I purchased this a month or so ago and finally had a few moments to assemble it.
Swabbie Kit
Code: SWABBIE-KIT
Price: $114.99 USD
http://www.avastmarine.com/ssc/do/product/youbuilt/Swabbie-Kit
I did set up my camera to video the full assembly. BUT...it stopped at about the 8 minute mark and I had not noticed. So this is just going to be a review rather then a DIY post. I am glad that it did stop though. There were several issues with the DIY and the instructions are horrible leaving me confused and redoing things. The product itself did not come with any instructions. There is an online pdf that contains photos only, so you are really winging it and is no where near as easy to follow then Lego. I made several mistakes through the assembly and I am glad that I will not be posting the videos now...well maybe I will do in some parts as it really shows the confusion I went through while assembling it. I am not new to DIY or similar projects, I even went through the instructions several times before I started the actual build, but it was not as simple as it looked.
1st issue:
There are some things that fit extremely tightly, without written warning, it seemed that something was wrong. There is a washer on the bottom plate that the shaft goes through that is a tight fit. So tight that I thought that the hole was too small and took it apart and reassembled the pieces separately and then as a whole again as I was worried I was going to brake something.
2nd issue:
The next issue was with the terminal block. To tighten a wire in a terminal block, you tighten a screw down that pushes down a small metal plate 'pinching' the wire. The thin metal plate on the block was not in the block correctly. Luckily I caught it and pushed the plate from the other side to slide it back in place an equal distance on both sides.
3rd issue:
When I plugged it in, I did not notice mine spinning at first, being that the electrical work is part of the assembly, I freaked and popped the top off, scared that I hooked something up wrong. When I double checked everything, it was all correct according to the pdf pictures, I shut the door in the room I was in and plugged it in again. I could hear the motor working, then noticed that it was spinning...just very slowly. This is where instructions would be helpful. Youtube videos on this cleaner are deceiving. I since learned that most of the videos apparently are an older version of the current motor. The videos have the squeegee passing around about once every 5-10 seconds. They used to use a 10hp motor but have now switched to a 1hp motor. I have watched the videos countless times, so when mine only was around 2rpm, I was a little confused. A message to them though their contact us cleared it up.
4th issue: (and this was my own issue)
When purchasing an upgrade to a skimmer, be sure that there is enough room to fit it in the stand. After all, there is now a good 9" shaft hanging down from the lid now, so you can not easily just slide the lid off. The whole cup will need to be removed for actual cleaning. To get my lid and skimmer cup on before, it is a maze of twists through plumbing and wires. With this extra few inches (2.75") it was seemingly impossible to get it on. When I finally got it in a place to put it, then I realized that there is a 2x4 support directly above my skimmer meaning that there was no room for the motor. *Face palm* With no wiggle room to move the skimmer where the brace was not...out came the brace LoL
(my sump is not under my tank...so it is not a structural support).
Seeing that I was recording (or so I thought), I did not do any pics, but the pdf in the link are the pictures from the assembly instructions. Swabbie Kit Photo Assembly Manual
It did come with everything needed other then a #2 philips, slot screwdriver and silicone. All and all, I could build another one in less then an hour, including set up. I retrofitted my current Vertex IN-280 skimmer with it, so I am somewhat stuck with that skimmer now unless I purchase another cleaner. I can 'crack' it off the lid, but then the lid wills till have a 15mm hole in the top. They offer several services in place of using your current skimmer lid. For an extra $45 USD, ($159.99USD) you can get the Swabbie pre-assembled on a skimmer lid. As a 3rd option you can send your existing skimmer lid (or purchase a lid from the manufacture and have them ship to Avast Marine) and for $144.99USD they will do it for you and ship the final product directly to you.
In closing, bluntly put, the instructions flat out sucked and they need to include more details and information then what is shown in the pdf. I am not a novice when it comes to DIY projects and even I was a little confused. As for the product and service, I am extremely happy with it and would 100% suggest it for others. The materials do not appear or give the feeling that they are 'cheaply' made. They even included a jig to easily find the center of your skimmer lid. The completed project looks like a production model and not a DIY project. I am getting more of a foam then bubbles now. My skimmer neck is spotless. I have it running for 5 minutes every 6 hours. I will see what that does and if the crud is too thick on the squeegee I will decrease the increments to 5 minutes every 3 hours.
I may even bring it with me to the London Fragfest for people to see. My skimmer neck is one part with the cup, so I can bring just that part.
Swabbie Kit
Code: SWABBIE-KIT
Price: $114.99 USD
http://www.avastmarine.com/ssc/do/product/youbuilt/Swabbie-Kit
I did set up my camera to video the full assembly. BUT...it stopped at about the 8 minute mark and I had not noticed. So this is just going to be a review rather then a DIY post. I am glad that it did stop though. There were several issues with the DIY and the instructions are horrible leaving me confused and redoing things. The product itself did not come with any instructions. There is an online pdf that contains photos only, so you are really winging it and is no where near as easy to follow then Lego. I made several mistakes through the assembly and I am glad that I will not be posting the videos now...well maybe I will do in some parts as it really shows the confusion I went through while assembling it. I am not new to DIY or similar projects, I even went through the instructions several times before I started the actual build, but it was not as simple as it looked.
1st issue:
There are some things that fit extremely tightly, without written warning, it seemed that something was wrong. There is a washer on the bottom plate that the shaft goes through that is a tight fit. So tight that I thought that the hole was too small and took it apart and reassembled the pieces separately and then as a whole again as I was worried I was going to brake something.
2nd issue:
The next issue was with the terminal block. To tighten a wire in a terminal block, you tighten a screw down that pushes down a small metal plate 'pinching' the wire. The thin metal plate on the block was not in the block correctly. Luckily I caught it and pushed the plate from the other side to slide it back in place an equal distance on both sides.
3rd issue:
When I plugged it in, I did not notice mine spinning at first, being that the electrical work is part of the assembly, I freaked and popped the top off, scared that I hooked something up wrong. When I double checked everything, it was all correct according to the pdf pictures, I shut the door in the room I was in and plugged it in again. I could hear the motor working, then noticed that it was spinning...just very slowly. This is where instructions would be helpful. Youtube videos on this cleaner are deceiving. I since learned that most of the videos apparently are an older version of the current motor. The videos have the squeegee passing around about once every 5-10 seconds. They used to use a 10hp motor but have now switched to a 1hp motor. I have watched the videos countless times, so when mine only was around 2rpm, I was a little confused. A message to them though their contact us cleared it up.
4th issue: (and this was my own issue)
When purchasing an upgrade to a skimmer, be sure that there is enough room to fit it in the stand. After all, there is now a good 9" shaft hanging down from the lid now, so you can not easily just slide the lid off. The whole cup will need to be removed for actual cleaning. To get my lid and skimmer cup on before, it is a maze of twists through plumbing and wires. With this extra few inches (2.75") it was seemingly impossible to get it on. When I finally got it in a place to put it, then I realized that there is a 2x4 support directly above my skimmer meaning that there was no room for the motor. *Face palm* With no wiggle room to move the skimmer where the brace was not...out came the brace LoL
(my sump is not under my tank...so it is not a structural support).Seeing that I was recording (or so I thought), I did not do any pics, but the pdf in the link are the pictures from the assembly instructions. Swabbie Kit Photo Assembly Manual
It did come with everything needed other then a #2 philips, slot screwdriver and silicone. All and all, I could build another one in less then an hour, including set up. I retrofitted my current Vertex IN-280 skimmer with it, so I am somewhat stuck with that skimmer now unless I purchase another cleaner. I can 'crack' it off the lid, but then the lid wills till have a 15mm hole in the top. They offer several services in place of using your current skimmer lid. For an extra $45 USD, ($159.99USD) you can get the Swabbie pre-assembled on a skimmer lid. As a 3rd option you can send your existing skimmer lid (or purchase a lid from the manufacture and have them ship to Avast Marine) and for $144.99USD they will do it for you and ship the final product directly to you.
In closing, bluntly put, the instructions flat out sucked and they need to include more details and information then what is shown in the pdf. I am not a novice when it comes to DIY projects and even I was a little confused. As for the product and service, I am extremely happy with it and would 100% suggest it for others. The materials do not appear or give the feeling that they are 'cheaply' made. They even included a jig to easily find the center of your skimmer lid. The completed project looks like a production model and not a DIY project. I am getting more of a foam then bubbles now. My skimmer neck is spotless. I have it running for 5 minutes every 6 hours. I will see what that does and if the crud is too thick on the squeegee I will decrease the increments to 5 minutes every 3 hours.
I may even bring it with me to the London Fragfest for people to see. My skimmer neck is one part with the cup, so I can bring just that part.
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