Polaris 280 - Replace or Repair?

[LynnOnTheWeb]

I have a 280 that has stopped moving around correctly. I'm pretty sure it needs a new gear assembly where the wheels are. It's 10 years old.

Water is also coming out from between the top/ bottom.

Do I try to repair or buy something new? And if I repair, do I do a full overhaul?

Thanks.

 

[ssmith1092]

im also in the same situation but i have a 360. i will be following this

 

[pcm2a]

If you do replace it keep the old unit and everything attached to it. Jam it down in the box that the new one comes in. You never know when you might need a part!

 

[RussellC]

They are so easy to repair, it won't cost you a lot to do it. Mine is 10 years old and I have just about replaced everything on it and it runs like new. Unless you want to spend money on a robot or something (which is a big upgrade - they are really nice) there is no reason not to repair it.

 

[LynnOnTheWeb]

Thanks for the input. I think for now I'm going to repair it, but I'm looking at the robots.

 

[dwarfboy]

Thanks for the input. I think for now I'm going to repair it, but I'm looking at the robots.

Get the robot, do not repair the polaris. Give it to someone here for spare parts.

I had the polaris 360 for more than a decade. It did it's thing and was very common to see at other people's pools and I never gave it a second thought as it helped. I bought a robot last year even though they were quite expensive to help with a major cleanup. I had no idea how much better the robots were/are.
I quickly realized the polaris was completely outclassed by the robot. I ditched the polaris and I switched to using a pool skim in the pressure outlet for the polaris. The pool skim gets the surface debris and helps with the circulation so the skimmers work better too. I can easily scoop out the few things that sink and if it's from a major storm where most of the surface debris sank I just use the leaf bag attachment for the robot for a cycle or two until the big debris is gone, then run a standard filter cycle then put on the fine filter and run one more time. So after Irma came through I had my pool completely clean the next afternoon with four robot cycles(~2.5 hrs. each.) The polaris would have randomly run around breaking leaves and debris into smaller pieces and clogging up it's own bag until it was over weighted and stopped. I had to clean the energy filter and the fine filter on the hose in the pool because it was always clogging running the unfiltered water through. Plus I would have had to drag the polaris out and empty it's bag repeatedly. The robot also has to be dragged out of the pool and the filter emptied and cleaned but much less often as it keeps going even when full of leaves and follows a pattern so it covers everywhere. I'll never go back.

 

[peirek]

Get the robot, do not repair the polaris. Give it to someone here for spare parts.

I'll take it..... and will pay for shipping.