Hayward Viper; Repair or Replace?

[JimK]

I opened my pool this weekend my Hayward Viper (model 5500 purchased in early 2004) is getting stuck in turnout mode.

A few seasons ago this happened and it turned out to be a bad check valve. At the start of last season it started doing it again, so I inspected the check valve which was fine. Not seeing anything else that could be causing the problem, I opened up the manifold assembly and cleaned it out and put a little silicone on the rubber gaskets. After that it ran OK for the rest of the season.

Now it's doing it again. The check valve is fine, so I cleaned the manifold again, but it's still sticking in turnout mode. I checked for leaks that might effect water pressure, but found none. Pressure from the booster pump is also fine. So my guess is that I probably need a new manifold.

I've repaired/replaced parts on this cleaner several times and parts are getting harder and harder to find (and tend to be pricey when I do find them). I did find one place that may have a manifold (waiting to hear back from them about availability) for about $120. Even when working properly, I would consider the performance of this cleaner OK. I've never been really thrilled with this cleaner, but since I've never had anything else, I don't have anything to compare it to, so perhaps it performs as well as any other.

So my question is, do I try to fix it again, or just replace it with a new cleaner (considering the Polaris 280; any comments are welcome)?

[JimK]

I realize we are in the slow time of year, but I was still hoping to get some feedback (my pool needs vacuuming again and doing it manually is a pain and time consuming). Given that parts for my Viper are getting harder to find and tend to be expensive, I decided to go ahead and get a new cleaner. Last night I ordered a Polaris 280 (should be here tomorrow) based on the mostly good reviews compared to others and it seems parts are readily available at decent prices.

Wish me luck.

[Watermom]

Report back how you like it after you use it a few times. Hope it turns out to be a good one for you.

[JimK]

Thanks. I'll let you know how it goes.

[JimK]

Just a quick update....

I received my Polaris 280 quickly from Amazon and installed it. However, I realized after the fact that I didn't cut the hose correctly (the overall lenght was correct, but the leader hose was too short). It still seemed to work OK, but I decided to contact Polaris (Zodiac) to see if I should buy a new leader hose. I explained to the gentleman what I had done and even though it was my fault he sent me a new hose free of charge. Needless to say I'm very impressed with their customer service.

So far the 280 seems to be working well, better than my previous Hayward Viper. Not only does the 280 seem to cover the entire pool better, but it seems to do so quicker. We'll see how it goes this season.