In this article we will look at the different types of pool cleaner that are available; manual, suction and automatic, and their respective features and benefits.
Manual pool cleaning.
Your pool pump and its filter and the chemicals that you put in your pool will do a lot to keep the water clean and sparkling but they won’t do everything.
Leaves and debris will fall into an outdoor pool; algae will eventually start to grow in either an indoor or an outdoor pool if left to its own devices.
The first thing to do if you are going to clean your pool manually is to backwash the pool filter in order to clean it out. The next stage will depend a bit on what state your pool is in.
If there are a lot of leaves and debris on the floor of the pool use a pool rake on a telescopic pole to slowly gather them together and then lift them out. You want to do this carefully as if you disturb the water too much you’ll just spread the leaves out through the whole volume of the pool.
If there are algae trying to gain a foothold on the sides of your pool then use a pool brush on a long pole to get it off. The type of brush you use and its stiffness will depend on whether you have a vinyl liner pool or a tiled or rendered surface.
When that has all been done, you can attach a pool vacuum to the pole and its hose to your pump and filter. Make sure that the hose is full of water before you start. You can prime the hose just by holding it underwater till all the air is out or you could hold the end of the hose over a water inlet and let the pressure from that prime the hose.
Now you can slowly clean the pool floor with the vacuum head. Make sure that the head stays under water so that air doesn’t get in. You might have to empty the leaf basket or even backwash the filter again before this process is complete.
Obviously the equipment you need to clean your pool manually is pretty cheap and you get the satisfaction of doing a job well, but it is time consuming and can be hard work.
Suction and Pressure Side Cleaners.
Suction cleaners use the suction from your pump to vacuum your pool and to use the action of the cleaner, generated by the pump, to move.
The larger dirt and debris that it collects goes straight into your pool pump’s filter basket and the smaller particles are trapped by the pool’s filter. They tend to make a very good job of cleaning and can get up the finest dirt and smallest algae particles.
They are relatively inexpensive and don’t need any additional plumbing.
On the other hand, because they suck directly into your pool filter, if they are picking up a lot of larger debris and leaves then they can become clogged. A leaf trap can help with that problem but when they are running, it is a good idea to keep an eye on them to avoid any problems.
A pressure side cleaner, as you might have guessed, works on the pressure from your pool pump – or a dedicated booster pump – to move and do the cleaning.
The pressure side cleaner is attached to the return line from your pump and has it’s own dirt and debris collection bag so your pool filter is not doing any extra work and there is less chance of the system becoming clogged.
If this type of pool cleaner has a short falling its that because it filters through that collection bag then it is less efficient with very fine particles of dirt and as it cleans by vortex, it perhaps doesn’t scrub the walls and floor of your pool quite so thoroughly as the suction system.
If you get a lot of leaves in your pool though, a pressure side cleaner may well be the way to go.
Automatic pool cleaners.
Automatic pool cleaners are electrically powered robots that drive themselves around your pool vacuuming up all the dirt and debris as they go, and so not unsurprisingly, they are also the most expensive type of pool cleaner.
Because they are self-powered, they can clean your pool when the filter and pump aren’t being run.
Some automatic pool cleaners have a remote control system so that if it does miss any areas, you can direct it back to them. Some robot cleaners will automatically rise to the surface to clean the tile band of the pool before diving and continuing their cycle once again. There are automatic cleaners that will ‘learn’ the shape of your pool and plan their own efficient route.
Dolphin pool cleaners.
The new Dolphin Explorer automatic pool cleaners use advance cleaning technologies to keep pools clean and hygienic.
Designed for pools up to 15 metres in length, the Dolhin Explorer Plus excels at keeping the floor, walls and waterline constantly clean with little effort. The low-voltage, low energy design includes a cartridge filtration system which efficiently collects all types of dirt, even small particles. A one-way water valve prevents escape of any debris, while ensuring rapid water drainage.
Low maintenance was a key concern for designers, so the Explorer Plus includes a swivel-on cable to prevent tangling, a clogged filter indicator for ongoing efficiency and top-opening filtration compartment for quick cleaning.
So, there’s a quick view of pool cleaners from muscle-powered to microchip driven.
If you would like some specific advice then we can help you find a pool professional with the appropriate skills and experience right for you. There is a contact button to the right of this article that can get that process started.
We hope this article has been of use to you. There are many more articles on this site that will give you information on almost every aspect of your pool.