Everyone’s goal is to have a clean and beautiful pool to swim in for the summer but the daily maintenance to get it to that condition can be quite the chore. Skimming the top daily and scrubbing the bottom to get rid of debris and dirt. There is always the rogue rock or branches that make your pool messier than what it is, if just having your filter to clean your pool isn’t cutting it then you may want to supplement in a pool cleaner that can make your pool look clean and keep your life simple.
There are a wide range of vacuums to choose from, from inexpensive to premium cleaners. Do you want a handheld vacuum or maybe an automatic? Make sure that any vacuum you purchase has a transformer. A transformer should reduce the voltage from 110 volts to a safe 12 volts since it is less likely to cause electrocution. To ensure that the cleaner is compatible with your needs check whether it is for above ground or inground pools. Some automatic cleaners are able to function in both pools, such as the Twyster, one of our budget models. The difference between the two models is their ability to go up pool walls; inground vacuums are more capable than above ground when it comes to pool walls.
There are many types of automatic pool cleaners such as those that use suction while attaching to your filter. Any dirt and debris picked up by the cleaner goes into the filter; since the suction and filter work together it depends on how effective your filter is for the suction to be able to do its job. One of our most popular automatic pool vacuums is the Zodiac® Baracuda G3™ for inground pools, the Zodiac has a gearbox that moves the vacuum in an outward spiral to clean the bottom of your pool and its walls. While using a suction cleaner, remove as much air from the filter line as possible; your filter can run dry due to air pockets formed by air trapping in the filter. Your filter can be burnt out if it runs dry and should be avoided at all costs.
Another automatic pool vacuum is the pressure side cleaner. It uses the Venturi effect, using fluid physics water currents are forced through a small tube making it travel at a higher velocity and lower water pressure. The current that is produced sucks debris up into a mesh bag in order for large and medium sized objects to not end up in the filter. Any dust or debris smaller than the holes in the mesh bag which will float up from the bottom allowing the filter to clean normally. One option for this cleaner is the Polaris® Turbo Turtle which can assist with your pool’s cleaning to avoid running your filter for its usual eight hours a day.
If you do not feel comfortable mixing electricity and water or your pool is too far from a power source you have the option of using a battery-operated pool vacuum. The Catfish Battery Powered Swimming Pool Vacuum is a good choice for spas or small pools. To use these vacuums, you will need to use a pump that is one horsepower or under; while this cleaner sacrifices the ability to move on its own it compensates for it with its compactness and low price.
If you are looking for the simplest and a cheap form of automated pool cleaners then the vibrating pool vacuum is for you. The vacuum follows a random path while scrubbing the bottom of your pool. The main accomplishment of these cleaners is agitating the water, allowing your filter to clean the water faster than regularly filtering it while removing stains from the bottom.
