Cleaner questions...debris, run time, new cleaner

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806pool

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LifeTime Supporter
Apr 4, 2015
139
So. Cal.
In one of my other threads I mentioned my Kreepy Krauly isn't doing such a great job. It's about 5 years old and was here when we bought the house.

Our situation. We have an auto cover. It's on 90% of the time or more when we aren't in the pool. Keep in mind This is our first pool so we have nothing to compare it too. Every time I open the pool, there is debris on the bottom. It's never perfectly clean. We leave the KK in the pool at all times and it is hooked to the skimmer for now. It runs when the pump is on everyday pool open or not (SS pump) The skimmer rarely runs without the KK attached. This how we were told by the previous owner. Really the circulation is done a majority through the KK and not the skimmer alone. As Ive been reading other posts regarding a replacement motor and run times, I've noticed most people run there cleaner maybe an hour a day or even a few times a week with an uncovered pool!!

So I'm assuming we've been running the KK way to much and the skimmer not enough on its own? And if so, what should the ratio be Cleaner to skimmer,

We do have a dedicated suction port, not being used right now, hoping to have that fixed with a valve shortly. Is it recommended to leave the skimmer be and run it off the suction port? If not, do you just disconnect and connect the cleaner at the skimmer every few days, or whatever your cleaning schedule is?

I've watched the KK on occasion and it seems to get stuck in a pattern...missing a lot of the pool....it gets hung up on the main drain often also.

My assumption would be with the auto cover on so much, and as much as the KK runs, the pool would be near perfect upon opening it up to swim.

Maybe we are doing something wrong, or maybe it's time for a new cleaner...

If new cleaner... Is there generally problems cleaning with a suction cleaner like we are having?

Do all cleaners need to run as much as we are running ours?

I notice robots are really popular, but you can't leave them in the pool and they are $$. I'm gone a lot so putting it in and taking it out everyday would be tough I would thinks your experiences?

Guess My options are :
1. figure out what's wrong with our set up.
2. Get a new suction side cleaner and set it up correctly
3. Get a robot and figure out how I'm gonna get it in and out when need be.

Any experiences, cleaning schedules, routines, recommendations appreciated as always.

Can't wait until all of these issues are figured out. Who said having a pool was easy, lol
 
We do have a dedicated suction port, not being used right now, hoping to have that fixed with a valve shortly. Is it recommended to leave the skimmer be and run it off the suction port?
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That is the way I do it. Both the skimmer and cleaner are running at the same time. On low speed, I just run the skimmer.

If new cleaner... Is there generally problems cleaning with a suction cleaner like we are having?
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No but some cleaners are better than others. Some people have had good luck with a KK but one of the highest rated suction side cleaners on this site and others is ThePoolCleaner. Same cleaner I have and I leave it in most of the time.
 
Perfect, that answers my question about the skimmer/cleaner running together! I actually just watched a video if ThePoolCleaner as I've seen it mentioned a few times. Happy with it, no issues? Is it fair to say that with a cover on, it should be clean when opened up?

Thanks!
 
Happy with it, no issues?
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I have had it for 10 years and besides replacing the tires every couple of years, the only thing I had to replace this year were the wheel hubs. Pretty good service and lifetime.

Is it fair to say that with a cover on, it should be clean when opened up?
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Hard to say for your conditions. But I think it takes the cleaner about 6 hours to cover the average pool floor and personally, I am not willing to run it that long so I don't really expect my pool floor to be perfectly clean all the time. My goal is to have the cleaner run over the entire pool floor at least once per week.

But why doesn't the auto cover keep the debris out of the pool?
 
Thanks! I will look into ThePoolCleaner. This is just a vacuum right? Doesn't scrub the bottom/walls/tiles at all?

My options are either replace the KK hoses (few hundred for original hose kit), and a few other parts that might be worn, or just buy new which would end up being close to what I'd spend in parts for the KK (assuming I get another suction cleaner. KK is going on 6 years old now.

A robot I think would be a pita if I wasn't here to do it, probably heavy too. They probably clean better though. Might be overkill for our size of pool also.

Does ThePoolCleaner make a bunch of noise when cleaning? The KK "ticks" fairly loud.and to be honest, it's kind of annoying, lol. Not sure if that's the case with all suction cleaners or not.

Wonder how the new version is compared to your model.
 
I've had The Pool Cleaner for about 1 year and think it's great. I looked into a robot but getting NEC building code approved power to it was a major obstacle. I leave my cleaner in the pool and clean 1 hour every day in the early AM when my SCE Time Of Use rates are the lowest. The cleaner is dead quiet except when it occasionally climbs the wall, breaches the surface and sucks in a bit of air. It wont climb all the walls and never gets on the steps so some manual brushing (and tile cleaning) is still needed. When we had our trees trimmed last fall the pool bottom was uniformly covered with debris and 4 hours later it looked great. Last week was the first time I needed to pull it out and clean the intake of the 5 grape size seed pods it swallowed at once. They normally pass right through to the in-line leaf filter, a Zodiac Cyclonic.

I would defiantly recommend The Pool Cleaner. Hope this helps
 
806pool...I too have a KK which is mediocre at best. I have a lot of trees around my pool and fight constant trash. I run mine about 4 hours every day. I have to babysit it though. It has a tendency to run in a figure 8 pattern only so I manually move it around with my pool net. It actually takes me less time to manually vac, but I let it run which I'm doing my Cinderella duties. I'm saving up for a robot for sure!
 
Samehere does a figure eight patern but usually in the same spots then gets hung up on the drain, etc. Im over it. I think im gonna order up ThePooleaner. Everyone here that has it seems to love it.
Also recently saw some remarks about the Pool Blaster Max. Sounds pretty nice for quick cleanup from stuff that manages to get under the cover that the auto vacuum might miss. Im gonna get ThePoolCleaner first and see how it does though.
 

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I've also been eyeing the Poolcleaner. The Hayward Pool Vac Ultra that came with the pool was barely moving around the deep end. I started buying parts for the thing to rebuild and quickly determined that I'd be most of the way to a new cleaner by the time I got this thing working correctly. Not to mention that it's so old that Hayward didn't even recognize the model number. It must have been some first-off-the-line cleaner. Especially considering that some of the parts were slightly different than those I ordered.

I've been manually vacuuming the pool for the last few weeks and that's motivation enough to buy a new cleaner.

I also like the storage rack 'poolcleaner keeper' they make.
 
So was all ready to order up "thepoolcleaner" when i came across something. Appareently there are different versions now. The "next generation" version of ThePoolCleaner.....then the Phoenix by Hayward, and the Aquanot by Hayward.

Ive been told that all three are the same except for the colors of the u it and hoses, and that the Aquanot and Phoenix both have a handle and updated wheel hubs.

The next generation pool cleaner is approx $350
The Hayward Phoenix is at leslies for $429 -$75 rebate =$354.99 and you get a free Hayward leaf canister with it

The Hayward Aquanot sells for the same with the same rebate = $354.99 with no mention of leaf canister.

So are they really all the same with the colors being the only difference? Id assume the Hayward models would be the "newest" and better ones to buy with the newer hubs and handle?

What are your thoughts?
Thanks!
 
I think it is just a branding play. Hayward bought out ThePoolCleaner's manufacture and they redesigned the cleaner. I think the Phoenix is sold only at Leslie's. But the Leslie's deal seems pretty good since the leaf canister is not exactly cheap.
 
Picked up the Phoenix and put it in yesterday. Got the 4wheel version which now after seeing it preform I think the 2wheel would have been plenty. I was advised to get the 4wheel due to the auto cover and the cleaner having to drag the hose against the cover.

Anyways...this thing is AWESOME!! The KK we had NEVER cleaned this well. We had a windy few days and a ton of stuff blew in the pool while they were swimming. Within 2 hours the pool was near spotless!!

Thank you all for the recommendation!!! Oh and it's QUIET!! Not like the KK that has the annoying loud 'ticking' the whole time it's running.
 
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