Barracuda G-3 issues. It keeps coming apart!

[Joeaksa]

I have a G-3 Barracuda cleaner in a 13,000 gallon pool located in Phoenix. Pump is a 1.5 HP Hayward unit thats freshly overhauled about 6 months ago. suction is great... and I have a "leaf strainer" on the suction hose about 4 foot from the suction port on the side of the pool. The pool itself is about 20 years old and is a pebbletec model.

Love the G-3, it works most of the time without hassle, something I could not say about the Hayward i used the first 7 years here and having to spend $75-100 a year in replacement parts.

Now lately the "barrel or tube" of the Barracuda cleaner with the diaphram is coming unscrewed from the main housing of the cleaner. It then floats around sucking until it latches onto the bottom of the pool and stays there while the main body of the cleaner stays where it is.

This seems to happen every 2-3 days now. Have made no changes to the hoses, pump, system or cleaner...

Any idea how to get this puppy to stay screwed into the main body?

TIA Joe

 

[Joeaksa]

I have a G-3 Barracuda cleaner in a 13,000 gallon pool located in Phoenix. Pump is a 1.5 HP Hayward unit thats freshly overhauled about 6 months ago. suction is great... and I have a "leaf strainer" on the suction hose about 4 foot from the suction port on the side of the pool. The pool itself is about 20 years old and is a pebbletec model.

Love the G-3, it works most of the time without hassle, something I could not say about the Hayward i used the first 7 years here and having to spend $75-100 a year in replacement parts.

Now lately the "barrel or tube" of the Barracuda cleaner with the diaphram is coming unscrewed from the main housing of the cleaner. It then floats around sucking until it latches onto the bottom of the pool and stays there while the main body of the cleaner stays where it is.

This seems to happen every 2-3 days now. Have made no changes to the hoses, pump, system or cleaner...

Any idea how to get this puppy to stay screwed into the main body?

TIA Joe

Found a Barracuda manual and the part that keeps coming unscrewed is called the Cartridge. Its part number 10 on the parts diagram, the one held in with the yellow colored knob or screw collar.

 

[Joeaksa]

So guess no one has ever had this happen?

 

[Davegvg]

How old is the body? Ive had it happen a few times with the old G5 but not my newer G3.

It never happened to my G5 until about 6 years in. I never had a long term problem just gave it a good hard crank.

I retired the unit working when the UV finally got to the plastic at about year 7.

UD

 

[Joeaksa]

Dave,

Guessing that mine is about that age as well. I bought it used when I got fed up with the old Hayward breaking every season.

Hmm, might be time to look for a new one then!

Thanks!

How old is the body? Ive had it happen a few times with the old G5 but not my newer G3.

It never happened to my G5 until about 6 years in. I never had a long term problem just gave it a good hard crank.

I retired the unit working when the UV finally got to the plastic at about year 7.

UD

 

[Davegvg]

Dave,

Guessing that mine is about that age as well. I bought it used when I got fed up with the old Hayward breaking every season.

Hmm, might be time to look for a new one then!

Thanks!

When it was time for me I salvaged the sail, the relatively fresh diaphragm, flow keeper and good hoses from the outgoing unit and I trashed the body.

Having accidentally dropped the flow keeper end and broken one once, and had a gardner hit one with a mower (doofus) its good to have a spare.

If by Hayward you mean a Hayward navigator - yeah, anything that has a bunch of moving parts is going to require regular fresh ups. Never owned one but watched friends with them struggle.

UD