Your Automatic Pool Cleaning Options Revealed

November 16, 2008 by admin 

There are several types of automatic pool cleaners, and which one is right for you will depend on brand, cost, and a great many other factors. But apart from that, here are some general guidelines to get you started…

♦ Pressure Pool Cleaners

Pressure pool cleaners use the force created by the swimming pool’s own pump to power the cleaner around the surface. The pressure produced by water flow through the cleaner moves the robot forward.

At the same time, that pressure moves the debris into a small bag that holds the material the cleaner stirs up. With an attached tail, a pressure cleaner can stir up nearby dirt lying on the pool bottom and filter it, too.

Over time, the robot slowly makes its way across the entire surface in a random fashion. The net result is that you don’t have to run a vacuum manually around the pool. You also don’t have to rely solely on the filter to get all the dirt that wind and feet deposit into the water. Forcing the debris into the vacuum cleaner rather than the pool’s filter gives you more time between filter cleanings.

♦ Suction Pool Cleaners

In a sense all automatic pool cleaners work by suction, but the name here means that the cleaner works off the pool’s filtration system. Like the pressure cleaner suction pool cleaners move along the bottom and sides, gradually picking up debris.

As it does, it moves material through the pool’s filter system. But, since the pool’s filter system doesn’t run full time, neither does the robot. The cleaner runs only when the filter system runs. That may or may not be what you want.

♦ Robotic Pool Cleaners

Here again the common name may be a little misleading, since all automatic pool cleaners (with the exception of in-floor cleaners) are robots. They’re little machines that do the job so you don’t have to. But in this case, it means that the cleaner has its own motor inside the unit. A transformer plugs into an outdoor outlet and provides power to the unit connected with a long cord.

One advantage is the on-board filter, which removes the problem of sending everything to the pool filter. Computer software inside the on-board chip is used to map out the shape of your pool. Robotic pool cleaners are more expensive than the other types of cleaner, though.

♦ In-Floor Pool Cleaners

In-floor pool cleaners are systems built into the pool during construction. They represent the highest initial investment, since they raise the price of the pool and are generally more expensive than small automatic cleaners. They function by a series of jets added around the pool that push dirt into the pool’s filtration system and main drain.

As with any appliance, the best bet for picking a brand is to rely on reviews of those who have actually purchased one. But knowing which type you want in advance will help you reduce your research time.

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