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\nFeatures to\u00a0Look For When Buying a Robotic Pool Cleaner<\/h2>\n
Here are the most important features\u00a0you should take into account when selecting a robotic\u00a0cleaner for your pool.<\/p>\n
TANGLE-FREE CABLES<\/h3>\n
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Robotic cleaners are constantly spinning around and climbing steps and walls, so your cable\u00a0can\u00a0end up a tangled mess without a\u00a0good cable swivel.<\/p>\n
Tangled power cables is\u00a0the most annoying part\u00a0of owning\u00a0a pool cleaner. Do not cheat yourself out of a tangle-free setup just to save a few bucks!<\/p>\n
Luckily, the underwater robot cable swivel has arrived. In\u00a0our opinion, it\u2019s one of the best engineering achievements for automatic\u00a0pool cleaners.<\/p>\n
Without a swivel in place, pool owners spend a lot of time detangling the power cords.<\/p>\n
When the power cord becomes a tangled spider web, efficiency and efficiency both disappear – for owner and robot.<\/p>\n
NAVIGATION<\/h3>\n
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Some automatic cleaners move\u00a0randomly around the pool. Others use microprocessor-controlled navigation to tackle cleaning the pool in a very determined and reliable way.<\/p>\n
Pool cleaners without Intelligent Navigation cost less, but they take more time to clean your pool, which uses more energy is used. This also\u00a0can reduce the number of cleaning cycles you get out of your unit before it\u2019s damaged.<\/p>\n
We particularly like the new Variable Interval Timer feature. A number of the newer cleaners are so effective that there’s no reason to operate them every day for many pools.<\/p>\n
Variable Interval Timers allow your cleaner complete flexibility to run every two days, daily, or every three days. Now that’s energy efficient!<\/p>\n
WALL CLEANING<\/h3>\n
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Did you know just 1% of the debris in a typical pool is in the water? The remaining 99% is on the wall.<\/p>\n
Many cleaners only vacuum up loose trash, whereas others will clear every square inch of the pool with powerful spinning brushes. This is the key to dislodging dirt, dust and other contaminants.<\/p>\n
A number of the newer units are not bad at removing material that\u2019s stuck on the wall including the bacteria, algae, and biofilm which tend to attach themselves to the wall of every pool.<\/p>\n
Larger wheels, a jet propulsion unit and grabbing brushes all\u00a0help a unit walk up a wall effectively.<\/p>\n
CLEANING CYCLE<\/h3>\n
Some pool cleaners function for 6 or more hours a day. Others use only 3 hours to complete the cleaning cycle.<\/p>\n
A cleaner that\u2019s more effective in cleaning in a shorter period of time will cost less to run.<\/p>\n
For the best robotic pool products, there\u2019s no need to manage them every day; 2-3 times weekly is sufficient for many pools.<\/p>\n
WARRANTY<\/h3>\n
Getting\u00a0a robotic cleaner repaired can be very expensive.<\/p>\n
To avoid this expense, choose a unit\u00a0with at the least a two-year non-prorated warranty. A couple of models have three year low-prorated warranties which are\u00a0even better.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll eventually have to\u00a0replace a motor after\u00a0the warranty expires. This can be a costly surprise for swimming pool owners, as some motors cost\u00a0almost as much as\u00a0a new unit.<\/p>\n
Search for cleaners using a substitute motor price that\u2019s $450 or less.<\/p>\n
ENERGY EFFICIENCY<\/h3>\n
Modern automatic pool cleaners feature 12- or 24-volt DC motors that consume about 90% less power than AC motors. Robots with DC motors can work for about 5 cents an\u00a0hour on as little as 180 watts.<\/p>\n
Energy Star<\/a> will begin reviewing robotic cleaners in the next several years.<\/p>\nThat will be great, but you cannot focus just on the watts when considering the power efficiency. The power rating is just one component in energy efficiency.<\/p>\n
There are 3 other things to think about, too:<\/p>\n
\n- Brush\u00a0Contact w\/ Surface<\/strong>: cleaners with rubber tracks possess a large desperate contact patch that grabs the pool surface a lot better than wheels and plastic tracks can. Efficiency increases.<\/li>\n
- Intelligent Navigation<\/strong> further increases efficiency and allows the microprocessor to manage the road taken. Entry-level cleaners move the pool. There isn’t any since in within the same element of the share over and over. Intelligent Navigation works intelligent, saving you money.<\/li>\n
- A Variable Interval Timer<\/strong> will allow your cleaner start only once needed, that may increase productivity by up to 3X. Nearly all products include just a daily timer. Why clean your pool when every other day is all that is expected?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n