Guys, recently bought a house with a pool and it came with the Polaris 380 vacuum, it kept getting stuck on the stairs and I established that the backup valve was bad. Since then I replaced the valve but the vacuum keeps getting stuck..... One thing I noticed it is able to backup while the solar cover is off but when the cable is under the cover, it apparently restricts it from properly pulling the vacuum behind it. Is this something that is common and is there a way to fix this problem ? Maybe adjusting the floaters or will I simply have to cut the hose to make it short enough not to reach the stairs, in which case it would miss cleaning quite a bit of pool surface. Also my valve seems to slowly increase in force when pumping water untill it reaches full speed, the guys at zodiac said it should start pumping full force immediately. Is it possible the new one is bad too ? however I dont see how it would help as it pumps water at full speed for quite a bit and the vacuum doesnt really move at all, maybe 6 inches is all and then just comes back to hit the wall when backup cycle is done.
Polaris 380 getting stuck on stairs
- Thread starter RafaelS
- Start date
Re: Polaris 380 getting suck on stairs
maybe the valve is bad. My 360 goes at least 10ft from the stairs (gets hung up there too, backup pulls it away successfully though) by the time the backup valve cycle is done.
Your hoses & floats the proper lengths like the diagram in the manual?
http://www.poolcenter.com/Polaris380_Manual.pdf
Hrm, I don't see your manual specify how far from the cleaner the backup valve should be. On my 360, it says 3 ft....if it's further away, it's not as effective, in my experience. But the 360 is a lot different than the 380, so it may be a moot point...
maybe the valve is bad. My 360 goes at least 10ft from the stairs (gets hung up there too, backup pulls it away successfully though) by the time the backup valve cycle is done.
Your hoses & floats the proper lengths like the diagram in the manual?
http://www.poolcenter.com/Polaris380_Manual.pdf
Hrm, I don't see your manual specify how far from the cleaner the backup valve should be. On my 360, it says 3 ft....if it's further away, it's not as effective, in my experience. But the 360 is a lot different than the 380, so it may be a moot point...
Re: Polaris 380 getting suck on stairs
maybe you don't need to run it when the cover is on.
maybe you don't need to run it when the cover is on.
Re: Polaris 380 getting suck on stairs
That's not possible, filter and vacuum are on a timer and they both run when everyone is at work. The point of the solar cover is to be on the pool at all times when not used, especially during the hot days. That, plus even if I was home I would not want to remove the cover every day just so that vacuum can runanonapersona said:
Re: Polaris 380 getting suck on stairs
I am pretty sure everything is ok with setup but I will verify that tonight just to be sure. I would say it is about 3ft as in your case but will have to measure to be certain. Do you also have a solar cover on?danivdp said:
What is it that is being vacuumed while the cover is on? I'm just not understanding I guess. Even a mechanical timer has an off switch. Since the house is designed to float, it seems that it will always be a problem with the cover on.
I don't have a cover, so I am imagining that the pool is coverrd after it is used, with a short cycle for the Polaris to catch what got in the pool while being used, then the cover goes on a clean pool.
I mean taking the time to run a clean cycle before you cover has to be better than breaking the backup thruster or buying a cleaner that does not have a floating hose.
I don't have a cover, so I am imagining that the pool is coverrd after it is used, with a short cycle for the Polaris to catch what got in the pool while being used, then the cover goes on a clean pool.
I mean taking the time to run a clean cycle before you cover has to be better than breaking the backup thruster or buying a cleaner that does not have a floating hose.
danivdp said:
Oh, I'm sorry, I've gotten posts mixed up. Nevermind. Someone has a cover and er, whatever.
I believe you were talking to me and I do have a coveranonapersona said:
you make a very good point about vacuuming only when needed, you are correct there is not much dirt on the bottom with the cover on but there is some dirt, is it ok to only clean it up once a week or so ? I also noticed the vacuum does not go as fast as i think it should. I found there was water comming out of the pressure release valve so I tightened it with pliers, I dont think I can tighten it any more but there is still some water comming out, a lot less but still some. I think I read somewhere here there should not be any water comming when put on correctly. What do u guys use to tighten these? with hands I could not tighten any more but the pliers strip some paint of the white valve think that you tighten around the blue pressure valve. I dont see any other marks on it so I assume they tightened it in a different previously. That might be part of the reason its not backing up correctly without enough pressure? Last question would be for someone that might have the same vacuum or at least someone with same backup valve on their polaris. Does ur backup valve start shooting water hard from the very beginning of the backup cycle or does it pick up speed slowly before blasting full force for remainder of the cycle?I've got the same problem, though I do not have a pool cover. In my case it is just the geometry of the setup. My supply hose to the Polaris is on the same side of the pool as the steps. So, sometimes the Polaris gets hung up on the steps, and the back-up cycle finds it pulling the Polaris around a corner, which it just can't do.
I find I need to tinker with the directional jet several times a year. I suspect the water temperature affects the flexibility of the hose, which then changes the pattern of its path. After many years, I am just resigned to having to fiddle with it for several days, 2 or 3 times a year.
Hope you have better luck.
I find I need to tinker with the directional jet several times a year. I suspect the water temperature affects the flexibility of the hose, which then changes the pattern of its path. After many years, I am just resigned to having to fiddle with it for several days, 2 or 3 times a year.
Hope you have better luck.
That pressure relief thing at the wall leaks before it fails. Order one online now while you can. One day mine simply quit. We messed around with it a long time and finally someone here mentioned that pressure relief thing. It its not actually shown on my parts diagram such that I could identify the disc I found in the pool from it. Yes, it has a Polaris emblem on it but the pool was so new to me I didn't recognize it. I saw that when I pressed my heel against the outflow from the valve at the wall, the Polaris worked fine. At that time the pool was still so new to us and it was winter, I'd never swum in it, so I did not know what about of flow out of that valve at the wall was normal.
Do you suggets I replace that whole unit that goes into the pool wall or just the blue disk and the valve that screws on top of it? I will check out amazon and see what they sell. What is leaking is the blue disk closure, not the piece that actually screws into the wall.anonapersona said:
Just the disc part, I think it has a spring included in the replacement. I never saw the spring, guess the dog ate it (that is the name of our Polaris - Bad Dog.)
I get parts from PoolParts4Less.com, or something like that, products, parts, I dunno. Wise to stock up on hose tail scrubbers and a spare tire to ease the bite of shipping.
I get parts from PoolParts4Less.com, or something like that, products, parts, I dunno. Wise to stock up on hose tail scrubbers and a spare tire to ease the bite of shipping.
I will take a look at the website you mention, I always find amazon to be cheapest, and as prime member I get free two day shipping on everything , I just got my backup valve from amazon for about $45
, I just got my backup valve from amazon for about $45I am a little confused, when i lookup the part it comes with a black insert but mine looks blue. I read a few forums posts about the valve and all talk about blue and red inserts. Whats up with the black color ?anonapersona said: