‘Fail fast’, learn from your mistakes; others. Learn how to handle errors and unknowns. Build your experiences, learn how to troubleshoot, learn to solve problems, fail faster.

Dolphin On

Maytronics Nautilus CC Plus Repair Update

Dolphin On

Dolphin Motor Unit Exchange

Lab Work – Maytronics Repair, Dolphin On, Post Hurricane

Parts are in, Dolphin Has Been Repaired, Cleaning Away

Let’s take a closer look at the process. Upon further inspection, I found corrosion around the motors. The seal around the power cord also appears to be in poor condition. So, I proceed with a teardown, replacing the power unit, and tread ball bearings to restore the robot back to full capacity with genuine OEM parts. A self-test  was performed as need, I conducted a number of in-water and out-of-water tests which worked perfectly. As it should, under normal power. Next, I replaced all parts and picked up where we left off on the last article Nautilus Down (check that out if you missed it).

Pre-Check, Install and Test

Check all cogs, ball bearings, drive pin, and wheel/hub parts. Make sure ball bearings are moving freely and free of rust or degradation. Replaced any parts showing degradation or major rust. Filled electronic parts and pressure seals with pool lube and reconnected parts, careful to screw-down fasteners and plastic nuts with appropriate tension. Dolphin On. Additionally, both out-of-water and in-the-water tests performed as expected. Time for a swim! Cinched down any screws, or screens, package up the robot and ran the clean cycle.

Robot Build
New Unit

New Unit

Connector

Unit Connector

Cross Check

Dry Fit

Tread Check

Tread Check

Proper Fit

Proper Fit

Motor Check

Motor Check

Dolphin on Dry Test

Dry Test

Post Test

Post Test

Brush Down and Toggle The Dolphin On

If you can’t tell, the pool has sand, debris and dragonflies. Before we toggle the Dolphin On, let’s do a quick brush down of the pool to encourage removal.  You can kind of see here the pool was a bit dirty,  as the hurricane kicked up enough debris for the Dolphin to clean. There was no pool cage carnage, or aluminum part failure, which is great. Minor screen damage only.

Maytronics Documents and More

Finally, following the test cycles, Dolphin on, put in the water and cleaned the pool well. In most cases, the vacuum actively cleans on stage 1, please the Maytronics manuals. Find Stage 1 testing and more robot testing features under the Nautilus CC Plus section. I hope this information helps, how to get your pool robot fixed and Dolphin On. If anyone out there needs assistance, please contact me I am happy to help. Thanks! As usual leave a comment below to let us know what you’re thinking!

Dolphin Down

Maytronics Nautilus CC Plus Repair

Dolphin Down, Waiting On Parts

Nautlius Motor Troubles

Lab Work – Maytronics Repair, Dolphin Down. Let’s fix the Nautilus CC Plus

Looks like a new motor unit is required. Full teardown ahead.

Exciting news! A new series, Dolphin Down, is coming soon. This series is related to the repair of the Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus. Currently, we are awaiting the arrival of a new motor unit. In the meantime, we are in the process of dismantling the Nautilus CC Plus robot in search of a malfunctioning drive motor.

The fan motor is functioning properly, passing both tests passed – underwater and out-of-water tests. The multimeter has confirmed that the drive motor is not working. The circuit board appears to be in good, working condition confirmed by the blinking green LEDs. The LEDs indicating that it is functioning as expected. This a positive sign for our robot and the repair diagnosis. 

Robot Teardown
Housing

Housing

Screen Key

Screen Key

Prop Screen

Prop Screen

Cord

Cord

Internals

Internals

Motor Unit

Motor Unit

Remove Prop

Remove Prop

Prop Residue

Prop Residue

Sealed Cord

Sealed Cord

To begin the teardown process, find a safe spot and grab a multi-tool with pliers, flathead and cross bits (Phillips bits). Start by removing the power cord from the unit and unplugging the unit from the wall if necessary. First, on the Dolphin, unscrew the four screws under the filter doors to remove the top. Use the transparent or white flathead key or knob to pop open the propeller gate, which is easily accessible once the filter doors are open.

Next, slide the cord out from under the blue, body cover after removing the four main screws. Adjust the cord, remove the floats and be careful when removing the side panels. These panels should just pop off top down.  Just be aware of the tabs on the bottom of the panels, this is what hold the body shells in place. Use the pliers to unscrew the blue cord connected to the power unit, as well as the four screws holding the two yellow cord strips to the unit. Unscrew the four unit screws holding the motor unit in place and it will be free.

Robot Teardown
Drive Bearings

Drive Bearings

Motor Unit

Motor Unit

Motor Case

Motor Case

Remove Unit

Remove Unit

Board Check

Board Check

Drive Motor

Drive Motor

Finally, check all cogs, drive belts, and wheel/hub parts. Ensure that the ball bearings are moving freely, unobstructed and are free of rust or degradation.  Replace any parts that showing degradation, wear or significant rust. Fill with lubricant and reconnect parts, being careful to screw with appropriate tension. Test the robot out of water first, followed by half-submerged and fully submerged underwater tests. *Updated – Check out the repair – Dolphin On or the first post we commented on regarding the Maytronics Nautilus Dolphin for more information on troubleshooting, maintenance and repairs. More information will be provided in the next *5 business days, as we will be receiving the new motor unit packaging up the robot and running the cleaning cycle. Thank you.

As always, feel free to leave a comment below, let us know your thoughts!

Fix 3D Prints and Plastics

Be Creative Without the Hassle

Quick Fix With Glue(Super) and Baking Soda

Active Fix

Strong Adhesives, Baking Soda and Spray Activator/Hardener Light

Fix plastics, wood lures, wood carvings and more. Fix 3d Prints and Plastics better than traditional fillers or bonding agents.

Adhesives, Clean Up/Deburring
Starbond Kit – Starbond Kit – Glue & Activator Starbond – Super Fast Thin Glue JB Weld – J-B Weld Bonder (2) Pack AFA Tooling – AFA Tooling Deburring Tools
Dremel Tool – Dremel High Performance Rotary Tool Kit
In A Tight Spot, Choose Super Adhesive and Baking Soda

Need a quick fix, while out fishing in the field? Or did a new 3D print break during the clean up process? What should you do now? For a quick fix, simply grab some extra strength glue, our choice, Starbond, Starbond activator, baking soda and start the filling process. This method works on wood, plastics, and more. By using baking soda as the ‘filler’ and the super adhesive as the bonding agent, you’ll have a quick fix in no time. 

If you need to clean up your 3D Printables, clean up or deburr plastics and filler using super adhesives and baking soda, deburring tools are a must. When producing items from plastics or resin compounds such as wood, metals and plastics, the production process isn’t perfect, leaving you with work post production. Tasks like, trimming for metal stamping or removing travel or supports in the 3D printing process, require specific tools. We  recommend AFA Deburring Tools for hand scraping and clean up, as well as the Dremel Rotary Tool for tile, clay, woods and metals. These tools are handy to have around the shop for various tasks.

Finally, for those tough jobs, or bonds, try JB Weld (J-B Weld Amazon Store). There are many applications for JB weld. Whether it’s loose or broken tiles, outdoor furniture, or any other project, JB Weld Epoxy and adhesives will create a strong and lasting bond using chemical bonding resins.

For a comprehensive list of all products mentioned above, please refer to our affiliate shopping list for ideas, product information, and more. Here are some products you may want to consider! Please note that this is just one method of fixing plastics; it was a test to demonstrate the effectiveness of the adhesive and baking soda powder.

Dolphin Nautilus

Nautilus CC Plus (Wired)

Pool Robots by Maytronics

Dolphin Nautilus Pool Robot

Dolphin Nautilus CC

The Dolphin Nautilus CC pool vacuum, made by Maytronics Dolphin, is designed to remove debris, brush, vacuum, and maintain pool clarity.

Everyday, the Dolphin Nautilus activates, moves around the pool, cleans, and maintains buoyancy upon completion. It comes with a price tag, so choose wisely! We received a recommendation from our pool guy, which was great advice – try the Dolphin Nautilus robot vacuum. The goal is to reduce water evaporation, maintain water and chemical balance, minimize chemical corrections and keep the system clean.

Drone Accessories
Nautilus Back

Nautilus Back

Nautilus Cleaning

Nautilus Cleaning

Wall Climb

Wall Climb

Clean Filters

Clean Filters

Nautilus Cart

Nautilus Cart

Now, lawn equipment can spread dirt, grass clipping, environmental debris, pet fur, and screens with holes. Various types of debris can become spoilers when found in the pool. I assume that most, if not all, of this debris is kicked up by mowers and blowers as they are the main vehicles for debris getting into the pool. For us, sand from the brick pad seems to wreak havoc on our pools ‘clarity’. So, the sand, bugs and debris from lawn equipment…

More Maytronics Product Information

The Nautilus is a great product that is not terribly expensive when compared to other devices in the same space. We chose this specific product because it lacks excessive technology. We simply wanted a low-maintenance clean that could operate in the water, clean effectively, run various cleaning cycles and be easily stored  on a cart when not in use. The cart allows for easy storage or movement, especially for pool usage.  It can simply move the robot away when swimmings are in  or around the pool. This means swimmers can splash around, stir up the water and not worry about damaging the robot. The universal cart works wonders, although it may be pricey for some. It makes tasks like bending down, lifting, and storing the robot a breeze.

Cost, cleaning time. The machine is easy to clean. Power down the machine, pull up the robot, open two doors, pull out the filters, unlock the filters with four clicks, and start the wash. Cleaning and maintaining the screens is much easier when considering the cost and cleaning time of the entire pool compared to a quick rinse under the faucet to remove debris. Moving back to the robot, snap the filters into the housing, replace them on the machine, submerge the robot, and power it on…

Quickly, I wanted to share some other Maytronics Dolphin content, newer content since the original Nautilus article  in reverse order, so the fix is first (up), issue second(down): Dolphin On and  Dolphin Down.

Moving on, no app for us, once again we opted for the Dolphin Nautilus robot in its manual version (corded, non-wifi enabled) to keep costs down. It suits us well since our pool remains uncovered year-round; the robot makes its way around the pool once or twice a day, providing low-maintenance, no-frills pool cleaning. Personally, I would prefer to cover the pool at night to  retain heat and reduce water evaporation. But for now, we’re happy with our choice. This recommendation came from our pool service, not a paid advertisement, so a big thank you to them!

Creality TPU

TPU Filament, Challenges and Wins

OEM TPU

Duramic 3d - Post Upgrade

Lab Work – Various Filaments

Filament types, such as Creality TPU and various brands, can be a nightmare of a problem to have. Which filament should you purchase? What works best on the 3D printer I own? What should I do when I’m just starting out?

Cut to the point: purchase anduse what you can in context. However, when push comes to shove, the Ender Series, Prusa, and Makerbot all great choices for novices or beginners. Starting with an eBay ‘parts’ printer, might help cut down costs or consider a refurbished one.

Regardless of the  product make or structure, the fine-tuning the nozzles, stability of the machine, drive system, adhesion, and filament are important. Filament might be the easiest to swap out, follower by the nozzle (noting various nozzle sizes, with most default sizes being .4mm). For hobbyists, the drive mechanism, bed/build plates, etc. may also need attention. Filament might just be an easy swap with a catch.

Like most things, filament comes with it’s own issues – additional research is required, fine tuning and testing depending on the choice of 3D printer. Let’s talk shop, about filaments, retraction (more on this in a future post). Listen, if purchasing power is a problem, meaning if you have limited funds, start by buying what you can afford, especially for those starting out in the 3D printing hobby. Do what you can to make ‘it work’. Making it work means being able to test, test, and retest. It’s a process of elimination, gradually solving problems over time. Better filaments lead to better results.

Let’s have a look

There have been many times when testing, in fact, I might venture to say, problems are related to the cost of filament and the length of time it takes the user to move from the cheaper options to the final working filament. At least in my experience of finding the right filament through testing, more than not, filament testing became a costly lesson in what not to do. So, yes, a healthy dose of testing is needed, including failure.

That said, I would be remiss not to highlight the value of this article, which is to help you save money on filaments, pieces, parts, and printing costs. The key takeaway is to buy and match OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing) filaments. For example, since I have Creality printers (3 Creality printers in total), thus, I use Creality filaments like Creality TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) Filament.

Lately, we’ve been looking branch out a bit, as we’ve recently added the Prusa’s i3 MK3S+ 3D Printer kit to the mix. Again, there are many options, printers, upgrades, filaments… choose wisely.

Learn More via MatterHackers

Let’s focus on what works, finding something that works for your current printer or future printer. As a hobbyist, I have stuck to the ‘happy path’ being less adventurous and mainly using PLA’s (Polylactic Acid) and TPU’s.  MatterHackers does an excellent job of providing information on what’s available on the market, including types of filament, sizes, brands, and colors.

Dive in! Or maybe, expansion is on your mind, and you want to setup your own print farm – @ShopNation might be a great research to check out. Have options, which might be the biggest take away beyond testing or OEM/OEM filaments. Hey, as a hobbyist, saving some cash is good thing, there are thousands of upgrades on the market, same for the number of printers, filaments, parts, boards etc.

Through various testing methods, settings, set ups, printers and more, I have discovered that what matters most is what works. That is defined as success rate or success metric. Consistency, fit/finish, quality over flash and speed over quantity are key factor. For example Duramic 3D TPU is just not working in the Ender 3 Neo Max rebuild. After tearing it down, rebuilding with all updates, and getting the same result, it is clear that it is time to make a switch. 

OEM Filaments and More

The switch I’m referring to here, moving from generics to OEM, worked on the PLA side of the equation. It may be a correlation perhaps, and not causation. I believe that’s the value here. A handy lesson might be to continue testing where it makes sense. Remember, “correlation does not imply or mean causation,” via Mr. Glickman. Learn more about his work via his personal website or faculty website. Or, click here – Mark Glickman – Senior Lecturer in Statistics, Director of Masters Study.

If you want to learn more about filaments, do your research. Please do look into – MatterHackers, All3dp – Filament Finds and/or @ShopNation

I’ll leave you with this, try what you can afford, what you can afford to discard. Test and work to fine-tune your printer. Words of encouragement ‘leave no product stone unturned’. The goal is to produce high quality, consistent, and clean prints.

Find something that works 80% of the time, the old 80/20 rule. PLA is difficult bear to tweak and maintain, as is TPU and the ~approximately 14 other materials including metals, carbon fiber, wood, and nylon. The applications are endless, ranging from starter to full forge, high-strength, commercial production. The focus should be on settings, adhesion, extrusion temp, nozzle temp, surface tension, and drives – pushers… And so on, testing is our motto/mantra, testing has become a constant. Key is to find  something that works well overall, so test them all. Checkin from time to time, as new posts are created daily. We will cover the Prusa tests, Creality TPU, Polycarbonate and PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol).

Have fun, cheers

Drone Accessories
Creality TPU

Creality TPU

TPU Weight

TPU Weight

Duramic 3D

Duramic 3D

DELETE

Delete Yourself via Just Delete Me

Just Delete Me

Tech | Tools – JUST DELETE ME

Need to delete an account, permanently? Could be difficult, for some, the process might be virtually impossible.

Close accounts, Sure, try Just Delete Me. I’m not sure how long the sites has been around, but I’ve used it numerous times, especially in late 2012 and late 2018. Sometimes you just need to purge your accounts, to gain some sanity online. Have you ever thought about how often you sign up for an account that goes dormant indefinitely? And what about when you download a game  like Candy Crush or Crash Of Clans and want to completely wipe the data, account and interaction with that company? Just start with Just Delete Me. Although, there are many ways to perform this task, JustDeleteMe helps with all of them! Notice the color palette (Difficulty Scale), the ability to perform the ‘deletion’, and the help pages provided by your selected account or entity to purge. Give it a shot and get rid of your accounts! It’s a great time to purge your accounts.

For the purpose of this post, we decided to try out the site ourselves, aiming for account freedom and liberation from Basecamp. Enjoy!

Just Deleted Me, Delete Your Accounts online Just Deleted Me, Delete Your Accounts online Select an account 2 Just Deleted Me, Delete Your Accounts online once an account has been selected 3

GTRacing Update

GTRacing Repair Update

GTRacing Chair Frame Blunder

GTRacing Update Frame Fixed

Gear – GTRacing

So, here is the GTRacing Update. GTRacing Chair Parts Replaced.

It may be premature, but, good on you GT Racing! Dare I say GTRacing made it right? The chair is back together, holding weight as it should. No lean, squeezing, bending-feeling or crash. That’s good, we have a fix. In hindsight, while being desk chair free for a week or more, is not ideal.

The second ‘chair part’, the one not broken will be relegated to the game and electronics drawer. It goes with the other unused cables, plugs, charges, wires, random batteries etc.

While we have your attention, we will be trying other GTRacing parts, chairs etc,. A full listing will come, however, a sneak peek may serve its weight in gold here… Check out the latest merchandise after the GTRacing Update, and give us a shout if you would like to purchase our gear – new products next quarter.

Side note, with the GTRacing gear, we are looking to sort out some USB devices, stickers and magnets, depending on demand. Let us know what you think about the merch, or if you’re looking for something special, a one off, special order on GTRacing – https://gtracing.com/.

SPOILER – Fast forward, gear adjustment, learn about our new GTRacing Mesh back chair with the lounging feature and footrest posted 6/2024… enjoy!

As usual leave a comment below, let us know what you’re thinking?

Lego Base Mod 2

iPad Tablet Base

Workshop Side Projects (2)

Lego Base Mod

Lab Work – Lego Device Housing or Base

Lego® Base Mod update… it’s been awhile since I’ve posted any information or updates on the tablet/device base, so here it is base mod 2.

  • Situation – think fast, tablet housing. Need a handsfree, desktop friendly table housing.
  • Challenge Lego Base Mod 2 – build a tablet housing (landscape orientation only) to house an iPad. Regardless of what model or make, we had an iPad, make something that will work in 5 mins. Go!
  • Accessible materials – Legos®, Toothpicks, Pipe cleaners, various
  • Go!

While the Lego Base Mod 2 challenge is primarily for prototyping, try it for yourself. I’ll pull this forward, as I talked about buying bricks 300 pcs set or in bulk (4lbs) if need be. It’s handy to have bricks and Lego parts around the shop, a few bricks, some connectors and you’ve got you very own DIY project build. If this isn’t your style, we recommend getting your hands on the Brenthaven.

I’m pulling this content forward, second edition accounts for ‘tipping’ and/or stability issue, number of bricks, screen angle and orientation. Issues, devices would tip or fall forward/backward depending on how the user might set the device. Reduced a few bricks, however most were repurposed as support columns or ‘feet’ which helped acute screen angles. Moving forward, mod features portrait and landscape viewing. Caveat, charging cord need was nixed, user will have to set the tablet down when charging or charge in landscape only. There will come a point, at some point, we will include a charging cord mod down the road. Previous Side Project Lego Tablet Build article for reference. Or just start here, let’s check out a Lego mobile board housing! Or model train depot!

As usual leave a comment below, let us know what you’re thinking?

Lego Train Depot

Project – Solder Station Build

AC Gilbert Lego Train Depot

Train Depot - Lego Brick Build

Lab Work – Ready For Service

BOOM! Soldering Station Done

It’s always great to have Legos handy, especially for building the Lego Train Depot. This model features a big smoke-stack and a unique, oblong, and somewhat unstable shape. This is where Legos come in handy. With a few blocks, you can create your very own DIY solder station. You can buy a 300 pcs set or purchase Legos in bulk (4lbs) if necessary, along with some connectors. You can find sets at garage sales or use ones you already have in storage. Look for bargains to gather the pieces and parts needed for these projects builds using Lego bricks..

For this article or application, I believed that stability would be crucial. We needed something to immobilize and stabilize the train while it sat on its top. Ironically, the train spent more time upside down than right side up. This allowed us to solder the necessary wires, clean debris, and wipe away the age. Yes, the model train spent most of it’s time on the upper ‘casting’ (locomotive mold) so that we could access the electronics housed within.

Depot Pics
train truck wheels Lego Depot

Train Wheels

train electronic, re-solder

Re-solder

Do you enjoy Lego, Lego building, etc.? Leave a comment below and let us know what you’re thinking!

Galaxy s10+ Damage Video

Galaxy s10+ Damage Video

Nokia 3310

Gear – Galaxy s10+ Damage Video, hot swap for the Nokia 3310

Switch to backup to the backup phone, Nokia 3310, as the Samsung S10+ lost power, its glass is damaged, and more.

The Samsung S10+ is now considered DOA, damaged tech and it’s time for a phone swap. Time to trash the old Samsung S10+ and swap in a fan favorite, the Nokia 3310 3g version. So, new version, same old workhorse of a phone. Never would I think of swapping a Nokia for a Samsung… but no phone, means no business. The S10+ is/was in this case, a great smart device. The only hang up is the Google-fied version of a Samsung Phone. Can’t much out of it if you don’t have a Google account to shop, download and run apps on the phone.

Let’s change that, with a Nokia swap. These phones are legendary, long battery life – check, cool games – check, texting/sms – check, radio – check. What more could you possibly want out of a smartphone. And did I mentioned it can even take a fall from 5ft (assuming normal drop patterns and free fall speeds etc.,) this Nokia can take alot of punishment. Batteries are replaceable too! Ah, I remember those days, unlimited talk, text, snake… back up battery just in case.

I wonder why the world moved on from smartphones like the 3310? Well it’s time to get back to work, Nokia swap done and now its time to make some calls.