Pool Cleaner Suggestions

xelfer on 16/10/2019 - 11:08

Any suggestions for good pool cleaners? I'm looking at the 2 wheel type ones for a small fiberglass pool.

My local has https://poolandspawarehouse.com.au/the-stanley-pool-cleaner-… for $950 but it has a 7 year warranty.

This one is newly upgraded and is $595 @ https://www.mrpoolman.com.au/blogs/news/pentair-rebel-2-suct… with 3 year warranty.

Then bunnings have their $400 version @ https://www.bunnings.com.au/hy-clor-dyno-turbine-action-pool… which I assume is 1 year warranty?

Product reviews for these things seem negative across the board so it's difficult to choose: https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/pentair-rebel

At this stage the $950 might be worth it with such a long warranty.

Appreciate any advice or any other models that work well.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • Skramit on 16/10/2019 - 11:12

    Jose does a good job, and does it topless too. My wife insists we keep him employed. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

    Skramit on 16/10/2019 - 11:12 (Collapsed - Offtopic. Show)
  • Ocker on 16/10/2019 - 11:42
    +1

    We have The Pool Cleaner and it does a great job

    • Euphemistic on 17/10/2019 - 11:30

      We have one as well. Concur. Came with the house/pool and for 5 years I’ve only had to vacuum the steps. mostly I just brush down the steps and the sediment settles in the pool and gets sucked up there.

      The cleaner runs pretty much all the time the pump is on. Occasionally catches a palm frond or pebble and stops working. But clean out the jamb and it’s good to go. Twice that required a screwdriver to open up the cover to unstick it. Replaced the tyres once in the 5yrs.

  • wizzy on 16/10/2019 - 11:45

    I don't recommend the type with wheels. I recommend the Onga Hammerhead. It is simple, only has one moving part, is inexpensive, cleans well and gets better reviews than most. I bought one for the pool in an IP a year ago for these reasons. I have not had any problems and the tenants reported that they are impressed with how well it cleans.

    This is the one I am talking about (I got the leaf catcher too which I also recommend):

    https://www.bestpoolsupplies.com.au/product/121/Onga-Hammerh…

    See Reviews and sort by highest to lowest ratings:

    https://www.productreview.com.au/c/pool-cleaners

    • Ocker on 16/10/2019 - 11:54

      We had one of those Kreepy Crawlie type cleaners and it was hopeless. Depending on the shape of a pool it can get stuck in the corners, which is why we got rid of it an bought The Pool Cleaner.

      • wizzy on 16/10/2019 - 11:58

        Yes the shape of the pool does make a difference.

        • xelfer on 16/10/2019 - 12:52

          I have a kidney shaped pool if that helps. Appreciate your advice.

          • wizzy on 16/10/2019 - 13:00

            @xelfer: I think corners are the main issue. If you read the reviews you will see people complaining about cleaners that get stuck in corners. The pool that we put the Onga Hammerhead into does not have corners. It is also kidney shaped and is rounded at the point where the side meets the bottom.

            • xelfer on 16/10/2019 - 13:04

              @wizzy: Yep I don't really have sharp corners just a little lip around the edge and some steps: https://i.imgur.com/qs5V8nA.jpg Thanks a lot for the suggestion, the price is way better too. Would it go OK with the steps there?

              • wizzy on 16/10/2019 - 13:12

                @xelfer: It might not do the steps themselves unless you pick it up and put it there, but if everything is rounded then it should do the main part of the pool by itself. Our pool does have some sort of vent/valve thing on the very bottom of the pool and the Onga does get stuck on that sometimes. You have to move it away if it does. That could annoy you, but unfortunately no pool cleaner is perfect!

                • xelfer on 16/10/2019 - 13:24

                  @wizzy: Thanks! I probably have the same valve thing. It's like a plug in the deepend. Good to know. At 1/3rd of the price of the one I was thinking of buying I think I'll give it a go. Cheers!

                  • wizzy on 16/10/2019 - 13:33

                    @xelfer: Yes our's is in the deep end too. The Onga likes to stick to it. There is probably something I could do to stop it happening - maybe something over the valve that still lets water through but stops the Onga getting suctioned to it. I prefer that problem over an expensive cleaner that breaks or needs other expensive maintenance though.

                    I had to buy extra hose for my pool, but it is a big pool.

                  • wizzy on 16/10/2019 - 13:41

                    @xelfer: This is exactly what our valve/vent thing looks like and what happens when the Onga gets stuck to it. The guy in the video says that the solution is to turn off the main drain:

                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9RdZv0HcmY

                    • xelfer on 16/10/2019 - 13:44

                      @wizzy: Ah ok thanks! ours is a release valve but it just sits there. It's possible the Onga will actually pull it out but if that happens I'll look into getting one of those weighted covers. My local sells something similar to https://www.epools.com.au/product/poolstore-weighted-univers… which just sits on top.

                      • wizzy on 16/10/2019 - 13:51

                        @xelfer: I'm certain that there would be some easy solution like this. Moving the Onga if it happens doesn't bother our current tenants, but if it bothers future tenants I will do something like that. Thanks.

                        • sleepy le beef on 17/10/2019 - 11:38
                          +1

                          @wizzy: The valve is a hydrostatic valve, it lets water back into the pool in the event of large amounts of rain so that the pool doesent lift up. In older pools the main drain is converted to fit the hydrostatic valve, there should be no suction through this as it is dangerous. Newer pools have a smaller dedicated hydrostatic valve, this is unlikely to cause problems with the cleaner. The older ones can as the covers can have quite a ridge on them. The cleaner is unlikely to lift the hydro valve unless the spring has failed and you would be leaking water anyway. You can accidentally lift them with a manual vac head but the cleaner heads sit further off the pool surface.

                          • wizzy on 17/10/2019 - 11:46

                            @sleepy le beef: Thanks very much. The cover doesn't lift off, the suction cleaner just gets stuck on top of it. It is an older pool and the drain looks like this:

                            https://www.ccbh.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/pool1-1.png

                            Because the drain is completely flush with the bottom of the pool, the suction cleaner can go straight over the top of it and get stuck. I was thinking that some sort of drain cover that was raised might stop the suction cleaner from going over the top of it. Do you know of anything like that or any other solution?

                            • sleepy le beef on 17/10/2019 - 12:01

                              @wizzy: Yes, I can see your problem. First thing I would try, if you have really good suction through the cleaner is to reduce the flow at the flow valve, so it still travels okay but he suction is slightly lower and reduce the risk of sucking down. Next try would be a different fixed main drain cover but slightly domed, they seem to stick less on these but if the suction at then cleaner head is really high it will still happen. You could remove it and try a weighted cover, they have fewer holes in them. Dont put something on to try and stop it going over as it will just stop against the edge of it and stay there. It happens with some older styles of cover with a pronounced lip. Guaranteed a cleaner will find that one spot that. sticks it straight away. As I said though firstly play with the flow valve, too much suction can be a bad thing.

  • dcuksuop on 16/10/2019 - 12:20

    Zodiac CX20 owner here.

    • [Deactivated] on 17/10/2019 - 15:34

      Same for 1 1/2 years now, how good are they :)

  • sleepy le beef on 16/10/2019 - 12:28
    +2

    Having worked for Poolwerx for a number of years until recently my opinions would be the pentair out of those three. The Stanley is a rebadged version of the Astral S5 as it look identical apart from colour. You can pick the Astral one up for about $600. For a small fibreglass pool the tractor style would be my preferred choice, a hammer style suction cleaner is more likely to get stuck in corners. Zodiac tractor style seem to work well when new but the the gears etc seem to be made of cheese and the gears strip and need replacing fairly often, negating the cost savings, you would have the same issue with the hychlor.

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