tl/dr How broken and/or underperforming should my Polaris 380 be before I fix, rebuild or replace it?
Long story:
My Polaris 380 has a lot of problems. I hope that this forum can help me decide whether to fix it or replace it.
1. The base assembly is broken. The rectangular tab that sits just above the tube of the Base Assembly (Part 39) just above where the base assembly protrudes through the Top Housing (Part 38)
2. The wheels are starting to deteriorate. They do not turn as fast as they should far less than 28 rpm.
3. The 3 water jets to shoot up through the Base Assembly hole but only about 1-1.5 ft
4. The Sweep Hoes (Part 35) does not wag like it should
5. The back-up mode still works but just contributes to tangling the Hoses
6. Speaking of hoses, one of the Swivel, Ball Bearing (Part 53) leaks a lot.
7. I have never disconnected the In Line Filter Assembly (Part 49) before cleaning our filter so I am sure my filter has some debris in it. I clean it once a year.
Little Fix?
From what I wrote above, I can clean in-line filter, replace at least one Swivel and make sure my skimmer basket, pump basket and pool filter are clean before I test the rpm again.
If my rpm goes back to normal, should I stop there? Can I assume that the water flow inside is strong enough to run or should I take it apart and check the hoses and the Water Management System (Part 28) for clogging and the Belts (Part 8), Ball Bearing (Part 5) and Gears (Parts 18 & 19) for wear?
Should I purchase a new Base Assembly (I see base and top as low as $59 from PoolZoom.com or just the base assembly as high as $78 from Leslie's. Or, can I patch it with something like Duct Tape, Fiberglass tape, some As Seen On TV Waterproof Tape?
Big Fix?
When does buying a rebuild kit really help? Some are from Polaris (Part 91009030 for $359+ on Amazon) which practically replaces half the body parts. Some are not from Polaris and are cheaper but don't replace as many parts. My experience with replacement parts on various things from cars to appliances is that the factory parts are more expensive than after-maket parts and that may or may not matter.
Has anyone been down this road? Can someone with experience chime in with the quality of Polaris vs after-market parts?
Replace a little?
I have seen working 5 year old and 2 month old Polaris 360s and 380s on Craigslist for $350-$400. And I've seen broken models sold for part for $100-$200. Maybe that is a potential middle step. It probable depends on the condition of the used Polaris
Replace a lot?
Does all this not matter and people who have been in my situation ended up better off replacing the Polaris with a new one?
Long story:
My Polaris 380 has a lot of problems. I hope that this forum can help me decide whether to fix it or replace it.
1. The base assembly is broken. The rectangular tab that sits just above the tube of the Base Assembly (Part 39) just above where the base assembly protrudes through the Top Housing (Part 38)
2. The wheels are starting to deteriorate. They do not turn as fast as they should far less than 28 rpm.
3. The 3 water jets to shoot up through the Base Assembly hole but only about 1-1.5 ft
4. The Sweep Hoes (Part 35) does not wag like it should
5. The back-up mode still works but just contributes to tangling the Hoses
6. Speaking of hoses, one of the Swivel, Ball Bearing (Part 53) leaks a lot.
7. I have never disconnected the In Line Filter Assembly (Part 49) before cleaning our filter so I am sure my filter has some debris in it. I clean it once a year.
Little Fix?
From what I wrote above, I can clean in-line filter, replace at least one Swivel and make sure my skimmer basket, pump basket and pool filter are clean before I test the rpm again.
If my rpm goes back to normal, should I stop there? Can I assume that the water flow inside is strong enough to run or should I take it apart and check the hoses and the Water Management System (Part 28) for clogging and the Belts (Part 8), Ball Bearing (Part 5) and Gears (Parts 18 & 19) for wear?
Should I purchase a new Base Assembly (I see base and top as low as $59 from PoolZoom.com or just the base assembly as high as $78 from Leslie's. Or, can I patch it with something like Duct Tape, Fiberglass tape, some As Seen On TV Waterproof Tape?
Big Fix?
When does buying a rebuild kit really help? Some are from Polaris (Part 91009030 for $359+ on Amazon) which practically replaces half the body parts. Some are not from Polaris and are cheaper but don't replace as many parts. My experience with replacement parts on various things from cars to appliances is that the factory parts are more expensive than after-maket parts and that may or may not matter.
Has anyone been down this road? Can someone with experience chime in with the quality of Polaris vs after-market parts?
Replace a little?
I have seen working 5 year old and 2 month old Polaris 360s and 380s on Craigslist for $350-$400. And I've seen broken models sold for part for $100-$200. Maybe that is a potential middle step. It probable depends on the condition of the used Polaris
Replace a lot?
Does all this not matter and people who have been in my situation ended up better off replacing the Polaris with a new one?