Automatic pool cleaner reference guide

Determining the correct pool cleaner isn't too hard.

• Do you currently have an automatic pool cleaner? What type? Many of the older pool sweeps like the Arneson Pool Sweep and the Polaris 180 use a separate booster pump. Provided the booster pump is still in good working order you can use it with any of the new pressure style pool sweeps, saving yourself a lot of money.
• What type of debris gets into your pool? Do you get a lot of large leaves, pine needles, or twigs in your pool?, or is it mostly dirt, dust and sand.
• What is the condition of your existing filtration system?

Suction Cleaners: Suction cleaners attach inside the surface skimmer or to a dedicated vacuum line on the side of the pool. Examples of suction cleaners are the Kreepy Krauly, and Baracuda pool cleaners. Since these cleaners work off the vacuum of the pools filtration system, a separate booster pump is not needed.

This type of cleaner is the least expensive to purchase and operate since you don,t need to pay to run the second pump. The suction style cleaners also have very simple operating systems, so there is very little to go wrong with them. The Kreepy Krauly only has one moving part which powers the entire unit. The suction cleaners install easily in minutes and they clean whenever the filter is running.

Pools with heavy leaf loads, especially large leaves, and pine needles aren't usually good candidates for suction style cleaners unless the heavy leaf fall season is short. Generally if a sweep can do all the work for you 11 months of the year , but requires a little help in the fall, that's usually acceptable.

Suction Style cleaners Best Buy stocks: Kreepy Krauly, Baracuda, Great White, Navigator, and Polaris.

Pressure Style Cleaners (booster pump driven): As indicated this style sweep is driven by a separate booster pump. Unless you are replacing an older booster pump driven sweep such as an Arneson pool sweep or Polaris 180, then you will need to purchase the pump with your new cleaner as well as a separate time clock.

This type cleaner works well in virtually every pool and they vacuum leaves, pine needles, twigs, rocks you name it, without a problem. The pressure cleaners gather up debris in their own bag, which you remove and dump periodically. Best Buy stocks: Letro Jet Vac,and Legend and the Polaris 380and 280 pressure style sweeps.

Pressure Cleaners without a booster pump: This style pool sweep is a derivative of the booster pump pressure sweep. Instead of operating off a separate booster pump, this style sweep operates off the pressure from the filtration system. Normally a T is plumbed into the line between the pump and filter and pressure is bled off to run the cleaner. Because of this bleed off it's best to step up the size of the filter pump to make sure everything operates properly. Unless you are replacing an old sweep of this same type such as the Arneson Turbo Sweep, Ray Vac, Energy Sweep, Energy Porpoise 2, or an early Polaris 360, then it may be cost prohibitive to go this route. Best Buy stocks the Polaris360 and the Letro Legend 2 cleaners of this type.