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aquabug question for aboveground pool

December 23rd, 2004 · 1 Comment

We have an 18×33 aboveground pool. I hooked up the (new to us) aquabug to vacuum
the pool. It seems to take forever
for it to move around the pool. Is this normal? We have another similiar
automatic cleaner (can’t remember the name
but it is the same shape as the aquabug only plain rather than a ladybug) and it
does the same thing so I would assume
that they are just supposed to take a while.
Is it ok to leave them running overnight? I keep the pool fairly clean and have
been using a manual vacuum cleaner
which gets most of the debris but wanted to try the automatic ones. I didn’t
know if leaving it running for as long as
overnight would damage the pump in any way.
Thanks!

Tags: swimming pools

1 response so far ↓

  • 1 janis_40 // Dec 24, 2004 at 5:48 am

    In a message dated 8/5/2003 8:08:04 AM Central Daylight Time,
    homeschool@… writes:
    The AquaBug and all of the other AG cleaners that Hayward makes have the same
    internal components as the Navgator and the Pool Vac but the outside casing
    is designed to work in and Ag environment. In other words it does not climb
    the walls! The speed of the cleaner is determined by the amount of water flow
    through it and the minimum flow rate should be stated in the instructions that
    came with the cleaner.
    The filtration system with that size of pool should be very comparable to
    that of an IG pool system and provide plenty of flow for that cleaner.
    Usually
    the systems supplied with small pools such as an 15 or 18 round might not but
    yours should. I would suggest you make sure the connection at the skimmer is
    tight and that all of the hoses are tightly connected and that there are no
    cracks in any of the hoses. If there are two skimmers one may need to be

    restricted for proper flow through the other and you should check for air
    bubbles
    in the return jets. The air would indicate you are not getting proper suction
    and there is air getting into your system somewhere. Also you need to check
    that there are cork shoes on the cleaner. The cork shoes are dark and as the
    name says they look like cork. The other shoes are designed for IG plaster
    pools and should not be on your cleaner. I know it shoulds stupid but stranger
    things have happened.
    You mentioned that the cleaners are new to you and I take this as they are
    not new! If I am correct in assuming they are not new then they may have been
    taken apart at some time and maintenance performed on them. If this is the
    case then the single biggest goof people make putting the cleaners back together
    is the turbine is put in backwards. This can be done very easily and will
    result in the cleaner moving very slowly if at all and if I might add even
    experienced technicians have been known to do this from time to time. I know I
    have had several who did it on a regular basis work for me and it does nothing
    for customer confidence.
    The easy way to check is to look up from the bottom through the throat and
    look at the main turbine. You will notice it has curved blades on it and they
    should be positioned so the curve is away from you and not toward you. The
    blade has a cup to it and the inside of the cup should face the bottom of the
    cleaner. It may take some looking and you may need to move the turbine to get a
    good look but you will notice what I am talking about after a good look. If
    they appear to face away from you then taking it apart and reversing the
    turbine is the only answer. It is not hard and the turbine is marked “left”
    and
    “right” so you wonder how they get screwed up sometimes. You can take it
    apart without problems there are just a bunch of screws and I would ask a first
    timer to refrain from using a powered screwdriver as the screws are in plastic
    and it does not take much torque to strip out the threads.
    Hope this helps!
    Ken

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