Sta-Rite GW8000 Installation Manual

’LIL SHARK

Automatic Pool Cleaner

TM

Installation

User’s Guide

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

READ AND FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

and

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Phone: [phone]

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Phone: [phone] / Fax: [phone] [Sanford, North Carolina]

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© 201 Pentair Water Pool and Spa, Inc. All rights reserved.

This document is subject to change without notice.

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and/or its affiliated companies in the United States and/or other countRies. Unless noted, names and brands of others that may be used in this document are not

used to indicate an affiliation or endorsement between the proprietors of these names and brands and Pentair Water Pool and Spa, Inc. Those names and brands may
be the trademarks or registered trademarks of those parties or others.

PN467 Rev. ( //1)

About your Pool and Filter System

Pre-Installation Check List:

•

Before installing the cleaner

in a vinyl liner
pool, check liner closely for signs of deteriora-
tion or damage from age, chemicals, pool wall
damage, etc. If any damage is found, have a
qualified pool professional make all necessary
repairs.

Also,

• If there are any stones, roots, etc., under the
liner, remove them

before

installing the cleaner.

Safety Instructions

This is the safety alert symbol. When you see

this symbol on your system or in this manual,
look for one of the following signal words and be
alert to the potential for personal injury.

warns about hazards that
death, serious personal injury, or major property
damage if ignored.

warns about hazards that
death, serious personal injury, or major property
damage if ignored.

warns about hazards that
cause minor personal injury or property damage if
ignored.

Carefully read and follow all safety instructions in
this manual and on equipment. Keep safety labels in
good condition; replace if missing or damaged.

will

can

will

cause

cause

or

can

• Before you install the cleaner, make sure you
have cleaned the filter (including backwashing)
and emptied all baskets.

• Always make sure hose and cleaner are full of
water

before

starting pump. Running pump

dry may cause overheating and damage pump.

• The cleaner is designed to maintain a clean
pool. It was not designed for initial cleanup
when opening pool for the season.

Hazardous suction.
Can trap and tear

hair or body parts.
Can cause drowning.

Do not play with cleaner
or hose or apply to body.

Do not let children use or
play with pool cleaner.

Stop pump before
attempting to clean unit.

Oscillator may
injure hands or fingers. Stop
pump

before attempting to

clean out pool cleaner head.

Hose can trip or

entangle swimmers.

1058 0594

Do not allow swimmers in pool
while pool cleaner is operating.

About Maintenance and Care

Hazardous suction. Stop pump before

attempting to clean pool cleaner.

• Keep skimmer basket and pump strainer basket
clean and free of debris.

• If cleaner jams with large debris (leaves, sticks, etc.),
try cleaning debris first from bottom of unit. If this
doesn’t clear unit, remove top swivel assembly
(turn 1/4 turn) and clear the debris from the top.

• Remove the pool cleaner from the pool before super
chlorinating (shocking) or chemical balancing. Wait
at least four hours after the chemical procedure
before reinstalling the cleaner.

• Make sure that the cleaner’s brush bristles don’t
become deformed during storage. Store the unit so
that it doesn’t sit on the bristles and so that nothing
compresses them.

• If possible, do not coil the hose. Store it flat and
straight.

• If necessary to remove oscillator, see "Oscillator
Removal", Page 8.

3

More About the Cleaner and Accessories:

20'

Swivel Assembly:

• Insert assembly into cleaner body and
turn 1/4 turn clockwise.

• If you attach a unidapt handle to the
swivel for manual vacuuming, be sure
it is a special, floating unidapt handle
(order No. GW9019; purchase locally).
Use of a different unidapt handle will
hinder the cleaner’s performance.

Hose:

• The unit includes a 20’ hose, an 8’ hose,

4'

8'

and a 4’ hose which will provide excel-
lent coverage in pools up to 27’.

• For pools larger than 27’, add an 8’
extension hose. (Order No. GW9511;
purchase locally).

• For pools smaller than 24’, try the three
hoses together. If 32’ is too much hose,
remove the 8’ section and use only 24’
of hose.

• The hose was designed specifically
for the cleaner. Use of a different type
of hose will reduce the cleaner’s
performance.

Automatic
Vacuum Regulator:

Hazardous suction. Can
trap or tear hair or body parts. Install
vacuum regulator on all high-vacuum
system

• Every system requires a vacuum

• Regulator provides vacuum relief in

• Black rubber diaphragm must

s.

regulator for safe operation.

case cleaner suction is blocked.

always be submerged. If it sucks air,
the pump will lose prime, which
could damage the pump.

Flow Director:

• Install the flow director only if your

existing inlet fitting in pool does no
give the desired results.

• For best cleaning action, angle the

flow down 45° in a fan out from pool
side (see illustration below).

Reducer Cone:

• Adapts hose to some skimmers.

• Keeps hose in place in skimmer when
pump stops.

Brush Adjustment

NOTICE:

bottom, temperature, etc., will
all affect cleaner operation.
Use these general guidelines
to adjust your cleaner for best
performance.

Cleaner is factory set at No. 1.

Bristle wear, pool

4

4

0

3

3

0

1

2

2

1

4

4

0

3

3

0

1

2

2

1

4

4

0

3

3

0

1

2

2

1

Tig ht Circ les

Tight Circles

Clo ckwise

Clockwise

Mod erate C ircles

Moderate Circles

Clockwise

Clo ckwise

4

Straight Ahead

Str aight A head

Travel

Tra vel

Installation

922 0594

924 0594

Vacuum
Regulator

Swivel
Assembly

Reducer
Cone

Hose

Swivel
Assembly

Long Hose Cuff

STEP 1:
Straighten Hose

Remove hose from box and lay it
out in the sun to straighten.

STEP 3:
Clean System

A. While the hose is

relaxing, clean and
backwash your filter
system, skimmer and
pump baskets.

B. Close Main Drain if

your pool has one.

C. Start Pump.

STEP 2:
Check Parts

Make sure you have
all parts to pool
cleaner.

STEP 4:
Assemble Cleaner

A. Insert swivel assembly into

cleaner body and twist 1/4

turn clockwise to lock.
B. Set brush adjuster to ‘0’.
C. Slide long hose cuff

over swivel assembly

to install hose.

STEP 5:
Submerge Cleaner

A. Start pump.
B. Turn cleaner upside down,

submerge, and feed hose down
side of pool wall to fill hose
with water.

5

Installation

Water
Level

Skimmer

931 0594

Vacuum
Regulator

Reducer
Cone

933 0594

Water
Level

Skimmer

Vacuum
Regulator

Reducer

Cone
Skimmer
Suction
Port

Lid in
Vacuum
Position

STEP 6:
Connect Hose

With filter system
running, connect hose to
skimmer or to suction port.
See below for various
connections.

Follow drawing that most closely resembles your skimmer installation.

Hose Connections

Elbow
(User
Supplied)

STEP 7:
Extend Hose

Water
Level

For best results:
With cleaner running and

submerged, pull hose to
opposite end of pool and release.

CBA

Final Checks (while cleaner is operating):

For Safety:

For Best Results:

A.No ladders.
B. No toys.
C. No floating chlorinators.
D.Close main drain if your pool has one.

No Bathers!

Reducer
Cone

Skimmer

Vacuum
Regulator

6

Troubleshooting

Situation Solution

Cleaner moves slowly or not at all.

Cleans only perimeter of pool.

Cleaner hovers in one area
with hose fully extended.

Cleaner turns in clockwise circles
only and only covers one section of pool.

Oscillator runs too fast.

• Backwash and clean filter. Empty all baskets.

• Clear debris from oscillator or hose.

• If hoses from skimmer to filter and back to pool are less than
"

1-1/2

• Pump in filtration system may be too small. Consult pool

professional.

• If your pool has a main drain (floor drain), close it during

cleaner operation.

• Make sure vacuum regulator is installed.

• Set brush ring adjuster to a higher number.

• Hose is too short. It should be approximately 5-8’ longer than

the full length of the pool. Buy an extension hose from your
dealer to give adequate length.

• Set brush ring adjuster to a lower number.

• Make sure vacuum regulator is installed.

(the regulator marked “50” will slow it the most).

• If your system has a return valve, gradually close it until

oscillator runs at the desired speed.

diameter, replace with 1-1/2"hoses.

Hose keeps coiling up.

Pool not completely clean in four hours.

Cleaner flips on its side when
pump stops.

Hose comes loose when pump stops.

Cleaner sticks to pool bottom or
pool main drain.

• For best results, when hose is not in use, store it flat and straight.

• Lay hose out in the sun (flat and straight) for a few hours.

• Hose is too long; remove 8’ section

• Any cleaner may miss a spot. Spot clean pool by attaching a

vac-pole (telepole) to cleaner and steering it (see Page 6).

• Try different brush ring adjuster settings (0-4) until the cleaner

gives the desired results.

• The cleaner was not designed to work under all solar covers.

• Strong winds may interfere with complete cleaner coverage.

• This is normal if filter system develops a backpressure surge

when the pump stops. The cleaner will right itself when system
is restarted.

• Use reducer cone in skimmer.

• Install diaphragm marked “50” in vacuum regulator.

• Check inner brush ring for excessive wear.

.

If you have any questions, please call 1-800-

7

831-7133

Repair Parts – Model GW8000

2

3

4

4

5

5

6

7

1

Optional Accessories

Vacpole

Unidapt

Unidapt
Handle

Handle
No. GW9019

No. AT5119

Key

No. Part Description Qty. Part No.

1 Swivel Assembly 1 GW9012
2 Pool Cleaner Body (with Bristles) 1
3 Ring Adjuster 1 41100-0026
4 Oscillator Impact Bumper (Pkg of 2) 1 41100-0027
5 Oscillator Seals (Pkg of 2) 1 GW9004
6 Oscillator Kit (Includes Seals) 1 GW9003
7 Axle Shaft 1 GW9002

• Flow Director 1 GW9014
Replacement Host Kit

•
(1 each 20', 8' and 4' Hose)

• Vacuum Regulator 1 GW9018

• Reducer Cone 1 GW9015

• Unidapt Handle 1 GW9019

• Not Shown.
* If body fails, order GW8000.

1 GW9510

*

Oscillator Removal

To remove Oscillator from cleaner, tip cleaner on to its side, support side of housing, and tap axle
shaft out of body.

Oscillator will now slide out of cleaner body. Oscillator impact bumpers can be pried out of slots in
cleaner body (they slide towards bottom of cleaner).

To replace, reverse procedure.

8