Smonet SR5 Pool Skimmer Review

[@jessicatyree356]

How does this work for picking up small gnats on the water surface compared to other more expensive skimmers? My pool is under a screened cage so not a lot of large debris, mostly small bugs. Thank you for the review!

[@imdefinitelydavid]

It actually picks up bugs pretty well. Small and big. You're welcome!

[@joshuaocasio7453]

Thank you for the video ! You’re great when it comes to replying I really do appreciate it. Now by any chance are you going to do a review on the Smonet cordless vacuum lol? I just bought the Nautilus CC plus. I am still waiting to receive it. But after see this skimmer and now seeing they released a vacuum I could get bough of those for the price of the Nautilus Cc plus. Do you think it’s worth it for the price or stick with the nautilus cc plus?

[@imdefinitelydavid]

Are you talking about the Smonet CR6 robotic cleaner? Because if you are... I actually am working on that one now lol. Smonet also sent me the CR6 and it is surprisingly good and surprisingly familiar...

[@joshuaocasio7453]

@@imdefinitelydavidyes that is the exact one. With that vacuum and the skimmer Amazon is running a deal totaling $690 with both products vs the nautilus cc plus running at $800. For the money I’m trying to see what’s better. I know the robot vacuum runs off battery and the other corded.

[@imdefinitelydavid]

Wow that is a deal! That combo of the skimmer and cordless CR6 in the pool works really well. I'll tell you a secret now about the CR6 before my video is finished... The CR6 is actually the new version of the Seauto Seal for 2024! It's one of the best-valued cleaners. Take a look at the review on the Seauto Seal and this new version works pretty much the same, the only difference is the outside and physical look of it. I'll have the review video for the Smonet CR6 in a few days otherwise if you want to wait lol

[@imdefinitelydavid]

Also, I love the CC Plus as a corded cleaner. It's also one of the best-valued cleaners for corded cleaners. You have a hard choice lol

[@joshuaocasio7453]

@@imdefinitelydavidas far as quality if you had to choose would you pick the nautilus cc plus or the Smonet cr6 ?

[@linder516a]

I was sooo excited to get this skimmer, I purchased it based in large part due to this video. I have had it for 3 days now and I am very disappointed. I have to put it on a charger every day, the sun does not seem to charge it AT ALL, hardly picks up any debris. My partially broken Ariel skimmer works better, holds a solar charge.. never have to plug it in!! Its still chugging along while the smonet lamely drifts in the pool. No instructions came with unit and no return instructions. Perhaps I am using it incorrectly?? any advice is greatly appriciated. It ONLY works if it has been plugged in, that charges eventually dies out. I let it sit in the sun for HOURS and nothing.

[@imdefinitelydavid]

Someone else posted about the same issue with theirs as well. It may be a batch issue or something. The one I have works the way it should. I probably received one of the first ones. Maybe the quality has gone down, I'm sorry 😞

[@linder516a]

@@imdefinitelydavid update... I contacted customer support, and they are very responsive.. so that's great. BUT the issue has not been resolved YET. will keep you posted.

[@imdefinitelydavid]

Great to hear they respond well at least. I've had some more expensive brands ignore me completely whenever there is an issue. So points for that

[@linder516a]

@@imdefinitelydavid UPDATE! The tech teamed reached out to me and recommended that i leave it out in full sun. sigh. .... Told them that was the first thing I did, and issue did not resolve. One day later a FULL refund and I didn't have to deal with shipping the unit back, I get to keep it. Now, what am I going to do with it? Overall, very happy with customer support too bad the pool bot isn't as helpful.

[@imdefinitelydavid]

Well if anything, I'm glad they kept in touch and eventually refunded you. Thanks for the progress report!

[@Dansgarage757]

Mine stopped working on the second day, also had to put it in sports mode to get through my return jet water pressure.

[@healing2be]

Hello, Thank-you for the review and I bought the skimmer from your review. Question: I plugged it in to charge last night and this morning I pressed the on button and all 4 lights go on and shut right off. I just bought this and do not understand why it will not stay on. Please let me know what I am doing wrong. Thanks so much.

[@imdefinitelydavid]

Fully charged first use and it shuts off? I'm sorry! Sounds like a defective unit! It should stay lit and turn on. The good news is that Smonet seems to be more responsive to customers so I would contact them.

[@healing2be]

@@imdefinitelydavid Hello, not first use, about 7th time. Thank-you for your quick reply :)

[@imdefinitelydavid]

In that case, what might have happened is that the skimmer the night before used up the battery so it turned itself off. The next morning it wouldn't turn on because it doesn't yet have enough power from the sun. Did you try to leave it alone in the pool with sun charging it? Usually, when the sun starts to come up it will still take a few hours to charge the battery, then it will eventually turn back on. Or did you take it out and try to charge it with the wall charger? Does that work?

[@healing2be]

@@imdefinitelydavid Hello ! It was not in use for a while as I was away. It was left in shade while away. So I charged it overnight and the next day it did what I said above. I will try again and charge it although if it still does not turn on, do I leave it in sun for a few hours to see if it charges? Thanks Again :)

[@imdefinitelydavid]

If you fully charged it and it still doesn't turn on then I would definitely contact the company. Sorry!

[@Schnauzer3000]

I bought this knowing of the solar thinking I left this in the pool all day and it would go on and off as needed and recharge from the sun. I believe I was wrong and I will have to manually start it and remove it after, which kind of is a bummer because I thought I’d be able to come home to a clean pool everyday but now I think I need to start it when I get home and let it run a bit. Could you clarify this?

[@imdefinitelydavid]

You should be able to leave it in the pool on the ON mode and it will automatically turn itself on and off based off the battery. So the next morning when sunlight hits it, it still needs to charge itself first and then turn itself on and run once the battery is charged and continue through the day. Basically it'll turn off at night and eventually after a few hours or sunlight the next morning, it'll turn on and run again. Some people will pull the skimmer out every night and charge it and place it back into the pool themselves every day. You'd most likely do this if you chose to or during the cloudy/no sun days.

[@Schnauzer3000]

@@imdefinitelydavid I ran it a bit tonight and am charging it again now, tomorrow I will turn it on and leave it in all day and see how it goes. What I may do is try to switch it off at nightfall with some charge left and switch it on each morning in hopes the solar will take care of the charging and possibly avoid needing to plug it in at least a majority of days.

[@Schnauzer3000]

I just received mine and I am wondering what the circular lid in the middle of the skimmer basket is? I see yours is removed in this video

[@imdefinitelydavid]

I had no idea what that piece was. My initial thought was maybe it was a cap to the circular piece to kind of hold it like a handle but it slid off easy so I left it off and it worked fine.

[@Schnauzer3000]

@@imdefinitelydavid I was thinking about it, do you think it’s to hold a chlorine puck? I haven’t tried it to see if it works

[@imdefinitelydavid]

You are correct! I just realized that the circular opening fits a 1 inch chlorine tablet. I don't know why this didn't occur to me because I've actually used another skimmer with a chlorine compartment. But that one was very obvious. Neat extra feature

[@min2oly]

How will this perform in Tucson 120 F ? anyone...?

[@2wsabel]

Mine keeps beeping when I plug it in, I'm sending it back.

[@bpartyrentals2024]

This is just as expensive as the other brand name skimmers

[@TommyJones49]

Have an on off switch?

[@imdefinitelydavid]

Yeah, it's the same button to select modes. You just hold it to turn on/off

[@tonymattei169]

You need to let everyone know...These get STUCK in the skimmers, which they warn when selling. Also the fix of strapping a pool noodle in the skimmer nullifies the venuturi effect of the skimmer and also did not work for me. You MUST use these when the filtration and pump on your pool are OFF.

[@imdefinitelydavid]

It's not a must, some people may have issues depending on their own setup. I use a variable speed pump and have tested many different skimmers while the pump is on. Never had any issues at all.

[@video-h6r]

I have a Betta SE and variable speed pump. The bot does get stuck in the skimmer but very rarely.

[@imdefinitelydavid]

Oh I'm curious now what your rpm is set at the highest? This would be a good number to test it out.

[@fireman535a]

@@imdefinitelydavid Do you have your jets pointing down in the pool? Your pool never looks like it has any circulation when you do your reviews.

[@imdefinitelydavid]

They're up, I have a variable speed so most likely when I film it's on the lower side. My rpms are set higher in the evening overnight