In doing any vacuuming wouldn't the main pump impeller be exposed? I think my main pump impeller is now showing signs of grit damage from "normal" use of my new-this-summer vac. side cleaner. This is the first year, in 23 years, that I've used a vac. side cleaner. And we have extreme amounts of sand and silt.
Although I didn't do the following because of so much stuff hitting the impeller, my actions did, in fact, help to extend it's life when I cleaned the spring gunk out of pool in years when I didn't close the pool fully with no cover.
I had Leslie's put together a portable trash pump, with included pump pot (basket) using an old, but working, 1 hp pump with an extended return pipe, running about 24 inches horizontally over the pump, that threw the water out away from the pump. It was wired 120 and very portable. My reasons, then, were because I was having to go up and down the steps every 5 minutes to empty the main pump pot, for hours on end, while vacuuming the 12" or so of stuff out of pool for opening. The trash pump cost about $100. The gunk eventually fowled up the impeller on the trash pump but I got several years use out of it, using it only for spring cleanup. Although I didn't replace the impeller, I now know, thanks to TFP, that that I could have.
I've decided to keep my normally kept open pool, semi closed, but uncovered, now, because of our unpredictable winter. I'm going to put together another "redneck" trash pump to use with my Tracker 4x (vac side cleaner), on good days, which are usually the predominate type of days, down here, to keep the pool cleaned up till March opening. Instead of throwing the water down the hill I'm going to use a "Slimebag" to recover the water back to pool. But if there was a large degree of gunk I would certainly "trash" the water.
Instead of having someone make it for me, thanks to TFP I know I can make it myself. I might use a 3/4 hp pump I have sitting in the garage, if it will work. It was the circulation pump for spa that was still working but a bearing was going out and making noise, which I didn't want to hear while relaxing in the spa. It probably won't work for vacuuming but I'm going to check it out. It doesn't have a pump pot but the cleaner has a large leaf catcher canister that will do the work of the pump pot. I'm thinking it won't have enough flow because the spa circulation pump is very low speed/flow so I might just have to find a used high flow 3/4-1 hp to use.
Just thought I throw this info out in case it might help someone.
gg=alice