Great White vs. Barracuda MX8

[EJ797]

I have heard many good things about both but I am having trouble making the call.

I like the fact that the great white has brushes but do they actually scrub or do they just kind off rub the floor as the machine moves.

The barracuda seems to have scrubbers that spin but they aren't brushes so I'm not sure how they work exactly.

Would either be better for my particular use? I don't have very much large debri so I am really looking to pick up the dust and dirt that blows into the pool along with the occasional bug or leaf. My pool is Marcite,13x26 and 11k Gallons.

Thanks for your help, any input you have would be welcome!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[poolsupplysales]

The barracuda MX8 requires only 2.5 lbs of suction and all other suction side pool cleaners need 5 lbs of suction. If you are connecting your cleaner in the wall of the pool and adjusting water flow with a jandy valve you will have more water flow to the skimmer with the MX8 for better surface cleaning. The MX8 does a great job

 

[EJ797]

Can the mx8 run on the low speed of a two speed motor then?

 

[Big Bill]

As a man who repaired a LOT of MX8's last year, allow me to caution you on a purchase. I kept running into the same problem with all the MX8's I sold to customers and according to Zodiac, the problem was a side effect of the design and "working as intended." They have promised us as retail managers that the problem is resolved on new units, but I saw nothing in the change from the old directional controls, to the new ones.

When it works, it's great. When it constantly breaks, its a waste of $500.

 

[dschlic1]

I have a Great White and am very happy with it. Parts are readily available locally and reasonably priced.

 

[EJ797]

A little update, I was able to purchase a used great white on craig's list and give it a try in my pool. It works pretty well but always gets stuck on the ladder. Essentially, it moves up the wall and centers itself on the post of the ladder at the bottom where the rubber feet meet the wall. Is there anyway to keep this from happening?

 

[duraleigh]

You should be able to assemble something from PVC pipe that would hang on the bottom step and come down to a "point" that would divert the vac around that area. Then remove it when you are finished cleaning.

You may need a little concrete in it to weigh it down.

 

[poolguy15]

When you run the MX8 with the designed flow rate, it's the best on the market. Run the cleaner with too much suction, you'll wear down and break the gears on the cleaner.

Zodiac has a 2nd gen MX8 that is re-designed and the gears are more-forgiving, but they still recommend running the cleaner within proper flow rate. This is easily achieved with a variable speed pump, but can be done by adjusting valves to allow for more or less flow thru all suction lines.

 

[pete155]

I've had both. Both work well, but for me the MX8 is better. I have an irregular shaped pool. The problem with the Great White was that it went where the hose led it. It would go over the same section over and over again. Then the hose would tangle and it would stay in the same spot for hours. It would get stuck on the bottom drain for hours. The final problem was the wall climbing. It would climb past the water line, suck in air and fall to the bottom. When the pump regained pressure, the Great White would climb right back up the wall and same thing. The MX8 doesn't clean as well. Sometimes it will go over a leaf and just kick it out the back. The MX8 never gets stuck because it backs up. Even though it doesn't clean as well, it is always cleaning, so the pool eventually gets cleaned. The MX8 does wear out the gears pretty quickly. But they are cheap and readily available. The Great White has a 360 degree ball hose connector that wears out at least once a year. It also has a tong shaped flapper that wears out about once a year. Other than that it's indestructible. The brushes run over the surface, but I wouldn't call what they do "scrubbing". Lastly the Great White does use a lot of suction. The MX8 uses minimal. I have a two speed pump and it runs okay on low speed. You have to adjust your diverter so the majority of the suction is going to the MX8, but it will work on low speed.

 

[D_Nyholm]

What about ThePoolCleaner? I am leaning toward that at the moment instead of the mx8 but I cannot make up my mind either.

 

[BPSuperstore]

The MX8 has been an up and down rollercoaster ride. When it works, it's great, but it can be a headache as well.

The Poolvergnuegen Pool Cleaner you mentioned is our favorite cleaner. We sell hundreds a year and have zero warranty calls or problems with them. They just work and work very well. The guy who owns the company is the inventor of about 5 major pool cleaners in the industry including the Navigator. He calls this one his best unit by far.

You should be able to get them for about $360-$365 looking around the internet.

 

[pete155]

Never had the Poolvernuegen. Heard nothing but good things about it. If I were going to get another suction side pool cleaner it would probably be the Poolvernuegen or another MX8. The only thing stopping me from getting the Poolvernuegen would be the unknown. I know the MX8 works in my pool. But I wouldn't be afraid to give the Poolvernuegen a shot. I went to a robotic (Aquabot Elite RC). Ordered it two days ago, not here yet. I live in the Palm Springs area. For the last three days we have had a continuous wind storm. Sunday night was brutal. My pool looked like a mud hole. I turned on the pump and the MX8 went right to work. I was actually quite impressed. I'm talking about a colossal amount of very fine silt in the pool. What made me decide to go with a robotic was thinking about all that silt that was now clogging my filter. The MX8 just ran slower and slower as the filter got fuller and fuller. The MX8 is still in my pool til the Aquabot gets here, and it just keeps working. I'm not picking the MX8 over the Poolvernuegen. Like I said, if I was gonna get another suction cleaner it would probably be the Poolvernuegen or a new MX8 (probably the Poolvernuegen). Those two are head and shoulders above all the other suction cleaners.

 

[bgee01]

I live in South Florida have an open pool that is surrounded by several live oak trees. I get a lot of leaves in the pool, especially in the springtime when the leaves fall as they are replaced by new growth. I have not found a perfect suction side pool vac that does not get jammed, but the Great White is the best I've found so far. Its wide mouth can handle the leaves, but they often get hung up as they enter the hose fitting. I've also had problems with the Great White hanging up on the bottom drain cover, especially after the brushes get some wear. I recently purchased a Poolvernuegen Pool Cleaner because it looked like it would handle the drain cover better. I found its suction mouth is so small the leaves often get hung up there, which lifts the vac's bottom up so the wheels no longer are in contact with the pool. Also, some debris has gotten into the gearing mechanism, which requires the vac be disassembled to clear the gears. Luckily, I have a 10" set of forceps which can reach into the gear area to facilitate removal. Based on my experience, I do not recommend the Poolvernuegen for pools with leaves - it can't handle them! Although I've only had the Poolvernuegen for about 2 months, I'm already considering getting another Great White or trying the Zodiac MX8. The comments about the fragile gears on the MX8 concern me, but I've also found the rubber skirt around the bottom of the Great White wears quickly requiring frequent replacement. Neither seems to be a perfect solution. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.