hungry for gunk
The Scooba V3 cleaned up debris in my pool fairly quickly during testing, rarely requiring more than a few hours to remove all visible debris on the pool floor, as well as the walls and waterline. The AI camera system seems to work as advertised, even detecting the tiny pebbles I throw into the pool and working dutifully to collect them. With organic debris, the pool looked completely clean after each run (each time finishing between 170 and 190 minutes), and with synthetic debris, the SCUBA V3 achieved a 96 percent cleanliness rating, with only a few test leaves remaining in some of the tighter corners. This is a particularly good performance, as three hours of operating time is not very much. And note that there’s no way to adjust the running time outside of the scheduled mode; On-demand mode always keeps the battery running until it’s almost drained. Fortunately, it appears that Aiper is making the most of the moment, formally specifying a maximum coverage area of a significant 1,600 square feet.
Unfortunately I didn’t have much success with the AI schedule mode. After running the analyzer, the app suggested a staggered five-day program that included two floor runs, two floor-plus-waterline runs, and a final floor run. It then ignored the schedule and immediately ran a three-hour floor run, completely draining the battery. I tried again the next day, and the robot missed its schedule, then continued running randomly late at night. Before testing the Scooba V3 I wasn’t a big fan of the drop-in schedule in the pool, and this demonstration didn’t improve that opinion.
Video: Chris Null
After completing the run, the Scooba rises to the waterline and sends a push notification to the app, alerting you that it’s ready to be collected and cleaned. Note that you only have 10 minutes to reach him: Scooba can’t swim, so he has to use the last of his juice to move in the water and run a motor to keep himself in place. After his 10 minutes are up, the spent scuba sinks to the pool floor and must be retrieved from the pool with a hook. My best advice is to set a timer for 175 minutes whenever you start a race so you’ll be reminded to look at the completion notification.
There may be some degree of cleanup involved. The filter basket design has a large lid that makes it easy to access the internal filter, and both of these filters are easy to clean. However, the removable mesh on the inner basket is a different story. Although it is very effective at capturing dirt and other very fine debris, it is quite difficult to clean, and if you do not remove it from the basket, a lot of debris gets stuck between the mesh and the basket. The mesh is difficult to remove and replace, especially when it’s wet, so I usually leave it in place and clean it as best I can after each run, accepting that it will never be perfect. I hope most users do the same.
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