Running a bottom drain for the robot vs just relying on the pump timer

Started by robotvic · · 4 replies
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#1
Been going back and forth on this one. Right now my Scuba S1 and the E10 just run on their own timers independent of the main pump, which works fine except when the main pump is also running and stirring stuff up mid cycle, feels like the robots are chasing debris that's still settling. Other option is syncing the robot schedule to start after the pump shuts off so the water's calm, basically giving it a clean slate instead of fighting the current.

I tried syncing them for about two weeks and the bins came out noticeably fuller, less fine silt left on the floor after. But it means babysitting two different schedules instead of just letting everything run independent.

Anyone actually timed theirs deliberately like this or am I overthinking what's basically a wash cycle for a pool. Curious if the gain is worth the hassle long term or if it was just a fluke two weeks.

4 Replies

#2
Not a fluke, running the robot while the main pump is on means you've got return jets pushing water across the floor fighting whatever path the Sigma, er sorry the Scuba's trying to take, so it's literally working against current not just chasing settling silt. I run mine the same way, robot kicks off about 20 min after the pump shuts down so everything's dead calm, bins are noticeably fuller too. Two schedules is mildly annoying but it's a one time setup in the app, not actual babysitting.
#3
No robot here, service does the floor, but the current fighting current thing tracks, my spa jets stir up enough sand to make a mini sandstorm if I run them with the pump on the wrong cycle. Set it once and forget it, that's not babysitting.
#4
marcus's point about the jets literally fighting the robot's path makes a lot more sense than just "settling silt" to me, i don't have a robot yet but i noticed the same deal with my manual vac, trying to push it around while the pump's on is like dragging it through a current. one thing nobody mentioned though is water temp changing the settling time too, my deep end stuff takes longer to drop in cold months so the "wait 20 min after pump" number probably isn't one size fits all year round.
#5
Yeah the current fighting current thing is real, I don't even run a robot but I've watched my manual vac get pushed sideways mid pass when the pump's on, waste of time. Tyler's onto something with temp too, in winter my floor stuff just sits there longer before it settles so one fixed wait time isn't gonna hold up year round.