). Sadly the PCB had some serious hot-spots on it and what looked like a fried tracing. I'm not sure how long it will hold up but it's likely to be the weakest link. After cleaning up all the o-ring seals and lubing everything, here are some pre- and post-assembly pictures -
You can see the old carbon brushes at the top and the new ones that I had to whittle down to get the correct shape and length.
The pump motor assembly was put back into place with the wire harness reattached and I added two desiccant packs (silica gel and clay). I hot glued them down.
I pulled out my suction cleaner and put the robot in for his first test run ... and off he goes!!
He cleans the tile line too ...
The App and Bluetooth controls still worked (thankfully) so I was able to do a test that I was really interested in - manual control to make the robot do it’s thrust turns. Before the robot died not only was it sluggish to move but when it would turn it could barely turn more than a few degrees. When new, a thrust turn should propel these bots about 90 degrees. So, when it was in the water, I put it in manual control mode and made it turn. Sure enough, BOOM, it reared up on its back brush really high and turned more than 90 degrees!!! Yay. So that tells me that the water pump motor which creates all the thrust in these bot, was severely degraded. It also moves faster in the forward direction which also indicates improved thrust. All in all, the robot is back to normal but definitely will need lots of TLC to keep it running. It completed a full 2 hour clean cycle and I pulled it from the water. The filter screens were full of pollen (it’s been bad here lately) and I hosed everything off. It will now dry off and remain outside the pool until I need it again.
At the end of the day, this is a rebuilt bot on a short lease for life. My plan is to use him here and there but never leave him in the water 24/7. Given the amount of time I dumped into rebuilding him and, not an insignificant amount of money in parts, my wildest dream would be to get another 5 years of service out of him. If I do, then it will still be the costliest cleaning choice I have ever made. All in all, I don't plan on buying another robot after this unless something significantly changes in how these robots are designed and engineered as well as priced and/or warrantied.
Words of Advice -
- DO NOT leave these bots in the pool 24/7. It will kill them. You may be lucky and tempt fate and get away with it but once water makes it past one of the many seals, that PCB is completely exposed. It has no conformal coating on it (parylene) and so it can short out super easy.
- INSPECT THE MOTOR ASSEMBLY!! Once per year open the motor up and look for water incursion. If you can catch it early you can intervene. If you don’t, you’re looking at a dead motor.
Last edited:
Katodude
Silver Supporter
- Aug 22, 2017
- 2,999
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
This is wonderful!!!!
You are now officially Matt’s Robot Repairs. Please post your full address so we can send you thousands of dead robots to repair.
You are now officially Matt’s Robot Repairs. Please post your full address so we can send you thousands of dead robots to repair.
kul
Bronze Supporter
- Oct 1, 2021
- 1,434
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
- May 23, 2015
- 25,699
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I’m pretty sure if I post my address, robots will not be the only things people mail me or leave at my doorstep …
- May 23, 2015
- 25,699
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Thanks, but save the congrats until the end of the season. If it’s still working by then, I’ll feel much better about the repair job.
- May 23, 2015
- 25,699
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Also, when I did the out of water self-test the water pump motor sounded so much better … it went through all 3 speeds and just had a standard high-pitch whistling noise from the bearings. When I did the test prior to rebuilding it, the water pump wouldn’t change speeds and it sounded gravel-ly … I really, really wish Maytronics would have used brushless motors. These brushed motors are a nightmare to deal with.
Orion7319
Bronze Supporter
- Jul 1, 2020
- 1,442
- Pool Size
- 19775
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
When it goes, it doesn’t sound like it would be that hard to fix, if you have a decent temperature control soldering iron. I have a $20.00 Hakko clone that I’ve had for years now that I have repaired several arcade PCBs and CRT monitors with. It sounds like it’s just a matter of fixing a few traces.
Matt,
Good job..
So the brushes are external to the motor itself... Does this mean that you did nothing to the seal around the motor shaft where it exits the motor box??
I also assume that you did not do any bearing replacement.
Care to share the P/N of your new brushes??
Thanks,
Jim R.
Good job..
So the brushes are external to the motor itself... Does this mean that you did nothing to the seal around the motor shaft where it exits the motor box??
I also assume that you did not do any bearing replacement.
Care to share the P/N of your new brushes??
Thanks,
Jim R.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 16,019
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
- May 23, 2015
- 25,699
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Matt,
Good job..
So the brushes are external to the motor itself... Does this mean that you did nothing to the seal around the motor shaft where it exits the motor box??
I also assume that you did not do any bearing replacement.
Care to share the P/N of your new brushes??
Thanks,
Jim R.
I did replace the rear bearings. I’ll post more information when I get home tonight.
- Oct 25, 2015
- 5,813
- Pool Size
- 28000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Apsuhead
Bronze Supporter
- Apr 27, 2020
- 509
- Pool Size
- 19250
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-9)
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