Polaris PB4-60 needs replacing.......go with robot vacuum instead?

[Baylor92]

I have a Jandy 380 pool sweep powered by the Polaris PB4-60 booster pump. Its worked fine for about 7 years, but now the pump has quit and needs replacing. I just heard about robot vacuums. Has anyone made the switch from a booster/Jandy 380 to a robot vacuum? Any recommendations?

I'm not sure what to do. The quote for replacing the booster pump is a $1000, and i see that there are robot vacuums around the same price or less.

I'm just not sure what to do. Any ideas or your experience would be much appreciated!

 

[ajw22]

I'm not sure what to do. The quote for replacing the booster pump is a $1000, and i see that there are robot vacuums around the same price or less.

And few robots last for 7 years or more.

The PB4-60 costs less then $500 if you can install it yourself.

Robots have their own maintenance issues and costs.

 

[dfwnoob]

Are you comfortable doing extremely basic electrical work? The booster pump is probably the easiest pump on an equipment pad to replace. Even someone with only rudimentary experience working on equipment should be able to have it replaced in an hour, unless your current one is installed in some extraordinarily stupid way. $500 labor to install a $500 pump seems a little crazy to me, but I'm also very tradie-adverse.

Robot will never last as long as a booster pump (just stay away from the PB4-SQ) and none of them are truly repairable.

 

[Jimrahbe]

92,

All types of pool cleaners have good points and bad points..

A lot depends on how you feel about looking at a cleaner that is in your pool 24/7. If that does not bother you, then it makes sense to just fix what you have.

In my case, I only put my robot in the pool every few days, for a few hours at a time. What works well for me, might not work well for you.

I have three pools and all three have low voltage robots. I will never again use a suction side or pressure side cleaners.

Most cleaners last about 5 years and can be rebuilt, but the cost to repair is almost the cost to replace.

Check out this thread... New EVO 614i Robot Pool Cleaner Review

If you do decide to go with a Robot, the best place to buy one of from Marina Pool and Spa. Best pricing, free 2 day shipping and no tax. The only downside is you have to call them, so the sale is considered "In-House"..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[gkw4815]

I've got both a Polaris 280 with PB4-60 pump and an older Dolphin Nautilus robot. Both have their plusses and minuses, but overall I prefer the Polaris.

The Dolphin uses less power and does a slightly better job of scrubbing the walls (but not better enough that I can quit brushing manually altogether). I don't like hauling it in/out of the pool, I don't like disassembling it to empty the filters (newer robots are more convenient in this regard), and I'm concerned about long-term reliability and the ability to economically repair it (although it is currently working well).

The Polaris can live in the pool 24/7 without undue degradation (I do remove it on weekends for aesthetic reasons), replacement parts are cheap, DIY repairs/maintenance is simple, it is controlled via my automation (unlike the Dolphin), and it cleans the pool very well.

I recently replaced my 18-year-old PB4-60 pump (it was actually still working well but had a slow leak, and I was able to pick up a nearly-new replacement at a great price). I echo the comments earlier that replacing it is a very simple <1 hr job if you have basic plumbing and electrical skills.

 

[Mayorb]

At 7 years the pump typically just needs the motor replaced, the rest of the pump is fine.
A new motor (B625) can be found for about $250. There are a lot of videos on YT with step-by-step instructions.

 

[gkw4815]

Just wanted to add an update regarding my experience with the Polaris 280 and Dolphin Nautilus. We're getting into leaf-drop season, my first such season with a fully-functional pool cleaner (my 280 wasn't working well last year and I was manually vacuuming the pool every week). For this past summer and early fall, I'd say my Polaris 280 and Nautilus performed similarly, and I preferred the Polaris 280 for the reasons mentioned above.

I've got to say though - the Dolphin Nautilus does a noticeably better job than the Polaris 280 with the heavier leaf debris. My Polaris seems to fill its bag halfway through its two-hour cycle and leave a lot of leaves behind, whereas the Dolphin Nautilus leaves the pool 99% leaf-free after its three-hour cycle.

I may turn into a robot convert...but ask me again in a year once the robot has had some time to prove its reliability.