ONGOING Polaris 380 issues

[CarefreeTee]

Had pool down for a week to resurface deck. We turn it back on and discover a hold/crack in the wall mounted hex screw for the quick-release polaris hose. get that fixed, now see a crack along the side of the large plastic housing. Polaris is now nose down at bottom of pool with tail vertical in pool, spraying water like a fountain. So, my question is... does the plastic housing CRACK contribute to this? Is there a loss of pressure due to that crack? Or is the pressure all in the hoses and I should be looking at settings, etc.?

 

[ajw22]

If the plastic housing cracked the frame may have cracked. You need to rescue the Polaris and give it a through examination and maybe some disassembly. See how easily the wheels turn.

The water pressure powering the Polaris has little torque and any friction in the moving parts will stop it. See the parts diagram below. The water flows though the feed hose (part 33) and into a spider of hoses called the Water Management System (part 28) that directs the water to a turbine wheel (part 19) to power the wheels and jets to create the cleaning suction.

How old is the Polaris? While all parts are available if the housing is cracked it may be towards the end of its useful life.

Polaris 380 Parts

• ajw22
• Jun 26, 2019

Polaris 380 Parts List

• ajw22
• Nov 16, 2020

 

[CarefreeTee]

If the plastic housing cracked the frame may have cracked. You need to rescue the Polaris and give it a through examination and maybe some disassembly. See how easily the wheels turn.

The water pressure powering the Polaris has little torque and any friction in the moving parts will stop it. See the parts diagram below. The water flows though the feed hose (part 33) and into a spider of hoses called the Water Management System (part 28) that directs the water to a turbine wheel (part 19) to power the wheels and jets to create the cleaning suction.

How old is the Polaris? While all parts are available if the housing is cracked it may be towards the end of its useful life.

Polaris 380 Parts

• ajw22
• Jun 26, 2019

Polaris 380 Parts List

• ajw22
• Nov 16, 2020

Hi and thank you ajw22

Polaris has been out of pool and in storage. Ordered new housing and we’re back in the water as of today 3/27/21. Previous issues (nose-down, fountain) gone of course :/. In process of replacing housing lost settings for jet :/ (always take a photo before taking something apart).

Now working on settings as Polaris goes to bottom and up walls but just in area of connector. Jet was at about 0 (sticking straight out at center) and also 5 and 7 o’clock (sticking out). Reset jet to 11:00 factory setting.

Hose is cold and has been curled for storage so i think it has too much memory. It’s laying out straight in sun. Later today will check RPMs. hopeful.

 

[CarefreeTee]

Hi and thank you ajw22

Polaris has been out of pool and in storage. Ordered new housing and we’re back in the water as of today 3/27/21. Previous issues (nose-down, fountain) gone of course :/. In process of replacing housing lost settings for jet :/ (always take a photo before taking something apart).

Now working on settings as Polaris goes to bottom and up walls but just in area of connector. Jet was at about 0 (sticking straight out at center) and also 5 and 7 o’clock (sticking out). Reset jet to 11:00 factory setting.

Hose is cold and has been curled for storage so i think it has too much memory. It’s laying out straight in sun. Later today will check RPMs. hopeful.

I’m going to close this thread. All of these issues are corrected. Polaris is getting around pool well. Wheels spinning at 29RPM. Bag picking up. New problem so will start new post.

 

[CarefreeTee]

Polaris 380 is getting around pool well. Wheels spinning perfectly at 29 RPMs. Buggy getting up and down walls OK. Bag picking up debris. What I notice now is that all goes well until the back up jet kicks on. Then it goes into a submarine dive and spins around and gets everything all knotted up. So, jet is in a knot and never makes it to other end of the pool. See photos. Is there a way to adjust the thrust on the back-up jet?

 

[ajw22]

Your Polaris 380 manual is at https://www.royalswimmingpools.com/Polaris380_manual.pdf

See page 5. Your hose looks like it is assembled incorrectly between the backup valve and the swivel. I see too many floats. You should have the backup valve, then a float, with clear hose between the backup valve and the swivel, and a float before the swivel. The swivel should be close to the water surface when the Polaris is at the deepest part of the pool and the hose should be close to vertical with the float.

 

[CarefreeTee]

Wow! This hose was put together by a Leslie’s tech a great years ago. Can’t say I’ve not had some of these problems before. I’m printing out and evaluating!! Thank you!!

 

[CarefreeTee]

Wow! This hose was put together by a Leslie’s tech a great years ago. Can’t say I’ve not had some of these problems before. I’m printing out and evaluating!! Thank you!!

Here is the actual layout

 

[CarefreeTee]

Here is the actual layout

So are you saying that I need to get rid of the swivel closest to the Polaris and replace entire length between backup valve and Polaris with clear hose that extends to bottom of pool?

what I mean by extends is measure greatest depth (~5’5”) and replace current assembly with your schematic pieces up to that length? Should 5’5” length include the inches for swivel, valve?

Also first I’ve heard of clear hose. Is it a Polaris part or can I buy a certain diameter of clear hose at Home Depot?

 

[ajw22]

Here is a more recent manual —> https://www.polarispool.com/-/media/zodiac/global/downloads/h/h0498400.pdf?force=1

Polaris no longer talks about a clear hose. But it does look to me like your hose between the 380 and the backup valve is different then the hose after the backup valve.

There is no swivel between the 380 and the backup valve. The first swivel should be at about the water depth. The backup valve should be directly connected to the 380 by a length of hose. With a 5.5’ depth the hose from the backup valve to the 380 should be about 2.5’. Leaving about 3’ above the backup valve for the two floats to the first swivel.

 

[Mayorb]

Sometimes the backup is placed further back on the hose to keep the Polaris from getting snagged where the hose is attached to the wall. At that point the backup can't move the Polaris, and the Polaris can't clear the hose inlet. It can be very aggravating. Moving the valve a few feet upstream helps.
I have no idea why Polaris has yet to put a regulator on the backup valve. Hose knotting is a common issue that they've known about for many years. I'd think they would have gotten on it by now.

 

[CarefreeTee]

Here is a more recent manual —> https://www.polarispool.com/-/media/zodiac/global/downloads/h/h0498400.pdf?force=1

Polaris no longer talks about a clear hose. But it does look to me like your hose between the 380 and the backup valve is different then the hose after the backup valve.

There is no swivel between the 380 and the backup valve. The first swivel should be at about the water depth. The backup valve should be directly connected to the 380 by a length of hose. With a 5.5’ depth the hose from the backup valve to the 380 should be about 2.5’. Leaving about 3’ above the backup valve for the two floats to the first swivel.

View attachment 318100

Amazing! Thank you. All I need is hose and some new floats as everything else was replaced last year. You happen to know if the float that actually attaches to the 380 is the same float has goes on the hoses?

 

[ajw22]

You asking about the float that screws onto the rear? That is a different size.

 

[CarefreeTee]

Here is a more recent manual —> https://www.polarispool.com/-/media/zodiac/global/downloads/h/h0498400.pdf?force=1

Polaris no longer talks about a clear hose. But it does look to me like your hose between the 380 and the backup valve is different then the hose after the backup valve.

There is no swivel between the 380 and the backup valve. The first swivel should be at about the water depth. The backup valve should be directly connected to the 380 by a length of hose. With a 5.5’ depth the hose from the backup valve to the 380 should be about 2.5’. Leaving about 3’ above the backup valve for the two floats to the first swivel.

View attachment 318100

You asking about the float that screws onto the rear? That is a different size.

That was a lazy question. I was inside the house. Sorry about that ;/ I’ll be redoing the hose this week. So do you think a proper configuration of the hose, which will take the backup valve further under water will tone down the force? Sort of makes sense as it’s deeper, under water. Just asking because it’s so easy to go down a rabbit hole with these things.

 

[ajw22]

No, it will not tone down the force of the backup valve.

It will change the geometry of the hose with less hose swinging around under the valve to get tangled and hopefully let the valve cleanly lift the 380 and pull it backwards.

 

[CarefreeTee]

No, it will not tone down the force of the backup valve.

It will change the geometry of the hose with less hose swinging around under the valve to get tangled and hopefully let the valve cleanly lift the 380 and pull it backwards.

Ok. Thank you. I’ve ordered more hose and a new head float. I’m attaching the configuration of my pool with x for wall connection location. Pool is roughly same shape if flipped over on long axis. Pool is 6’ deep and longest distance to steps at right of diagram is 15’. I’m assuming my connector length should be 9’ and lead is 6’. Go down to 2 swivels and add one more float... space differently. Also the back up jet needs to come down to about a foot above the 380. I think those are the major adjustments.

It’s easy to see how the 380 is spinning around with those two extra swivels. I think those are the major adjustments.

You agree?

 

[CarefreeTee]

Two 10-foot sections of feed hose with floats have arrived. Part 9-100-3104. I’ve looked through the diagram on configuration provided here (TL-855 Rev 8) and same diagram came with part. In the diagram, I see leader hose and feed hose. Are these adjectives to describe the function of each length of hose (leader below water line and feed is floating) OR are these actual different types of hose?

I’ve searched all through Leslie‘s, I’ve looked through pool supply world and PolarisPool.com and I cannot find two different parts. I’ve even looked through videos that show tips for assembling the hose which does describe a different type of hose. However these videos are 5 and 7 years old. So I wonder if the newer part has same hose for both functions, i.e. feed and lead.

I’m so ready to get going. but hung up on this point ;/ Plan to call zodiac pool systems in the AM.

 

[CarefreeTee]

Ugh! Found it... part 9-100-3108 ;(((

For the archives (search):
Polaris feed hose part 9-100-3104
Polaris leader hose part 9-100-3108

Update: Hoses arrived and for the life of me... I can’t see or feel a difference but proceeding per diagram.

 

[CarefreeTee]

Update: feed/leader hose is assembled EXACTLY like diagram and is taking it’s maiden voyage in the AM.

 

[CarefreeTee]

Perfection!! Polaris climbs walls perfectly, hits both ends of pool, wheels at 32-33 RPM’s, picking up debris, not spraying the windows, not knotting up. Some small occurrences of knots or potential knots and then the swivels just perform perfectly. They just right the ship and the Polaris 380 just keeps going. What a fantastic accomplishment. Thank you! We make a great team! Special thanks to ajw22!!!