Before storing a pool robot for winter, identify the exact model and whether it is corded or battery-powered. The important questions are where it can be stored, how it should be drained and cleaned, and whether its battery needs attention during the break. A garage is not automatically a suitable storage space.
Reviewed September 23, 2026. This guide develops manufacturer documentation; we have not tested winter storage ourselves. Follow your model’s manual where it differs from a general brand support article.
Documented guidance by manufacturer
| Source | Storage guidance | Scope to check |
|---|---|---|
| Maytronics Dolphin winter-storage guide | Drain according to the manual, clean the filter, coil the cable without kinks, and store switched off and disconnected. The guide gives 41–113°F / 5–45°C, protected from rain, frost and direct sun. | This is general brand guidance. Confirm the storage procedure in your particular Dolphin manual. |
| Aiper cold-season care | Switch off and disconnect the charger; clean and wipe dry; store boxed in a cool, ventilated place. Every two months, charge to 40–60%. Fully charge before pool use; never charge in direct sun. | The page does not identify individual models. Check your model’s battery instructions before using this interval. |
| Polaris winter-storage guidance | Choose a cool, dry, temperature-regulated location; bring the robot indoors for winter and protect it with the recommended cover. | The page does not give a numerical temperature range or a battery charging schedule. |
Prepare the robot without mixing instructions
Use the model manual to remove and drain it, then inspect accessible surfaces as you clean. Do not assume it has a drain plug merely because another cleaner does. Clean the removable filter and check accessible brushes, wheels or tracks for debris. Avoid opening a sealed motor or battery housing.
For a corded unit, follow its cable-storage instructions instead of wrapping the lead tightly around the machine. Keep its power supply and accessories identified together. For a cordless unit, keep the correct charger with it so there is no guesswork when the next charging interval comes around.
Take a dated photo of the condition and model label. This is our practical recordkeeping suggestion: it makes a crack, damaged cable or missing accessory easier to describe to support before the next pool season.
Check the actual winter temperature of the storage space
Compare the coldest likely storage temperature with the manual’s limit. For example, a garage that reaches freezing does not satisfy the 5°C lower limit in the Maytronics guidance above. That is an application of the published limit, not a claim that every Dolphin model or another brand has the same range.
Choose a location where the unit will not be knocked over, covered by wet equipment or forgotten behind stored chemicals. Before buying a new cleaner, include storage space in the decision; see our robotic pool cleaner buying guide.
Give a cordless battery its own reminder
Do not copy a phone’s charging routine or a mower’s storage percentage. Record the instruction from your cleaner’s manual, the date stored and the next check. Aiper’s general recommendation is shown above; it is not a universal battery-care rule for other brands.
If the manual and a support page disagree, ask support which instruction applies to the serial number. Do not resolve the difference by inventing a midpoint percentage or leaving the unit permanently charging.
Before the first spring run
- Inspect the cable or charging connection and accessible moving parts for damage.
- Refit the clean filter and confirm that the accessories belong to this model.
- Complete any model-specific battery preparation.
- Check the manual’s allowed operating water temperature before running it.
- Watch the first cycle for a problem that needs manufacturer support.
If the cleaner will not charge, has a damaged connection or shows evidence of water inside a sealed compartment, stop and ask the manufacturer for the correct next step. A successful winter in storage is not a substitute for that inspection.
For an existing climbing problem, see why a pool robot may not climb walls. Keep the mower’s different off-season requirements in our separate robot mower storage guide, and organize both jobs with the yard automation planning guide.