Polaris 280 Strange Behavior-Flying Through the Pool like Super Cleaner!

[Poolman4mywife]

Hi family-just making my first post on here after lurking on here forever and then joining a while ago as a guest. This forum is amazing! Hello to everyone from Houston, Tx. I have a two year old Polaris 280 in apparently good condition, tires, gears, pressure all good. Wheels move as they should and it propels itself into the pool if you take it out and put it on the deck. The problem I'm having is that when the backup valve which is the fourth one I've put in this thing in two years activates, the cleaner flies through the pool with great velocity. It seriously just flies around! I took the cover off one time and found the tube dislodged that transfers the pressure from the hose to the two jets and zip-tied the hose on for secure fitment. I also took off my non-OEM non-genuine backup valve I've been buying on Amazon for 1/3rd the price and put on a brand new Zodiac/Polaris OEM backup valve and that didn't help. When it cleans forward it does fine. Doesn't climb stairs though, just goes up the sides of them and then comes down. It does climb the wall. Pressure coming out of the rear tube and tail is strong. When it's on the ground all the wheels are rolling. There's little or no pressure release from the main valve at the wall, as I learned recently that this should be tight and not allowing any release. It's almost as if the setting for pressure on the backup valve is too high? It has the same behavior with the OEM and non-OEM valve. Nothing is clogged. I took apart the three screws inside where the inlets are for the jets and saw no obstruction. I should add that before changing the backup valve and noticing the tube was disconnected I had relatively trouble-free behavior from the cleaner for a while. I really don't want to buy a new 280 as these suckers are expensive but I can't figure out this two month long issue! Help! Thank you so much! Below is a picture of it right before it hits the wall, curves around then the backup valve takes it on a magic surfing ride through the pool. Fun stuff!

 

[HermanTX]

Do you have a red or blue restriction plate in the wall unit?
Also, do you have a VS pump or single speed? What speed are you running the VS pump at if you have it.

One other point - in the manual there is a test to count the wheel rotations in 1 minute. Have you done that to determine if it is within their recommendation?

 

[Poolman4mywife]

Hi-thanks for your response, and no I don't have the blue or red restricters discs in the wall quick-disconnect...about two years ago I removed the blue one and the cleaner came to life and moved much faster. It was running perfectly the last six months or so. I have a single speed booster pump, it's new as well. It's a P8460. I haven't checked the wheel rotations-good suggestion thank you. I am also going to check the wheel bearings as well and wheel-play. Forward movement is not really the issue it's the huge thrust I"m getting when the backup valve kicks on as it tries to climb a wall or step. I'm going to get in the pool right now and take the top off again and see if perhaps the hose came off again. From my understanding if the hose comes off, as soon as the backup valve engages ALL the thrusts of the jets are ran through the backup valve instead of the limited thrust it should have. I'm also taking a closer look into the obstruction of the jets and rinsing that area out. I will take some pics and be right back. Thanks!

 

[Poolman4mywife]

Well Dang... I went and looked at the wheels and they were a little loose, went to tighten them and broke two of the screws off in the hub so I had to pull her out and retire her. Also noted that the swing axle C36 part is missing the bar that goes next to or behind the small wheel. About to take off the top to see if the hose is unplugged. Just ordered a new unit off Amazon for $599...it was $200 cheaper than my fav pool store that has "good prices". At a certain point with all these cleaners, once your parts budget exceeds a few hundred, in my opinion after about 50% one should consider a new one. I've spent about $300 in parts for this thing in two years so I'm tapping out on my old 280 RIP 2.5 years. Not very good life for these things. And the booster pump is even worse!

 

[Poolman4mywife]

So the hose is on securely on both ends for the jets so it's not that. Not sure what it could be but I don't have the time nor patients to spend any more on the older Polaris. Question is for new installs....do you all recommend using the blue/red disc out of the box or not? My old one I'm retiring had the blue disc but it was so slow in the pool when I removed it, the cleaner had a new life and was moving great!

 

[HermanTX]

Well Dang... I went and looked at the wheels and they were a little loose, went to tighten them and broke two of the screws off in the hub so I had to pull her out and retire her. Also noted that the swing axle C36 part is missing the bar that goes next to or behind the small wheel. About to take off the top to see if the hose is unplugged. Just ordered a new unit off Amazon for $599...it was $200 cheaper than my fav pool store that has "good prices". At a certain point with all these cleaners, once your parts budget exceeds a few hundred, in my opinion after about 50% one should consider a new one. I've spent about $300 in parts for this thing in two years so I'm tapping out on my old 280 RIP 2.5 years. Not very good life for these things. And the booster pump is even worse!

Keep the old one for parts.
I have had my 280 for 12 years and did 2 rebuilds (with kit from Amazon) for about $150 each over that time, plus changed some rubber tires, wear rings, etc.

 

[HermanTX]

So the hose is on securely on both ends for the jets so it's not that. Not sure what it could be but I don't have the time nor patients to spend any more on the older Polaris. Question is for new installs....do you all recommend using the blue/red disc out of the box or not? My old one I'm retiring had the blue disc but it was so slow in the pool when I removed it, the cleaner had a new life and was moving great!

Please read the instructions as it gives guidance on which restrictor plate to use based on the rotation speed of the wheels.

I have a VS pump so I run it about 2700 rpm with the booster pump also on. I have good movement around the pool. I also did some work on the hoses to ensure they were cut to length properly, I have 2 swivels plus the swivel on the inline filter.

 

[ajw22]

Question is for new installs....do you all recommend using the blue/red disc out of the box or not?

I think you shoudl start with the recomended setup in the Installation Manual and see how it works for you before you freestyle.

 

[Poolman4mywife]

Thanks guys. I am not sure my Pentair main pump controls the RPM of the P8460 is controlled by the main Pentair pump, is it? I see a setting in there for it, but not sure how/if it actually controls it? I have it at 3100 RPM. Is that too high?

 

[HermanTX]

Thanks guys. I am not sure my Pentair main pump controls the RPM of the P8460 is controlled by the main Pentair pump, is it? I see a setting in there for it, but not sure how/if it actually controls it? I have it at 3100 RPM. Is that too high?

The main VS pump may be too high rpm - I set mine at 2700 rpm. The booster pump is a single speed pump and has it own max rpm which you cannot change. I tested my cleaner by varying the speeds of my VS pump and settled on 2700rpm. It is not very scientific but that is what I did.
Others may have more input as to the effects of speed of the main pump on the performance of the booster pump.

 

[Saturn94]

$300 in two years? Yikes!

I’ve probably spent less than $200 on my 10 year old 280 that’s still working fine (I hope I didn’t just jinx myself!).

 

[generessler]

Only 2 years is an early retirement. (I have a 380 that's at least 10 years old and fine with some repair parts: bearings, tires, backup valve and a new hose.) Everything you say sounds like removing the restrictor plate has put way too much flow through both the valve and robot and caused the various problems you've seen. The advice to check the wheel rpm is excellent. The 280 manual has a troubleshooting section. Many of the recommendations start with "check rotation speed."

 

[Delta Brewer]

hey poolman4mywife-- sorry you bit the bullet and bought a new Polaris. My 280 is original when we bought the house and we have been here 10 years--so guessing it is 20 yrs old. I rebuilt it with an official rebuild kit from Polaris when it started to hang up on steps and get stuck two years ago. I run it 5 hours a day and has been trouble-free.

Reading the threads and my own experience --I am betting the high velocity of water by not using a restrictor disc is the base of all the issues. Like previous comments --if the 280 is within specs on wheel rotation it should give you satisfactory performance for years. BTW the rebuild kit included replacement hubs. Good Luck