Pressure side vs Suction...?? :confused:

[DogPaddle]

What's your preference....and why? Thanks.

[CarlD]

It's a personal taste issue.

Suction side cleaners are the simplest. You fill the hose with water and stick it in the hole under the skimmer basket. Junk gets trapped in the pump's basket and in the filter. It can be a manual vacuum you push around or an automatic cleaner.

Pressure side cleaners work by using the return water to power them. Things like the Polaris 165 use the water to power the piece that floats, but also the water is routed down to a piece on the bottom. The water drives that piece backwards like a jet, but there's a bag back there to catch the stuff it blows. They tend to be far more powerful and can be more effective than suction, but the bags don't catch the finest stuff. I just put a handful of cotton balls or a 6"x6" square of sheet cotton (from a drug store) in and it catches the fine stuff.

I don't know much about auxiliary pump cleaners.

Generally, my experience has been the pressure side cleaners seem to work better and more effectively than suction side cleaners, but others my well prefer suction.

Robotic cleaners, when they work, (!) are the best by far.

[jimwnola]

I have never owned either, just an Aquabot, which has isn't perfect either.

My question on both of these is, 'is there anyway to take these out of your pool and quickly put them away?'

I know most seem to just leave them in all the time, and maybe just remove for swimming. However, if you remove them to swim, I have to assume they must sit on the side of the pool the whole time you are using the pool. I know my wife would find that an eyesore and not like it. To put them away, it seems like you would have to disconnect all the hoses each time, which appears to be a lengthy process. For ones with longer hoses, then their is the problem of not bending them while put away. Does anyone have this type of cleaner and puts it away, out of sight, each time you are using your pool?

[DogPaddle]

Hi, Jim. We currently have a Kreepy Krauly in our pool and he lives there all the time; never comes out. It would be a real PITA to have to take it out each time there are swimmers IMO. In the 12 years we have had our inground gunite pool we haven't had any other type of automatic vacuum; in fact, we are only on our second Kreepy so we've had very good service from them. (Add to this the fact that we have 5 kids and Kreepy never gets out of the pool... )

I'm considering a pressure side cleaner "just because" we've never had one. (Just like a woman, huh??) I don't have any complaint with KK, just looking for input on how pressure vs suction really works.

Carl--thanks for your response; I appreciate it.

[Phillbo]

I have a Hayward cleaner (suction side ) it stay in the pool pretty much all the time. I've taken it out a few times when I hosted large pool parties and it was not a hassle at all. One thing to remember is the hoses need to be layed flat and straight when out of the pool since they will take whatever shape they are stored in very quickly.

It use to plug into the skimmer but that pretty much made the skimmer usless so during the recent replaster on my pool, I had a suction side line added mid pool. It now has it's own dedicated line so I can split the suction and both the cleaner and the skimmer work at the same time .


my vote is for suction side cleaners.

[DogPaddle]

Phil--is that the Hayward "Ultra" vac? I was looking at those on Leslie's website. Does it have the flapper thingy like the Kreepy Krauly or does it have wheels? Does it "chug" around the pool or is it fairly smooth? Hope you don't mind a few questions... . I also have a dedicated suction line "vac outlet" on the sidewall of my pool and I agree that it's very handy.

[brittmer]

I have never owned either, just an Aquabot, which has isn't perfect either.

My question on both of these is, 'is there anyway to take these out of your pool and quickly put them away?'

I know most seem to just leave them in all the time, and maybe just remove for swimming. However, if you remove them to swim, I have to assume they must sit on the side of the pool the whole time you are using the pool. I know my wife would find that an eyesore and not like it. To put them away, it seems like you would have to disconnect all the hoses each time, which appears to be a lengthy process. For ones with longer hoses, then their is the problem of not bending them while put away. Does anyone have this type of cleaner and puts it away, out of sight, each time you are using your pool?

I have the Letro Legend II which is a pressure side cleaner. I roll the hose up and set it under the steps of my deck out of direct sunlight when not in use.

When I want to use it, I just carry it to the pool and throw it in and connect the end of the hose to the cleaner port in the pool, turn the port on and let it run for a few hours. When done or if we want to swim I just turn the cleaner port off, disconnect the hose from the pool, pull the cleaner out, wind up the hose and put it back under the steps. Very easy to do.

The hose does not get a "memory" since I keep it out of direct sunlight when not in use.

I personally would not want to leave it in the pool because we have a diving board and don't want anyone hitting the cleaner and getting hurt....or damaging the cleaner. :-)