Dolphin Wave 140

It will clean one, but it is built and priced for commercial pools up to 127 ft in daily use. For a backyard pool up to 50 ft a Dolphin Premier or Sigma does the job for far less.

The Wave 200 XL adds a swivel cable, multi-layer interchangeable filtration, a full-filter indicator, delayed start and quick water release, with a 6-hour cycle. Both cover pools up to 127 ft with a 140 ft cable.

Unbox the robot and strip off every piece of plastic wrap, including the wrap around any white foam climbing rings. Put the power supply at least 12 feet from the pool edge, in the shade if you can, and plug it straight into the outlet rather than an extension cord. Unroll only as much blue cable as the longest side of your pool and leave the rest coiled on the deck.

• Connect the blue cable to the power supply: line up the plug with the notch, then turn it clockwise until it locks.
• Plug the power supply in, but do not switch it on yet.
• Set the robot in the water at the middle of the pool's long axis and let it sink. If it has foam brushes or rings, hold them under until they are soaked.
• Press ON/OFF on the power supply. The robot starts in the direction it is facing.

A robot is built to maintain a pool that is already balanced and netted of large debris. Use the fine (coarser) filters for the first cycles of the season, never pull the robot by its cable while it is running, and remember that a cycle you interrupt restarts from the beginning next time.

Lift the robot out after each cycle and keep both the robot and the power supply out of direct sun, heat and cold. A caddy keeps it off the ground; coil the cable loosely so it never kinks. The power supply belongs in a covered spot at least 12 feet from the water, since it is splash-proof but not waterproof.

For the off-season, store the robot on its caddy in a ventilated space that stays between 41°F and 113°F, and keep it away from pool chemicals, whose fumes corrode plastics and electronics over time.

Balanced water. Too little chlorine lets algae clog the filters and starve the motor of flow; a pH above the recommended range stops the robot climbing walls. After a shock or flocculant treatment, wait 24 hours before the robot goes back in. Keep the water between 43°F and 95°F; below 59°F, climbing suffers.

• Alkalinity: 80 to 120 ppm
• pH: 7.2 to 7.6
• Calcium hardness: 150 to 250 ppm
• Free chlorine: 1.0 to 3.0 ppm
• Cyanuric acid: 30 to 50 ppm

Saltwater pools are fine up to 5,000 ppm of salt. Rinse the robot with tap water after each cycle to stop deposits building up.

Register online at registration.maytronics.com with the robot's 10-character serial number and your Pool Express receipt. The serial number is printed on the box label, on the warranty card and on a barcode label inside the robot's housing. The form asks for the serial number, your details, the purchase date and store, and an uploaded receipt or invoice showing the date, product and price; then you agree to the terms and submit. Keep the confirmation with your receipt. Because Pool Express is an authorized Maytronics dealer, the full 3-year warranty applies.

A standard 120-volt outlet, ideally one protected by a GFCI. The robot draws under one amp while it runs, roughly 100 to 180 watts, so a cycle costs a few cents in electricity.

Turn the power supply off and unplug it. Pull gently on the floating blue cable until the robot reaches the side, then take it by the handle and lift it slowly so the water drains before it clears the edge. Never yank the cable, and never lift the robot by it. If reaching down is awkward, a retrieval hook that clips onto a standard pool pole makes the lift easy; resting the robot on the coping for a minute lets the rest of the water run out.

Yes. Pool Express is an authorized Maytronics dealer, so every Dolphin Wave 140 we sell is a new unit that registers with Maytronics for the full manufacturer warranty, and our Pool Pros handle any warranty question for you. Buying from an unauthorized seller can void that coverage, which is why Maytronics asks you to buy from a dealer. You also get our 30-day trial and low price guarantee.