Suction cleaner - ThePoolCleaner 2 or 4 wheel?

[sredish]

Running the pool with a Phantom and it works pretty good but still requires periodic vacuuming. Thinking of getting a suction cleaner to throw in on the weekends and let it do a scrub job. My pool is 48' long and their site states the 4x for larger pools; what's considered 'larger'? Will the extra wheels use up some of the suction and make it harder for it to clean vs. the 2 wheel?

Thanks.
Scott

 

[Vandal]

I think you need the 4-wheel model. It states on the Web site that the 4-wheel model can drag more hose, which is what you'll need with a 48' pool.

 

[sredish]

yea, it's a lot of hose. had to add two add'l sections for the phantom and it's so Dang long now that it ties itself up every now and then...

 

[Guest]

The whole idea of a cleaner is so you DON"T have to vacuum. I have not vacuumed once since I installed my Mars HP pressure cleaner. If the Hayward Phantom is not doing the job (not really surprised on that) get rid of it and get a Polaris or Letro. I would highly recommend the Mars HP but Zodiac has just discontinued it in the US for 2008.

 

[sredish]

The whole idea of a cleaner is so you DON"T have to vacuum. I have not vacuumed once since I installed my Mars HP pressure cleaner. If the Hayward Phantom is not doing the job (not really surprised on that) get rid of it and get a Polaris or Letro. I would highly recommend the Mars HP but Zodiac has just discontinued it in the US for 2008.

is this what your using...

looks different... what your saying makes sense... maybe it's time to swap it out, the builder supplied it. that phantom does a killer job on the skimming but leaves a little to be desired in the corners and stuff, then there's an 18" or so kiddie area that usually has a film of dirt in it if I let it go.

if I swap out the phantom w/ another pressure unit, i could just run whatever off the phantom's booster, correct?

 

[sredish]

what about a Polaris 340 hooked up to one of the skimmers. also looking at the Sta-Rite Great White... I like the idea of "bristle footpad and powerful oscillating vortex vacuum design" since I'm not going to be using it all the time, I could throw it in occasionally for a more thorough deep clean of the walls and floor.

 

[19redwings]

I have been looking for someone to recommend an auto cleaner for some time. There are Mars HP units on ebay right now.

Can someone let me know what is required to make it work? "Pressure side" means I use a return jet and screw a fitting into it?

I have 2 skimmers, and 3 returns, one of the returns is teed into both sides of the step/seats.

 

[Guest]

The whole idea of a cleaner is so you DON"T have to vacuum. I have not vacuumed once since I instal

looks different... what your saying makes sense... maybe it's time to swap it out, the builder supplied it. that phantom does a killer job on the skimming but leaves a little to be desired in the corners and stuff, then there's an 18" or so kiddie area that usually has a film of dirt in it if I let it go.

if I swap out the phantom w/ another pressure unit, i could just run whatever off the phantom's booster, correct?

Yep, That's it! You already have the pressure line and the booster pump (yes you can use the Phatom's booster--they are all pretty much interchangable) so all you would have to do is set up the new cleaner and hose.

 

[Guest]

I have been looking for someone to recommend an auto cleaner for some time. There are Mars HP units on ebay right now.

Can someone let me know what is required to make it work? "Pressure side" means I use a return jet and screw a fitting into it?

I have 2 skimmers, and 3 returns, one of the returns is teed into both sides of the step/seats.

Depends on the cleaner.
The better ones require a booster pump and a dedicated pressure line installed when the pool is built. It is possible to retrofit a pressure line (Polaris has a retrofit kit that hangs over the pool edge) but it's tricky at best. There are models that hook right into the returns and don't need the booster pump but, IMHO, they don't do quite as good a job.