Replace or keep a Polaris 280?

[RickyEarl]

Have an old (circa 1998) Polaris 280 that is just about shot. I can buy the rebuild kit and replace all the parts that are worn out (the bottom, the bearings and wheels, the drive wheel, etc (basically everything I haven't already replaced). But in the 2 years we've had the house it's never done all that great a job, so I'm wondering if I might be better served by going another way.

Out pool is relatively big in terms of square feet, but shallow - a party pool. It's basically a big rectangle ranging between 3 and 4 feet deep. One corner of the pool is taken by the spa. One wall of the pool is about a 6 foot straight up rise to a flowerbed planter thing above. There's a pergola on one side. This terrible iphone pic will help:

The next door neighbors have a ton of old, majestic live oak trees which just pour leaves and those "oak worm" fuzzy things for all of March, April and May. Then in fall the other trees kick in. The Polaris just can't keep up, even when it's working right, and even with me spending a lot of time with the leaf bagger.

I basically need something that will pick this stuff up off the bottom - sides and steps aren't a big issue. I look at those tank-like robots and they just seem to make sense. I'm not adverse to installing a booster or whatever if it keep the pool clean.

Before you ask, I have had a few cover salesmen out and because of the side and the pergola, the cover options were non-starters - big goofy spools at the front of the pool and the like.

So what should I do? Replace the 280 or go another way?

 

[woodyp]

With the conditions you describe..........that's gonna be asking a lot from ANY auto pool cleaner. Mine gets to looking like it is growing seaweed from all the oak droppings! I do what I can to keep it scooped off the top before it becomes a problem on the bottom..........which is labor intensive, but I work from home and can keep up with it fairly well. That stuff will clog a skimmer in a heartbeat too. Mine is an ABGP, but I have a screen rigged in front of the skimmer to keep from that so that it just keeps circulating and doesn't really even clog the screen.

Is there any way that you could rig some kind of screening up on a fence line to keep it out of the pool to begin with? Gorgeous pool btw!

 

[DBfan187]

I'd keep the 280.

 

[rickthescot]

Thinking of replacing my Polaris too. I don`t have your oak leaf issue but the wind brings all kinds of debris. Not sure if the suction type is right or not either.

 

[HarryH3]

I have a 280 and oak trees, just north of Austin. The 280 does a fine job of cleaning, until the bag is stuffed full. This time of year that can happen in less than an hour on a windy day. Most of the year it keeps the bottom of our pool pretty much spotless. When the leaves and oak filch starts dropping then I have to be quite aggressive at keeping up with it.

 

[ntxpool]

I'd say keep the 280. I have your problem also (Live Oaks), but also 5 other types of trees and various bushes. The 280 does a great job......except in the fall and spring. I resigned myself a long time ago to skimming my pool with the debris net everyday (sometimes a few times per day), especially in the fall. It is what it is....I still love my pool (except when I skim leaves in Dec/Jan and fall in....happened a few times!)