My Dolphin won't run for more than 30-60 seconds!

by Gordon
(Belmont, CA)

This seems to be a common problem, judging by other comments posted here. I have a Dolphin Dynamic pool cleaner (about $1800 at Leslie's Pool Supply). When I turn it on at the power supply, it starts up normally, does its little pivoting pirouette and then sets off in one direction with the impeller spinning and driving the exhaust water out the top. Within about 30 seconds it begins to slow down to a crawl, then the impeller stops turning, the water stops flowing so it loses the ability to suck debris in through the intake doors on the bottom and then it comes to a complete stop. All within about 60 seconds. If I shut it off for a minute and then turn it on again, it starts up again just as normal but repeats the process, coming to a halt in less than a minute. The bag is clean, I have checked for debris or foreign objects in the drive belt. I have not removed the motor housing but that is not owner serviceable anyway. Has anybody found a solution to this problem? Seems crazy that these units should fail so quickly!

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Jun 06, 2023
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Dolphin stopping problem
by: Anonymous

I have a Nautilus CC Plus. It stops working after 2.5 minutes every time is runs. I have taken it apart and tried all of the obvious posts and fixes I have read online (impeller, belts, etc.). I have tested the power supply independently and it does not turn off when the robot is not connected.

The interesting part is that the robot will run for 2.5 minutes and then it will turn off on the next wall it attempt to climb. For example if it is on a wall at 2.5 minutes, it will shut off. If it is on the flat at 2.5 minutes, it will shut off immediately on the next wall it attempts to climb.

Would love anyone's advice on how I could try to fix it.

Apr 16, 2023
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lube the bearings
by: Anonymous

My Quantum ran and stopped , had to remove all bearings and lube them, they are a bit worn and hard to get replacements hate this company for that but it works again for now.

Mar 22, 2023
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Power supply keeps turning off
by: Anonymous

I’ve cleaned propellers think they were the reason my power supply kept turning off. Not the case. When I hit the button to turn it on, it stays on for about 30 secs then powers off. Any advice for me?

Oct 14, 2022
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Dolphin goes forward 1', backward 1', impeller spins a little and then stops.
by: Adam

Hey Jo, I have the EXACT same situation with my my Nautilus CCplus. Even the same flashing LED. Did you find any answer? avbar@yahoo.com

"Dolphin Stops after a few minutes !
by: JO

I own a Dolphin supreme bio suction !
It stopped in last time within the workcycle.
The powersupply works well and supports about 28 Volts. When it stopped, I can move it with the remote control. But it won't run in Automaticcycle.
Now I got the open motorbox at the workbench without any housing, the motors can run free.
I cleaned the impellermotor inside, the brushes are well. The PCM-Signal is ok and the current is about 1A in freerun.
When i switch on the device, the impeller starts and run a few seconds, then the drivemotors start and run also a few seconds. When the impeller start and stops again, the green LED D4 on the mainboard begins blinking every second. Then there is no more movement.
Are the motorcurrents to high ?
Is there a accelaration sensor that detects movement ? I found no sensor in the Robot !

Please help !
Many thanks
Jo"

Sep 29, 2022
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My Dolphin won't run for more than 30-60 seconds
by: Anonymous

Common. It’s the impeller motor. My brushes were worn out. All the brush dust is stuck inside the motor housing. It’s a mess but you can repair. Remove armature. I used a pair of brushes for outboard marine tilt/trim. Automotive alternator brushes will work. You may have to file down to fit. Unsolder the old leads and resolver the new ones. Bolt back together and make sure it’s tuning in the correct rotation.

Sep 28, 2022
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Dolphin Stops after a few minutes !
by: JO

I own a Dolphin supreme bio suction !
It stopped in last time within the workcycle.
The powersupply works well and supports about 28 Volts. When it stopped, I can move it with the remote control. But it won't run in Automaticcycle.
Now I got the open motorbox at the workbench without any housing, the motors can run free.
I cleaned the impellermotor inside, the brushes are well. The PCM-Signal is ok and the current is about 1A in freerun.
When i switch on the device, the impeller starts and run a few seconds, then the drivemotors start and run also a few seconds. When the impeller start and stops again, the green LED D4 on the mainboard begins blinking every second. Then there is no more movement.
Are the motorcurrents to high ?
Is there a accelaration sensor that detects movement ? I found no sensor in the Robot !

Please help !
Many thanks
Jo

Jun 15, 2022
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Found solution: plastic wrapper stuck in wheels / tracks
by: Anonymous

Brand new robot, never worked properly.

Found a solution to my problem:

My robot came with some plastic wrappers for the wheels, which I didn't notice and therefore didn't remove.

These jammed in the gears and ... same symptom everyone else has: works for 30 seconds and stops.

Solution: take apart the covers (depends on the model you have) to expose the gears, the rubber tracks and the wheels, and check that nothing obstructs them.

May 25, 2022
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love our Dolphin
by: Anonymous

Our Pool is larger than most private pools, The pool company installed a commercial chlorinator to keep up. On the the 3rd year of my Dolphin, opened the pool 6 days ago and the dolphin as been in 24/7 cleaning filters about 5 times a day. The pool is just about completely clean waiting for heater to catch up.Every time I pull the Dolphin out to clean filters I spray the main unit as well to free it of debris.Like any tool keep it clean and it will perform it's duty.

May 21, 2022
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Impeller clean and can apin with finger - still broke
by: Donna S

Same issue as others ….. moves forward a few feet then backwards then shuts down. Followed tips here and cleaned impeller and checked to see if I could turn it with my finger and I could. Also ran the self test and it passed. We do have one sponge ring missing off one of the fairly worn but functional roller brushes. Would THAT cause this? What else could it be?

May 21, 2022
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May 18, 2022
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Does not work new
by: Anonymous

Took my out of box new and works for 30 seconds and then shuts off - it does not work for three hours as it is advertised as!!!

May 12, 2022
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Dolphin pool cleaner is the worst
by: Melanie

Stay far away from any dolphin pool cleaning product. After using a polaris for 15 years without any issues, I stupidly upgraded to a dolphin 300i pool cleaner. I have had nothing but problems since I had it. It has been in repairs 3 times in three seasons and it is still not working. After spending $1300 on this product it is unacceptable. Their customer service is absolutely useless. They keep you on hold for hours while they troubleshoot by asking someone else what they should tell you. They do not have any care or concern for their customers and do not stand behind their products. RUN AWAY from anyone recommending this product.

May 10, 2022
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Dolphin Prowlers
by: Dave

Follow up from my post May 9..
I did somehow manage to get motor back together that reversed the polarity. Is was running opposite direction as it should.
Rather than opening the motor back up, I just reversed the motor leads in the connector.
Works like new for only $13 bucks!
I bought brushed for a outboard tilt/trim motor.
I’m pretty sure you can jus get a set of alternator brushes at parts store.

May 09, 2022
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Dolphin prowlers
by: Dave

Only run forward and back a few inches then stops. Impeller motor was full of carbon dust and brushes worn completely out. Replaced brushes and cleaned armature up. Motor now runs but doesn’t seem to be picking up and will not climb the pool walls.. I took pic of motor wiring before disconnecting and put it back the same..????🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

Question, should the impeller push water out the top front vent??

Apr 15, 2022
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Hair shouldnt be blowing by the bag
by: admin

If you have pet hair wrapping around the impeller then there is definitely an issue with bag installation or bag integrity such as holes.
The bag is always installed so the LONG SIDE spans the metal rack

Apr 12, 2022
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Do you have a dog?
by: Anonymous

When the fan/motor gets tangled with pet hair that it cleans from the pool the motor has a tough time spinning causing it to halt. I stuck my fingers in and removed my rough collies long tangled hairs from the spinning fan/motor and it worked again.

Mar 06, 2022
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Clogged Impeller or Bad Motor Unit ?
by: Luke B

I originally found this thread when my dolphin s300 was quitting right after starting. I would move backwards and forwards a tiny bit and then just stop. (The fix applies to probably 90% of dophins).

Most likely - a clogged impeller. This is common, easy to fix, and the video below shows you how to unscrew the cover to get to your impeller.

My impeller was clear of debris, but REALLY difficult to spin by hand, so I figured my motor was bad, and I was right. I made a video showing the diagnostic, opening, and full fix on youtube. I actually ended up replacing the bearings in my dophin's impeller motor, and now 100s of people have done the same. Thanks to this thread for giving me the original confidence to dig in! Hope it helps others too! The comments sections is full of good advice too!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY3ylcD4JFg

Mar 06, 2022
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Impeller Removal Nautilus CC
by: Anonymous

YES>.. this solved my issue... removed the 2 top screws after taking out my basket/filter... then 4 screws - to remove impeller. VERY VERY simple fix. I live at the beach, and I had some MARSH GRASS wrapped around the impeller, and it was just about 4 inches long! It does not take much for the impeller not to work!

6 SCREWS in total - need a phillips screwdriver - very simple and fast repair!

Jan 01, 2022
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Time out fault
by: Anonymous

My 300i also stops after about 30 seconds.
Manual drive is fine but the auto clean function
times out.
cleaned unit and checked all for any foreign material, all clear.

this is probably the worst cleaner.
failed under warranty and again six months later.

very dissapointed.

Nov 18, 2021
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Easy fix
by: Anonymous

If the filter basket gets too full, debris spills over into the impeller housing. A single leaf can stop it from spinning freely. To prevent the motor from burning out the robot will shut down if the impeller isn't spinning at the normal speed. Some models, like the Explorer models, you can fit your finger in far enough to manually rotate the impeller and slide the leaves out without taking the housing off. If it is a string or something else like a long hair you might have to unscrew the housing to detangle it. It is extremely simple to do. Once the impeller can spin freely it will run without issue. If the basket is not full and it still does this it is likely a hair or string wrapped around the impeller shaft.

Sep 20, 2021
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Proteus DX4 only running a few minutes
by: Vie

If your Proteus DX4 does not work after it was shipped to you. Follow these simple steps. I did it and worked like a charm:

Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt8sU-3zeq8

Aug 09, 2021
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FIXED my ~2 year old Dolphin which would only run for 30 seconds
by: Kyle

Had a similar problem to those on this board and wanted to post the solution eventually found.

My Dolpnin Nautilus CC was having a similar issue where it would only run for 30-60 seconds then stop. I ran through various tests and it was getting electricity from the power supply, power to the motors, everything spun freely, etc. So I though it was the control board, which I had no way of testing. But on a hunch I dismantled the planetary gear set to make sure it wasn't clogged, and everything checked out, but when I pulled apart the blower motor tons of carbon dust fell out... Upon further inspection I noticed that the motor brushes had worn all the way down and would only intermittently touch the armature. Likely causing the control unit to sense a failed motor and stop during its initial diagnostic test, like the others on here.

So I picked up an alternator motor brush set from the local car parts store for $2.99, modified it to fit the channel, and soldered the lead into the motor's control board. Plopped the Dolphin back into the pool and she worked! Actually seemed to climb stronger and blow more water than previously — perhaps because I cleaned everything up while in there.

Any way, hope this helps someone else out there. Super cheap and easy fix if you're handy enough. Wild that a replacement motor assembly is ~$350, and all I needed was a $3 part.

Jun 13, 2021
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Impeller seems obvious culprit
by: Anonymous

Just bought it yesterday at 3pm. Put it in the pool and at 4pm it stopped working. Looked at the impeller and yes, totally saturated. I wonder why they don't indicate that this is part of the normal cleaning routine?

After a few hours of operations now, I already freed the impeller 3 times!

Jun 06, 2021
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$1000 FOR 1 WEEK
by: Anonymous

I have this damn thing one week. Pool was already clean so nothing to clean up. Put in today to run and does the check thing for a few seconds and nothing. Frustrated. Took apart anyway as I had seen a pool store do one so was familiar with it. Clean. Nothing. Are you freakin kidding me....

Jun 04, 2021
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Power box fixed the problem
by: Anonymous

I took mine to be fixed was just the power box, power worked on old one but for some reason just wasn’t enough! It fixed it

Jun 04, 2021
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Solution: New Motor
by: Sam

Finally I had my Dolphin Nautilus checked by O’Neill and Sons near Downingtown PA and they replaced the motor and it fixed the issue. It’s too bad that they have two motors in the package and as one fails the whole motor unit has to be tossed. And due to the intermittent nature of the problem, many of us wait and try to make it work and find that warranty has expired and Maytronics will not cover anything (shipping/diagnostic/) to alleviate the issue.
My advice would be call Maytronics immediately when you start having this issue (if under warranty) or call a repair shop like the one I used (far from NJ where I live) who are competent and will get your dolphin back in service at a reasonable cost. Like the product - wish its reliability was comparable to its capability.

Jun 04, 2021
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Impeller full of crap
by: Anonymous

Based on this thread, I removed the cover and underlying parts to expose the impeller. It was full of stringy debris from Spring oak tree droppings. Problem solved after cleaning. Take pictures of the parts as you disassemble for easier reassembly. Only need to remove 6 screws for my Dolphin 300si.

May 21, 2021
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Not moving
by: THY

Similar symptoms to many other posts... Turns on, starts to go, then stops. The motor runs, the prop turns (pumps water furiously, but it can't turn the tracks. When I take the unit out of the pool, take off the motorized track, the wheels turn fine and it goes through it's routine until it realizes it's not in water. As soon as I put the track back on it sort of slips on the cogs/gears and the track won't turn.... Maybe needs new tracks but it looks like there's just too much play in the wheel and it won't catch the teeth on the cog to propel it.....

May 20, 2021
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Dolphin Woes
by: Anonymous

Dolphin purchased in May 2018, ran fine for 2 seasons, then in early 2020 it would run for 1 min then stop (Coronavirus, lol?). After performing my own diagnostics and coming up empty, I took it to the pool store (certified Maytronics diagnostic shop) and everything checked out ok with the motor, circuits and power supply unit.

Removing any amount of debris from the impeller - even a single strand of hair - makes a huge difference with this unit. That seems to be the culprit to my Dolphin woes. Wish I had srumoled across this site earlier or wish the pool store had thought to tell me this. But it's running well 1 month into the 2021 season, but requires more frequent impeller cleanings. (I basically clean the impeller each after each pool cleaning).

As trivial as it seems, a crystal clean impeller seems to be key for this unit.

Mar 06, 2021
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Dolphin DB2
by: Anonymous

I've had mine for about 2months noticed lately it runs for about 20min then stops exactly the same spot up the pool wall on the step area not sure what's going on any ideas?

Feb 20, 2021
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Dolphin stops
by: Charlie

I have had my dolphin db1 for 4 years and it has been in the pool for 90% of the time. I replaced the basket last year but this year it gets to 45deg at the edge of the pool heading ng up the wall then stops. For a couple of weeks I let it go. Sometimes it completed a full cycle sometimes it didn’t. I googled for a week then set about dismantling it to test all the solutions on the threads. It was easy to dismantle. My suction fan was spinning ok but I took the box containing the motors out anyway. Inside it was dry and the two motors were turning with my finger fine. When i took the motor box out it disengaged the tractor cog from the tracks. On the gears there was a 2cm piece of cotton thread in the cogs, but not constricting them, that I removed. I re assembled and have not had an issue since. It must have been the small thread of cotton.

Jan 23, 2021
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Dolphin advance 230
by: Glennjames

After 2.5yrs was Working sometimes then just stopped altogether. I found the inline ‘Non tangle swivel ‘ part of the power cable was the problem. Each time I twisted the swivel
A bit it would start working again but not for long. I had found one of the electric pins a bit sticky thus not making good contact. Note it just twists apart for access but ensure there is some rubber grease or similar around the oring before re assembly to keep
The water out

Jan 10, 2021
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Dolphin motor
by: Gary

Same problem. Pulled the motor box apart. Water in one of the drives gearbox. It got there because the seals didn’t work. Hard if not impossible to fix but will endeavour to do so. If not hundreds of $ for a 20 cent part

Oct 31, 2020
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Maytronics dolphin stops after climbing wall
by: Anonymous

I have had the cleaner for around 4 years and think I know how to put it apart in my sleep . This one has stumped me. I have a feeling that on of the switches in the motor assembly gets stuck. It starts fine as the other posts it tends to go for around a minute or two, climbs a wall then doesn’t’t reverse just sits there with the impeller turning. If I manually turn the rollers it will start again then stop again.
Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Oct 20, 2020
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SOLVED! - My Bad Impeller Motor
by: Leisure Luke

I made a YouTube video about replace the ball bearing inside the motor of my impeller. If your impeller doesn't spin freely by hand. You need to see this. Yes, I'm a real person, who really fixed my Dolphin with a $1 part after I WAS TOLD I NEEDED A $450 PART!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY3ylcD4JFg

I needed a $450 Motor Assembly because my Impeller Motor had seized up! I took it all apart and FOUND 1 BAD BALL BEARING and FIXED it with a $1 part! Dolphins have different part numbers for their motors, and MOST can EASILY disassembled to reveal magnets, windings, and usually 3 ball bearings. THIS IS THE FAILURE MODE OF MOST DOLPHINS THAT GO BAD!!!!

My Dolphin Model: s300 - same exact motor assembly as s200, s300i. THIS FIX WILL WORK ON MOST OTHER MODELS TOO!!!

Link to Terminal Puller Tool: shorturl.at/fpOXZ
Link to the 626-2RS Bearings I needed: shorturl.at/mpyAR
Link to cheapest s300 Motor Assembly I could find: https://www.azpoolsupplies.com/s200-s300-s300i-motor-unit/

This fix may work if your dolphin:
Works for short periods of time - or just seconds
Doesn't stick to the walls anymore
Keeps doing wheelies or flipping on it's back while cleaning
You have checked the cable, it's okay
You have checked the impeller, it's not clogged with debris
YOUR IMPELLER DOESNT SPIN EASILY BY HAND!!!!!

Good Luck! It's easy to take apart your dolphin and you can easily tell if you you have the same problem I did!

This will not be the fix if you have water in your motor assembly. That indicates your entire motor assembly will need be replaced.

Oct 17, 2020
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I've had this thing for 2 weeks, stops after 15 mins
by: Simon

So I've had this for 2 weeks. It worked well for one week but now it stops after 15 mins and only goes back and forwards in one part of the pool. Terribly disappointed with the product. Looks like I'll be taking it back to the shop for a refund as I'm not keen on dealing with this rubbish for the next 7 years.

Aug 15, 2020
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Running for a minute then stops
by: Anonymous

This can be a multitude of problems. You need a dolphin analyzer to read the code but in all cases it the CPU shutting down due to some error. The Achilles heel of some of the older units is the out of water sensor error. There is a simple sensor in the motor block that makes sure the unit is in the water. If this sensor malfunctions for what ever reason, the unit won't run and the motor has to be replaced.

Tl;dr

You have to replace the whole motor unit if this keeps happening for no reason

Aug 02, 2020
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Flap
by: Anonymous

Mine ishaving the same problem. I've taken the whole thing apart and cleaned everything. What is this flap that you are talking about?

Jul 31, 2020
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Impella
by: Rob

Your probably getting impella overload. Check it and if it keeps getting rubbish in it the you should explore why as it shouldn’t t

Jul 31, 2020
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No solutions?
by: Anonymous

Anybody is giving advice to solve the problems?

Jul 19, 2020
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Impeller debris
by: Rob

Ok put my robot into service under warrantee. Turns out there was a flap missing from under the robot and that’s why the impeller was getting too much debris. Back in action now and all good. Service was great. On you Maytronics Sydney Australia.

Jul 18, 2020
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Power supply shutting off after a few seconds
by: Anonymous

My problem with our Dolphin is it runs for a few second and the power supply box shuts off. When I troubleshoot it by placing it upside down like one of the YouTube videos suggested, it ran its course and shut off in about a minute due to it not being in water per the video. It ran longer upside down and the power box stayed on during the troubleshooting step. Anyone having this same issues with the power box shutting off after a few seconds??

Jul 08, 2020
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Impeller Keeps Jamming
by: Larikn

I noticed on my S200 that after cleaning the Impeller it quickly picks up a lot of debris. Is this supposed to happen or is debris in my cleaner getting into places it should not be ?

Jul 02, 2020
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Didn't work straight out of box
by: Frustrated

Just received my Dolphin Triton today. Brand new out of the box went forward 3 feet and stopped. Dismantled the impeller, just in case I had gotten a returned unit, clean as a whistle, reassembled it, put it back in, same thing. Three feet forward and nothing more. Have been searching forums for answers and realized I should NOT have to do that with a brand new cleaner. Starting the arduous return process as soon as I have a day off to deal with it.

Jun 14, 2020
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Impeller sticks
by: Bert

Further to my comment 17th May the problem soon returned so I dismantled the top cover and the impeller guard to access the impeller which I noticed was only happy to move clockwise. Very stiff anti clockwise. I removed the impeller and applied some light oil to the spindle and let it run down the spindle. I put the impeller back on and rotated it in both directions until it got easier to turn. I repeated this exercise over the next few days and the turning got progressively easier. I used the machine in the mean time so there was a slight oil slick in the pool. No worse than sun tan oil though.

I check the ease of movement every time I take the basket out and it now turns without a problem and produces a very strong wake on the pool’s surface.

Free movement of the impeller seems to be key!

Jun 12, 2020
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Junk
by: Anonymous

I just bought mine 4 hours ago and paid over $800. It runs for 15 - 30 seconds and just stops dead in the water! Basket is empty. If I shut it off then turn it back on, the same thing. I’ve been going n and out to check it every few minutes, to turn it off and turn it on over and over and over and over.....I could have vacuumed the damn pool by hand by now. It’s going back to the store tomorrow.

May 27, 2020
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Brilliant.
by: Dave (in MA)

A pool cleaner shutting down because it picked up some things from the pool that it's designed to pick up. Brilliant. They should invent a lawn mower that shuts off when it hits grass.

May 21, 2020
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Lousy maytronic Dolphin
by: Linda

My son bought the dolphin in December 2019 when I was n the hospital. He had to go back to Michigan in January and I
Got out of the hospital in the middle of January,still in bad shape as I was hit by a truck.The reason for that whole
Explanation was I didn’t use the Dolphin much as I had
Trouble walking and still do. The dolphin has never run correctly and does not go up the walls or the steps in my pool.
It only cleans the floor of my pool. We had a dolphin 3 for
6 1/2 yrs and it was fantastic. This dolphin is a piece of junk
Never again will I have a dolphin from Maytronics. Also
If something’s working beautifully why change it.

May 17, 2020
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Useful info
by: Bert

S100 with the same problem - runs for a short time then grinds to a halt. After reading this I removed and cleaned the impeller (lots of hair) and whilst at it the two vents with floating rocker switches at each side at the base (hair and twigs). All seems well now.

May 09, 2020
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Identical issue same root cause and finally cleans again after seemingly broken for 2 summers
by: Dolphin Robot user

The video with instructions from @lottyjane really helped.

Special thanks to @gordon for this very nice page, which provides exactly what was the issue with Dolphin S200.

Propeller had hair, some rope and other stuff in it. Originally thought that the 29V cable had a shortage, because is a bit damaged at the connector close to power outlet.
However, that was not the case, thanks!

May 01, 2020
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5 Star to 1 Star and Maytronics doesn't care.
by: rinconchuck

When I first got my Dolphin Nautilus cc Plus, I was over joyed! It took care of all of my manual brushing for me, but just after the warranty ran out, it's impeller would stop working.

No hair or debris in the impeller area or wrapped around the shaft. The tracks keep moving, but without the impeller, the unit will not stay on the pool floor or walls. In fact it favors turning over on its' side and just giving me a display of its' tracks moving. If I turn it off and then back on, it's good for a about a minute and then the impeller stops working.

Voltage from the Power Supply/Timer is good, so since the warranty was expired, I opened the motor unit. What I found inside included two high quality motors, a pack of desiccant and a PC board. Voltage was good to the board and was not affected by the swivel. Both motors will run forever off of a variable power supply that I have, so they seem fine. There was no sign of water in the interior of the motor unit.

It appears that that either the CPU programming is corrupt or that the motor controller chip is thermally unstable. Since I have nothing to loose at this point, I am going to try replacing the controller chips on the board and see if that gets me going again. I will try to let folks know if this helps.

Apr 07, 2020
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Dolphin back and forth then quits under a min
by: Anonymous

My dophin cc goes back and forth when we first put in then starts moving towards wall, once it hits wall just quits. We just changed out the foam rollers, took apart to make sure nothing amiss, looked fine. Cleaned the impeller area, did the test by letting it run outside of pool does the same thing, quits in under a min, however if I just suspend it in the water without it touching any side it'll run continuously no problem, doesn't shut off so that makes me think the foam rollers aren't causing the resistance that is making it cut off? Anybody have any ideas

Jan 26, 2020
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dolfin s 100 stoped after 10 uses
by: Anonymous

had for three years now out of warranty
Refused to go once in pool
Checked all electricals with multi meter all good
Opened machine up and removed the motor compartment
Removed drive motor to find water proof compartment full of water
Had not tripped safety switch
Both motors rusted and totaly stuffed as is all circut boards
Piece of junk badly sealed
Never again

Dec 22, 2019
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Dolphin starts stops
by: Anonymous

My dolphin s200 would run for 10 seconds then stop, I cleaned the impeller and noticed it was hard to turn so I took it apart and removed the motor thinking it was corrosion around the shaft, when I took the motor apart it ended up being the rear bearing was seized, New bearing and happy days. Hope this helps some one out

Sep 14, 2019
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Doesnt work
by: Anonymous

Had triton pool cleaner for 2 months,was working great then one day it just kept shutting down

No debris at impeller..now thing turns on for 5 seconds and then shuts off..W.T.F.

849 dollars for what !!!!

Sep 09, 2019
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Easy fix
by: lottyjane

We used this YouTube video to help us with the problem. Works like a charm in 10 minutes!

https://youtu.be/6Jai0TzND0E

Sep 07, 2019
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It worked for this mom
by: kt

So I had to take off the white top piece of my active 20. Popped off a black cover to access impeller. Sure enough cleaned out leaves and twigs. Working now! Took less than a minute!

Sep 07, 2019
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One direction Dolphin
by: Matt

Hello all,
Usually my Dolphin worked great but know it is only moving in one direction. When I try to drive it in reverse it just won't go. So basically it just keeps trying to climb up the wall. Anybody seen anything similar?

Aug 29, 2019
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Per Donnas post
by: Matt

HEllo how did you take roller from front to back?

Aug 29, 2019
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Robot powering off
by: Donna

I'm sure this isn't likely the total solution but..we have a Dolphin, Maytronics, DX3, doing the same...power on, run for about 1 min, moving, then stops. After checking all power cords and even buying new cord, nothing was apparent. Rollers just stop, propeller stops. Took apart, checked propeller for debris..clean. Switched front roller to back, back CV to front....working like a charm. Coming into Sept., 2019..praying it will let us finish out season (late Sept.)at least. Worth a try and good luck.

Aug 14, 2019
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Problem Solved!
by: Anonymous

This website is super helpful. I was able to fix the problem by clearing the impeller. Thank you!

Aug 12, 2019
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Eureka
by: Anonymous

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you,
I had the same problem 1 month after the guarantee ran out!
I looked at the rota inside the machine which had a small wig on it. Removing the 2 screws & covers I was able to untangle it and is now working as expected.
I do wonder what the supplier would have recommended if I had taken it in.

Jun 28, 2019
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Wish I never had bought this piece of junk.
by: Kelly M

No hair in the impeller nothing caught in the tracks. Shits off after 60 seconds of start and stop behavior.

Jun 24, 2019
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Defective Product-Bad Customer Service
by: Sam

Have the same issue. I only got 2.5 months of use out of my Dolphin Nautilus that I loved while it used to work. With a pool without heater in North East, I can only use it 3 months a year. So warranty verbiage worked more for Maytronics than me the customer.
When called their rep declined to change out the board without paying a sum, that was close to the cost of a new one.
Whether it is the hex shaft slipping, or the logic board, or the cheapo desiccant pack, or the impeller getting jammed - all are signs of a defective, fragile product preventing owners getting a useful life out of this product. I will join the class of a class action suit for the manufacturer knowingly not fixing design flaws if there is one moving forward.
Very disappointed in what could have been a product, a pool owner would have loved to own.

Jun 19, 2019
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Piece of JUNK
by: Anonymous

Mine does the same thing, runs for a short time and quits! I called the company and they just brushed me off. Another hunk of expensive CRAP to throw out. Beware folks, do not buy this product.

Jun 07, 2019
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Thanks
by: Tina

Thanks so much for the tips on how to trouble shoot my Dolphin. It only ran for about 10 seconds and stopped. This is the second Dolphin I have bought and it's only 1 year old. I have lots of girls in my pool with very long hair, and yes, the propeller had lots of hair around it. Just a few screws off to find the propeller unrapped the hair,put it back together and good as new! Thank you so much!

May 24, 2019
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Just bought my dolphin
by: Tom

I just bought my dolphin, first time I ran it. It worked for about twenty minutes, then stopped. The second time I ran it, it did about a hour and stopped.
I've tried unplugging the electrical cord, and plugging it back in. But only moved about two feet and stopped. I've checked for debris in the filter, washed it all out.
So my question is, what am I missing here ? I didn't get a trouble shooting guide, just a quick start guide. Almost at my Witt's end with it already

May 11, 2019
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Vacuum problems
by: Sandra Jones

Our Atlantis Dolphin pool cleaner is doing the same thing. Runs for a few minutes then stops. We replaced the drive pully but it didn’t help.

Apr 17, 2019
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I can fix these dolphin issues I fix around 20 a year.
by: Geoff Minton

I can fix the dolphin cleaners that stop almost immediately if it’s not hair then send it to me you can visit my website at http://www.bigproper.com I can do board level repairs on just about any brand cleaners Hayward Tigersharks, Pentair you name it I’ve fixed it. Dolphins are my number one and favorite to work on. On my website I always keep my contact info updated so just go there and I will respond very quickly. Hope I can help.

Sep 21, 2018
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Hair was the problem
by: Tom

Tiny piece of hair was indeed the problem,
Thanks ;-)

Sep 09, 2018
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Mine too.
by: Anonymous

I am at wits end, mind does the same thing. I took it apart and check for weeds or hair around the motor blade, Everything is clean. But it starts out find then just shuts off. I just don't know what to do. It's always worked fine.

Aug 08, 2018
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Dolphin Nautilus CC Stops After 5 Seconds
by: Anonymous

New Dolphin Nautilus CC (purchased 5/18) stops after 5 seconds. Cleaned impeller and everything else. Must be electrical or board issue. Any possible troubleshoots/solutions.

Jul 16, 2018
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Hexagon adapter adjustment
by: Sean

My Deluxe 4 kept shutting off after a few seconds or a minute at most. I cleaned it all out, including the impeller. Ran it for a bit out of the water so I could see what was going on and it was the hexagon adapter slipping. I took it out, gave a slight hit with a hammer to tighten up the gap space and it's working perfectly.

Jun 17, 2018
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Problem solved
by: Anonymous

Hair was stuck in the impeller. Quite easy to fix. I appreciate the websites comments leading me to check for that. Robot is operational again and my wife is off my back.

Thanks to all

Jun 15, 2018
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Disappointed
by: Anonymous

30 sec and stops!

Jun 05, 2018
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ME TOO
by: Pat OB

Turns on, three lights...turns off.

Mar 17, 2018
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No affiliation with Dolphin Maytronics
by: ADMIN

This is an independent website. This site has no affiliation with any pool robot manufacturer. That is the reason for no response from them.

Feb 18, 2018
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Dolphin Company is MIA
by: Anonymous

Why doesn't the Dolphin company respond here. We google, this comes up first thing. The Dolphin company is MIA....

Jul 03, 2014
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Same thing
by: Anonymous

Mine was doing the same thing and removing the screw and taking the small amount of hair off made it work. Thanks f or the suggestion.

Sep 06, 2013
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Dolphin Diagnostics - I found a solution!
by: Kimmi

Mine was doing the same thing. Was really disappointed because they are so expensive. For a while turning off and then turning back on after a minute would work but would stop running after a minute or so. I first checked impeller and didn't see anything. I took the whole thing apart and did notice that the tread was off track a little so i fixed that. I was encouraged because I thought that must've been the problem. But low and behold it stopped after running for a minute AGAIN! So as a last resort I checked the impeller again. At first glance there was nothing in there. But i opened impeller area and removed the impeller and there was a tight circle of hair wound around the metal part that you slide the impeller onto before attaching with screw. I removed the hair and it ran the entire cycle! Seems like it's stopped a few times since I did that and there is usually some hair in the impeller compartment. If i take impeller out by removing screw and remove the hair it seems to work fine again!!! thought i would share. hope this helps someone else as it was a very easy fix.

Sep 11, 2012
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Dolphin pool cleaner
by: Steve

I have the same problem too. The dolphin runs fine for 2 minutes and then stops for no reason. Tried all that you can without pulling it apart.emailed manufacturer but no reply as yet.Will upload reply when I find out what they think.

Jul 02, 2012
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Nothing to lose
by: Anonymous

You have nothing to lose trying the bypass

Jul 01, 2012
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problem
by: Anonymous

I thought I read some where that it could possibly be the timer in the transformer unit, and that you might be able to by pass the timer????

Jul 01, 2012
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one of two things
by: Anonymous

If nothing is stuck in the tread behind the sideplate, then it's the electronic control board in the motor housing that can't be replaced separately

Jun 30, 2012
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Same problem
by: Anonymous

I have the same problem. Does anyone have any information on what the problem is> if So please respond

Thanks

Jun 09, 2012
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Dolphin won't run over 10 seconds but will restart after a few seconds
by: Anonymous

I have the same problem but mine only runs about 10 seconds then shuts off. When it starts to shut down a green light on the circuit board begins to flash. If I turn off the power the green light goes off in a couple of seconds. If I try to start it before the light goes out it won't run. Is the board bad or is it something else?

Jun 08, 2012
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Mine is doing the same thing
by: Anonymous

Have you found a solution to your pool cleaner? If so, how? Mine is doing the same thing.

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