Polaris wheel rpm: pressure or drivetrain? Was: 'Debugging' Polaris 380

Jump to latest Follow Reply
threecheese

threecheese

0
LifeTime Supporter
Jun 14, 2014
75
Long Island, NY
The wheels on my Polaris 380 (w/ 3/4hp booster pump) do not turn at all (0RPM) when I hold it out of the water (causing it to get stuck climbing). The bag, propulsion, and tail jets all work very well. I have removed the outer shell while the unit was under pressure and observed that, when submerged, very little water appears to be coming from the jet that powers the turbine (not nearly as much as the other jets), though I don't know if that's a problem or just the way it's designed. The jet is not clogged.

I have tried the following, with no success:
1. Replaced both bearings in two of the wheels
2. Tightened the belts driving those wheels
3. Replaced the pressure relief valve
4. Removed the backup valve (just to test, it changed nothing)
5. Fixed all hose leaks (a few bad swivels)
6. Cleaned the entire interior, checked for interior hose leaks and cracks, made sure all jets were unclogged and there was no debris inside.
7. Bored the turbine jet a little bit ;)

I am wondering what my next steps should be.
As far as I can see it, either:
1. The water pressure is good, but there is resistance in the drivetrain (bad bearings?) preventing the turbine from spinning
or
2. The pressure is too low, and the other jets provide less resistance and so get all the power

Hoping that someone with more experience can help me debug this.

btw the original problem that started this is the polaris gets stuck trying to climb the walls/get from the deep end to shallow end.

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Re: 'Debugging' Polaris 380 (lack of) wheel RPM - next steps?

Put your hand around the relief valve and see if you feel water coming out. Polaris has a lot of trouble with these valves. I had the same problem as you have and found the relief valve was passing so much water the cleaner was moving very slow. I called polaris and they sent me a new valve, but it also leaked badly. I finally removed the valve and replaced it with a plug. That cured the problem.
 
Re: 'Debugging' Polaris 380 (lack of) wheel RPM - next steps?

stev32k said:
Put your hand around the relief valve and see if you feel water coming out. Polaris has a lot of trouble with these valves. I had the same problem as you have and found the relief valve was passing so much water the cleaner was moving very slow. I called polaris and they sent me a new valve, but it also leaked badly. I finally removed the valve and replaced it with a plug. That cured the problem.
Click to expand...

I just put a new one in yesterday, some water comes out of it but not very much. Can I just knock the black piece out and put a rubber plug in it's place?
 
Re: 'Debugging' Polaris 380 (lack of) wheel RPM - next steps?

OK, done. It helped a little bit, but the wheels still barely move. Do you know how I might test the pressure coming from my booster pump? It's either that or get a factory rebuild kit and replace it all...


Thanks!
 
My Polaris 380 will climb the walls just fine, but when it encounters a ledge or the edge of the bottom step it gets stuck and just sits in a diagonal position until the backup valve kicks in. I've also noticed that my 380 prefers to stay in the deep end and rarely makes its way into the shallow end. So far I've had to replace a backup valve (it was stuck open) and I just replaced the pressure relief valve (PRV). I wish I had seen this thread before I purchased a replacement PRV, b/c I would have just put in the 1" PVC plug as stev32k mentioned. Also, the new PRV leaks a little bit I've noticed.
 
Have you checked all the tubing and swivels for leaks? Whenever my polaris stops moving as fast as it should there has always been a leak somewhere or the filter needs backwashing. It does not take much of a leak to slow it down. I've had leaks in the back up valve housing, swivels, PRV, and the wall connector had a crack. The inlet strainer can also plug off or leak.
 
Yes, the booster increases the pressure coming in by a fixed amount. So lower pressure on the inlet means lower pressure at the outlet. If you are getting DE and debris from the filter the polaris inlet screen is likely plugging up and reducing flow to the cleaner.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply