Will this be ok with a Vinyl Siding Inground Pool?
I believe that this style of cleaner is specifically for in-ground pools with solid walls. Not recommened for above ground vinyl-pools.
Will this work (and survive!) in salt water pools?
I have the 2-year ago Woot offering for the Black Pearl in my vinyl liner pool, and it works fine. The low voltage is no issue for human swimmers; plus, it stand to reason the control box would be smart about moving current out one wire that is not being received back in the other (ie, think GFCI). We play with it all the time (have lap races, etc. Easy to beat it)
what about a pebble tec pool surface? I had one that ate the whole bottom of the cleaner because of the rough pebble surface. This would pay for itself in 6 months for what my pool man charges. Thanks for any info!!
We have an inground pool with a vinyl liner and have had a similar pool cleaner (different brand though it looks very similar) now for a few years and these things are awesome. No more pushing the pole around the pool to clean it and these things pick up way more than the regular vacuum ever did. They are stronger because they don’t work through the pool filter. Hair, sand, dirt, it picks up all of it. I can’t recommend these things enough!
I bought a blue pearl from woot and it died after one season. I loved it when it worked. Cleaning the bag was not fun. Someone out there sells disposable bags for it though.I think they are called nasty bags. Overall I would not buy again. It was handy but for that price every year I can have someone come clean my pool.
No, actually, it works because it comes with its own Ninja, who pushes it around the bottom of the pool, akin to a (gas powered) lawn mower, as you can easily see from that first picture.
Oh, wait. I forgot that to most people Ninjas don’t show up in pictures.
No wonder why so much confusion.
I, too purchased the previous woot! blue pearl version. It was possibly the best investment I’ve ever made. It cleans EVERYTHING and it all gets put in the bag.
Of course, it’s not all perfect.
Some tips:
1.) Once the little guy is done cleaning, leave him in the water for at least half an hour before pulling it out to clean. This allows the motor to cool completely, since the replacement cost is essentially the same as a new unit.
2.) Remove any ‘sharp’ debris manually before throwing the robot in the pool. The PVA brushes are a foam-rubber type, and can scratch if you are not careful.
3.) Completely clean the unit. This is a chore, you have to disassemble the thing and it is not a quick task (might spend 15-20 minutes to thoroughly clean the bag and parts). However, this is still much quicker than manually vacuuming the pool and dealing with the hoses/etc.
4.) Store the unit in a decent spot and DON’T leave it in the pool for extended periods of time.
One last note, this thing is heavy, especially when bringing it out of the pool! They do sell a cart that may be a wise investment for transportation.
I would definitely buy again.
I have the same blue pearl, and its worked fine (but I’m curious how yours failed?). On the issue of bag cleaning, I’ve found some tips that make it a snap. I bought an extra, so always have one ready to go. But beyond that, I find that if you turn it inside out right after using it, that a running hose inside the bag, shooting water thru it, cleans the bag in seconds. Just twirl the bag around, with the hose spiggot inside, and all the crap comes out. Just aim it towards some woodsy area, and your done.
Another Woot “Roomba” … Don’t tell Dyson…
I found some mixed reviews on Amazon, mostly not good ones.
Amazon.com: Water Tech PEARL Blue Pearl Robotic Pool Cleaner: Patio, Lawn & Garden
I bought this pool cleaner for the same price from woot a little over a year ago(6/30/11) and it’s been great…it does just as good of a job getting all the stuff from the bottom of the pool as my hayward pool vac and it goes all the way up the sides to the water line even cleaning the tile at the top which allowed me to cut way back on brushing the pool.
Dang, I want one of those for my saltwater pool! so tired of the hoses and the attachments and not being able to get every little collection of sand and rocks at the bottom because I can’t see down there. I just wished I had the cash right now…
That is exactly how I clean our bag and I agree, it works best. I too have 2 bags and sometimes I will just put it in a bucket of water if I don’t have time right then and there to clean it, and then use I the hose on it in the same fashion, or I just do it when I pull it out of the cleaner.
Great deal! I would have bought this instead of the hayward vac (that keeps getting stuck in corners) i got on sale 2 months ago.
Another testimonial from a wooter who previously bought the Blue Pearl model two years ago: best investment I have ever made. It saves so much work, cleans so much gunk, and is negligible on electricity use. I’m seriously considering buying this one as a backup.
So as a new homeowner as of 2 weeks ago [with a pool]… I am debating if I should get this or a Polaris 360 [the one that does not require a booster pump].
My pool is an in-ground, vinyl liner, pool. Screened in. 18x36 4feet deep down to 8~9 feet deep. I think that puts it at over 30,000 gallons?
I don’t really ever see too much in the skimmer. Most of the debris is on the floor and consists of millipedes and dirt.
Suction, Pressure, Robot? Jump on this? Wait for something else? I’m currently doing it by hand and it is quickly becoming a tiring.
OK, I just went in for one.
So, can someone with this EXACT model tell me what specific part number for a second bag I should order from WaterTech’s website? I appears they have removed every trace of this product from their site. I assume I can buy the same bag they have for the pearl or diamond but want to make sure.
You know, salt-water pools aren’t “SALTY WATER” right? They’re still chlorine pools, they just make their chlorine from minuscule amounts of salt and electricity instead of adding massive amounts of chlorine.