HomerThe Maytronics Dolphin DX3 is a well-engineered pool cleaner (robotic) that comes at an affordable price online. Compared to the available options, you are getting a top-rated product of good quality, which outperforms famous brands such as the Polaris 9550.
If you own a pool and have ever dreamt of owning a robotic pool cleaner, today is your lucky day. The Dolphin DX3 is a reputable cleaner that saves time and maintains clean and healthy pools all year long. A new one will make your warm summer days memorable, as your pool will always be ready.
Dolphin Pool Cleaners | DX3 | Primal X3
Nowadays, almost all homes have swimming pools, but lack pool cleaners that can keep them spotless, even though manual models are such as sweeping are outdated. If you are one of them, you should know that underwater vacuums, also known as “Automated Pool Cleaners,” have revolutionized this niche.
These products can pick up debris and dust efficiently from pool floors via a powerful suction. However, unlike standard vacuum cleaners that only work on water, robotic vacuums work underwater as well. They navigate the floors and walls of pools automatically, earning them the name “Creepy-Crawlies.”
TYPES OF AUTOMATIC POOL CLEANERS
Automatic pool cleaners are diverse but categorized into three broad types:
- Suction side
- Pressure side
- Robotic
Suction Side Pool Cleaners
The name “suction cleaners” emanates from the fact that pool cleaners use suction to draw in water and debris while cleaning pools. The water with the debris passes through a pool’s filter system that traps dirt and debris for easy disposal, making them useful and economical. The skimmer basket on the base of a robot vacuum also plays a role in filtration but is not 100% effective.
Some of the best suction-side pool cleaners are compatible with pool filtration systems via a 1.5-inch hose. Moreover, whenever they are skimming the base of swimming pools, they pick and filter most debris before ejecting the water.
The downside of these pool cleaners is that they cannot follow a definite path – they follow a random path. Because they do not clean the floors of pools systematically, they tend to miss some parts of the pools, which is not cool. Also, because they depend on pool filtration systems to work at their peak, you have to clean your filters, which take a lot of time and effort.
Pressure Side Pool Cleaners
Unlike some suction-side pool cleaners that follow an indefinite path, the best pressure-side pool cleaner require pressure to move and clean debris or dust. They are not dependent on pool filters as they can pre-fitted with a filter bag that you can remove and clean when dirty. Skimmers and filters last for long.
Unfortunately, they have a limited cleaning ability as they can only pick debris and dirt/dust. They do not scrub walls or floors. Whatever the pressure can dislodge is what the machine will pick up. Therefore, it is advisable for best results that you scrub your pool to loosen debris before using this machine.
Polaris 280 | Pressure Side Pool Cleaner Example
Robotic Pool Cleaners
This is the latest and one of the most advanced innovations in the pool cleaning niche. Unlike the two models we have reviewed herein, robotic pool cleaners handle the entire pool-cleaning job for you, saving your time and energy. You do not have to lift a finger or worry about pool damage as you clean. They can pick most debris – big and small – efficiently and quickly.
Like presser side pool cleaners, robotic pool cleaners do not require a pool’s filtration system to work well. They have a dual-motor system that works in synergy to ensure quick clean up without pool damage. As one motor picks debris, the other one draws water into the filter bag, trapping the debris.
Depending on the type that you order, robotic cleaners can use either electricity or batteries. They use sensors to navigate pools safely. Whenever they touch walls or pool parts, they change direction immediately to prevent damage to their systems and pools by extension. This rarely happens, though, as these robotic vacuums create a digital map of pools for efficient cleaning.
Dolphin Nautilus | One of the most popular Robotic Pool Cleaners
Things to Consider When Buying an Automated Pool Cleaner
To get the best gadgets for your home, you need to plan before you buy. If you require an automatic pool cleaner, keep the following features in mind:
- Size of the Pool: Your main consideration while ordering a pool cleaner should be the size of your pool. Each cleaner has detailed guidelines that tell you its mode of operation and its capacity – a reflection of the size of pools it cleans.
- Size of the Debris: Large debris leaves and twigs often clog automatic pool cleaners. Therefore, if you live in a wooded area, consider buying a pressure side pool cleaner instead of a robotic model, as it will serve you better.
- What do the Experts Recommend? Always factor the advice of experts in decision –making while ordering a pool vacuum for your home. You can get a free evaluation from such professionals and companies, which is terrific. You will be able to make an informed decision without spending a lot of money.
- Choose Value Over Price: Most people pay keen attention to price while ordering the best pool cleaners for their homes. Even though this is essential, pay keen attention to your preferred brand’s quality and performance instead of looking solely at its price. Not everything cheap is of low quality and expensive of high quality. Check the reviews of your preferred products and use them as a guide to select the best. Factors such as warranty and maintenance costs are also critical and therefore worth checking out.
Maytronics | The Company
Maytronics has always had a good reputation for manufacturing the best pool cleaners in the market. From its advertising campaigns, its products offer “the Dolphin Experience,” which seems to be a good thing judging by the positive reviews they have attracted over the years. According to the company, the products are energy efficient. For instance, the Dolphin can clean an entire pool in less than three hours, translating to an operating cost of 15 cents. To help you to understand how the Dolphin experience works, we have reviewed two of the most popular Maytronics pool cleaners herein.
To understand how the Dolphin experience works, let us look at two of Maytronics most popular pool cleaners.
Maytronics Dolphin DX3 | Robotic Pool Cleaner
Features:
- Weekly timer – preset cleaning cycles all week.
- Patented swivel cable is tangle-resistant.
- Incredibly efficient – will cost you around five cents to clean your pool.
- Easy to repair at any authentic Dolphin retailer.
The Maytonics Dolphin DX3 delivers an affordable and reliable experience as most other Maytronics products often do. However, to know whether it is the best choice for your home or know, you should have a good understanding of how its system works.
Let us have a look at the features and benefits Maytronics Dolphin DX3 offers.
The Mapping Software:
This versatile pool cleaner has intelligent mapping software that boosts its performance in many ways. The software comes pre-installed and ready to use. It enables the device the check the area of the pool and maps its size or structure. Once done, it scrubs and vacuums the floor of pools and tiles.
The Swivel Cable:
The Dolphin DX3 has a swiveling cable that pivots around corners and obstacles when it is in use. This boosts its flexibility and makes sure that it does not stick in corners, as it is cleaning a pool. The cable measures around 60 feet long, enabling the device to cover and clean most types of pools.
The swivel cable also prevents the cable from tangling and trapping the device while in use. This is unlike some brands that face this problem regularly.
Cycle time
The cycle time is around three hours. As such, irrespective of your pool type, the device can clean its interior thoroughly in less than three hours.
The Filter
The device has an inbuilt filtration line. Therefore, unlike the suction side and pressure-side pool cleaners that need a pool’s filtration system to work, the Dolphin DX3 has a self-sufficient design that works off the shelf. Moreover, because it puts a small load on pull systems, such components last for longer.
Another interesting attribute of this system is that it uses a dual filtration system whenever it is cleaning a pool. It has an original pool filter and a separate third-party one that boosts its efficacy. Moreover, because you are getting twice the cleaning power of comparable models, you get clean water.
This pool cleaner has a porosity filter bag that catches fine debris or dirt.
The Indicator Light
The indicator light is a simple yet essential component of automatic pool cleaners. While using pool cleaners, most of us forget to empty the filter bag, causing issues. With this feature, this will be a non-issue. It will tell you when the filter bag is full and, therefore, unable to clear more debris. Then, you can clean the filter to restore the efficacy of this automatic pool cleaner.
The Dolphin DX3 has a bright indicator light when its filter is choking with dirt or debris and needs cleaning. The light is an excellent visual reminder, as it will help you maintain and keep the device working well.
Suction Rate
The suction rate of this pool cleaner is around 4,233 gallons per hour. While this might sound technical for some people, its interpretation is relatively simple. Generally, while in use, it cycles approximately 4,233 gallons of water through the filter per hour. Therefore, Dolphin DX3 is an efficient product.
Weight
Dolphin DX3 weighs approximately 18.75 pounds, making it easy to maneuver or carry. Moreover, after use, you can lift it out of the water without breaking a sweat.
Cautionary Advice That You Should Pay Heed To
Like most reputable companies, Maytronics offers its customers cautionary advice about this product whenever you order. Before ordering a new one, check the advice of its manufacturer. Here is what the company says about it:
- Maytronics emphasizes that you only use the stock cable that comes with this pool cleaner. Do not use any other type of power supply.
- Second, for safety, connect the Dolphin DX3 pool cleaner to an electrical socket with a ground fault interrupter or an earth leakage interrupter. The manufacturer is trying to communicate that you should ground the pool cleaner well to prevent leakage of current while in use. Since the devices need an electric connection to work and operate 100% under water, leakage of current can cause serious injuries or fatalities to people in its vicinity. That is why the manufacturer has shared another warning that you should always keep the power supply underwater.
- From the manufacturer’s direction, always keep the power supply at least three meters (or 10 feet) away from the edge of your swimming pool to ensure that the power supply does not get in contact with the water. Contact with water can have hazardous consequences.
- Ensure that nobody is near the pool cleaner while it is in operation. This prevents potential mishaps that might cause injuries or death. Moreover, before you service the pool cleaner, unplug it from electricity.
Maytronics Dolphin Primal X3 | Robotic Pool Cleaner
View the online MANUAL from the Maytronics site.
The Dolphin Primal X3 has many novel features that are missing in the Dolphin DX3 model. While the Dolphin DX3 can satisfy most people’s needs, the Dolphin Primal X3 takes pool cleaning a notch higher, which users love. You get all features of the Dolphin DX3 pool cleaner and many more.
Like most Dolphin series products, Dolphin Primal X3 is a power-efficient device that can clean most swimming pools thoroughly, hassle-free.
Here is a review of some of the best features that make it sought-after:
The Cleaning Process
The cleaning technology of the Dolphin Primal X3 is significantly better than comparable brands. Whenever you set it up in your swimming pool, it first scans the pool’s layout to determine its dimensions and shape. Then, it uses this data to plan the most efficient cleaning route, boosting its efficacy.
While cleaning, two sets of filters (fine and ultra-fine) pick up debris and dirt for disposal. The fine filter traps slightly larger debris while its ultra-fine filter traps small debris or dust that are too small for the fine filter to trap. In synergy, the two filters ensure that the water of your pool is clean and healthy.
The Vertical Challenge
One of the greatest challenges for pool cleaners, in general, is cleaning high vertical walls. Stairs are also a formidable foe but manageable. To solve these problems, Maytronics released Dolphin Primal X3, which solves these issues.
The Dolphin Primal X3 has a versatile design that can climb walls via powerful suction. It has two brushes (one on the back and one on the front) that scrub the walls and floors of pools to perfection. Even though the device struggles with stairs a bit, Dolphin Primal X3 is a recommended all-around product that does a better job than most reputable pool cleaners found in stores.
The Weekly Timer
The weekly timer is a new significant addition to the pool cleaners that Maytronics has released of late. The system enables you to set the day and time you want the device to clean your pool and let it do the legwork for you. Therefore, this timesaving program is critical as it saves time and energy.
For instance, compared to the Dolphin DX3, you can leave this model in the pool for close to a week without structural damage. Once one week has elapsed, you can retrieve it from your pool, empty filters, and set it up again.
The Time Cycle and Suction Rate
The Dolphin Primal X3 comes pre-installed with advanced scanning software that maps your pool and determines the most efficient route for cleaning your pool. The technology saves valuable time that you can channel to other chores. On average, the Dolphin Primal X3 takes around 2.5 hours to clean a pool, half an hour shorter than the Dolphin DX3 achieves at full capacity.
The suction rate is around 4,233 gallons per hour – the same as Dolphin DX3.
BASIC INSTRUCTIONS | Dolphin Pool Cleaner
Now that we have reviewed the features of the Dolphin DX3 and Dolphin Primal X3 in detail, it is clear that both devices are different. Each one comes with a set of basic instructions that will help you understand how they work.
How Do You Place The Device In The Pool?
Are you having a hard time setting up this machine in your swimming pool?
While most people develop innovative ways of using this device, Maytronics has a protocol that works, which all users should adopt.
Step 1: Most pool cleaners have brushes that come ready to use. If your model has a sponge, dip the sponge in water before using the device in your pool. Then, squeeze excess water from the sponge and use it in your pool. This boosts its absorbency and, therefore, efficacy when it is time to clean. The step also protects devices from damage, mainly if you have not used them for long.
Step 2: Once you have soaked and ringed the sponge, lower the device into your pool. It will float to the bottom gently in readiness for cleaning.
Step 3: Next, inspect the floating cable of your pool cleaner and ensure that it lacks tangled or obstructions that might compromise your pool cleaner’s performance. Also, ensure that you have released enough floating cable inside the pool to enable the machine to clean all corners of your swimming pool.
Step 4: Turn on the power for the pool cleaner to start its cleaning cycle.
How Do You Remove The Device From The Pool?
Once the device has finished cleaning your pool, the next hurdle you might face is how to retrieve it from the pool. How can one remove the pool cleaner from water quickly and safely? Maytronics has developed and shared a simple protocol that can help you to handle the process smoothly.
Here are the systematic steps that Maytronics provides:
Step 1: Even though simple in the eyes of some people, this first step is critical. Switch off the power to the device to turn it off.
Step 2: Pull the cleaner towards you using the floating cable. Do not yank it upwards as you can snap the cable and cause even more problems.
Step 3: Grab the pool cleaner by the handle and lift it out of the water.
Step 4: Place the device on the ground for the water to drain before storing.
REMEMBER: You should never yank the pool cleaner out of the water using the flotation cord, as it is susceptible to breaking.
By doing so, you can stress the cord, leading to its internal wiring snapping and short-circuiting the system. Whenever this happens, worse outcomes such as fatalities are also common, if you forgot to switch off the power, as the pool will be live with electricity. Never ignore these safety instructions!
This straightforward four-step process will help you safely retrieve the pool cleaner and prepare it for the next job. All household members will be safe.
How Do You Clean The Filter Cartridges?
Another common question among homeowners is how to clean the filter cartridges of pool cleaners. If you are one of them, you are in luck as this is a basic job. Make sure that the cartridges are wet while cleaning to prevent damage.
Step 1: Unplug the device from electricity before touching any component. This minimizes the danger of having an electric shock, as the device is still wet.
Step 2: Invert the cleaner (upside down), open the bottom lid, and remove the filter cartridges. Loosen the clips first before you attempt to remove them.
Step 3: Clean the filters using a garden hose.
Step 4: Reinstall the filters as they were, ensuring that the plastic backing is facing outside. Finally, secure the cartridge in the pool cleaner as directed.
The Maytronics Dolphin experience has eased how people clean pools in homes and commercial settings such as spas or hotels. They lower workload significantly and aid in proper pool maintenance, which homeowners love. Choosing between the two best brands (Dolphin DX3 and Dolphin Primal X3) is straightforward if you know what you want and need. Even though the Dolphin Primal X3 has a more advanced system of the two, you should never underestimate the cleaning ability of Dolphin DX3, as it is good as well.
The abilities, pros, and cons of Dolphin pool cleaners vary between the two models. By evaluating one offer, you will narrow your options and choose a suitable model, an effortless and fun process.
