- Dec 13, 2020
- 905
- Pool Size
- 19600
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
Just passing along some learning to maybe pay back some TFPers for much help rendered in the past...
A Polaris 380 came with the pool at our house when we purchased it about four years ago. Generally it has been great. Hands-off, trouble-free, just works.
But it has gone through periods where it acted like it needed more weight: too buoyant. When it's like this, all the wheels don't often touch the bottom at the same time. It can't pull loops out of the hose, which ends up tangled. Annoying.
I've spent way too much effort on a fix. Finally I'm about 98% sure I have it.
When the trees surrounding the pool are dropping fine stuff, it ends up on the bottom. The cleaner picks it up and deposits an invisible layer inside the bag. I guess it's possible this also serves as food for a bio-film. Whatever, the bag starts retaining a bit of air, and Bob's your uncle.
You can't see much of a bubble, but it's there. How full the bag is has no role, only that layer. Buying new bags that had slightly finer than OEM fabric helped figure this out.The effect became more pronounced.
Washing the layer away is tricky. Just rinsing is not enough. I have uniform success with mild dish detergent, turning the bag inside out over my hand and scrubbing with a stiff brush for half-a-minute or so and then the same on the outside, concentrating on the area at the top around the zipper. I started out just rubbing the fabric against itself as you would hand-washing clothes. The brush works better.
In the spring and fall, a bag goes for 3-5 days between cleanings. In mid-summer and winter, it's weeks.
A Polaris 380 came with the pool at our house when we purchased it about four years ago. Generally it has been great. Hands-off, trouble-free, just works.
But it has gone through periods where it acted like it needed more weight: too buoyant. When it's like this, all the wheels don't often touch the bottom at the same time. It can't pull loops out of the hose, which ends up tangled. Annoying.
I've spent way too much effort on a fix. Finally I'm about 98% sure I have it.
When the trees surrounding the pool are dropping fine stuff, it ends up on the bottom. The cleaner picks it up and deposits an invisible layer inside the bag. I guess it's possible this also serves as food for a bio-film. Whatever, the bag starts retaining a bit of air, and Bob's your uncle.
You can't see much of a bubble, but it's there. How full the bag is has no role, only that layer. Buying new bags that had slightly finer than OEM fabric helped figure this out.The effect became more pronounced.
Washing the layer away is tricky. Just rinsing is not enough. I have uniform success with mild dish detergent, turning the bag inside out over my hand and scrubbing with a stiff brush for half-a-minute or so and then the same on the outside, concentrating on the area at the top around the zipper. I started out just rubbing the fabric against itself as you would hand-washing clothes. The brush works better.
In the spring and fall, a bag goes for 3-5 days between cleanings. In mid-summer and winter, it's weeks.
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