Simply put in the power supply, place the robot in the pool, and click a button to start the process. These robots will not be powered by your pool’s pump, booster pump, or filter.
In This Article...
Do you leave your robotic pool cleaner in the pool when you’re not using it?
You’ve just purchased one of the best automated pool cleaners and set it to work. Should you keep it in the pool or take it out now that the cycle is finished? The quick answer is that you can, but should not, leave it in the pool.
Is it a good idea to leave the pool vacuum running?
Pool ownership comes with a lot of duties, and many pool owners have a lot of questions at first. From water balance and chemicals to which maintenance products to use, everything is covered. There is one question, though, that practically every consumer has.
Which Pool Cleaner is the Best?
The quick answer is that it depends on your circumstances. It’ll all come down to the features you want, how your current pool is set up, how much money you’re willing to pay now and in the future, and how much effort you’re willing to put into utilizing the cleaner. Pressure side, suction side, and robotic are the three primary types of automatic pool cleaners. Let’s take a closer look at each one.
Pressure Side Pool Cleaners
There are two varieties of pressure side pool cleaners: one requires a booster pump to operate, while the other relies solely on your regular circulation pump to function. Pressure side cleaners are made by a variety of companies, the most well-known of which are Polaris and Pentair. The Trivac pressure side cleaner was just released by Hayward, and the Mercury pressure side cleaner is manufactured by Red Leopard.
Polaris offers a complete array of pressure side cleaners, from entry-level to high-end models. When purchased through a local brick and mortar pool supply business, such as The Pool Boys in League City, TX, most manufacturers will provide considerable rebates and sometimes extended manufacturer’s warranties (Standard warranty 1 year).
Pressure Side Cleaner Pros
- When shocking the pool, all cleaners should be removed, as well as occasionally to rinse off chemical water. The reality is that no one takes these precautions and instead leaves them in the pool 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to keep up with their regular routines. This means you don’t have to fiddle with the cleaner very much, other from emptying the debris bag.
- When it comes to repairs, pressure side cleaner parts are usually less expensive. Upkeep is rather inexpensive if you take care of your cleaner and have it serviced when necessary. Allowing problems to fester will almost always result in greater difficulties and more expensive repairs.
- There are a lot of parts available.
- Some manufacturers provide substantial rebates as well as longer warranties.
- A robotic cleaner is usually more expensive than a pressure side cleaner. (However, when you factor in the cost of a pressure pump to keep it running, they start to look like robotic cleaners.)
Pressure Side Cleaner Cons
- A separate booster pump is required for most pressure side cleaners, which increases your monthly electricity usage.
- When your pressure side cleaner necessitates the use of a separate booster pump, you will be responsible for the purchase of a new pump when your current one runs out.
- A separate time clock (or relay with automation systems) is also employed, which adds to the number of things that could go wrong.
- Pressure side cleaners that are powered by your main circulation pump (rather than a separate booster pump) require a large amount of water to operate. This diverts a significant amount of circulation away from the pool filtration system and pool returns, both of which are required to maintain the pool clear.
- Cleaners aren’t supposed to be in the pool all day. All cleaners fall into this category. Why pull out a pressure side cleaner while it runs on a daily schedule? Leaving the cleaner in the pool 24 hours a day, seven days a week exposes it to corrosive substances like chlorine and shock. These chemicals wear down sections of the cleaner and discolor it over time. The truth is that everyone leaves them in the pool almost all of the time.
- even more “Wear things when cleaning with pressure washers. This means that regular maintenance and tune-ups will be required to keep the cleaner in working order. Tail scrubbing, wear rings on the tail, bearings, and tires will all need to be replaced on a regular basis.
- Although pressure side cleaners use suction to collect debris, they do not use pressure to clean the pool surface. As a result, they are doing little to help “scrubbing the pool’s surface
- In most cases, these cleaners will not reach the tile line since they will not climb all the way up the walls.
Suction Side Pool Cleaners
At least in the Gulf Coast area, suction cleaners are becoming less popular. It appears to be a “Even though some builders are still installing them, it’s an old school setup. Suction cleaners are available from Hayward, Zodiac, and Pentair, among others. The suction provided by your main circulation pump is used by these cleaners “suck up trash from your pool’s floor
Suction Side Cleaner Pros
- Suction pool cleaners are effective at keeping your pool floor clean, especially because they sit so near to the water’s surface.
- Although there are some higher-priced types, they are generally less expensive than pressure side and robotic cleaners.
- These cleaners use the suction from your normal circulation pump and don’t require any additional equipment, so your household electricity usage isn’t affected.
- Suction cleaners are simple to fix and parts are reasonably priced.
- Suction cleaners, like pressure cleaners, should be removed out of the pool when shocking and rinsed of chemical water on a regular basis. The reality is that no one takes these precautions and that they are usually left in the pool 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This means you aren’t tinkering with the cleaner on a regular basis.
Suction Side Cleaner Cons
- The suction from your primary circulation pump is used to power these cleaners. This implies you’re removing the suction from your pool skimmers and main drain, which is required to keep your pool clear.
- Suction cleaners require a separate line in your pool. I’ve gone to a lot of pools where the client bought a suction cleaner because it was cheaper, but they didn’t have a dedicated line in their pool. Instead, they connect the cleaner to the pool’s skimmer line, thereby removing the skimmer from the circulation system. Skimmers are vital because they efficiently circulate water and skim particles from the pool surface.
- To work, they need a lot of suction. To make their suction cleaner work properly, most customers cut off 75 percent of the suction from the skimmer/s and main drain.
- A leaf canister should always be used to catch debris before it enters the subsurface plumbing. You enhance your chances of clogging an underground pipe if you don’t have a leaf canister. These canisters are normally sold individually, which raises the cost of your cleaner setup.
Robotic Pool Cleaners
These are, in my opinion, the greatest pool cleaners you can buy, especially in terms of the job they do cleaning your pool. Robotic cleaners are expensive, but are they really worth it? When you factor in a pressure cleaner’s additional pump, a suction cleaner’s required leaf canister, and the more regular maintenance that are required for both suction and pressure cleaners, the price difference starts to close.
These cleaners clean the pool the best since they climb walls, clean the tile line, usually have brushes built in, are self-contained and do not rely on your pool system, and so on. Robotic cleaners come in a variety of brands and pricing. I’m going to concentrate on the Maytronics S and M Series Robotics in this essay.
Robotic Cleaner Pros
- Manufacturer warranties on robotic cleaners from the top brands are typically longer, up to three years.
- Robotic cleaners are self-contained and do not rely on suction or pressure from your pool system. This implies that your pool system can still perform to its full potential.
- They clean the tile line, the floor, and the walls.
- Some versions come with a Bluetooth app that allows you to control the cleaner and adjust the cycle times.
- Brushes on the majority of models just rotate with the cleaner’s movement. Some Maytronics models have a motor-driven “active brush** that spins the brush at a quicker rate than the cleaner. This means that instead of just vacuuming, the cleaner is actively scouring your pool’s surface.
- Many versions come with a caddy on which you can coil the power wire, mount the cleaner, and store the power source, allowing you to transport and store the cleaner simply in a cool, shaded place.
- Robotic cleaners with top-loading canisters or cartridges are available. This may not seem like much, but after a few times of flipping a robotic cleaner upside down to empty it, you’ll see what I mean.
- There are only three primary pieces that can fail.
- A power supply, a cable, and a motor are all required. Other sections of the cleaner, however, may need to be changed, mainly due to wear and tear or a lack of maintenance.
- Even if your pool system fails, you can keep them running as long as your house has power.
- Save money on electricity by eliminating the need for a pressure cleaner and pump.
Robotic Cleaner Cons
- Robotic cleaners are not designed to run on a daily basis. Some of the higher-end models will include a 7-Day Programmable Timer, which will come in handy if you’re going on a short trip. Aside from that, the cleaner will require the cycle time that has been established for each cleaning session.
- Robotic cleaners necessitate greater effort on the part of the user. After each usage, these cleansers must be withdrawn from the pool, rinsed, and kept in a cool, shaded location away from the elements. The unit’s life will be substantially extended as a result of this.
- A suction or pressure cleaner has a higher initial cost.
- Repair components are usually more expensive and take 1-2 weeks to get in stock.
Choosing the Right Automatic Pool Cleaner
The best cleaner for you will be determined by your circumstances. The popularity of robotic cleaners is rapidly expanding in our market, but the Polaris pressure side cleaners appear to stand the test of time if you wish to set it in the pool and forget it. I strongly advise you to avoid low-cost models or generic brands. You may undoubtedly save money at the time of purchase, but you will soon discover that cheap generic cleaners perform poorly and require a lot more repairs and upkeep. If you’re looking for a cleaner in League City, we can provide you almost any model you choose. To maintain their pools clean between treatments, we recommend an automatic pool cleaner to all of our Total Care Weekly customers.
I’m not sure how often I should use my automatic pool cleaner.
Remember that people bring a lot of dirt and grime with them. Furthermore, if you don’t cover your pool, yard waste such as grass, twigs, and leaves will be more easily able to enter the water. If you’re always swimming in your pool, you should run your robot pool cleaning at least once a day. If you don’t swim in it as much as you should, run it at least once every two weeks.
What is the procedure for vacuuming my pool pump?
Even if you have an automatic pool cleaner, you will occasionally need to utilize your manual pool vacuum. A manual pool vacuum is required if you have a pool. Algae blooms are one of the many concerns that your robotic pool cleaning can’t handle. You’ll need to shock your pool, use algaecide, and then manually vacuum it to get rid of the algae.
To vacuum your pool, you’ll need the following items:
- A vacuum cleaner head. Depending on the sort of pool you have, you’ll require a different vacuum head. If you need help deciding which vacuum is right for you, consult a local pool professional.
- A hose for vacuuming. The length of the hose you’ll need is determined on the size of your pool.
- A telescoping pole is a pole that can be extended. You can easily attach your vacuum head, a pool brush, or a net to most poles because they are standard sizes.
- It’s a skim-vac. There are certain caveats to the need for a skim-vac for most inground and above ground applications.
- Connect the vacuum head to the pole’s end.
- Connect the vacuum hose to the vacuum.
- Connect the other end of the hose to the skim-vac. (If you have a Doughboy pool, you may skip this step.)
- Push the pole/vac/hose into the pool and let all the air out.
- Push the skimmer cover down into the skimmer if you have a Doughboy pool.
- Place the skim-vac over the skimmer/skimmer basket after opening the skimmer lid. Do not direct the suction hose into the skimmer hole; this will harm the plumbing in your pool over time.
To begin cleaning your pool, follow these steps:
- Set your sand filter to waste if you’re vacuuming to waste “option to throw away If you have this choice, it is highly recommended that you vacuum to waste anytime you have algae. This option allows you to suck up the algae and send it through the backwash pipe, preventing algae from getting into your filter sand. However, because water will be leaving your pool swiftly, you will need to vacuum quickly. At no time should the water level in your pool dip below the skimmer. As a result, you’ll need to fill up your pool with fresh water while vacuuming, or add fresh water after vacuuming.
- If not, leave the setting alone “To begin vacuuming, remove the filter and switch on the pump. This way, you won’t lose any water.
- Vacuum your pool in the same way you would your living room, cleaning up any trash or algae along the way.
- Turn off your vacuum once you’ve completed vacuuming. Remove all of your vacuuming equipment and return it to its storage location.
- Make sure all skimmer baskets are empty.
- If you vacuumed on waste, make sure your filter is set to the highest setting “Turn on the rinse setting and let the pump run for around 30 seconds before turning it off. Make sure your filter is set to “After that, apply a filter.
- If you have a cartridge filter, spray the cartridges with a garden hose and then replace them in the filter.
- Otherwise, simply re-start your pump and you’re done!
Remember to manually vacuum your pool on a regular basis, especially if you have algae. Remember, if you have any questions about vacuuming or algae, we’re here to help!
When vacuuming the pool, do you leave the skimmer basket in place?
Now, here’s the answer to the last question: when cleaning the pool, do you leave the skimmer basket in? Yes, the skimmer or strainer basket must be removed before connecting the open end of the hose to the inlet. Finally, connect the suction port to the open vacuum hose.

