After we repaired, refinished and epoxy-painted our 20'x40' concrete pool, it still got dirty too easily. With dozens of trees, birds, and frogs around, it seems to attract contamination and debris which required 10-12 hours per week cleaning in addition to maintaining the water chemistry. Built in the late '50's, it has only one drain and one return line, so suction and pressure cleaners were out of the question. After researching available information, the Dolphin Diagnostic was our best selection. We were thrilled with the results; because it climbed the sides of the pool, I no longer had to brush the sides and waterline at all. With less than 2 hours per week to empty and clean the internal filter bag, I had plenty of time to scrub the very tight corners around the steps about once each month the pool was open. This helped greatly to keep the water usually clear to crystal clear.

The repair history is disheartening. When purchased from Leslie Pool Supply the warranty was only one year. We had to send it in for service before the first year was ended. After the 2nd season, it was returned because the drive track was stretched & coming off. After the 3rd season, both tracks had to be replaced because of stretching and missing guide pieces on the inside of the track. In the middle of the fourth season, the motor failed. The motor/pump/electronics assembly cost is $445; $75 for additional parts, $125 labor/handling, and $35 freight totaled $682. After already spending $40 to ship it in, we chose to abandon the unit, since it is advertised on the internet for $719 with free freight. I was appalled to learn that the motor is rated at only 3000 hours. With our pool, we had to run it for at least two 6-hour cycles daily to keep the pool clean during our 4-month season. Another disappointment was that the filter bag elastic lost its tension in little more than a year which allowed much debris to spill into the water, especially when removing it from the pool. Costing $50 plus freight, the elastic should last far longer. Another nuisance was having to untwist the floating power cord almost daily because it seemed to always turn in the same direction. One dealer website states that it is "Made in Israel. Virtually unchanged for thirty years." Clearly, some improvements are way past due.


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