Pressure side cleaner questions

[H2O_Keeper]

I am going to buy my first pool cleaner and have had trouble finding the answer to my questions in the forums. I want to buy a pressure side model but am trying to figure out a few things. I do not have a booster pump, thus am looking at the few models that will operate with my setups 13psi.

1. I do not have a dedicated line for this operation nor a way to shut-off the water to just one of the two returns (they are split apart somewhere underground). Do the units create enough resistance on its return line to where I have to put some kind of a restrictor plate on the opposite line?

2. Due to kids I was hoping to just hookup the unit a few times a week and wanted to disconnect it when not in use. Does it come with some kind of a quick disconnect for the cleaner side? If something is needed on the opposite side do they make some kind of quick disconnect unit for this as well?

 

[budster]

The Polairs 360 is probably the best fit for your situation. It will require the restriction of all other returns except the one you put the cleaner in. The fitting for the return the Polaris is in comes with a quick disconnect. The unit also comes with a quick disconnect restrictor fitting for your other return. Here's the owner's manual that might help: http://www.polarispool.com/files/manual/PolarisManual360.pdf.

A robotic cleaner would be ideal for this situation too. :-D

 

[duraleigh]

A robotic cleaner would be ideal for this situation, though.

Ditto.

Non-boostered pressure side cleaners have always seemed like red-headed stepchildren to me.

I would consider a higher end suction side (folks like that "poolvernugen" cleaner....(sorry, too lazy to look up the right name))
or, as Budster indicated, one of the less expensive robotics would work well in a pool your size. :-D

 

[budster]

A robotic cleaner would be ideal for this situation, though.

Ditto.

Non-boostered pressure side cleaners have always seemed like red-headed stepchildren to me.

I would consider a higher end suction side (folks like that "poolvernugen" cleaner....(sorry, too lazy to look up the right name))
or, as Budster indicated, one of the less expensive robotics would work well in a pool your size. :-D

I edited to show the full answers on the 360.

 

[H2O_Keeper]

Thanks for the replies!

My budget is $600 thus I am right at the cusp of an entry level robot opposed to a high end suction or pressure cleaner. I was opting for the lesser technology better made approach. For my pricepoint it has to be able to handle my 3.5' to 8' steep incline over approx 10'? I also have wrinkles in the vinyl in that section (was there when I bought the house). I had read good things about "The pool cleaner" and the Polaris to overcome my extra challenges. Thus that is where I was headed but had questions.

After the robot suggestion in this thread, are there any models I should check out to fit my criteria? I was concerned a low end unit may not overcome my obstacles or be very durable. Want to get more than just a season out of it.

 

[waste]

If you have wrinkles in the liner a robot is probably not for you Robots tend to 'chew' on wrinkles (if nothing else, they strip the pattern right off wrinkles) If the 360 is within your price range, it'd be more gentle on the wrinkles.

BTW - do the wrinkles run ~ parallel to the break? If so, BAD PB!

 

[H2O_Keeper]

Thanks for the awesome tip, did not even think about the chewing effect. The wrinkles go perpendicular to the slope angle. There are several small ones all through the incline down. The other three sides with a VERY steep slope from the 8' coming back up are fine, the bottom on the deep end is fine, and so is the shallow end doesn't have any wrinkles worth mentioning.

Any idea what could of caused a pool to do this? Talked to a local pool store about it and they claimed the water table in the area but I'm not convinced due to 90% of the wrinkles in just this one section.

 

[waste]

I'm not sure I'd buy the water table idea, the shallow end, with less pool water pressure would usually wrinkle before the slopes. They also usually look like a spiderweb or a crack in a window (ie. radial)

Had the wrinkles been parallel to the break, my guess would have been using a water truck or fire hydrant to fill the pool and not deflecting the flow which can result in wrinkles on the slope.

About all I can think of to cause wrinkles like you describe is that they were there when the liner was installed :grrrr: :?

 

[H2O_Keeper]

Funny you say that about a fire hydrant. The guy I bought the house from use to serve on the fire department! He had lived in this house 10 years. Perhaps somewhere along the way he used one of the trucks when they have to do their drains every so often to fill the pool! We have those tanker units in our area. You never know.....

Still on the fence about Polaris or The Pool Cleaner but I made up my mind and have it down to two after my questions getting answered here....

Thanks everyone.