Evaluating options for suction cleaner port/infrastructure after getting cleaning robot?

[cs7]

My pool is built for a Polaris pressure side cleaner and I inherited an old 280 from previous owners. I recently got a vacuum robot, raising the question of what to do with the cleaner port. I was wondering if people who have confronted this issue might be willing to please share what they tried and how well it worked or lessons learned.

From googling various posts here, I see that people have variously:
1. Reconfigured the piping to convert it into another water return jet (with the complexity that maybe this sends half the water to that one new jet, somewhat starving the originals);
2. Kept the Polaris quick connect and attach a fountain feature to aerate the pool or be something fun for kids (with the complexity that maybe the booster pump is too strong for that usage and might eventually break);
3. Plug it up.

Part of my own additional confusion here about what would be involved is I'm not quite sure how my system works, in terms of how the Polaris piping currently connects with the main line for the filter/heater/SWG. I think it must be attached somehow because when the filter pump was on, some low-pressure water would be going into the Polaris even though its booster pump was off. Is there some standard way these things are set up, which -- if I capped the line, for instance -- I'd need to be aware of?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[ajw22]

The diagram below shows how your booster pump flow works.

I am assuming the booster line suction Ts to the return pipe underground.

Folks have done all of the options you listed.

 

[thrystan]

I disconnected it from the rest of the plumbing and use it as a location to put a water level sensor.

 

[cs7]

The diagram below shows how your booster pump flow works.

I am assuming the booster line suction Ts to the return pipe underground.

Folks have done all of the options you listed.


View attachment 580954

Ah, that flow diagram makes sense -- thank you!

 

[cs7]

I spent $30 on one of the many similar pool fountain attachments in Amazon (this one) just to try it out. Posting pictures in case anyone searches up this thread. It was very easy to screw into the old return port from the Polaris side cleaner I am no longer using. I read in other threads that it can be bad for the Polaris pump to not have much resistance, so I set it so that maximum water pressure is coming out. When just the pool filter pump is running, there's just enough water diverted into the former Polaris line to get a small fountain effect -- enough for a nice water splashing sound in the backyard. When I turn on the Polaris pump, it makes a tall fountain that seems like it would be fun for kids to splash around in, though too much to just leave on.