How Kreepy Krauly’s Vortex harnesses the energy of water

In one of the most famous moments in movie history a tornado sucks up the family home of Kansas farm girl Dorothy (Judy Garland) and sends it spinning off to the Land of Oz. While The Wizard of Oz is a Technicolor fantasy the American Mid-West is routinely ripped apart by tornadoes, with objects many times heavier than Dorothy’s house (planes, trains, automobiles) tossed around like toothpicks.

The reason why a tornado can move massive objects is that the whirling mass of air at its heart – or the vortex – creates an incredibly powerful suction. You won’t find a truck or a tractor at the bottom of a backyard pool. However, Kreepy Krauly’s research and development team has looked to the sucking power of the tornado for inspiration in the never-ending quest to improve our range of pool cleaners.

Harnessing the energy of water

As Kreepy Krauly moves along the bottom of a pool it draws in water to create the vortex, which in turn sucks in and suspends heavy particles such as sand as well as other debris. The rubbish is then siphoned off along the ultra-flex hose into the pool filtering system, with the excess vacuum used to skim the surface and pick up anything that’s been missed. The vortex created by all our cleaners is so powerful that Kreepy Krauly is able to suck up and siphon off almost anything the average garden can throw at it, from large leaves and long grass through to nuts and rocks.

The power of the pump

The big advantage of Kreepy Krauly’s state-of-the-art engineering over conventional vacuum cleaners is that it takes the water directly to the pool’s filtration and sanitising system. This means that Kreepy Krauly both removes sand and debris from the pool as well as drawing water from the bottom and sends it through the filter. The water is then distributed back into the top of the pool. This constant circulation prevents algae build-up as well as giving the pool a crystalline appearance.

Tapering the tornado for your needs

The principle of using the vortex to create a powerful suction is applicable to every pool. However, when dip below the surface and consider the setting of the pool we find as many difference as there are pool owners. Some pools have fancy stairs, curving walls and elaborate design features, which would prove a challenge to any pool cleaner; while others sit so close to trees and bushes the slightest wind will send down a shower of leaves and other refuse.

So before you buy a Kreepy Krauly it’s worth watching out Vortex video here to understand the importance of creating a powerful suction. You could also use our pool cleaner selector tool. Simply tell us the shape, the profile, the material of your pool and the leaf load required and we’ll tell you which Kreepy Krauly would be the best fit for your situation.