Features and FAQs
Features
Our design goals for the Leafinator™ were specific and based on our past experiences. We wanted a robust design without moving parts that can wear out or break. We wanted it to be easily and completely removable without getting wet. This was solved with a weighted deck anchor and a water supply that is quickly and easily disconnected. Frustration with difficult-to-use and undersized collection bags was solved with a very large bag, "stay-dry" handle, and removable duct. Too many devices are temperamental and in need of constant adjustment. We addressed this by making the assembly of the Jets and Baffle buoyant, thus self-adjusting to varying water levels. Finally, we wanted superior quality. This dictated assembly in the USA using American Made components.
Installation
Installing any new device can make anyone a little nervous, especially one that involves some parts that may not be familiar such as Tees and Ball Valves. We are aware of this and have developed a richly illustrated installation manual that gives easy to follow step by step instructions.
Operation
The operation of your Leafinator™ may actually be too easy!
- Remember to empty the bag on a regular basis! The large capacity of the bag may tempt you to wait until it is full. Keep in mind that leaves and other materials continue to decay as long as they remain in the water. This increases the need for more chemicals and decreases the quality of the pool water. It is so clean and easy to empty that you will not mind doing it on a regular basis.
- Remember to empty the built in skimmer. The Leafinator™ will not catch 100% of the leaves and trash. A small amount will get into the skimmer and needs to be emptied occassionally.
Questions?
The fact that you have read this far tells us that you (1) have a serious leaf problem you want to solve, and (2) are skeptical or have other questions about particular issues or special situations. We have information on availability, multiple skimmers, long distances, existing pool inlets, existing taps, new installations, and working with other pool cleaners. If you have any other questions please contact us.
Features
Made in the USA
All components are made in the USA. Final assembly is in Lubbock, Texas. We feel strongly about keeping our manufacturing jobs here in the US and although we might be able to offer the product at a slightly lower price if it were manufactured overseas, we wanted local control over the quality of the product you receive from us. Environmental laws are not as strict in some overseas locations, but as we all know, pollution travels across the world and knows no boundaries. (back to top)
Completely Removable
The entire device is quickly and easily removable for seasonal storage or for parties. Nothing is permanently mounted to the deck or the pool wall. All the components can be removed in a long sleeve shirt without getting the cuffs wet. This is a nice feature during the fall and spring when the water temperatures might be quite cold. (back to top)
Deck Anchor
The deck anchor is made of high-impact ABS plastic and serves two main purposes: It holds the collection bag in place (against wind, water currents, and waves), and it fixes the floating jets in the right location in front of the skimmer. Filling it with sand eliminates the need for glue, screws, or clamps to function properly. (back to top)
Large Capacity Bag
The polyethylene (doesn't rot or fade) mesh bag holds over 10 gallons - about the size of a tall kitchen wastebasket. Compare this to a typical skimmer basket capacity of less than a gallon and you can see how this relatively huge capacity can help keep the skimmer working freely during times of heavy leaf/bud/flower fall.
"Stay-Dry" Bag Handle
The bag handle is powder-coated stainless steel. Stainless steel doesn't rust. The white powder-coating just looks better. We designed the bag to stay attached to the handle. The handle has to be strong enough to pull out 10+ gallons of wet leaves, which meant steel - not plastic. We used stainless steel because we didn't want the handle to rust under the coating like an old dishwasher rack.
Making the bag and handle a complete unit keeps the mouth of the bag open for easier emptying, and eliminates troublesome clips, drawstrings, Velcro, or other methods we have struggled with on other devices. We call it a "stay-dry" bag handle because you don't get wet emptying the collection bag. To empty the bag you pick up the handle from the locating slots on the deck anchor and pull the collection bag out of the pool. You don't have reach into cold water or try to remove a bag while it is underwater. Removing the bag while it is still attached to the handle also keeps all of the leaves and trash in the bag instead of having some of them spill back into the pool.
The handle also acts as a spring clip for the venturi duct. To release the venturi duct, just pinch the bag handle where indicated, lift the venturi duct out, empty the bag, then snap the duct back into place. If you can't remove, empty, and replace the bag within thirty seconds, either you aren't really trying or you are doing something wrong. Even when the bag isn't in place, the jets are keeping most of the leaves and trash out of the skimmer basket. You don't need to shut off the pool equipment or the Leafinator™ to empty the bag. (back to top)
Venturi Duct
The venturi duct is made of high-impact ABS plastic. The venturi shape makes the water accelerate through the back of the duct and is an integral part of the design. In a nutshell, it draws more water through it than what the water jets shoot through it by themselves. While the jets are designed to operate with about five gallons per minute flowing through them, the water flowing through the venturi duct is much more than that. In addition, it acts like a barrier that keeps the leaves and trash from coming out the front of the bag if/when the pump is cycled off. It has two integral floats on the sides that keep the handle/bag/venturi assembly floating at the proper depth in the pool. The "easy on, easy off" feature makes the emptying process extremely simple. (back to top)
Jets/Baffle
The jets/baffle assembly is made of high-impact ABS plastic. This assembly is what provides the water flow necessary to push the leaves and trash into the collection bag. The jets/baffle assembly floats to keep the jets at the surface of the water regardless of pool water level. A vertical post on the jet/baffle going through a hole in the deck anchor allows it to slide up and down while keeping it in place in front of the skimmer.
The jets have been carefully shaped inside and out so that the water flows smoothly (laminar flow). This moves the maximum amount of water through the venturi duct using the smallest amount of water from the supply line. The outside of the jets are shaped to move the water (along with leaves and trash) in a smooth fashion toward the jet nozzle. The jet nozzles are oval so that the nozzles remain partially submerged when the water level changes slightly (but not enough to cause it to float or sink because of static friction). The flaps (or wings) between the nozzles and the skimmer opening keeps debris from getting under the jets and into the skimmer. They also make sure the debris is out far enough to get the full force of the water jets.
We have been asked why we don't use larger nozzles for more flow or smaller nozzles for higher velocity (speed) and the answer is that this design is a balancing act. Some things are not intuitive or obvious. Our design is the result of many, many experiments in a real pool. We don't use higher flow rates because we still want the skimmer to be sucking in more water than is coming out the jets. If we put as much (or more) water through the jets as goes into the skimmer, the skimmer won't be drawing leaves and trash from the rest of the pool. If we use smaller nozzles, the stream slows down too much before it gets through the venturi duct to be effective. It just doesn't have the power. It is like shooting a BB gun into water - it might be going real fast right out of the barrel, but it slows down real fast in the water.
The baffle has several functions. It ensures that surface water going into the skimmer passes in front of the jets, it uses buoyancy and weight to keep the jets at water level, and it acts like a ramp for debris floating along the pool wall (both beside and below). It slides against the pool wall as the water level rises and falls. (back to top)
Water Supply
The water is supplied to the Leafinator™ by tapping into the return line right after it comes out of the filter. We supply all of the fittings, valves, adapters, and connectors necessary to make this tap. Snap-on fittings for both 1-1/2" and 2" pipe to make the installation as quick and easy as possible. This is further explained in the Installation section. After the tap we have a full-port ball valve (maximum flow) followed by a check valve. The ball valve is used to shut off the flow when you don't want the Leafinator™ in the pool. The ball valve is also used to throttle back the flow if there is too much. The check valve is used to keep air from entering the system when the main pump cycles off. Without the check valve in place the system would drain down and the pump would lose its prime. This check valve keeps everything operating normally and automatically when the pump is cycled on and off. A garden hose is used like an extension cord to get the water from the supply assembly to the Leafinator™. (back to top)
Installation
Brief Word of Encouragement
Installation is well within the skillset of a home handyman (or a handy neighbor)
Click here to download the installation manual
More Information / Frequently Asked Questions
Availabile Now
Multiple Skimmer Installations
For installations that have more than one skimmer, we suggest first trying one on the skimmer that has seen the most problems (usually the one closest to the pump or the one downwind). One might be effective enough, and adding another is as simple as using a garden hose Y-splitter at the closer Leafinator™ and running additional hose to the second Leafinator™. In this case we suggest using the larger 3/4" garden hose (instead of the smaller 5/8" garden hose) for the run from the Water Supply assembly to the first skimmer location. (back to top)
Long Distances
If more than 100 feet of garden hose needs to be used to connect the Leafinator™ to the Water Supply assembly, we suggest that you use the larger 3/4" garden hose instead of the smaller 5/8" garden hose. (back to top)
Why Isn't It Connected To Existing Pool Inlets?
This question has been asked several times, probably because some other pool cleaners have used this connection (with varying levels of success). There are several issues that come up with trying to supply the Leafinator™ with water from water inlets in the pool. The first one is that most single inlet pools will have the inlet either across the pool (or a long ways away) from the skimmer. Since the Leafinator™ needs to be placed in front of the skimmer (for maximum effectiveness), that would mean running a long hose IN the pool. This would be potentially dangerous (entanglement) as well as making installing and removing the Leafinator™ a very wet (and cold) experience. In multiple inlet pools (even ones with an inlet near the skimmer) the problem of a wet installation still exists, as well as trying to get the inlet flows balanced (maybe by plugging some inlets) so that the Leafinator™ is getting enough (but not too much) water flow. Some pools have inlets on the bottom of the pool (Caretaker systems, etc.) and the installation would require SCUBA gear to get in place. In any case, all of the inlets would be after the diversion valves and other things that would cause a lower pressure to reach the Leafinator™. (back to top)
Can I use an existing tap instead of installing the Snap-on Tee?
If it is after the filter, is 3/4" or larger, and before the diversion valves and heater (typical of pressure side cleaners) the tap can probably be used. We suggest installing the supply assembly (ball and check valves, hose adapter) and checking to make sure the tap is supplying at least 5 gallons per minute out of the end of the hose. (back to top)
Can it be plumbed into a new installation?
Yes, underground piping can be installed so that a garden hose does not need to be used. A few things to keep in mind for plumbing is that if the ball valve is shut, no water is flowing so the line must be buried below the frost line (dead legs can freeze). Faucet (globe, sillcock, etc.) type valves restrict the flow quite a bit (about a fifth to a seventh of the flow for the same drop in pressure) so we suggest using the 3/4" full port ball valve. Please contact us for these types of installations so we may provide more information and a longer Flexible Connecting Hose. (back to top)
Does it work with other pool cleaners?
That's a tough question. We know that it works extremely well in pools with the Caretaker(TM) system installed (it catches sunken debris when it gets blown up the wall in front of the skimmer). If you do have problems with hoses and extension cords getting caught by the bag and handle assembly, the easiest solution is to remove the bag from the pool while the other cleaner is being used. (back to top)