In Floor Pool Cleaner - Go or No Go?

[B_A_T]

Just moved into a new house and am getting ready to break ground on the new build. One builder offered the in-ground pool cleaner option and the company I decided to sign with will include one in the price. My question is do they really work, or do I stick to one of the robot vacuums?

 

[proavia]

Stick with a robot. It will clean better and save you money in the long run in reduced electric costs as you don't need to run the pump at high rpm to make the infloor work correctly. The robot runs independent of the pool pump.

20+ years ago, I installed an IFCS with our new build. While it works good in our installation, if I was doing a new build today I would not install an IFCS. i would get a robot similar to the S200 or one of its varients.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Bat,

I too would not go with an IFCS.. But if you do decide to go with one, make absolutely sure to plumb it so that you can run your pool with normal wall returns OR use the IFCS. Often IFCS are plumbed with just floor returns, and if something goes wrong you can't run the pool like a normal pool. You are then stuck like Chuck...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[mknauss]

With a Fiberglass pool, I would echo Gene and Jim, do not get the IFCS. That many penetrations in a fiberglass pool is a potential leak issue.

Also, the MVFuse SVRS system may be problematic, and unnecessary.

 

[Newdude]

Do you have inground sprinklers in the lawn ? Know how they get clogged with dirt and need adjusting/fixing/replacing ? Seemingly one after the other ? Now imagine they are fancy dancy sprinkler heads designed for a pool. With the normal makeup for anything pool related. And you can’t just walk up to them to work on them.

They will work as long as they work. It may even be quite some time until they break. But they will break the same as anything with moving parts.

When they do, they will be on the costly side and inaccessible. In the meantime, your structure will have several holes in it that it didn’t need, possibly adding other issues one day.

Just to clean half as good as a robot, which will also brush for you if you get the right one.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Bat,

Do NOT buy any pump with an SVRS system... If you have dual main drains you really don't need an SVRS system. If I had a fiberglass pool, I would not even install a main drain system.

Main drains are not really needed..

Is your signature of your old pool???

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[B_A_T]

Thanks for all the responses, I am building a new plaster pool and it sounds like I should put that money toward a robot and landscaping.