Solar blanket with pressure-side cleaner

[sbixby]

Anyone have a solar blanket with a Polaris type pressure-side cleaner in action?

I was thinking to add a blanket to capture/retain some warmth in our Sacramento summers. The pool gets shade roughly 1/3 of the daylight hours from structures and trees, so I think we could use a couple more degrees of warming if we want after-dark swimming.

In the meantime we have an old Polaris pressure-side sweep that runs from about midnight to 4AM to clean. The hose does not stay underwater all the time, it will rise to the surface now and then. I don't know if this is to be expected or not as it's my first pool (and my first sweep).

So I'm concerned that having a blanket on the pool overnight will end up jamming the sweep or moving the blanket around. Does anyone know otherwise?

 

[ajw22]

Polaris cleaners seem to have been replaced by robot cleaners around here.

 

[TBSNPS]

My Polaris 280 has NO problems with my solar cover. The hose does contact the bottom of the cover and sort of drag it along for a short time. That is not a problem as the unit is moving along. I only use my sweep in the summer once a week for 2 hours, that is all I need,I remove it the rest of the week, no leafs or other blowing crud into pool. I do brush every 3 or 4 days. The cover comes off most days, sun on surface from approx 9am-6pm in july and august. The pool temp this morning is 83F. yesterday afternoon it was 87F, last week when we had those 3 or 4 days of 100 degree heat outside heat the pool was 89-90F. Very nice with an adult beverage. If you post a pic of your sweep I'm sure someone her could identify what model you have, as well as your unindentified equipment in your signature line.
Some here actually post helpful information. I also reside in the Capitol City.

 

[sbixby]

Not knowing any better, I leave the sweep in the water almost all the time, so it sweeps each day from ~12AM to ~4AM. (These are the times and setup that was in place when I bought the house.)

I'm pondering a Dolphin cleaner now, though. The Polaris seems to occasionally have fits where the wheels don't spin much before the reversing jet comes on. (I haven't spent much time learning how/why the sweep works and when/why the reverser (?) unit starts working. I'm guessing it's some kind of geared timer mechanism that just periodically shifts from sweeping to reversing.)

Thanks for the thoughts. At the moment we're seeing about 81-82 degrees in the afternoons and that's a bit on the cool side for my wife. I tend to just jump in anyway and then shiver a bit.

I'll spend some more time researching and figure out what I wan t to do. I'll seek out some equipment model numbers too. The Polaris sweep's model numbers are scratched off, I think, from years (?) of working along the pool's steps, etc. So I'm not sure what model it is.

 

[ajw22]

Polaris backup valve does not reverse the wheels. It just jets out water that yanks the hose back to move the Polaris out of any place it is stuck. When the backup flow is done it drops the Polaris in some random spot and the Polaris continues cleaning.

 

[sbixby]

Polaris backup valve does not reverse the wheels. It just jets out water that yanks the hose back to move the Polaris out of any place it is stuck. When the backup flow is done it drops the Polaris in some random spot and the Polaris continues cleaning.

I figured that much out... But once in awhile (when I'm observing it), the wheels will turn weakly for awhile and the Polaris just basically sits there. The backup valve starts jetting and moving it around. Rinse, repeat. Then it "decides" to start working OK and runs along the pool just fine.

To add to the info -- I'm 99% sure this is either a '360 or an older variant that doesn't use a booster - there is no booster pump, at least not that I can find. There's a diverter valve that divides flow between the pressure-side fitting and the other jets, and I tweaked it to give the Polaris roughly 28 RPM at the wheels, per a manual I found.

Anyway, I'm still considering a robot. I'm trying to learn what would be best to do with the pressure-side outlet, the related diverter, and even the pump itself (smaller unit?), if I stop using the Polaris in favor of a robot. I'd like to cut electric costs a bit, either reducing the run time of the pump or going with a multi-speed pump to reduce the flow.

 

[ajw22]

Polaris sells rebuild kits for a fraction of new cost that replaces all the parts and usually gets it running like new.

 

[TBSNPS]

FWIW---- there is an app -offerup- that routinely has pre owned pool sweeps for sale, seems as there are 2 or 3 pool service guys that offer Polaris items at very deeply reduced prices. As folks change to robots these guys probably get the used Polaris for elcheapo and sell them off to make a few extra $$. One guy is in Roseville the other in Sacto.and another in Folsom. $300 seems to be a ball park number.
A few degrees in pool temp is very noticeable, 82 to 86 is waaaaay different.lol I'm with your wife 82 ain't getting it.
post some pics of your pool stuff, it will get identified!! and should decide to rebuild the Polaris there are those here that will help you along if you need assistance.