Polaris has fallen and can't get up

[aylad]

The float shouldn't be filled with water--they're pretty cheap to replace...but before you do that, try adjusting how far the float is pulled back away from the unit. I would also open the unit up and make sure that all three belts are intact and still tight. The other thing that makes it act weird sometimes is the backup valve. It's the bell-shaped part of the hose about 3 feet from the unit, and emits a spray of water every so often to make the unit leave where it is and reposition itself in the pool. If it is cracked it will give constant backwards pressure on the unit and stop it from moving forward very well. There should not be a steady stream of water coming from it...rather, every 2-3 minutes or so you'll get a steady stream of water for about 20-30 seconds, then it stops. If you see a visible crack, or have a steady stream of water, this is likely the problem. (And it's more expensive to fix than the belts!)

Janet

[ryguy]

Thanks for the tip. It turned out just to be the float. Replaced it for a couple of dollars and good as new. But now it seems my booster pump may have burned up. Tripped the breaker once, reset it, and now the pump just hums. Doesn't sound good. Maybe this is the time to switch to a robotic.