Welcome to Ariel, the newest addition to the #SolarBreezeBots family of solar-powered, robotic pool skimmers. It’s time you get to know her. In this blog, learn everything about Ariel – she’s an open book.
How does Ariel navigate?
Ariel is propelled through the water by two paddle wheels located at the rear of the unit. In addition to propelling the unit forward, these paddle wheels can rotate at different speeds or in opposite directions, allowing Ariel to steer around obstructions that she may encounter in the pool, or turn when she comes to the edge of the pool. Barriers and obstructions are detected by optical sensors located at the front of the unit.
Where does the debris go inside Ariel?
As the pool robot passes over the surface of the pool, the front paddle wheel rotates forward to scoop debris into the debris collection area. Water that enters this chamber passes through the fine mesh screen in the debris tray. The mesh screen filters out pollens, dust particles, bugs and, of course, all of the larger organic material which is stored inside.
What do I do with the debris?
Ariel’s debris collection chamber is about twice the size of a normal skimmer basket. When the chamber becomes full, you can simply remove Ariel from the pool using the convenient handle, remove the debris tray from the unit and empty it into a trash collection container or compost bin. Then, return her debris tray, ensuring that the tray is pushed all the way back and that the locking tabs are engaged. Put Ariel back in the pool and press the power button.
How does Ariel stay energized?
The solar panels on the top of Ariel provide enough energy to power the robot all day long and, at the same time, charge an on-board battery. After the sun goes down, the pool robot will operate for several hours on battery power. When Ariel stops, she will float in the pool with navigation lights flashing. In the morning, when the sun comes up, she will recharge and start up again on her own.
How do I register my warranty?
When you first receive Ariel, after opening the box, retrieve the Owner’s Manual. Be sure to read through the Owner’s Manual to fully understand how Ariel operates. Register your Ariel’s warranty here.
How do I prepare Ariel for her very first swim?
First, remove the debris tray from Ariel and slide it back into place, just to confirm that it slides freely and the tray locks into place.
When Ariel arrives she will be in “Sleep” mode, meaning that all systems are shut down. Place the unit on a firm surface and press the Power button once. After a moment of hesitation, the paddle wheels will begin to turn. Confirm that all three paddle wheels (one at the front and two at the rear) are turning freely. This is “Operating” mode, and the power light should burn a steady green. If the unit is in the sun, the charge light should flash, indicating that the solar panels are charging the battery. If the battery is fully charged, the charge light will burn a steady green.
Press the power button once to enter stand by mode. The Power light will be flashing slowly, while the charge light flashes at a more rapid pace. This indicates that the battery is charging and that the Power Switch is engaged, but the motors are not running.
Place Ariel in the pool and press the Power button to exit Standby Mode and enter Operating Mode, where the motors are running and the paddle wheels are turning. Let Ariel clean your pool all day while the sun is shining and for several hours after the sun goes down.
What do I do with Ariel when I want to swim?
Remove Ariel from you pool while you are swimming. Simply press the power switch to stop the paddle wheels from turning and the unit will enter the “Stand By” mode. Place Ariel on the deck or in a sunny area where she can charge while you are swimming. Place her back in the pool when you’re done swimming and press the Power button to switch the pool robot from “Stand By” to “Operating” mode.
Does Ariel Operate at Night?
During the day, the solar panels on Ariel will generate enough power to run the unit and charge the on-board battery so that she can operate several hours after the sun goes down. Ariel’s battery may run low at some point during the night, causing her to shut down. The power light will flash at a rapid pace, indicating that the Power is “ON” but the battery charge is low. At the same time the charge light will appear and burn a steady red.
At night, the clear navigation lights will begin to flash so that she is always visible to you. The clear navigation lights flash when the sun is down and no power is being generated by the solar panels.
At some point during the night, Ariel may shut down all lights in order to preserve power and ensure that there is sufficient power left in the battery to re-start in the morning.
Does Ariel Operate in the Early Morning?
In the early morning, you may still observe the Ariel’s power light flashing at a rapid pace and the charge light burning a steady red. This indicates that there is not yet sufficient solar energy available to charge the battery.
As the sun comes up some more, the indicator lights will show the Charge light and Power light flashing green at the same rate. This indicates that the Power is ON, the battery charge is below operating range and the solar panels are charging the battery.
Once the battery is charged to operating level, the motors will begin to run and the Power light will burn a steady green. The Charge light will continue to flash green as the solar panels continue to charge the battery while the pool robot is running.
Occasionally, if a pool has a lot of shade in the morning, Ariel may run for a while as described above and then stop with the charge light showing steady red, again, and the Power light flashing. This indicates that Ariel drained down the initial power she received and had to stop again to recharge. Ariel may go through this cycle a few times in the morning before she obtains enough power to operate continuously.
How do I reset Ariel?
On rare occasion, Ariel may display operating parameters and indicator light modes that are not consistent with what is described above. Should this occur, simply reset Ariel by holding the power button down for 5 seconds or until the indicator lights go out completely. This will reset the circuit board and all data in the software. Restart Ariel by pressing the Power button once. Wait a few seconds for the motors to beginning rotating.
Have questions not addressed here? Email customerservice@solar-breeze.com.
