Cleaner question

[bigkevj]

I am new to all this, so please be easy on my terminology

I have a hole on the side of my pool that I use when cleaning. When I use the cleaner that was with the pool (floats on the surface and has two hoses that rest on the pool floor and blow air to stir up debris) I have to turn the sweep valve open and screw in an adapted in that hole that the cleaner connects to. I have to start the booster pump, then it starts to move.

Conversely, when I vacuum the pool, I unscrew that adapter and screw in a hose connection in that same hole. I have to open the vacuum valve, I connect the hose from the vacuum head to this hose connection adapter, I turn on the filter pump, and close some skimmers to get suction and then can vacuum.

That should give you an idea of what I have.

Looking for automatic cleaners. If I understand correctly, Pressure side cleaners would require me to open the sweep valve and turn on the booster pump to use. Suction side cleaners would allow me to not use the booster pump, and use as I use my manual vacuum.

Is this correct? How do the robots work?

 

[banditig]

Hi, most people use the term robot to mean a cleaner with an electric cord only (no water hoses). They have a filter bags you clean or change.

 

[bigkevj]

Im aware that robots are not pressure or suction side cleaners. You just plug them in and thats it?

 

[Jimrahbe]

big,

That's all there is. Robots are like cell phones, technology wise, where Pressure and Suction cleaners are more like those old black rotary dial phones.

Read this... http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/120447-First-Robotic-Cleaner-Doheny-s-Discovery/page2

Jim R.

 

[bigkevj]

I have some stairs up to a shallow end. Will robots scale those steps? How about pressure/suction side cleaners?

 

[duraleigh]

Don't buy ANY cleaner expecting it to clean your steps. Some will, some wont. Just assume you will have to brush and then be surprised if your auto-vac does it for you. (one of my robots did, but it was painful to watch it struggle.)

 

[bigkevj]

Didnt want it to specifically CLEAN the steps, but would like it to scale the steps into the shallow end to clean that area.