Manual Vacumming VS Vacuum Systems

Manually vacuuming your swimming pool and spa with a manual vacuum head and pool hose sounds simple and easy to do. Attach the vacuum head and hose, and you are good. But it can be a little more complex than that. I will be going over some do’s and don’ts in this article for you so that you can avoid making some typical mistakes.

Vacuum System vs Manual or System Vacuuming

 

Pros:

System vacuuming picks up both dirt and small leaf debris

Affordable

Easy

Effect

Cart Systems

 

Drawbacks:

Time-consuming

Not suitable for large leaf debris

Everything goes into the filter unless you use a “waste” mode, but many filters don’t have a “Waste” mode.

 

Vacuum System Pros:

Fast and effective with large debris

It is not suitable for dirt under 75 microns. Although there are finer micron bags, they are not designed for complete vacuuming but for spot vacuuming.

Convenient and easy to use

Dirt and debris go into a debris bag

You can purchase with a service cart

Professional looking

 

Drawbacks:

Expensive

Heavy except the bottom Feeder

Not suitable for fine dirt

Requires maintenance and repairs

Can be stolen

Let me outline some of the most critical don’ts so you won’t damage your pool or equipment. When submerging the vacuum head and pool hose, ensure all the air is out. This can be achieved by pushing the hose into the water hand-over-hand. You want to connect the hose to the skimmer suction line without any air in the hose. Air can cause the pump to lose its prime, and if you let it run for several minutes without water in the pump basket area, also known as the wet end, this could cause air leaks to develop in the system. Air leaks then lead to water leaks and a loss of pool suction. Making sure there is no air in the pool hose when you connect the vacuum is essential. While vacuuming, try not to lift the vacuum head out of the water when moving around obstacles or getting around the vacuum hose. When you lift it out of the water, it will suck large amounts of air in, causing the pump to lose prime.

The next thing you never want to do is place the vacuum head directly over a main drain cover. The suction from the pump and the vacuum head attached to the top of the drain cover could cause it to get stuck on top of it. If you try to pull it off the drain cover, you could crack the plastic around the screwed-down area and inadvertently break the cover off. This will become a costly repair, so if you accidentally set the vacuum head on top of the main drain cover, try to avoid pulling it up and off. Instead, turn off the pump and move the vacuum head off the main drain.

Using a cheap hose and vacuum head can also contribute to vacuuming frustration. A cheap hose will cavitate due to the pump’s powerful suction, which will cause the pump to lose its prime. You will know this is happening when you see the walls of the pool hose twisting and collapsing in on themselves when they are attached to the pool skimmer. If this happens, I suggest upgrading to a professional pool hose like a Smooth Bor brand.

If your vacuum head is constantly getting stuck on the pool bottom, you are using an old or cheap vacuum head. A professional quality vacuum head is designed not to get stuck on the pool surface and is a worthwhile investment. The key to a successful experience is using professional-grade equipment.

Vacuum Systems

Riptide:

This is the Tesla of vacuum systems. Riptide is constantly innovating, and to prove that point, they scrapped their first version entirely and started over almost completely. They kept their vacuum head. The vacuum head comes with a 10-year warranty because it is that durable. 

The version you will get is as close to complete as it can get. The High Torque Motor (which uses rare earth magnets) makes it the most powerful vacuum on the market. The cord has a new protective external layer and comes in 40 ft or 60 ft lengths. The cart is now e-coated before powder-coating

The Transport Rack Is e-coated now, too- Electrostatic Coating- All of our powder-coated parts are now electrostatic coated (coating) and then powder coated over. This makes the finish of our components much more durable. Extremely high-quality integrated steering knuckle -Integrated Stainless Steel Steering Knuckle. This allows you to hook any pole directly up to the Riptide vacuum without any adaptors while maneuvering in the water is effortless. The SL model Riptides now includes a Diagnostic/Tool Kit with a battery load tester; the load tester is essential for quickly determining battery condition.

Hammer-Head:

The Hammer-Head has been around almost as long as the Power Vac. The Vac head is shaped differently but has the same power as the Power Vac. You can get the standard 21” vacuum head or the more giant 30” one. For most service techs, the 21” vacuum head will work fine. You can also get the cord in 40 ft or 60 ft length, and the cart is probably the least refined of the big three. It is well-balanced and functional. 

ALL STAINLESS HARDWARE

FEATURING THE PATENTED SMART SWITCH™ (The new HH1062 Smart Switch comes standard on all Hammer-Head pool cleaning units. SMART SWITCH™ features include a motor-saving overload sensor, two speeds, and an automatic shutoff when the motor is out of the water for over a minute).

Bottom Feeder:

Fast. Light. Powerful.

Finish vacuuming a pool faster and easier with The Bottom Feeder Professional-Grade Battery-Powered Swimming Pool Vacuum. This cordless portable pool vac is lightweight and easy to use, you can carry everything in one hand in only one trip from the truck to every pool on your route. With no hoses, long cords, or carts, connect the 1.5-hr. With a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, you are good to go. Weighing in at only 12 lbs., this compact, lightweight, battery-powered pool vacuum is the lightest commercial-duty swimming pool vacuum system available. 

The 18 lbs. thrust motor makes it effective at picking up leaves, twigs, small stones, coins, and finer debris. So, there is plenty of power.

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