Safe checks before you touch a faulty pool robot

When a fault light shows, slow down and go in order: nobody in the pool, power off, robot out of the water, then look. Follow your own manual too.

Nobody in the pool

Get everyone out first. One list of maker safety tips is blunt. "Do not operate your machine while people swim in the pool."¹

That covers a robot that's already running with a light on. It also covers testing it after a fix. Everyone stays out until the robot is out of the water and the power is off.

Follow the rule in your own manual too. It may add steps that apply only to your robot.

Switch off and unplug

Next, cut the power. For a corded robot, one safety list says the cleaner should be disconnected from the power supply and the power supply unplugged from the outlet before any troubleshooting¹.

A cordless robot needs the same care. One maker's filter steps say to make sure the robot is turned OFF².

That safety list adds a rule. Don't turn the power supply on unless the cleaner is in the water¹. So don't switch it on to "see if the light comes back" with the robot sitting on the deck.

Lift it out and set it down

Only now do you handle the robot. A maker's steps say to remove the robot from the pool and place it on a flat, dry surface².

For how to lift and drain your robot, and what to do about damage, go to your own product's manual.

Know where the breaker is

Find the breaker that feeds the pool equipment before you ever need it. U.S. safety regulators tell owners to know where every switch and breaker for pool equipment and lights sits, and how to turn them off in an emergency³. That release dates from 2003, so check current local rules too.

What a tripped GFCI means

A GFCI is the outlet or breaker that cuts power when current leaks to ground. One technical guide for a Hayward robot says a GFCI trip during operation is a real ground fault and a shock hazard⁴. Don't just reset it and carry on.

The same guide is firm. "Never bypass a tripped GFCI or replace a GFCI outlet with a non-GFCI outlet to eliminate tripping."⁴

Leave the robot unplugged. Then read about power supply and cable lights.

What to leave to a professional

Some jobs aren't yours. Anything involving mains wiring at the outlet, or the pool's own electrical circuits, belongs to a qualified person. The CPSC advises an electrician who is qualified in pool and spa repairs to inspect and upgrade pool electrical systems³.

If the robot's body looks damaged, or the cable is cut, stop and check your own manual or contact the maker.

Then, with the robot out of the water and unplugged, go to your manual. This page on finding your code list shows how.