Low Speed Advice

[socal]

I have a Pentair Pool Shark cleaner [which I love], but it will soon need to be replaced.

I run my pump daily at [1] hour on HIGH, then [5] hours on LOW. [10,000 gallon fiberglass pool]

My problem is that during the [5] hours on LOW speed the Shark just parks itself in a corner and does nothing. This is the reason for the [1] hour on HIGH where it works like a champ.

Are there any cleaners that are design to work on LOW speed? If 2-speed pumps have this issue, then variable-speed pumps must be worse.

Please help me decide what to buy next.

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

There are no suction side cleaners, or pressure side cleaners that work on low speed. A pressure side cleaner with a booster pump usually does. A robot like an Aquabot doesn't care since it's plugged in.

Scott

 

[no-mas]

I guess it depends on how you look at it - to me, variable cleaners are better, since you can run it at the lowest speed necessary to effectively clean.

I run my "pool cleaner" on low just fine, although I set my vales so that most of the suction is coming from the cleaner instead of the skimmers. Are you able to adjust where your suction is coming from?

 

[socal]

variable cleaners are better

What is a variable cleaner?

I do have a valve to control cleaner/skimmer, but you are now making the opposite trade off? I'll have to try it.

For my next pump I plan on purchasing a variable speed, which is even less 'suck'.

I feel that in order to save electricity you must hand vac your pool.

 

[carlscan26]

variable cleaners are better

What is a variable cleaner?

I do have a valve to control cleaner/skimmer, but you are now making the opposite trade off? I'll have to try it.

For my next pump I plan on purchasing a variable speed, which is even less 'suck'.

I feel that in order to save electricity you must hand vac your pool.

You'll need to add some automation but it's totally doable with a dual speed pump; and super fine tunable with a variable speed pump. I run my VS pump for 3 hours each morning at 1350 RPM and the suction valve turned to only the cleaner port (i.e. no skimmer) - at this speed my cleaner runs at its optimum speed. The rest of the day (10 hours) I run the pump at 1150 RPM with the suction valve set to skimmer only. So it is doable, you just will need an automation controller and a valve actuator.

Even with the dual speed pump, you can adjust the valve actuator to only open so far towards the cleaner (leaving some suction from the skimmer) so when you're using high speed you can balance between cleaner and skimmer to tune the speed of the cleaner, though not as fine as you can with a VS pump. Then when you're done with your cleaning cycle, the valve rotates to skimmer only and you can run low speed.

 

[no-mas]

variable cleaners are better

What is a variable cleaner?

Yeah, my bad; I meant a variable speed
anyway, it isn't less suction, it's adjustable suction