Booster pump has failed. Repair, replace pump or replace entire cleaning system?

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C

coilerman

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Bronze Supporter
Sep 29, 2008
169
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I have a Polaris, pressure-side pool cleaner. The booster pump, Polaris PB4-60 has failed for the second time in 5 years. I have some choices:

1) Repair the pump. There is power going to the pump but only a weak bubble comes out the cleaner when it's turned on. I suspect a jammed impeller. Is this user serviceable?

2) Replace the pump with yet another. Is there a more reliable booster pump out there?

3) Ditch the Polaris altogether and get a plug-in robotic cleaner. Am I asking for more reliability issues here?

Thoughts?
 
I have had Polaris 380 pressure cleaners in pools for many years. The next time it breaks i am getting a Dolphin or Pentair robot.

Polaris is old technology and expensive to maintain between the pump and the cleaner. Robot looks like it cleans as well or better and costs no more to replace.
 
I use a polaris 280 and have thought about the day the pump dies or I need to replace the polaris itself. If you do go with the robotic cleaner, what do you do with the booster pump? Take it out and re-plumb to reduce the complexity of plumbing around the filter? Leave it there? Leaving it would be the easiest, and if the robot doesn't work out, you could go back to a pressure cleaner.
 
Razorhog said:
I use a polaris 280 and have thought about the day the pump dies or I need to replace the polaris itself. If you do go with the robotic cleaner, what do you do with the booster pump? Take it out and re-plumb to reduce the complexity of plumbing around the filter? Leave it there? Leaving it would be the easiest, and if the robot doesn't work out, you could go back to a pressure cleaner.
Click to expand...

Initially just turn off the timer so the boost pump does not run. Someday when I have other plumbing work to do around there, then remove the pump and either cap off that line or connect the cleaner line into the return lines.
 
I purchased a new Polaris PB4-60 pump about a week before I researched robotic cleaners. Pump was $245 (US) on Amazon and I installed myself. Piece of cake.
If the Polaris 280 breaks and it costs me more than $250 to fix. I'd lean towards a Robotic cleaner. My Polaris 280 spends half its time being stuck but I may need to just rebuild it maybe to get the wheels spinning more or something.
If I had a robotic, and my pump still worked, I think I might use the output of the pump for a strong fountain for when I ever have a party and no one is swimming. Then use that to aerate as well if I ever need to get TA down.
 
I vote for option 3. I already ditched my vac and booster after only 4 years. Never looking back.
 
I complained to Zodiac about my pump since it's only 2.5 years old. I realize it only has a 1 year warranty but, by my math, the pump has run about 75 hours total. I asked for a goodwill warranty replacement.

Just got the response which was a big nope.

Going to shop for a Dolphin on Monday. Which unit is best bang for buck? My pool measures 30x15 and has a 7' deep end and 3' shallow end.
 
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