Needing a new cleaner

[Jbthompson]

Hi everyone. My pool is three years old, in ground 35k gallon saltwater. My builder installed a pentair racer cleaner and a booster pump. The racer lasted about a year before it needed constant repairs through the second year. Start of year three, the booster pump gave out.

So to replace the booster (400 bucks) and a new cleaner (500ish), I am stuck. I purchased a vaccum head and hose off Amazon for 75 bucks and have been using that this year. It works well, but it takes me about two hours. I like my pool really clean to dragging this out often is a chore.

I have been seriously looking at robots, but I am learning as a pool owner things break and don’t last, and spending 1000 bucks plus doesn’t sound fun for something that seems to last a 3-5 years.

Are they simple, reliable cleaners out there that really last? I’m kind of intrigued by the kreepy krawler, as it looks simple and is fairly cheap.

Would love any insight or experience with this!

 

[PoolStored]

I have been seriously looking at robots, but I am learning as a pool owner things break and don’t last, and spending 1000 bucks plus doesn’t sound fun for something that seems to last a 3-5 years.

Yeah, that is a tough one. I have a dolphin DX3 that came with the house. I also purchased an S200 when, mistakenly, I thought the DX3 was dead. I have gotten great service from both. Many of the senior members here just assume (rightly), they will last 3-5 years. It is a bit of the luck of the draw, given manufacturing and supply chain issues.

I and many others have had good success with the S200. I would recommend you call Margaret at Marina Pool & Spa. There is no relationship between TFP and Marina, but they have treated our members fairly and give great advice. Also, since they are brick and mortar, you get full warranty support.

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[JoyfulNoise]

The Pentair Kreepy Krawly is a SUCTION side cleaner, not a pressure cleaner. So unless you have a dedicated suction port, you’ll have to use your skimmer to run a suction cleaner and that will take out your skimmer. With enough plumbing know how you could convert the pressure cleaner port to a suction port BUT ONLY if the underground piping is 1-1/2” PVC. If the plumber ran 3/4” pipe to the port, then it can not be used as a pressure line.

Robots are very expensive and break. When they do, it’s is often not cost effective to repair them which puts you on a cycle of potentially laying out the cost of new robot every 3-5 years. Suction and pressure cleaners break too but they are often much cheaper to repair and keep going.

My opinion is that suction cleaners are probably the most reliable and easiest to maintain as they require very little “fiddling with” and have fairly simplistic mechanical parts. Pressure cleaners usually require more adjustments and they have the disadvantage of needing a booster pump which can be an added expense. Robots are the best cleaners hands down in terms of performance versus power consumption BUT are hugely expensive.

You’re in a tough spot but if you can gain some more insight on the pressure line plumbing you may be able to switch to a suction cleaner.

 

[Jbthompson]

The Pentair Kreepy Krawly is a SUCTION side cleaner, not a pressure cleaner. So unless you have a dedicated suction port, you’ll have to use your skimmer to run a suction cleaner and that will take out your skimmer. With enough plumbing know how you could convert the pressure cleaner port to a suction port BUT ONLY if the underground piping is 1-1/2” PVC. If the plumber ran 3/4” pipe to the port, then it can not be used as a pressure line.

Robots are very expensive and break. When they do, it’s is often not cost effective to repair them which puts you on a cycle of potentially laying out the cost of new robot every 3-5 years. Suction and pressure cleaners break too but they are often much cheaper to repair and keep going.

My opinion is that suction cleaners are probably the most reliable and easiest to maintain as they require very little “fiddling with” and have fairly simplistic mechanical parts. Pressure cleaners usually require more adjustments and they have the disadvantage of needing a booster pump which can be an added expense. Robots are the best cleaners hands down in terms of performance versus power consumption BUT are hugely expensive.

You’re in a tough spot but if you can gain some more insight on the pressure line plumbing you may be able to switch to a suction cleaner.

Thank you. Yes, I would just connect it to my skimmer like I do now with my manual vacuum. Pools are expensive, though I am not surprised but it continues to be a bit of a money pit. but its fun

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Thank you. Yes, I would just connect it to my skimmer like I do now with my manual vacuum. Pools are expensive, though I am not surprised but it continues to be a bit of a money pit. but its fun

How many skimmers do you have? Do you have independent control of the flow through the skimmer by way of a diverter valve or ball valve?

Suction vacuums are great but they do require a specific flow rate which is usually set the first time you get the cleaner setup. Pentair supplies a simple flow gauge you put on the end of the hose to ensure the flow rate is in the correct range. Too low and the suction vac won’t run; too high and the suction vac can climb out of the pool and cause the pump to lose prime.

Yes, pools are expensive. But I have had the good fortune of finding and following the TFP method of pool care and it has saved me bundles of money unlike my fellow neighbors that spend excessive amounts of money on poor pool care and expensive repairs caused by the poor pool care.