Polaris 280 not picking up dirt or leaves

[6XSBChamps]

My Polaris 280 moves across the bottom, water is flowing up through the sock, but it goes right over debris without picking it up. It also seems to stop moving if it runs into any resistance like the hose being coiled whereas it used to pull itself through that and the hose would uncoil above water. Do temps affect these? water temp has been +/- 50 F lately

 

[jtpipkin]

I have friends that say no. Mine drove me nuts EVERY winter, constant binding and getting tangled up. Nothing I tried worked in the winter. Had enough, Called Margaret at Marina - Dolphin in the pool now, no issues.

 

[Saturn94]

Years ago I wrote to the manufacturer asking this question about my 280. Here’s the response I received.

“ It's recommended for the cleaner to run in water no cooler than 65 degrees F. This is because the hoses can become firm with cold water and will dictate the path of the cleaner.”

In terms of not picking up debris, it sounds like there’s not enough water flow, reducing suction. There may be a blockage somewhere in the 280. Also, Have you checked the wheel rotation speed to see if the 280 is getting enough water pressure?

 

[sacredcow]

My Polaris 280 moves across the bottom, water is flowing up through the sock, but it goes right over debris without picking it up. It also seems to stop moving if it runs into any resistance like the hose being coiled whereas it used to pull itself through that and the hose would uncoil above water. Do temps affect these? water temp has been +/- 50 F lately

Mine is not all that functional when the water temp goes below 60 degrees. Both the main and the leader hoses get stiff and they don't allow the cleaner to reach the furthest edges of the pool.

It does still pick up debris at these lower temps, however, which leads me to think you might also have a flow restriction somewhere, or the impeller of your booster pump is wearing out, maybe?

 

[jmastron]

Our 280 worked down to the ~45 degree water temps we get in winter; the hoses were very noticeably stiffer, and the tail didn't sweep, but it was able to move about the pool and suck up leaves. But I could see how the stiff hoses would make it less tolerant of coils/tangles and lower pressure, for sure.

Are you using the regular zipper bag? I tried a "leaf" bag a few times and that didn't work at all regardless of temperature -- while the bag was theoretically bigger, between the neck at the bottom seeming to be too stiff and not having that side "chute" the regular bag shunts debris to, it quickly clogged at the neck and never filled the bag.

When the booster pump failed this fall I replaced it with a Dolphin E30 (equivalent to S200/Warrior SE/etc), which does some things better (bigger basket collected all the leaves from the wisteria that hangs over the pool without help), and some things not as well (it ignores palm fronds).

 

[6XSBChamps]

Last night I took off the zipper bag and put it back on just to reset it and I also adjusted the floats on the hose moving them away from the robot allowing more hose to go under water and it seemed to work better after that. It was picking things up at least. simple things that may or may not have done anything and could just be coincidence but I'm thinking the stiff hose and float placement combined may not have been allowing the robot itself to be completely on the floor as good as it needed to be.

 

[reggiehammond]

Last night I took off the zipper bag and put it back on just to reset it and I also adjusted the floats on the hose moving them away from the robot allowing more hose to go under water and it seemed to work better after that. It was picking things up at least. simple things that may or may not have done anything and could just be coincidence but I'm thinking the stiff hose and float placement combined may not have been allowing the robot itself to be completely on the floor as good as it needed to be.

Make sure all the small ports inside the collar are spraying full pressure into the bag.

Mine always clogged there - either partially or fully. Pulling the cleaner to surface without bag, aimed away, can give you a good sense. They’re pretty easy to take apart and clean out the gunk with an air compressor.

With that said, I replaced mine with a robot and gleefully threw the Polaris in the garbage.