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smhall
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon 10 Jun, 2019 12:44
My Pool: Pool: 12000 gal "plaster" 15'W x 29'L x 3'-6' D
Pump: Pentair Superflo VS
Filter: Waterway Crystal Water 570-0425
Cleaner: Polaris TR39P on Jandy filter pressure line

Just Joined

Postby smhall » Mon 10 Jun, 2019 13:07

I hope this is an active forum.

I just acquired ownership of a home, and having a pool in back was one of two requirements for the home purchase.

I was not allowed time to get up to speed on controlling pool chemistry and told immediately to hire a maintenance service. I'm still trying to optimize the pump program for maintaining a clean pool.

I just spent half a grand over the weekend for the cleaner, which I could not install and assemble because I could not twist off the Jandy energy filter bowl, as the previous owner of some thirty years had not even used a pressure side cleaner. In fact the previous owner apparently had time to use a water hose vacuum and got free water analysis each week by driving to a pool supply shop and then went to Home Depot to buy the chemicals. (All this I learned from a new neighbor.) We are grateful to the pool maintenance service which did not include twisting off the energy filter bowl and assembling the cleaner.

I have a question: the pool cleaner manufacturer is not friendly about support. I get the impression that if people ask a question, they tell them to go to a pool pro, because they're too stupid to understand the answer. My question is how do I pull the pool cleaner out of the water if I have to service the bags that catch the debris. Do I pull it by the hose? Or do I have to get into the water and lift it by the body from the shallow end? any advice on using pool cleaners is much appreciated


Teapot
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 1337
Joined: Tue 17 Oct, 2017 10:52
My Pool: 12 x 24 (45m3) liner pool, Triton TR60 filter with AFM glass media (Activate) and variable speed pump running 0.08HP
Location: UK

Re: Just Joined

Postby Teapot » Mon 10 Jun, 2019 13:37

Sorry I have no idea what an energy filter bowl is?
Should have spent some money on a decent pool chemical tester, buy the toys later. Cleaner robots seldom achieve much, I have owned both pressure cleaners and electric robots, manual does it better. Still if you are happy.
What do you mean optimize the pump run?
smhall
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon 10 Jun, 2019 12:44
My Pool: Pool: 12000 gal "plaster" 15'W x 29'L x 3'-6' D
Pump: Pentair Superflo VS
Filter: Waterway Crystal Water 570-0425
Cleaner: Polaris TR39P on Jandy filter pressure line

Re: Just Joined

Postby smhall » Mon 10 Jun, 2019 14:43

With these variable speed pumps, a balance of the speed RPM and the duration has to be such that you get one pool volume turnover per day and try to keep the electricity use to a minimum. (Our utility also charges more for electricity use between the 5 and 8 pm peroid.) Apparently there also has to be a sufficient RPM to operate the pool cleaner.

I agree it would be nice to have water chemistry instruments where I have ion-specific electrodes that I can easily calibrate, although I'm told that's overkill for pool chemistry analysis. But despite being a (bio)chemist, I'm such a novice at this that I just learned I have to have calcium levels to a certain level to maintain pool surface integrity of the plaster.

My ability to be a do-it-yourselfer this time was overruled by a member of the family household who outranks me. The last two years of my above-ground pool maintenance at previous home was a factor.

I appreciate any and all advice I receive in this forum. Thank you
Teapot
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 1337
Joined: Tue 17 Oct, 2017 10:52
My Pool: 12 x 24 (45m3) liner pool, Triton TR60 filter with AFM glass media (Activate) and variable speed pump running 0.08HP
Location: UK

Re: Just Joined

Postby Teapot » Tue 11 Jun, 2019 13:57

Ok so you have a plaster finished pool.
Yes you will need to keep an eye on pH, Alkalinity and hardness to protect the surface.

With variable speed pumps it's the flow rate you need to know in order to predict the turn over rate and hence pump run time. If the water in the pool is turned over 1 per day you are actually passing only 42% of the water through the filter (Gage and Bidwell, principal of dilution). That saves electricity but doesn't do such a great job of cleaning the water as more dirt will be entering. That is why people buy pool robots, to make up for what their filtration is not doing.
I turn my water over 4x per 24hours. Since doing this cleaning has become less because skimmers only work when the system is running, otherwise dirt, leaves etc sit on the surface for a while and then sink. If the system is running more of that is collected, water clarity improves, chlorine usage reduces.
The block to people running for 24 hours is electrical cost, I have sorted that. Look at my signature 0.08hp pump in filter mode that's about 60w of electricity so my pool running 24 hours cost around the same as a conventional pool running for just 2 hours.
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Cornholio
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu 20 Jun, 2019 18:21

Re: Just Joined

Postby Cornholio » Fri 21 Jun, 2019 18:23

We had a Polaris cleaner throughout my childhood and we used to pull those things by the hose all the time. I can’t imagine having to get in during the winter to pull it out, although a net could work. I pull our “The Pool Cleaner” out by the hose, slowly though.

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