The Patriot Automatic pool vacuum uses the power of the pool's circulation system to thoroughly clean the floor of an above ground pool. It's called a suction side cleaner because it attaches to the intake, or suction side of the pool pump through the skimmer. You need no tools to install and adjust it, and, because it has so few moving parts, there is very little maintenance to keep it running efficiently for years.
Step 1
Lay the Patriot's parts and hoses out on the pool deck. The vacuum head comes pre-assembled except for the flat rubber foot pad and the buoyancy ring.
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Step 2
Attach the foot pad over the bottom of the vacuum head assembly into the groove provided for it. Make sure it can turn freely in the channel.
Step 3
Slip the buoyancy ring over the first section of vacuum hose at the top part of the vacuum head assembly.
Step 4
Attach enough hose sections so you can sit the vacuum assembly into the pool, allowing it to rest on the bottom, with about four feet of hose remaining on the deck.
Step 5
Observe the way the assembly sits on the pool bottom. The entire foot pad should be resting flat on the bottom with the assembly rising from it at about a 45-degree angle. You can adjust the buoyancy ring either up or down on the hose section to get the vacuum assembly oriented properly.
Step 6
Attach as many hose sections as required so that the vacuum comfortably reaches from the pool's skimmer to the most distant point of the pool bottom so that the patriot's random pattern vacuuming can cover the entire bottom surface.
Step 7
Feed the hose sections into the water as you attach them so all the air is forced out of the hose as you go. This will prevent losing the pool pump's prime when you attach it to the skimmer.
Step 8
Make sure the pool pump is running, and feed the end of the hose through the skimmer into the skimmer well. Remove the skimmer basket and push the end of the hose down into the suction pipe in the skimmer bottom to form a tight fit. The Patriot should begin working immediately.
Step 9
Notice that the Patriot runs backward across and around the pool. Though it surprises some people, this is the way all foot pad suction side pool vacuums work. You may notice a clicking sound, also. This is the single moving part in the vacuum assembly, called the rocker arm, which propels the vacuum head across the pool floor in a random pattern. This random pattern eventually covers the entire pool floor, and the vacuum will operate all the time the pool pump is running.
Step 10
Observe the Patriot as it travels across the pool. Be sure the foot pad remains flat on the floor as it cleans. You may need to make minor adjustments in the location of the buoyancy ring to set it at the right angle. Generally, the only maintenance you need to perform regularly is to periodically check and empty the pool pump basket to clean out the debris the Patriot picks up during its cleaning cycle.
Tip
To keep solid debris from reaching the pump basket, you can add a leaf catching canister between two hose sections. This clear plastic canister lets you see the accumulation of debris so you can clean it out without opening the pump.
Add a protective plastic sleeve over the last section of hose where it enters the skimmer to prevent wear on the hose as it rubs against the skimmer housing.
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