Aiper Scuba V3

The Scuba V3 is Aiper's camera-guided robot for the floor, walls and waterline, at less than half the V3 Ultra's price. It has one front-facing camera, a dToF distance sensor and 4,800 gallons per hour of suction. Aiper's US store listed it at $899.99 against a regular price of $1,099.99 when this page was checked.

What it cleans

Aiper rates it for pools up to 1,600 square feet, in concrete, fiberglass, vinyl or tile, and its store files it under in-ground pools. The manual gives a working depth of 1.6 to 10 feet. It does not skim the surface or work shallow ledges; those are the V3 Ultra's.

The camera is what sets it apart from the cheaper S3. In AI Patrol mode, which you switch on in the app, the V3 cleans only the floor and uses the camera to go after debris it sees. A mode light shows blue when the camera is on and green when it is off.

Runtime and charging

The manual gives 180 minutes on the 10,400 mAh battery. Aiper's store adds 210 minutes in Eco mode, which the app guide says trades cleaning power for time. Aiper's help center says 120 to 150 minutes.

The manual and the store give 5 hours to recharge on the dock. Aiper calls the dock wireless, but the manual says to dry the metal contacts on the robot's underside before setting it down, so it is cordless rather than contactless. Never put it on the dock wet.

Modes

It starts in Floor mode. The button cycles through four:

• Auto: the walls first, scrubbing the waterline as it goes, then the floor.
• Floor, Wall and Waterline, each on its own.

The app adds AI Patrol, a weekly schedule it plans itself, and set schedules of four 45-minute runs, three of 60 or two of 90.

Setting it up

• Keep the dock at least 11.5 feet from the pool, out of direct sun.
• Turn the pool pump off before a run, so the robot cannot get held on the main drain, and keep everyone out of the pool.
• Choose the mode before it goes in. The app guide says the robot loses contact with the app once it is in the water.
• On tile or mosaic walls, if it struggles to climb with an empty filter box, fit the two pieces of buoyancy foam from the box into its side covers.

Getting it out

At the end of a run, the app sends a notice and the robot waits at the waterline for 10 minutes. Leave it longer and it goes back down and parks on the floor, and the hook goes on a pool pole.

Cleaning and maintenance

• Empty the filter box after every run.
• Replace the MicroMesh filter about every 30 uses.
• Clean the propeller, the camera and the sensor when they need it.
• Replace the caterpillar tread and the four roller brushes as they wear. The manual shows how, though Aiper does not sell either part in the US.
• For winter, charge it fully, power it off, clean and dry it, and recharge it every six months.

When it is not cleaning properly

The V3 tells you which motor is in trouble by alternating its status light:

• Red and yellow: the water pump motor may be jammed. Check the propeller for debris.
• Red and blue: the left drive motor. Clear anything wrapped around the roller brushes.
• Red and green: the right drive motor. Same check.
• Solid orange: low battery. Charge it.

If none of those clears it, Aiper's answer is to contact customer service. The rest of the troubleshooting table:

• Will not climb the walls: fit the buoyancy foam.
• Stopped on its own: a scheduled run may simply have finished.
• Not chasing debris: it has to be in Auto, Floor or AI Patrol mode with the camera on, and the camera lens clean.
• Going in circles: clean the sensor lens, or start it from a different spot.
• Will not charge: a faulty charger, a battery too hot or cold, or a battery run flat by months of disuse.

Where Aiper's own pages disagree

• Runtime. The manual says 180 minutes, the store 180 or 210 in Eco, the help center 120 to 150.
• Charging time. The manual and the store say 5 hours; the help center says 3 to 3.5.
• Filter rating. The store FAQ and help center say 2 microns; the manual and the filter's page say 3.
• Retrieval. The store FAQ says it returns to its dock to charge. The manual and the help center both have it parking at the waterline for you to lift out instead.
• Auto mode order. The manual says walls first; the help center says floor first.
• Pool size and weight. The manual says 1,600 square feet and the store 1,614. The store says 18.2 lb and the product page 18.1.

Buying it

Twenty-four months on the battery and motor, and Aiper's policy covers robots bought from Aiper or an authorized seller. Its list of US sellers includes Amazon.com. Keep the order number: Aiper's warranty form will not take a claim without proof of purchase.