Hayward Pool Vac XL driving me crazy...

firstbase · Sep 3, 2016

2 year old Hayward Pool Vac XL, clean filter, good pressure to cleaner as measure on gauge, new hoses. Good flow through the leaf canister.

Cleaner was sluggish, slow, turning left and right ok but not enough energy/power to pull hose to the other side of pool. If hose crossed itself the cleaner would lift up of bottom and go back the other direction where there was no pull from hose. OK, put in a new A Frame, turbine and gear box. One of the A Frame bearings was busted and the bearings fell out when I touched it. OK, good sign that maybe I found the problem but...same thing after rebuild. Slow, sluggish, no power/energy. First time I have done a rebuild on thos parts it and believe I did it correctly but I did realize (after it was reassembled of course) that I think I put the turbine bearings in with the bearings on the inside not the outside and I can't say for sure that I allowed the bearings to notch/seat in the body. There is a notch they catch on right? However, the turbine spins fine.

Have played with flow going from max to min and everywhere in between. The only other thing I noted was that the right pod is aimed slightly in towards the front. Slightly but moves freely and doesn't seem to rub the side. Anyone have any hints, suggestions, comments. Preferably some that don't involve a large sledge hammer?

kadavis · Sep 3, 2016

If there is play between pods and a-frame the cleaner will be sluggish or not move at all

firstbase · Sep 3, 2016

kadavis said:
If there is play between pods and a-frame the cleaner will be sluggish or not move at all

Thanks for the response. I have the pods tightened down snug. They do move around a little, some back and forth but not sure if that is acceptable. Should there be ANY play in them or should they just be able to rock back and forth only?

firstbase · Sep 10, 2016

OK, have now replaced the A Frame, turbine, gear box, pods, feet, wings. Still the same result. One thing I noticed but not sure about...should I be able to manipulate the pods back and forth by hand and make the turbine spin? I cannot do that. If I spin the turbine by hand the pods move as they should but I can't get it to work the other way around. Seems like something is binding maybe? Have replaced everything else. Don't know what to think beyond that...any clues you can give me? Thanks in advance...

kadavis · Sep 10, 2016

Did you get the main turbine bearings in properly, you said you didn't think they were in the notches earlier. When you have in pool can you see both pods moving? Do you have the older access cover that expands to open up more for larger debri. That access cover was a problem when it would stay open so I think Hayward did away with it.

firstbase · Sep 10, 2016

Thanks. Yes, I opened it up and flipped the bearings so they were facing outward and made sure they were seated properly. I haven't looked specifically at whether or not the pods are moving when I pull it off the bottom but it does move across the bottom so they have to be moving to some degree. Very slow, then it will stop at times, then go back to moving slowly. Any tension from the hose will pull it off the bottom rather than the cleaner dragging the hose and pulling it straight. I have tried to up the pressure but that doesn't help. Had it to the point where it was collapsing the hose at the inlet but it didn't make any difference. Some other questions:

1) On the A Frame, I don't think that it matters which side each set of wheels goes on correct? No left or right, front or back?

2) The A Frame bushings that slide in from the outside of the frame, they are just bushings that go in straight with no particular alignment, correct? They aren't supposed to spin are they?

Just trying to pick my brain for ANYTHING on this...!!

firstbase · Sep 13, 2016

Just to clean this up for anyone in the future....I seemed to get it fixed but have no idea how! Flipped the turbine bearings so the open side was on the outside, took out the A Frames and switched them to opposite sides, made sure bearings were seated. Opened up the gear cover (not the gear box) and spun around making sure it moved freely. Put it all back together again and didn't tighten the pods quite as tight as I had them previously...and voila. Works. I sure wish I knew which one of those things it was but...all's well that ends well. I think pool cleaners are like wives. Tricky and mysterious things... who knows what makes them tick sometimes....