Pool Cleaning Robot?
Pool Cleaning Robot?
Has anyone seen one of those pool cleaning robots for sale anywhere here in Thailand? They are very much available in the west. Simply hook it up, lower it into the pool and it moves along under it's own power (or power from your vaccum in take port), cleaning the pool bottom in the same manner that a manual cleaning process accomplishes. Thanks. Pete
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Thanks HH. Yes concerning pool services, however I'm out in the sticks when it comes to things like that. None available unless they drive for 45 minutes from Pattaya. Petehhfarang wrote:No Pete, I saw them all over California and Florida but have never seen one here. Everyone uses a pool cleaning service.
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Re: Pool Cleaning Robot?
The Australian made ones are called: Kreepy Krawly. http://www.allbrands.com.au/pool_cleaners.phpprcscct wrote:Has anyone seen one of those pool cleaning robots for sale anywhere here in Thailand? They are very much available in the west. Simply hook it up, lower it into the pool and it moves along under it's own power (or power from your vaccum in take port), cleaning the pool bottom in the same manner that a manual cleaning process accomplishes. Thanks. Pete
I am sure that I have seen them in Bangkok at one of the bigger pool shops, but not sure which shop. Other Australian made pool equipment is available here, so should be around someplace.
May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!
We got an equivalent to the Kreepy Krawly thing for our pool in Spain. It simply headed for a corner and sulked. Moving it away meant a clean line back to the same corner. The pool floor is flat, No deep end, so gravity wasn't to blame. Essentially a waste of money. I think if you pay for a real robot cleaner (several hundreds if not a thousand dollars worth), then it will probably do the job so long as you don't have a significant gradient on the pool floor. If you do, then it will just go round in circles at the deep end.
Pete,
Maybe a better idea would be to go to a pool shop in Pattaya and buy the necessary equipment and chemicals for a few months, then teach some Thai kid in your neighborhood how to do it for a few baht a week.
There would be a big initial outlay (I don't know if it would be more or less than a robot), but your pool would probably ultimately stay cleaner and you'd be providing a job for one of the local Thais in your village/town.
If that robot ever broke you'd have a helluva time trying to get it repaired here. If the Thai worker broke, you just go find and train a new one!
Just a thought...
Maybe a better idea would be to go to a pool shop in Pattaya and buy the necessary equipment and chemicals for a few months, then teach some Thai kid in your neighborhood how to do it for a few baht a week.
There would be a big initial outlay (I don't know if it would be more or less than a robot), but your pool would probably ultimately stay cleaner and you'd be providing a job for one of the local Thais in your village/town.
If that robot ever broke you'd have a helluva time trying to get it repaired here. If the Thai worker broke, you just go find and train a new one!
Just a thought...
If it broke, I could always call Winkie?..LOL. I do it all myself now, but as you can imagine, it's like an hour of watching paint dry. I also do the chemical runs to Pattaya myself when needed. Just put hydrochloric acid in the pool this morning, got a whif of the fumes and now my nasal hairs are falling out onto my keyboard as I type!hhfarang wrote:Pete,
Maybe a better idea would be to go to a pool shop in Pattaya and buy the necessary equipment and chemicals for a few months, then teach some Thai kid in your neighborhood how to do it for a few baht a week.
There would be a big initial outlay (I don't know if it would be more or less than a robot), but your pool would probably ultimately stay cleaner and you'd be providing a job for one of the local Thais in your village/town.
If that robot ever broke you'd have a helluva time trying to get it repaired here. If the Thai worker broke, you just go find and train a new one!
Just a thought...
I've thought about the kid idea, and I'm still thinking. If one screws up which valves have to be open and which closed when cleaning and backwashing, you literally can blow up your filter casing, and probably the pump room with it. He also couldn't handle the acid and powdered chlorine as the fumes can be bad and dangerous if any breeze at all. Spillage of the acid is an entirely different subject and very dangerous to life, limb and anything it lands on except stone. Still thinking. Pete
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Pete, I do not know if you are aware, or were not informed by your pool supplier, but the ONLY way to run a pool is with a saltwater chlorination system. No chemicals, no smell and a damn sight more healthy for you and and the pool.
Yes, you still have to backwash and vacuum the pool, and clean the filter, but there is no problem trying to get the chemical balance right. A lot cheaper to run as well, a bag of salt now and then, and maybe some algae inhibitor. Also clean the grid on the chlorinator, which is obvious when it needs doing, and not a big job.
The only problem that I have found here with them is if the water has a lot of calcium salts in it, it will clog up the chlorinator more often, so it needs to topped up with surface water, rather than underground water.
Yes, you still have to backwash and vacuum the pool, and clean the filter, but there is no problem trying to get the chemical balance right. A lot cheaper to run as well, a bag of salt now and then, and maybe some algae inhibitor. Also clean the grid on the chlorinator, which is obvious when it needs doing, and not a big job.
The only problem that I have found here with them is if the water has a lot of calcium salts in it, it will clog up the chlorinator more often, so it needs to topped up with surface water, rather than underground water.
May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!
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Wanderlust
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Probably a spelling error there! Chlorine is used to make Hypochlorous AcidWanderlust wrote:I know nothing about pools, so excuse me for being ignorant with this question/statement, but are you serious when you say you put hydrochloric acid in the pool? Are you sure you don't mean chlorine?
May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!
Re: Salt-water pools:
Yes diluted Hydrochloric acid (aka Muriatic acid) is added to lower the pH levels, you can also use dry acid. In tropical climates like Thailand the pH levels are likely to be high (high alkalinity) and need to be brought down to just above neutral. It should be added gradually over a number of days, watered down in a bucket and added next to water inlets only when pump is running. Or Thai style .... 3 days worth in 20 seconds by walking around the pool edge pouring it straight in
pH balance/water chemistry is the most difficult part of maintaining a pool imo, some people maintain their pools with ease, some fail miserably and have all sorts of problems. If you are unqualified to maintain the pool yourself your equipment warranties are void.
Anti-algaecide should be added regularly otherwise little green plants grow on the pool surfaces.
As Nereus said ground water (well/bore) is high in calcium and iron, therefore an additional chemical should be added as its un-practicle to get a tanker in just to top a pool up 1 inch.
Cyanuric acid (stabiliser) should be added to make chlorine more effective.
Often the pool cleaners chuck chlorine in the water to give is a boost.
A few customers have tried to do it themselves but they only know/do about 30% of the actual tasks required and then end up with problems.
A robot does not take care of any of the above.
SJ
Yes diluted Hydrochloric acid (aka Muriatic acid) is added to lower the pH levels, you can also use dry acid. In tropical climates like Thailand the pH levels are likely to be high (high alkalinity) and need to be brought down to just above neutral. It should be added gradually over a number of days, watered down in a bucket and added next to water inlets only when pump is running. Or Thai style .... 3 days worth in 20 seconds by walking around the pool edge pouring it straight in
pH balance/water chemistry is the most difficult part of maintaining a pool imo, some people maintain their pools with ease, some fail miserably and have all sorts of problems. If you are unqualified to maintain the pool yourself your equipment warranties are void.
Anti-algaecide should be added regularly otherwise little green plants grow on the pool surfaces.
As Nereus said ground water (well/bore) is high in calcium and iron, therefore an additional chemical should be added as its un-practicle to get a tanker in just to top a pool up 1 inch.
Cyanuric acid (stabiliser) should be added to make chlorine more effective.
Often the pool cleaners chuck chlorine in the water to give is a boost.
A few customers have tried to do it themselves but they only know/do about 30% of the actual tasks required and then end up with problems.
A robot does not take care of any of the above.
SJ
All is under control guys, I've been doing this a long time here and abroad. No problems at all, except the vaccum chore. Acid question seems to have been answered. Saltwater pools makes the alkalinity a bit more tricky and PH to keep in line. The salt in the pool is producing CHLORINE through the electrodes in the machinery installed for the salt. Don't let anyone ever tell you a saltwater pool doesn't have chlorine in it. It is not like you're swimming in the ocean. My pool started life as a salt system. I didn't like it and have reverted back to regular chlorine. Much easier to maintain. Once all is balanced, it's easy to maintain all chemical levels. Yes, an algaecide like 'clear pool' is very useful and helps to keep your tile grout lines free from growing algae.
Only reason I was attracted to the robot is because my daughter has one at her place in California and it works very well. Besides the bottom, it actually climbs and cleans the sides as well. Pete
Only reason I was attracted to the robot is because my daughter has one at her place in California and it works very well. Besides the bottom, it actually climbs and cleans the sides as well. Pete
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Finally after searching high and low, primarily at the big shops in Bangkok, I find a company in Pattaya that carries them. 
http://www.pattayapool.co.th/index.htm
Baracuda Genie II made by Zodiac in Australia. Cost about 600 AUD there, but about 40,000 Baht here. 100% tax plus shop profit/costs.
I also understand there are a few shops in Phuket that carry same or similar for about the same cost. Pete
http://www.pattayapool.co.th/index.htmBaracuda Genie II made by Zodiac in Australia. Cost about 600 AUD there, but about 40,000 Baht here. 100% tax plus shop profit/costs.
I also understand there are a few shops in Phuket that carry same or similar for about the same cost. Pete
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source