Need guidance on installing a Polaris booster pump for your pool cleaner?
In this blog, we provide a comprehensive guide to installing a Polaris booster pump, a key component for enhancing the efficiency of pressure-side pool cleaners. We cover essential steps from pre-installation preparation to the actual setup process, including tips for troubleshooting common installation challenges. Additionally, we explore alternative installation methods and essential maintenance practices to ensure optimal performance and longevity of your booster pump.
With years of expertise in pool maintenance and equipment installation, we’ve assisted numerous pool owners in effectively setting up their Polaris booster pumps. Our team has hands-on experience and knowledge in handling these installations in various pool environments, ensuring our guide is practical, easy to follow, and helps you achieve a successful installation for a cleaner and well-maintained pool.
Polaris Booster Pump 2023
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Suction lines draw water from pools to filters and pressure lines return that water to pools. Dedicated cleaner lines [pipes] are used with pressure-side automatic pool cleaners, along with a second pump called a booster pump, to send water to the cleaners. Aside from its PB4 booster pump (shown), Polaris also offers the Halcyon pump. The Halcyon pump is quieter and easier to service.
The designated cleaner lines are shown in Figure 2. The water is drawn into the skimmer and main drain, sent to the pump and filter, and then returned to the pool. Water is provided to the booster pump at the end of this journey, which then blasts it out to a separate return line, shown in orange. The dedicated cleaner line is plumbed especially for the cleaner, which is why it is referred to as such.
It is possible to switch between pressure-side and suction-side automatic pool cleaners with a dedicated cleaner line. Whenever possible, it is recommended that pool cleaner lines be installed mid-pool in order to facilitate their use.
You will have to plan for the booster pump installation when installing a pressure-side automatic cleaner on an existing pool, such as the Polaris 380. Booster pumps shouldn’t be buried beneath a tangle of piping, because this makes them difficult to access. It should be within easy reach of the return pipe as well as the power supply. Before you begin the booster pump installation, draw out a plan.
Booster pump supply fittings should be, at a minimum, a few feet away from heaters, but before chlorinators and salt systems. Cut the return pipe and insert a tee fitting pointing downward toward the booster pump at a suitable point on the pipe. Use bushing to reduce the tee fitting to 3/4′′, or just find a tee (shown) that will reduce it. Check that it’s an electric pressure fitting and not a drain fitting. The end of your cleaner line will also require a slip-x thread reducer fitting.
Following this, you will need to connect the hose kit included with the Polaris booster pump. Put three Teflon tape threads into your booster pump, one into the tee fitting, and the third into a threaded reducer glued into a 45 or 90 fitting at the beginning of the cleaner line. To connect the tee into the pump and from the pump into the cleaner line, you will need to measure and cut two hose sections.
Make sure you cut the hoses longer than they need to be so that they can be arced smoothly.
A licensed electrician should wire booster pumps in accordance with all applicable building codes. It is factory wired for 220V but can be installed at 110V by attaching a grounded extension cord. You can manually switch the booster pump on and off, but I’d recommend using a dedicated time clock to do it for you—it is about ease of use, not more pool work! The main filter pump should always be operating when the booster pump is on, and Polaris pressure cleaners only need 1-3 hours to clean the pool, so set your timer for the minimum time needed to keep your pool clean during the time your main filter pump is running.
You can add a cleaner line to your pool after it has been built by using above-ground pipe, HD hose, or underground pipe if your pool does not have a separate cleaner line. There are two ways to connect the pipe to the last few feet: either through a tunnel under the pool deck or via a wall fitting attached to an HD hose running across the pool deck.
Polaris recommends running 1.5-inch Schedule 40 PVC pipe for your cleaner line, even though smaller diameter pipes are acceptable. The trench for the new pipe should begin at the equipment platform and end at the edge of the pool deck. Lay all your pipes out and connect them with elbows at both ends to stub up a pipe as far as the pool deck, and then connect the other end to the booster pump. Attach the discharge hose of the booster pump to the start and the HD hose to the point where the pool cleaner is connected.
Install the pool cleaner first by measuring the deepest part of the pool and cutting the leader hose (labeled by the manufacturer) to that depth. After attaching the pool cleaner to the leader hose, connect the other end with the wall fitting or the over-the-deck connection. The cleaner should now be pulled to the farthest end of the pool. The excess hose from the two feed hose sections should be taken equally from the smaller pools. A swivel hose float, the hose floats, and additional feed hose sections can be installed, if needed, on large pools.
The wheel RPMs should be checked (28 to 32 RPMs) at this point to ensure they are working properly. Put the cleaner underwater and mark one of the wheels with a pen or tape. When you are tracking time, turn the booster pump on and count how many revolutions the wheel makes. The wheel should have made 14–16 revolutions within 30 seconds. Under excessive pressure, the cleaner may become overly active and even climb out of the pool. A wall fitting can be used to relieve excess pressure.
Test the cleaner and see how it performs! Running the filter pump should come after running the booster pump. Depending on the size and volume of debris you have in your pool, it should clean your entire pool within 1-3 hours. Polaris cleaners have a backup valve, and after 3 minutes of random cleaning, the hose (and cleaner) will be pulled off the floor for about 30 seconds. This device redirects a cleaner who gets stuck on a ladder or step. If it seems too active, you can adjust the sweeper tail; it should sweep back and forth slowly.
Hopefully, I have provided enough details about Polaris pool cleaner installation so you will be able to see how easy it is to do.
Video: How To Install Polaris Booster Pump 2024
The Polaris 380 or Polaris 3900 are excellent pressure-side automatic pool cleaners that can improve your inground pool cleaning abilities and free up your time. When you realize how straightforward it is, you will be astounded by its strength.
My favorite type of pool cleaner is the pressure-side cleaner, and if your pool has a lot of debris, this cleaner is for you.
