These Solar Pool Skimmers Last Insanely Long

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Your mind may be set on getting an automatic lightweight solar pool skimmer with a durable body and remote control. But in the end, a high battery capacity matters the most.

Solar pool skimmers can either be automatic or manually operated. While the automatic pool skimmers affect most of their functions once programmed, the manual ones need your routine input to clean your pool surface.

The weight of solar pool cleaners is essential to their accessibility. Alone, a pool cleaner might be lightweight. But after collecting leaves and debris from the swimming pool, the skimmer may become too heavy to remove and empty.

A pool cleaner cleans the surface of a swimming pool. Therefore, manufacturers must craft them to be resistant to water.

Besides water exposure, solar pool cleaners are exposed to UV rays from the sun over long periods. Therefore, they are at risk of getting damaged. So, durability is vital to choosing the solar-powered pool skimmer.

While some regions get a lot of sunlight, others get shorter periods. Knowing that solar pool cleaners work with solar energy, short durations of sunlight might stall their function. But with efficient solar panels, this might become less of an issue.

The best solar pool cleaners do not rely only on solar energy for their functions. Instead, they feature batteries to keep them running when the sun is unavailable.

The battery capacity varies across brands and models. But those with higher battery capacities generally work longer when the sun is unavailable.

Of course, if your solar pool cleaner can only run for short periods without the sun, its usefulness to your swimming pool would be limited.

The 2 Best Solar Pool Skimmers

Betta SE (2023 Model) Solar Powered Automatic Robotic Pool Skimmer

Betta SE (2023 Model) Solar Powered Automatic Robotic Pool Skimmer
Credit: amazon.com

The automation of the Betta SE solar pool skimmer left our eyes glistening for sure.

But what drove home the quality was the long battery life and the thoroughness of the build.

Battery Capacity/Battery Life

This pool skimmer’s long battery life is so impressive that we must emphasize our experience with it. Following a full charge, we left this solar-powered pool skimmer running, and it went on for no less than 20 hours – pretty much a day.

There aren’t many solar products with batteries that run for up to a day after a single cycle. So, you can imagine how impressed we were.

You’d probably be more impressed with the Betta SE if your region does not get a lot of intense sunlight. Even if the battery doesn’t reach 100%, you can get up to 10 hours of operation following a 30-50% charge.

The same applies if you are the type who’s usually too busy always to ensure the pool skimmer is sufficiently charged.

Automation

We saw this robotic pool cleaner in full flow, cleaning independently. When it was done, we barely had to do extra cleaning to get the pool to our desired state.

Even better, we got to operate it without getting close to it. It was just all-round ease and automation when it came to operating it.

Durability

The manufacturer specified that this product is waterproof, UV-resistant, and salt-chlorine tolerant. Well, we tested these specs out.

Of course, since pool skimmers were built to work on water surfaces, the Betta SE did that just fine. That was enough for us to confirm its water tolerance.

But then, we did not submerge it in water. There’s a fair chance the unit would have gone wrong if we did. So, try not to immerse your unit in water.

Since UV damages happen over time, we couldn’t verify the UV resistance of the product within the period of our assessment. But the signs show that it should do fine if you do not always leave it under the sun when not in operation.

On salt-chlorine tolerance, there was no doubt. We tried our unit in a freshwater and saltwater pool for over 20 hours, and all was fine.

If all we’ve said so far are to go by, a fair amount of effort went into making this product durable. Things would have been even nicer if the 1-year warranty wasn’t so short and extended warranties weren’t limited to the United States.

Weight

Weighing in at just 14 pounds, we had no issue getting the pool skimmer in and out of the pool. So, add portability and easy storage to the list of pros to expect from this product.

Control Type

Not many solar pool skimmers come with remote control. But this pool cleaner has one to add to its overall quality.

The remote made it easy for us to switch between different control modes. So, if you are tired of having to go to the pool multiple times to get things to work, this is a must-have.

Other Features

This device’s basket/debris tray features a fine mesh that removes particles as small as 200 microns. So, when filtering pool water, you can count on it to remove some hard-to-detect debris.

This product’s upside goes beyond cleaning your pool’s surface. You may just reduce your pool pump time by a third when you get a quality pool skimmer like this.

Pros

  • Superb battery life; this robotic pool cleaner can stay running for almost a day – more than the average pool skimmer.
  • Durable build
  • Easy to operate, thanks to the automated cleaning and remote control
  • Removing and emptying the debris tray is easy.
  • Lightweight so that it can be stored easily.

Cons

  • The extended warranty coverage does not apply if you are outside the US.

Solar Breeze Ariel Automatic Robot Solar Pool Skimmer

Solar Breeze Ariel Automatic Robot Solar Pool Skimmer
Credit: amazon.com

The Solar Breeze Ariel is best for people who want solar pool cleaners that cover a large pool area within a short period – people who want a fast pool cleaner.

So, if you would rather not wait too long to get a clean pool, this is the one for you.

Automation

We saw it cover the length of our pool in barely a minute. This is why we recommend it for fast pool cleaning. Even if your pool is way bigger than ours, the Solar Breeze Ariel wouldn’t take hours to make your pool clear.

Battery Capacity/Battery Life

The battery life of this pool skimmer did not impress as much as the first. In fact, we only got about half the runtime of the previous product after a full charge.

But then, for regular-sized pools, 10 hours is more than enough for the pool cleaner to do its thing.

If the runtime of this device starts dropping as time passes, you may get a solar pool cover to supplement its role. The pool cover will protect the surface of the pool from debris. So, you will only need the skimmer when the pool cover is not on the pool.

Durability

To test its water resistance/tolerance, we placed our unit in its working environment – the pool. It worked fine, and there was no damage. After that, we poured water over it for about a minute to simulate rain, and it still came out fine.

We also exposed our unit to extreme heat – as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit – and all was good. So, as the seasons change, you wouldn’t have much to worry about.

Beyond being water-resistant, this pool cleaner can tolerate saltwater pools with up to 6500 ppm concentrations. Our pool wasn’t that concentrated, so there was no issue.

This solar pool skimmer also comes with a 1-year warranty. But its warranty isn’t as limited as the other product.

Weight

This product is just as lightweight as the other one. So, you can expect the same ease getting it in and out of the pool.

Thanks to its ergonomic handle, getting it out of the pool was much easier. Its tray slides in and out readily, so removing and emptying was no problem for us.

Control Type

This device is cordless, so it can readily cover the surface area of your pool. However, it does not come with a remote.

So, while it can clean your pool independently, you must move towards it to control it manually. Of course, that removes some of the comforts of operating the device.

Other Features

The Solar Breeze Ariel uses filters that screen out particles as small as 200 microns.

So, whether you opt for this robotic pool cleaner or the other product, you will probably get the same clarity on your pool’s surface.

Pros

  • The battery life is impressive.
  • Cleaning the tray is uncomplicated.
  • It is still lightweight.
  • Withstands a broad range of temperatures and is salt-resistant.
  • Covers large surface areas within a short period.

Cons

  • Does not come with a remote.

Buyer’s Guide

Solar pool skimmer cleaning in the pool

Battery Capacity

Without a battery, your solar pool skimmer would be functionless at night because of the absence of the sun. However, with a battery, it will work.

How long your pool skimmer lasts without the sun depends on its battery capacity. With a higher battery capacity, it should work longer without the sun.

But with a low capacity, it will only work briefly. If it only works briefly without the sun, it is almost as good as not working.

So, before choosing a solar pool skimmer from the pack, verify that it has a high battery capacity or life. Battery capacity is measured in mAh, while battery life is measured in hours.

So, look for values indicating any of these on the pack of the product. The higher the values, the better.

Solar Panel/Cell Efficiency

A high solar panel efficiency makes for a relatively higher supply of solar power to your pool skimmer. Of course, the more power your pool skimmer gets, the faster your battery charges.

If you do not get a lot of sunlight where you live, PV panel/cell efficiency is a vital feature to look out for. Higher panel efficiency will help mitigate some shortfalls of low sunlight duration.

Generally, look out for monocrystalline solar panels as they offer higher efficiency than other solar panels.

However, if you cannot get a monocrystalline solar-powered pool skimmer, the next best thing is solar pool skimmers with polycrystalline panels.

Durability

Except your swimming pool is indoors, your pool skimmer will be exposed to the sun’s UV rays.

Extended exposure to UV rays will most likely damage any object, except such an object is UV-resistant or made with UV-resistant materials. So, when choosing a pool skimmer, ensure it is designed to be UV-resistant.

Besides UV resistance, a pool skimmer must be water-resistant for obvious reasons. You would not have to worry about the water in your pool damaging the skimmer if the skimmer is water-resistant.

You also wouldn’t have to worry about the rain if your pool skimmer is water-resistant.

Weight

Ordinarily, your skimmer may not be heavy. But when it gets filled with leaves and debris, it may become significantly heavier. If this happens, emptying it out of the pool may become difficult.

So, opt for a lightweight product whenever you get a solar pool skimmer.

Control Type

If you are not always available to program and control the cleaning process of your pool skimmer, you should look out for products with automated controls.

This way, you are sure that the skimmer will keep the surface of your pool clean in your absence.

Supported Pool Type

The chances are your pool contains freshwater. But there is no telling that your pool does not receive some salt from the sea around your region.

With heightened salt content, some solar-powered pool skimmers may not function in your pool. So, before choosing a solar pool skimmer, you should verify that it can handle the salt concentration of your pool.

FAQs

Is There a Floating Pool Skimmer?

Yes, there are floating pool skimmers. Unlike fixed skimmer boxes, floating pool skimmers clean out leaves from all angles. This reduces the chances of forming a dead spot where leaves accumulate.

Then again, floating pool skimmers remove leaves before they sink to the bottom of the pool. It is more convenient for pool owners to clean the pool when the rubble is still afloat.

Like any other skimmer, a floating pool skimmer may not remove all the leaves from your pool’s surface.

Are Skimmers Good for Above-Ground Pools?

Pool skimmers offer the same benefits to above-ground pools as to in-ground pools. They get leaves and other debris out of the pool before they can sink to the bottom, where they accumulate.

What Are Solar Pool Ionizers?

Solar pool ionizers are solar pool cleaners that release zinc and copper ions to inhibit the growth of green algae and bacteria. Through their action, they reduce chlorine and chemicals in the pool.

So, how do solar pool ionizers work? A solar pool ionizer has a PV panel connected to an anode immersed in the pool water.

As the panel converts the sunlight into power, it travels to the said anode and triggers it to release ions into the pool. The released ions, in turn, inhibit or retard the growth of bacteria and algae.

If you heat your pool with solar covers, using a blue pool cover alongside a solar pool ionizer will greatly reduce your pool’s expenditure on pool chemicals. This is an option to consider if you are trying to reduce your chlorine expenses significantly.

How Big of a Pool Skimmer Do I Need?

Going by the recommendation of the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP), you need at least one skimmer for every 400 square feet of your pool.

In other words, if your pool is 800 square feet, you need at least 2 pool skimmers.

Is an Automatic Pool Skimmer Worth It?

An automatic pool skimmer relieves you of scooping leaves and other debris off your pool.

You can enjoy your pool more than cleaning it if you have one. So, an automatic skimmer is worth it.

Final Take

Investing in a solar pool cleaner with a high battery capacity will ensure that pool maintenance lasts extended periods.

But besides looking out for battery capacity, you should only opt for solar pool cleaners with highly efficient solar panels. This way, you can ensure that the device gets a lot more power for every exposure to the sun.

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