What are robotic pool cleaners?
Robotic pool cleaners are innovative devices designed to autonomously clean the surfaces of swimming pools without relying on external pool equipment. They operate using their own internal systems, making them independent of the pool’s main filtration system.
Here’s a breakdown of how they work:
Some robotic pool cleaners do away with the floating cable and instead make use of an internal battery. Battery style cleaners can be more convenient, particularly when there are obstacles in the pool that may cause the cable to become tangled or when having a visible floating cable would be intrusive or simply unsightly. It is worth noting that, similar to other pieces of equipment around the house, battery powered units may not be capable of reaching the same levels of suction power as units that use a floating cable. It is recommended to do plenty of product research to determine whether a battery styled cleaner would be appropriate for your pool.
Inside the robotic pool cleaner, there are different types of motors responsible for various functions.
These include:
a. Drive Motors
These motors control the movement of the cleaner across the pool’s surfaces. By driving the wheels or tracks, they allow the cleaner to navigate and cover the entire pool area.
b. Impeller Motors
Impeller motors are responsible for creating suction and drawing in water and debris. The debris is then collected in a filter bag or canister, separating it from the pool water.
The robotic cleaner’s circuit board or PCB acts as the central processing unit, controlling various functions such as pool mapping, cycle length, cleaning patterns, and other cleaning modes. The PCB is programmed to optimise the cleaner’s movement, ensuring efficient coverage and thorough cleaning.
Pool mapping allows robotic pool cleaners to find the best driving pattern for efficient cleaning. This is achieved automatically monitoring the power needed for each motor as the cleaner moves. By analysing the power requirements, including when it encounters walls, the cleaner decides which in-built driving pattern is going to be most effective.
The simplest example of pool mapping is this:
When the cleaner encounters a wall, it detects a sudden spike in power requirements to continue moving upwards. By measuring the time between two such power spikes, the cleaner can determine the distance between two walls in the pool.
Pool mapping is the primary reason for the significant increase in effectiveness compared to other styles of pool cleaners..
Due to the proprietary nature of robotic pool cleaner software and the strict protection of specifics, there are some misconceptions surround pool mapping. First, pool mapping is not based on GPS coordinates, and it does not create a 3D render or grid of the pool. The map created during cleaning is not saved between runs; instead, the basics are relearned within the first 10 minutes of each cleaning cycle and updated as the cleaner progresses. That’s why you might observe your pool cleaner starting a cycle by turning on the spot, moving backward/forward, or navigating between two walls before settling into its regular cleaning movement.
As the robotic cleaner moves across the pool, it sucks up debris and dirt, which is then collected in a filter bag or a canister within the cleaner. Some models will have interchangeable filtration options, such as ultrafine filters for fine dust and coarser filters for heavy debris.
It’s important to understand the difference between these options. Finer filters, which collect smaller particles, have a lower overall suction rate, making them less effective for bulk removal of large debris.
On the other hand, using coarser filters will maximise suction rates but may leave behind finer dust, resulting in a less crystal-clear pool.