You took it out of the box. It had parts. Tubes. Wheels. Maybe a hose that looked way too long. You skimmed the manual for about six seconds before muttering, “I got this.”
But now it’s stuck in the corner of the pool, not moving, and your first instinct is to declare it defective.
Let’s be real. The vacuum isn’t the problem. You are.
You didn’t prime the hose
If your vacuum runs on suction, that hose needs to be filled with water. Otherwise, you’re just feeding your pump a whole lot of air. Air does not create suction. Water does.
Grab the hose. Submerge it fully, end to end. No bubbles. That’s how you know it’s ready. If you skip this step and your vacuum floats around like it’s confused, that’s on you.
You didn’t connect it to the right port
Some vacuums plug directly into the skimmer. Others need a dedicated suction port. If your pump sounds like it’s choking, or if the vacuum barely twitches, you probably hooked it up wrong.
Check your setup. Then check it again.
Your filter is too dirty to help
A clogged filter reduces suction. A dirty pump basket reduces flow. Combine the two and you’ve got a vacuum with all the power of a tired goldfish.
Before blaming the vacuum, clean your filter. Empty the pump basket. Then try again.
You expected it to be perfect
Even high-end vacuums need occasional nudging. If it stalls under a ladder or gets hung up on a main drain, don’t panic. It’s not a robot from space. It’s a pool vacuum.
Still unsure? This Reddit thread on troubleshooting suction vacuums has solid user experience and advice.
You can also browse our equipment and parts blog section for more pool-owner-friendly guides.
