Just bought a Freerider 1000iQ first impression is excellent. It’s used for a large pool 12x 6 mtrs and definitely a time saver. Don’t expect it to work with large branches on the pool floor.
Battery should las a full cycle of 2.5 hours but average pool should be clean in under 2 hours leaving some power in reserve; fully charged in under 5 hours.
Unfortunately not. Unlike robot lawn mowers which use perimeter wires and docking stations, the pool environment is too dangerous for nearby electrical supply to charging stations. For the moment, we'll need to carry the pool robot from the charging station to the pool. They are pretty cool to watch though.
I was looking at the Zodiac CX50 (a mate of mine is a fireman, he keeps telling me horror stories of rechargeable batteries setting peoples houses on fire, so I'm opting for a cord machine). Any thoughts on that model (concrete pool, 3 x 7.5, gets some leaves, but loads of dust). thanks :)
Totally understand concerns about rechargeable batteries. These tend to be cheap imports of batteries and/or charges that aren't suitable. The Zodiac FreeRider has an integrated battery management system designed so it can be safely left on the charger once fully charged. If you want a good pool robot with cable I'd recommend the DuoX that the FreeRider is based on. Essentially same machine but differs with cable (DuoX) or battery (FreeRider). Any machine, regardless of brand, that has a cable should be removed from the pool for several days each week to extend its longevity (see Owner's Manual for further advice from manufacturer).
