Robot pool cleaners divide into two broad classes, and they fail in completely different ways. Submerged cleaners work the floor, walls, and waterline. Surface skimmers stay on top and collect floating debris, usually running on solar. Identify which you have before troubleshooting — advice for one is frequently wrong for the other.
What typically goes wrong
Submerged cleaners
- Won't climb walls, or slides back down. Usually worn brushes, algae film on the wall, or a filter full enough to reduce suction.
- Won't sink, or floats at an angle. Trapped air. The unit needs to go in vertically and be held until bubbles stop.
- Misses areas. Irregular pool shapes defeat coverage patterns, and a running pump or filter system creates currents that push the machine off course.
- Moving in circles. Debris blocking the impeller or jamming a wheel or track on one side.
- Won't charge. Wet or dirty charging port, a damaged cord, or a non-original charger.
Surface skimmers
- Stops running at night or in poor weather. On solar units this is expected behavior, not a fault — they enter a low-power state and resume when light returns.
- Short run times. Mineral residue filming the solar panel, or a debris basket left full.
- Stranding on steps and ledges. Shallow structures catch the hull; most units have adjustable anti-stranding bars for exactly this.
- Circling. One propeller fouled with hair, string, or leaf stems.
Setup fundamentals
Water chemistry and temperature first
Balanced water is a support issue, not just a pool-care one. Heavy algae makes walls too slippery to climb. High mineral content leaves residue on solar panels and sensors. Check your model's rated salinity limit if you run a salt pool — some units are rated for salt water up to a stated concentration and voided outright by sea water.
Turn the pump off while the robot runs
Filtration currents push cleaners off their intended path and are a leading cause of "it misses half the pool." Run the robot with the pool equipment off wherever your setup allows.
Clean the filter or basket every cycle or two
This is the highest-value maintenance task on any pool robot. A clogged filter reduces suction, which reduces climbing ability, which produces a machine that looks broken and is not. Rinse with a hose; use soapy water and a soft brush if needed.
Get the machine into the water correctly
Submerged units go in vertically to purge trapped air, and must reach the bottom rather than hovering. Lift them out vertically too, so water drains rather than sitting inside.
Respect the storage rules
Rinse with fresh water, dry out of direct sunlight, and store indoors at room temperature over winter. On units with a sealed battery, run a charge cycle roughly monthly during storage and keep the pack part-charged rather than flat or full.
Never enter the pool while a robot is operating
Remove the unit from the water before anyone swims. This is stated in every manual we have read, and it is not a formality.
Symptom guides
Model guides
- Degrii Zima Pro — cordless submerged cleaner, floor, wall and waterline
- Betta SE — solar surface skimmer
Further model guides will be listed here as we add pool cleaners to our range.
Still stuck?
Email Support@yardautomationpros.com or call (423) 927-3776, Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm Eastern Time.
