Ok, I have to ask this stupid question. I have been reading on this forum that some of you run your pool cleaners for a specific amount of hours everyday. My pool cleaner is attached to the wall in the pool. When the pump is on, it is on. Right now the pump is on for 6 hours a day, the pool cleaner runs 6 hours a day. I would like to be able to control that since the pool does not really need to be cleaned 6 hours a day. So how do I do that? Unplug it from the wall and leave it in the pool when I don't want it to run?
Pool cleaner run time
- Thread starter kal2002
- Start date
What type cleaner do you have?
I suspect it's a suction side cleaner. If it is, and you don't have a dedicated suction line back to the pad, then about your only choice is to unplug it when you don't want it to run. If you have a dedicated line back to the pump pad, you could put an actuated valve on it and run it on a timer. You could also put an actuated valve on the skimmer/main drain valve, and have it switch to 100% MD if you plug the vac into the skimmer line.
I suspect it's a suction side cleaner. If it is, and you don't have a dedicated suction line back to the pad, then about your only choice is to unplug it when you don't want it to run. If you have a dedicated line back to the pump pad, you could put an actuated valve on it and run it on a timer. You could also put an actuated valve on the skimmer/main drain valve, and have it switch to 100% MD if you plug the vac into the skimmer line.
Hi Dave J, thanks for the info. There is a dedicated line for the Pool Cleaner but I think i will pass on the idea of adding an actuated valve and a timer for right now since we don't know how to do it. I will keep that in mind though. If and when we need to replace the pump. that will be part of the fix.
There is another option that you mount in your skimmer that allows you to keep your pool cleaner hooked up to the skimmer plate and it cycles with each turn on/off sequence of your pump to switch between skimming or pool cleaner. Its basically a skimmer vacuum plate with a valve that cycles using suction from the pump. one cycle allows water to come in through skimmer opening and then on the next cycle, valve switches to flow coming from pool cleaner. All you would need to do is add more on/off cycles per day on your pump timer. By varying when the 2nd off/on cycle was, you can split time between how much is skimming and how much is pool cleaning.
Hayward makes one called the "Hayward Auto Skimmer Vac Plate". Around $100
I do not know how well these work as I have never used one personally.
Hayward makes one called the "Hayward Auto Skimmer Vac Plate". Around $100
I do not know how well these work as I have never used one personally.