thepoolcleaner pressure side cleaner... so far so good...

[leejp]

I recently got a thepoolcleaner pressure side cleaner and installed it a couple of days back.

http://www.thepoolcleaner.com/

This is the cleaner that doesn't require a booster pump. My pool is a a 26KGal IG with 1 skimmer, bottom drain, 2 returns and a dedicated cleaner return that was never hooked up. I bought a Hayward 1HP Superpump + Pro Grid 4800 DE filter this year (replaced a 3/4HP and a EX65A Perflex DE filter) as I wanted enough flow for the cleaner.

I went with this cleaner because I didn't want the cost ($150 initial for the pump + ~$75/season in electricity) of a booster pump. I considered a Polaris 360 or a Letro Legend II but after speaking with customer service for all three companies, I came to the conclusion that thepoolcleaner required less pressure/flow than the other models. Customer service at thepoolcleaner was awesome (speak to a really helpful person in SoCal right away). They explained that flow (not pressure) is what's required for the cleaner to operate and actually overnighted me a coupling and a length of hose to measure the flow out of the cleaner return with a 5 gallon bucket (25~30gal/min desired)... How's that for service! I hooked the hose up, found the flow within range and ordered the cleaner.

I plumbed the new filter pump so I can divert the water from the filter either to the returns or the cleaner return. I used 2x2 way valves instead of a 3 way since I wanted to isolate the chlorinator output to the returns only (so the chlorinated water does not flow throught the thepoolcleaner).

Installing the cleaner was simple. It took less than an hour to unpack, assemble and install. With both the valves open 100% (1/2 to returns, 1/2 to cleaner). I get 12 RPMs on the wheels which is on the low end of the recommended range (11-14RPMs), I went ahead and ran the cleaner this way and while the climbing is less effective (get 1~2 feet up the walls), the cleaner still did an awesome job. I got my pump running 3x3hr cycles and the cleaner is pretty much getting around the whole pool per each cycle.

I'll experiment with diverting more flow to the cleaner but after speaking with customer service and looking at the results as is. It's no big deal if the cleaner doesn't climb the walls high. I think I might leave well enough alone.

I've owned an Aquabot Turbo (nothing but headaches) and a Pool Rover Plus (Awesome). There are the good and bad with each type of cleaner. I have a fairly leafy pool and I like the fact that thepoolcleaner "lives" in the pool and cleans 3x/day so the pool is always ready to go. The robotics were better for deep cleaning 1~2x/week. My problem with the pool rover plus was that my wife (petite woman) could not easily lift it out of the pool. To empty the bag on thepoolcleaner is simple.

So far so good!

[anotherpyr]

The only reason I went with the Polaris 360 over thepoolcleaner was finding one. Don't get me wrong I love my Polaris and I'd buy another, but I was nervous that my 1hp pump wouldn't drive it. Turns out it has no problem getting the revolutions, in fact I had to slow it down. But I didn't come here to hijack your thread. Quite the opposite. I'd like to read more about these and where they can be found. I could only find their suction side models and swore them off after 5 years of dealing with a Kreepy Krauly. So keep me updated!

Bill

[leejp]

The only reason I went with the Polaris 360 over thepoolcleaner was finding one. Don't get me wrong I love my Polaris and I'd buy another, but I was nervous that my 1hp pump wouldn't drive it. Turns out it has no problem getting the revolutions, in fact I had to slow it down. But I didn't come here to hijack your thread. Quite the opposite. I'd like to read more about these and where they can be found. I could only find their suction side models and swore them off after 5 years of dealing with a Kreepy Krauly. So keep me updated!

Bill

I don't mind that the thread expands for discussion on cleaners that don't require a booster pump. Some folks claim that the cleaners with a booster pump are more effective. I just can't imagine the pool any cleaner than it is now with thepoolcleaner.

Why pay a $150 for a booster pump and a $100/season to run the cleaner when one doesn't have to? I think the "trick" is to oversize the filter and the plumbing and get a good amount of flow to the cleaner return. I think most folks if they had the option would go for a cleaner that didn't require a booster pump but the PBs around here install the Polaris 380. A lot of folks are shocked when they get their first electric bill after putting a pool in.

I think I would have been just as happy with the Polaris 360 or the Letro Legend II. What I would really like is a Hayward Phantom (skims and cleans the surface as well as the bottom + walls) type cleaner that doesn't require a booster pump.

[anotherpyr]

I think the PBs go the booster pump, Polaris 380 route for convenience. It offers them both more profit by selling you 2 items instead of one and less headaches. They don't end up with a used Polaris 360 when the existing pump can't drive one. That said I think the local pool store I buy my DE from could of sent me home with the pressure test kit to see if I could operate one instead of telling me I'd definitely need a booster pump. For the pool owner the ability to put the booster pump on a timer can be a big win in the laziness department. If I only had a dedicated return line and an electrically operated valve I'd be in heaven. ;-)

[leejp]

If I only had a dedicated return line and an electrically operated valve I'd be in heaven. ;-)

I have a dedicated return line but no automated valve. The cleaner just runs whenever the pump is on. My pump is on a timer and runs 3x3hr cycles/day (9hrs total).

When I spoke to the folks at thepoolcleaner, the first thing they mentioned is that the most PBs "screw up" and undersize the filter+plumbing (flow... not pressure is what's important) and even a 1/2HP pump in a properly designed pool can run their pressure side cleaner. I tend to agree... even if one doesn't have an automatic cleaner, why not design the pool so it uses less energy? So many folks I know are absolutely floored when they see their first electric bill after the pool goes in. We're on a 2 month billing cycle here and the pool can actually add $100~150 to the bill.

[chem geek]

I currently have a booster pump (0.75 HP) and a Letro Legend and have scheduled my PB to change my main pump from a fixed-speed 1.0 HP to a variable-speed Intelliflow. I had asked him if there was a pool cleaner that could run with just the one pump (either suction side or pressure side) and he recommended The Pool Cleaner (pressure side) and said he was skeptical at first but tried it in his own pool and loves it and has several customers who now use it as well.

Since I already have a dedicated line for the booster pump, he will pipe that into the return lines with an electric multi-way valve so an appropriate amount of flow can go to The Pool Cleaner and with the variable speed pump we can set up a program to increase (or decrease) the flow rate as needed when this cleaner is running. This combination should save a LOT of energy. I currently spend around $1400 per year in electric costs for the two pumps (7 months of summer use with 8-hour main pump time plus 3-hour 4-day-per-week booster pump time; 5 months of winter use with 2-hour main pump time plus 1-hour 2-day-per-week booster pump time). The new setup should save me a LOT of money -- at least $1000 per year.

Richard