[[deleted] @[deleted] Inactive]

I have a new Seagull Pro and have noticed that when put in the water (and I’ve tried submerging 1st to remove all bubbles), the robot does an initial move forwards and cleans, but then stops to turn and then on subsequent forward movements raises the front wheels so it’s not actually cleaning just doing wheelies across the pool!!

How do I fix this issue?

[Aiper Official @aiper-official Keymaster]

Hi Mormerod,

 

Interesting problem, I suspect one of the inlets might have either a blockage or isn’t getting suction diverted to it. While it is common that some of our units do wheelies from time to time to release trapped air, it sounds like yours is happening almost immediately. Any chance you can take a video of this?

[Kevin Rogers @hankev Participant]

following ….. me too, thereafter it loses it’s orientation ☹️

[[deleted] @[deleted] Inactive]

I did take a video and send it to support, but here it is.

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AlDrElPV9vUngusTi6Mi3f1C598pLA?e=bLiLye

This is about 10 seconds after the unit was placed in the water.  Here’s what support finally replied this morning:

“For the issue, I want to make sure what caused the cleaner failure, please kindly check this information below to find the reason:

1. It’s there any obstacle block the propulsion tube and the direction of pulse?

2. Check if the filter has been stucked by debris?

It  is recommended to change the water in the pool before using the machine.”

I find the suggestion of changing 27,500 gallons of pool water completely ridiculous!

 

 

[Tony @antoniog Participant]

My unit is brand new and has the same problem.  It occurs in floor only mode.  I’m going to try floor and wall mode and see if it happens in that mode as well, but the unit just pops wheelies when trying to move forward and then just rotates around a small area of the pool floor.

 

 

[Aiper Official @aiper-official Keymaster]

Anonymous wrote:

I did take a video and send it to support, but here it is.

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AlDrElPV9vUngusTi6Mi3f1C598pLA?e=bLiLye

This is about 10 seconds after the unit was placed in the water.  Here’s what support finally replied this morning:

“For the issue, I want to make sure what caused the cleaner failure, please kindly check this information below to find the reason:

1. It’s there any obstacle block the propulsion tube and the direction of pulse?

2. Check if the filter has been stucked by debris?

It  is recommended to change the water in the pool before using the machine.”

I find the suggestion of changing 27,500 gallons of pool water completely ridiculous!

 

 

Hi again, I apologize for not replying sooner.I was sick for a few days.

 

Thank you for the video. I’m taking this up with both R&D and customer service now and will hopefully have something for you soon.

[Aiper Official @aiper-official Keymaster]

Hi guys,

 

Based off of my discussion with R&D, we’ve determined this is a manufacturing issue. In your discussion with customer service, please use this chat as a reference for getting your unit replaced. We apologize for both the experience and the time it took to get this issue resolved.

[[deleted] @[deleted] Inactive]

Aiper Official wrote:

Hi guys,

 

Based off of my discussion with R&D, we’ve determined this is a manufacturing issue. In your discussion with customer service, please use this chat as a reference for getting your unit replaced. We apologize for both the experience and the time it took to get this issue resolved.

Given the slow responses and the return window closing, I returned the unit to Amazon at the end of last week.  If this manufacturing issue has been fixed and I can be guaranteed a non-faulty unit, I would be interested in getting another unit. Who do I contact to discuss my options?

[Greg Hathcox @ghatlanta Participant]

I have a brand new unit and it is doing wheelies as well and becomes disoriented. Is there a fix for this issue or do I need to return the unit?

If so, what is the process? Should I return via Amazon?

[Al @monkeydanceparty Participant]

I just purchased a Seagull Pro from Amazon and I am having the same issue (it’s the first time it’s been in the water). The front raises up then gets lost and turns around, when it starts moving the same thing happens again. Over the whole run it managed to randomly move around the pool, but missed a lot.

Hopefully I didn’t get one of the ones someone else returned (it looked clean when I took it out of the box).

Is there a solution for this yet?

[Aiper Official @aiper-official Keymaster]

Hi everyone,

 

Firstly, I want to apologize to all of you, this issue is absolutely not something we experienced in testing or our any of our previous shipments and is obviously not something we hoped our customers would experience. Earlier today I escalated the issue with our R&D department using videos submitted by some our forum users, we’re currently assessing the issue and I hope to have something soon for you all. I’ll also be consulting our customer service department and briefing them on the issues.

 

I hope to have a solid course of action for you all ASAP, once I do, if there is anything I can personally do to assist you I will.

 

Cheers,

[Sandy S @hotpantera Participant]

We have used our three times. The first two times it worked perfectly. Today both my husband and I noticed that ours doing the wheelies and being very disoriented. It would go a few feet and spin and would not do the S pattern. We were using it in the floor mode only. We love how it worked the first two times. What do I need to do to get this fixed? Do I return it to Amazon and request a new one? Thanks!

[Raul Morales @raulm Participant]

hello I also just purchased the cleaner this week and noticed it was not pickup up the leaves on bottom of pool and when I stood there and observed noticed it would also bunny hop so it would just push the leaves out of the way instead of picking them up is my only choice to return this machine to amazon thanks for any help

[Aiper Official @aiper-official Keymaster]

Hi all,

 

Firstly, I want to apologize that you’re all experiencing this issue, it’s certainly not we hope our customers experience. There is one potential solution to the issue many of you are facing, we found when loosening the rear wheels on the Seagull Pro this would correct the issue. We encourage everyone to try this troubleshoot and see if this fixes your “bunny hop/wheelie” issue.

 

If it does not, please speak with customer service about exchanging your model for a new one.

 

Thanks.

[Joe @joeswid219 Participant]

Add me to the list. First time it went in the water, no orientation at all. Wheelies, hopping etc.

It stayed in the same 4×4 square for and hour.  Setting up my return to Amazon; very disappointed.

[Joe @joeswid219 Participant]

Aiper Official wrote:

Hi all,

 

Firstly, I want to apologize that you’re all experiencing this issue, it’s certainly not we hope our customers experience. There is one potential solution to the issue many of you are facing, we found when loosening the rear wheels on the Seagull Pro this would correct the issue. We encourage everyone to try this troubleshoot and see if this fixes your “bunny hop/wheelie” issue.

 

If it does not, please speak with customer service about exchanging your model for a new one.

 

Thanks.

Worked for 5 minutes after loosening the wheels and then back to wheelies and no orientation

[Aiper Official @aiper-official Keymaster]

Joe wrote:

Aiper Official wrote:

Hi all,

 

Firstly, I want to apologize that you’re all experiencing this issue, it’s certainly not we hope our customers experience. There is one potential solution to the issue many of you are facing, we found when loosening the rear wheels on the Seagull Pro this would correct the issue. We encourage everyone to try this troubleshoot and see if this fixes your “bunny hop/wheelie” issue.

 

If it does not, please speak with customer service about exchanging your model for a new one.

 

Thanks.

Worked for 5 minutes after loosening the wheels and then back to wheelies and no orientation

If you could email your order number, email, and detail the experience you’ve been having. I’ll have customer service message you.

[Joe @joeswid219 Participant]

I have already processed my return to Amazon.  For this kind of money, I should not have to use work arounds

[Paul Griffin @paulg Participant]

I just got mine and it is doing the same thing. Are you offering to exchange these bad units or should I return it before the 30 day warranty is up?

[Dave @drogers5 Participant]

I am having the same issue, wheelies, not picking up and going in circles.  I asked CS for a refund, I don’t have time for replacements and seeing a constant on going issuew with this product.

[James @thorstr Participant]

Add me to the list.  Received the unit from Amazon today and wheelies all over the place. Is the best process to contact Aiper customer service?

[Mitch Werther @wertherm Participant]

Add me to the list as well.  Received from Amazon yesterday.  Charged last night and put in pool today. Kept doing wheelies and only stayed in tiny section of the pool.

[Ian McLeod @ianmcleod83 Participant]

I got my Seagull Pro 2 days ago and am having the same issues. wheelies every time the unit tries to move forward. Thinks it’s a wall and reorients.  Stays in the same spot turning and doing wheelies. I had such high hopes! Such a bummer.

[Bryan Adcock @radcock71 Participant]

Same here. I just went to garbage to get the box and foam packaging. I’ll test is a few more times over the next few days, but just got this during Amazon Prime Days 3 days ago and so want this device to work. I got the snorkel gear out and have been watching this thing for the past 2 days. It stays in maybe a 4×4 square, moves forward a few feet, pops the wheelie, turns a bit, and repeat. Every once in a while it makes a dash across the pool to setup the pattern again. When it goes to wall mode only once did it go to the water line. It makes the turn and is completely vertical, ascends only a few inches from the bottom, but then stops while the brush continues to spin. The back up and 45 degree turn work well, but then it only goes up the wall a few inches. After 2 hours, both times I’ve used it, the basket was full of debris. More than I thought considering the pool isn’t that dirty. If this continues I’ll return the product until the bug is fixed. I’m guessing it’s trying to be too smart. Aiper – thanks for allowing these posts. I’m assuming you could easily delete these comments and hide the issues you are having. Appreciate the transparency.

[Paul McGlone @pjm361 Participant]

Mine is doing the same thing, in automatic and in floor mode. I’ll try the loosen wheel trick to see if that fixes the issue.

[Aiper Official @aiper-official Keymaster]

Hi guys,

 

I wanted to follow up as I am noticing one continued theme with the debris box. If the box does fill up, this can cause the unit to “wheelie” as we’re calling it as the suction and filter systems can become blocked with a full debris box. For all others, we continue to encourage you to contact customer support and we’ll replace all units under warranty.

[Betty Kainz @bettyk Participant]

Hi Aiper !

We were just about to buy one of these Seagull Pros and stumbled onto this thread about the “bunny-hopping” issue. Now I’m unsure about whether to get it or not.

 

Could you please tell me if this issue is being looked at by your manufacturing and if they are inspecting new units for this issue. I don’t want to buy one and have to send it right back.

 

I do appreciate the fact that Aiper is so transparent and is allowing this discussion. I wonder why none of these people wrote on the Amazon Reviews about this problem.

If it’s a matter of making an adjustment like wheels or something, That’s not so bad, but if that doesn’t fix it, it doesn’t make sense to buy one until this problem with the new units is fixed.

 

Are there any updates as to what action is being taken by Aiper to resolve this?

 

TRhanks for your help !

Betty

[Miguel A @fastuning Participant]

I’m from Spain, after only 2 times worked well, now I have same problem, it stucks in a small part and make wheelies when try to turn, takes maybe 20 minutes to turn and get disoriented, it’s only clean about a line of 7 meters, left to right

[Clayton @cjhealy23 Participant]

Aiper Official wrote:

Hi guys,

 

I wanted to follow up as I am noticing one continued theme with the debris box. If the box does fill up, this can cause the unit to “wheelie” as we’re calling it as the suction and filter systems can become blocked with a full debris box. For all others, we continue to encourage you to contact customer support and we’ll replace all units under warranty.

Hello Forum,

Purchased my Seagull Pro direct from Aiper on July 19^th.  Yes, I am also seeing the wheely or bunny hop issues.  In most cases, the issue started soon after I start using it.  From my observation, the loss of jet power (blowers) seems to be the issue.  Basically, the blowers on top of the unit seem to lose strength and therefore can’t keep the front of the machine down.   – So, the blowers have to get their water pressure from someplace, – I induced the suction on the bottom of the machine was a problem, or perhaps the jet ports inside the vacuum were clogged.

I cleaned the inside of the machine as best I could – No blocks, no clogged jet ports. Hmm, that’s odd.  So, I charged the unit and started another cleaning. Yup still hopping. Hmm, so I switched the unit from floors only to walls only. Sure enough, would not climb walls, which makes sense because of the loss in suction (blower jet strength). So, I was curious and removed the filter basket – which was filled with fine silt or something, basically, the filter mesh was 100% blocked by “stuff”.    I removed the filter basket and put the Seagull Pro back into the water. 

Guess what, without the filter basket there is no hopping, no wheelies, and the vacuum climb walls as expected.  So, to me, this means the issue is due to the loss of suction.  The cause might be… when the mesh of the filter basket becomes blocked, the Seagull can’t pull enough water (suction) through the jets.   Just pressure drops as does the suction.

The solution Might be: Simply pull and clean that filter every 5-10 minutes until the vacuum can work its way through your pool and remove all the very fine particles & silt. This is what I am going to try – Hopefully after that, the hoping will stop, and the pool will be clean enough to run as normal going forward.

Any thoughts?

[Paul McGlone @pjm361 Participant]

Mine will climb the walls on wall mode, but will wheelie and then turn every few feet on auto and floor modes. . The basket was cleaned after every use so that was not my problem.  I did loosen the back wheels and it worked once, but then the next two times it would just do the wheelie and turning pattern again.

[Steven @azbored Participant]

Purchased my Seagull Pro less than 2 weeks ago. Tried loosening the rear wheels like suggested. It worked for about 2 minutes then started popping its wheelies and turning around again. Have not gotten a full cleaning from this since purchase. I agree with clayton as to the possible cause but removing the unit every 5-10mins to clean seems to defeat the purpose of buying something to free up your time if you are spending that time to clean it.

[AiperKeyMaster @aiperkeymaster Keymaster]

Hello everyone,

We’re sorry for the delay in responses. If you’re still encountering this issue after the debris box is not full, we suggest reaching out to our VIP customer service team at service@aipervip.com. This email is designed to prioritize cases and ensure that we can help you as fast as possible. We’re incredibly sorry for the inconvenience and are working with our R&D to fix the issue.

[Victoria Selcuk @vderouvrehotmail-com Participant]

Same issue for Robbie (that’s how we call our unit )

Today he just goes in circles and he started doing wheelies

I need a replacement

[Eurys @eurys Participant]

Hi. For me I found solution. Separately open and remove all air from basket and install in seagull under water. That removes all the air,fixes wheelie /bunny hop issues.

[Steven @azbored Participant]

Thanks for the suggestion Eury I am going to try that today considering mine still has the issue and only after getting about a teaspoon of debris in it which I would not consider full.

[Eurys @eurys Participant]

Let me know if it works for you.. I flip seagull under water without basket to get all air out. Then I take basket apart  and get all air out of i underwater, reassemble it underwater and insert into the seagull. Seems to be working that way.

[Gordon Wright @gordon Participant]

It seems that Clayton has got it right. My new Aiper Seagull Pro stated wheel-standing after only 10-15 minutes in the pool (pebble crete) and then went into random mode. Pulling it out of the water there was only a couple of leaves in the basket, but the mesh had captured all the sand/pollen/dirt/and duck shit (yes they love my pool) and had blocked the mesh completely. The dead give-away was that when the robot started doing wheelies, the vortex in the water above the robot created by the two top fans ceased.

I took the robot out and cleaned the basket. When returned to the pool, ten minutes or so later, the same thing occurred. After ground hog day was repeated several more times it was obvious the mesh on the filter basket was too fine for the amount of grit in my pool. Polaris and other cleaners offer different density mesh for their filters, depending on the type and cleanliness of your pool, so the logical conclusion is aiPer need to do the same. That way bring a very dirty pool to brilliantly clean needs to be a gradual process. Alternatively a pool vacuum is the go. I’m sure the robot would do an excellent job if it was allowed to start with a clean starting point. In the mean time different filter mesh densities should be optional accessories.

To prove my point, take the basket out and run the robot.

[Syed Arshad Hasan @mulla Participant]

I just received my Brand New Aiper Pro Lite Unit. After fully charging it I have used it 3 times. The unit is absolutely disappointing. Keep Bunny Hopping, not picking anything.

So frustrating and unhappy with costly product.

If you can provide me advise what to do now. What’s the resolution.

Thanks

 

 

[Syed Arshad Hasan @mulla Participant]

Steven wrote:

Thanks for the suggestion Eury I am going to try that today considering mine still has the issue and only after getting about a teaspoon of debris in it which I would not consider full.

I’m having same problem

[Ian Kent @kegscruiser Participant]

Brand new unit out of the box, 60 seconds in the pool and the front starts lifting. I wish I read this forum before purchasing.

It seems that’s it’s not fit for purpose, can someone assist me with a refund.

[Eurys @eurys Participant]

Please look at my solution.  It worked and eliminated this issue. Take out basket,open it,submerge it with top off to take out all air and put the top back on. Insert with unit underwater,then flip unit underwater to get all air out also. Worked for me.

[Paul @ubergoober Participant]

Wanting to jump in on this as I too have been having this issue.

The TL/DR: I think there’s two issues, and I believe #1 compounds onto #2, 1) the nose may be a bit too buoyant and causes the initial “clean basket” issues, 2) the basket getting full, or rather clogged, causing the lack of suction to the bottom of the pool later in the cleaning process.

My observations are that it’s too “nose” buoyant. I had the previous version (Seagull 1500), and wow, that thing was the best “pool boy” I ever had. When the Pro came out, I sold my 1500 and was excited to get the Pro, but have been disappointed since day one (got it in the beginning of this pool season) because of two things, 1) the wheelie popping, bunny hopping, start/float/stop/settle/start/float/stop/settle/start… and 2) getting to the top of the walls in wall clean mode, it would get to the top, then back flip and turtle struggle around the pool until it managed to right itself and sink again (rather I think just push itself down with the top jets, more about this in a sec).

One thing I remember with my 1500 is that it came with small optional additions in the box, little buoyant foam float blocks. These were in case your 1500 wasn’t buoyant enough to get up and clean the edges, which I never had to use. The Pro doesn’t have these (which is fine), but it also appears that the problem is that it may be too buoyant out of the box, unlike the 1500. Maybe Aiper tried to find a balance so those weren’t needed in the box? The one thing I noticed about the Pro, that I never had with the 1500, is that when I’m trying to put it into the pool, and tilting and turning, flipping and rolling, shaking and swearing, is that I can never seem to get “all” of the air out. The “nose” always seems buoyant “just enough” to cause one of the following scenarios (and mind you this is after a good cleaning and putting into the pool for it’s first run for the day):

1) It will nose float, or slow fall with nose up, until the down jets kick in and push it down (here starts the “push itself down” I mentioned earlier)

2) It will sink, but ride high in the front until the down jets kick in, and again, push it down instead of it actually settling on the bottom.

3) It will start to clean the wall, but the nose is still too buoyant that it will bob a bit when scrubbing, and the nose essentially floats off inward, causing a more upward jet thrust rather than laterally to push it onto the side of the pool. Then the bot does the on/off of the jets trying to reach bottom, doing that turtling action of trying to right itself, all the while it’s floating upside down in the pool until eventually one of the jets (there’s two on top) will win and topple the Pro enough that it will start to roll. (I’m presuming there’s a sensor to detect suction that only occurs when on the pool surface and turns off to prevent motor burn out, and on again to … well, try again, and I’m sure it’d give up after a set time).

So my only conclusion is that there is a cavity or something in the nose that isn’t displacing air with water. Or if the electronics are in it, then it may be too big of a void to hold them and it’s just a bit too much to perfectly balance the buoyancy.

Also, I do want to add that the wheelies happening later during pool cleaning is for sure because of a full basket. I have managed to get my Pro to sit and run as expected (maybe there’s a sliver of a gap that I can’t always get water into in the nose, but sometimes can?), but come back 5-6 hours later thinking it’s squat waiting for me to pull it out with a drained battery, but to still see it with yellow trying to clean, but pulling some wheelies. I think the battery is lasting so much longer than it should is cause it’s barely running for most of that time because the basket is full and it’s doing it’s “adjustments” and not running all the suction and scrubber motors, thus much less battery is being used. I’ve also come back to it sitting off in the middle of the pool. At first I thought that was meaning there was a problem and it just died there, or maybe I got one with a battery that’s bad. But now I realized it kept doing wheelies and just never could get itself going right and just shut down. Basket is full during those, and I’m aware that’s what’s causing that problem.

Two last little tidbits:
1) I see people online just check the Pro into their pool (instead of doing the air bubble dance of trying to displace the air with water), and I don’t know how theirs sink so fast. The 1500, I could just drop it in and back away. Granted I’d drop it in at an angle that it would naturally get the air out, but the Pro seems to have no good angle, even doing the air bubble dance.
2) The only images I can find of the Pro disassembled is just the exploded view from the manual. Looks like maybe there’s some open space under the nose and under the top shell, that it might be worth exploring to see if maybe there is a cavity that is just really hard to get air out of, and then experiment.

Has anyone disassembled yours? I’m sure there’s some water proofing or sealed areas for the electronics, but per the exploded view, it appears that possibly that top shell at least should be removable, and I’m really hoping it’s something like the channel in the handle, or just some plastic strengthening supports that are making it hard to get all the air out. Something easily non impacting on it’s water proof that can be done to fix these issues.

Hopefully others have observed this as well, or this has triggered an “ah ha” moment, cause I’m quite frustrated with this Pro and have regretted selling my 1500 too quick before really testing out the Pro (but who I was selling it to was on the fence, so I had to sell while he was bitting). But now I’m determined to make this one work.

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