My climbing pool robot cleaner is getting stuck on my pool stairs

Posted by Lawrence M. Seldin, CMC, CPC on June 22, 2006, 10:58 am

I was hoping you can help.

I have an in the ground pool. My pool robot climbs the walls fine and generally
works well. However,
my pool robot is trying to climb my pool stairs that lead to the outside and
keeps getting stuck on
the first stair. So when the robot gets stuck, he just stays there and no
further cleaning occurs.

Can you recommend an idea so that he won't get stuck. I tried to clean the
stairs and that did not
help. It seems that the first stair is just tall enough to make the robot stuck.

Thanks much,

Lawrence M. Seldin, CMC, CPC

Author of RECRUITSOURCE PEOPLESOFT EXAM and RECRUITSOURCE SAP/R3 EXAM
Author of POWER TIPS FOR THE APPLE NEWTON and INTRODUCTION TO CSP

NOTE: To send me an email, remove TAKEOUT from my email address:
larryTAKEOUT@seldin.net

NOTE: My web home page: www.seldin.net

Posted by Sacramento Dave on June 22, 2006, 11:10 am

What kind is it? I have a Polaris 280 . About every 5 min. there is a
reverse jet in the hose about 5' from the 280 it goes on and pulls the whole
unite backwards. Also I found if you watch it will never work you must peek
around the corner. Same sort of thing as watching water boiling.

>I was hoping you can help.
> I have an in the ground pool. My pool robot climbs the walls fine and
> generally works well. However,
> my pool robot is trying to climb my pool stairs that lead to the outside
> and keeps getting stuck on
> the first stair. So when the robot gets stuck, he just stays there and no
> further cleaning occurs.
> Can you recommend an idea so that he won't get stuck. I tried to clean the
> stairs and that did not
> help. It seems that the first stair is just tall enough to make the robot
> stuck.
> Thanks much,
> Lawrence M. Seldin, CMC, CPC
> Author of RECRUITSOURCE PEOPLESOFT EXAM and RECRUITSOURCE SAP/R3 EXAM
> Author of POWER TIPS FOR THE APPLE NEWTON and INTRODUCTION TO CSP
> NOTE: To send me an email, remove TAKEOUT from my email address:
> larryTAKEOUT@seldin.net
> NOTE: My web home page: www.seldin.net

Posted by BobK207 on June 22, 2006, 12:28 pm

Sacramento Dave wrote:

> What kind is it? I have a Polaris 280 . About every 5 min. there is a
> reverse jet in the hose about 5' from the 280 it goes on and pulls the whole
> unite backwards. Also I found if you watch it will never work you must peek
> around the corner. Same sort of thing as watching water boiling.

> >I was hoping you can help.
> > I have an in the ground pool. My pool robot climbs the walls fine and
> > generally works well. However,
> > my pool robot is trying to climb my pool stairs that lead to the outside
> > and keeps getting stuck on
> > the first stair. So when the robot gets stuck, he just stays there and no
> > further cleaning occurs.
> > Can you recommend an idea so that he won't get stuck. I tried to clean the
> > stairs and that did not
> > help. It seems that the first stair is just tall enough to make the robot
> > stuck.
> > Thanks much,
> > Lawrence M. Seldin, CMC, CPC
> > Author of RECRUITSOURCE PEOPLESOFT EXAM and RECRUITSOURCE SAP/R3 EXAM
> > Author of POWER TIPS FOR THE APPLE NEWTON and INTRODUCTION TO CSP
> > NOTE: To send me an email, remove TAKEOUT from my email address:
> > larryTAKEOUT@seldin.net
> > NOTE: My web home page: www.seldin.net

Ah! The old "automatic pool cleaner gets stuck problem"!

We had the same problem plus it would get wrapped around the handrail
going down the stairs.

I tried all sort of barriers, redirection vanes, etc I watched the
thing forever & it never got stuck BUT I'd come home from work & it
would be wrapped around the axle!

FInally (luckily) this could work, I shortened the supply hose &
slightly so it couldn't climb the stairs. I just brushed the stairs
myself everyday, forced me to get out & look the pool over for a few
minutes.

The random nature of the pool cleaners & pool geometry sometimes setup
situations where the things just get stuck. I agree with Dave that the
units with reversing jets are less likely to get stuck

cheers
Bob

Posted by Lawrence M. Seldin, CMC, CPC on June 23, 2006, 2:24 pm

> What kind is it? I have a Polaris 280 . About every 5 min. there is a
>reverse jet in the hose about 5' from the 280 it goes on and pulls the whole
>unite backwards. Also I found if you watch it will never work you must peek
>around the corner. Same sort of thing as watching water boiling.

My robot is an Aquavac 2.0. It does not have jets. It has wheels on the front
and the back that roll
forward and backward. It seems that after the front wheels clime my 1st step of
stairs that it then
loses traction and ends up that the front wheels are spinning in the air. Then
the back wheels do
not have enough traction, etc. to move backward, etc.

Lawrence M. Seldin, CMC, CPC

Author of RECRUITSOURCE PEOPLESOFT EXAM and RECRUITSOURCE SAP/R3 EXAM
Author of POWER TIPS FOR THE APPLE NEWTON and INTRODUCTION TO CSP

NOTE: To send me an email, remove TAKEOUT from my email address:
larryTAKEOUT@seldin.net

NOTE: My web home page: www.seldin.net

Posted by mm on June 22, 2006, 5:50 pm

On Thu, 22 Jun 2006 10:58:40 -0400, "Lawrence M. Seldin, CMC, CPC"

>I have an in the ground pool. My pool robot climbs the walls fine and generally

works well. However,

>my pool robot is trying to climb my pool stairs that lead to the outside and

keeps getting stuck on

>the first stair. So when the robot gets stuck, he just stays there and no

further cleaning occurs.

>Can you recommend an idea so that he won't get stuck. I tried to clean the

stairs and that did not

>help. It seems that the first stair is just tall enough to make the robot stuck.
>Thanks much,

Hey, my pool robot climbs up the stairs, out of the pool, up the wall
of the house, in a bedroom window, and then it gives M&M Peanuts to
the baby. You have it easy.

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