Contemplating Baracuda G3 - but also have pressure question for vacuum cleaning

[JohnnyBe]

Hi,

new pool (18000 galon, vinyl)

Working on the balance of water but also looking on how to keep the pool clean.

So far I have been cleaning manually. Not that I mind but it takes time.
Found the Baracuda G3 cleaner as an option, most reviews are good, couple are not (but that seems the case with most items on the internet).
Price is right.

Question I have is whether the Baracuda will climb the walls ?
It is supposed to do that, but the angles are pretty straight up.

This question is in combination with the suction.
I have a Hayward pump. Main drain (two on one valve) and an Aquagenie skimmer. Additional valve and a cozy cove connected.
When I vacuum I will connect the hose to the skimmer and almost close the maindrain valve. That provides a good suction.
But after a while the suction drops (drastically). I checked the basket, there is dirt in that I can remove but the suction stays low.
I tried to backwash the filter and that seemed to work but the water coming out was not dirty (pool is a month old).
Get the feeling something else may be the problem but haven't figured out what that can be.

Obvious if the simple manual vacuum has a drop of suction the Baracuda will probably not work well either.

Any suggestions where to look for?

Thanks !

John

 

[multifuel]

I recommend The Pool Cleaner suction vac- the zodiac products need over 75 dollars annually to keep them working and every few years a major expense comes up. The diaphragms fail regularly- the shoe a pad wear out seasonally (your mileage may vary) and zero support. The pool cleaner has larger wheels that can make the transition to get on the walls as long as the radius doesn't pull the suction end from the surface as it makes the transition. My two cents- keep reading reviews. I thought my alpha was decent but after 2 years and zero maintenance on my cleaner I wholeheartedly recommend you look at it.

 

[JohnnyBe]

Thanks Multifuel,

will look into the The Pool Cleaner (horrible name if you want to do a search on the internet as you get so many hits that are not related).
At first glance it seems to be doing the job, a concern that I have is that there are weak parts that break off and require expensive repairs.

I think the wear and tear depends on the type, I have a vinyl liner (and very smooth undergrond).
I expect less wear on the parts with the vinyl compared to a Gunite pool
So I am very concerned on the wheels that may grind on the spots where it wants to climb the wall.

Thanks again.

John