Polaris 380 issues with performance

[adhames]

I'm new to the forum. I try to let the man of the house handle all of the pool stuff since I know so very little about it but I'm tired of waiting and want the polaris to work! I have read the voluminous information in this section of the forum but still can't manage to glean enough information to know where to start with my problem.

Acquired used 380 and have replaced (or added): universal wall fitting, wheel, feed hose, Back-up Valve, Bag.
We have a dedicated return line and are using a booster bump (Franklin Electric 1/2 HP).

The polaris will pick up some debris but the wheel RPM is only at about 20. The sweeper hose doesn't sweep, it just drags behind. There is no suction beneath the feed hole and the water exiting the thrust jet, the sweep hose, and the three jets in the feed hole just doesn't seem to be very powerful.

The filter screen is clean and we are not using any of the pressure restrictors in the universal wall fitting. When I disconnect the polaris from the wall, I don't feel like there is very much pressure coming out but I don't know what it should feel like. It's like the polaris just doesn't have enough juice to perform as some people have described theirs performing on here.

Any ideas what's wrong or where to start? Is the booster pump powerful enough at 1/2 HP?


Many thanks for any help offered,

Andrea
--------------
55K gallon IG gunite, 60 sq.ft. Hayward DE filter, Leslie's Hydramax II self-priming pump 2.0 HP

 

[PaulR]

Do you run the Polaris while the main pump is on? Are there any valves into or out of the booster pump that you could open up? Are your normal returns putting out a good flow?

With my 3/4 booster and a restrictor disk, if I unplug the Polaris hose then the jet shoots all the way across the pool, 15' plus. I just put in the restrictor disk today because the pressure relief valve was spitting something fierce. I measured 28rpm afterward (didn't think to measure what it was previously).
--paulr

 

[adhames]

PaulR - yes, I run the main pump when I'm running the Polaris. I see one valve near the booster pump but can't get it to turn at all. The valve says Jandy on it. The normal returns are putting out a good/normal flow.

Wow - 15'? Nope, nowhere close here. It doesn't "shoot." I can hold my hand in front of it with no problem and without any water spraying or breaking the surface.



Andrea
--------------
55K gallon IG gunite, 60 sq.ft. Hayward DE filter, Leslie's Hydramax II self-priming pump 2.0 HP

 

[PaulR]

Maybe I should've mentioned my Polaris return is above the water line; but yeah it puts out considerable force with the booster on.

There's one other thing to fuss with on the unit itself; one time I had a problem with feeble performance that turned out to be the internal hoses were loose. This is not something I did myself, I am not super mechanical so I took it to the pool store, the guy reseated the hoses and used what looked like plastic zip ties to clamp them in place.

But basically you're not getting enough water pressure to drive the unit properly. Unfortunately I don't know anything about unsticking a valve; maybe if you ask over in Pumping Station.

Good luck,
--paulr

 

[Pool Clown]

If your'e getting good pressure at the wall, it's probably this.

There's one other thing to fuss with on the unit itself; one time I had a problem with feeble performance that turned out to be the internal hoses were loose. This is not something I did myself, I am not super mechanical so I took it to the pool store, the guy reseated the hoses and used what looked like plastic zip ties to clamp them in place.
--paulr