Lazy Automatic Pool Cleaner (APC)

APCs are great and can make our life real easy - well, most of the time. The problem is that they have quite a few parts that can break, leak or become worn. An APC travels thousands of kilometers per year along the the underwater freeways of your pool.

TIPs for a sluggish APC:

• Your pool should be full enough so that the weir box does not suck in air.
• Clean out leaves and debris from the weir basket and the basket at the pump.
• Check for blockages at its mouth - just lift it off the floor keeping it under the water and turn it over - now look down the throat and see if there is a blockage - stones, small fruit from near by trees, leaves, toys etc.
• Filter may be partially clogged and needs a backwash. - switch off pump, disconnect the APC at the weir box set to backwash and switch on for a few minutes - 2-3 minutes is normally sufficient. Stop the pump and set to rinse and start it again for about half a minute. Set the valve to filter and start the pump. This should clear debris out of the filter and may save you a trip to the pool shop. Now reconnect the APC after filling the APC hoses with water first. The APC should work now if the the filter was clogged. Another test you may use is to set the multi-port valve to bypass - i.e. bypass the filter - this will be quicker than the backwashing option as a check to see if the APC works when the filter is bypassed.
• If it is still not working check the hoses for holes - lift the hoses out one by one leaving the APC in the water - listen for a hissing sound which you will hear if there are holes in the hoses.
• APCs often have a valve in the weir box that can be adjusted to increase or decrease suction - try changing the setting to see if the APC works  on other settings.

If you still have problems after these check then bring your APC in to Swimline and we can check it out you.