Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

How to use a cordless pool vacuum

Updated: 21.10.2026

The first pass with a cordless pool vacuum pushes sand around instead of picking it up. The head is in air, the fine bag is off, or you are moving too fast. This page is the method for a stick or pole in the [pool cleaner comparison](/hub/pool-care/pool-cleaner): charge it dry, fit the finer filter, and keep the outlet under water. Which model to buy is on the [best cordless pool vacuum](/hub/pool-care/pool-cleaner/sub/pool-cleaner-best) page. Spa depth is on the [cordless hot tub vacuum](/hub/pool-care/pool-cleaner/sub/pool-cleaner-hot-tub) page. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The first pass with a cordless pool vacuum pushes sand around instead of picking it up. The head is in air, the fine bag is off, or you are moving too fast.

Our top picks

VIVOHOME VIVOHOME VH1715 blue

Best overall

VIVOHOME VIVOHOME VH1715 blue
8.2/10about £79.83
View offer
PoolyPoly PoolyPoly 1818

Best value

PoolyPoly PoolyPoly 1818
8.0/10about £59.99
View offer
PoolyPoly PoolyPoly 1822

Alternative

PoolyPoly PoolyPoly 1822
7.4/10about £56.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Charge it dry, then assemble
  2. 2.Fit the finer bag before you argue with the motor
  3. 3.Keep the outlet under water
  4. 4.Move slowly and lift it the right way up
  5. 5.When to stop and send it back

Charge it dry, then assemble

Charge indoors, with the port dry, before you judge the motor. The blue VIVOHOME listing says to dry the charging port first. A two-pin charger needs a conversion plug with a BS 1362 fuse. VIVOHOME and the PoolyPoly 1818 say about 1.5 hours on charge for about 60 minutes of use. The 1814 and 1822 say about two hours for about 1.5 hours. Do not copy another brand's multi-hour nickel charge onto these packs, and do not switch on in the air.

Fit the finer bag before you argue with the motor

Sand needs the finer filter. VIVOHOME supplies three 180-mesh bags and one 300-mesh bag, and UK reviews name the 300-mesh for sand. A coarse bag can leave the motor healthy and the pool worse. On the 1818, fine dirt falls back unless the sleeve is over the gauze. Fit it before the first pass. Hydro Haus uses a 200 micron stainless cup. Empty it before it is packed. If you also own the FAMINESS hose jet, keep that hose out of the pool. WaterSafe's warning applies to the hose, not to the cordless head.
VIVOHOME VIVOHOME VH1715 blue

Testsieger

VIVOHOME VIVOHOME VH1715 blue
8.2/10about £79.83
View offer

Keep the outlet under water

PoolyPoly 1814 and 1822 state 30 cm and tell you to submerge the outlet. The sensor starts under water and stops when you lift the head. Hydro Haus states no minimum. One UK review needed about 40 cm and failed in a shallower feature. Treat 40 cm as that buyer's result, not a printed spec. The top step stays dirty because the tread is in air or under a film of water. Brush it by hand. POOLPURE machines are flat-floor only, which is the point of the robot or handheld page. VIVOHOME is not for saltwater pools. A full battery is not permission to try salt water.

Move slowly and lift it the right way up

A fast pass lifts silt and the bag never sees it. Overlap each line and pause on a cloud. On a VIVOHOME that often means the 180-mesh bag is fitted or the head has broken the surface. On an 1818 it often means the sleeve is off. Try the fine filter before you blame the motor. Lift with the opening upwards. Tip the pole as it leaves the water and you dump the sand back. Empty into a bucket on the deck, switched off, and do not rinse the bag in the pool. On a large pool, plan a second charge instead of racing.

When to stop and send it back

Stop when the charge is full, the port was dry, the fine filter is on, the head is under the stated depth, and there is still no suction. Do not open the battery. Section 22 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 is the 30-day right to reject faulty goods. A hot shutdown after one slow submerged pass, a dead charger, or a wheel off in the first weeks is a return. One shallow pass can trip a sensor because the outlet broke the surface. Repeat once, properly under. If it cuts out again, stop. Do not bypass the sensor. Altering an outdoor tap for a hose vacuum is a plumber's job.

Common questions

Do you switch it on before it is under water?
No. The head or outlet has to be submerged. PoolyPoly's sensor starts in the water and stops when you lift it. Running in air does not show whether the bag will hold sand.
Which bag is for sand?
The VIVOHOME 300-mesh bag, not the three 180-mesh bags. On the 1818, the sleeve over the gauze. Hydro Haus states a 200 micron cup. A coarse bag moves silt and drops it again.
Why does the top step stay dirty?
The water there is too shallow, or the tread is in air. PoolyPoly states 30 cm. One Hydro Haus buyer needed about 40 cm. Brush that step. A flat-floor robot will not clean it either.
How do you lift it out without dumping the dirt?
Keep the opening facing up and empty into a bucket on the deck. Tipping the pole pours the bag back into the pool. Switch off before you open the cup, and rinse the mesh on the garden.
How long should the first charge be?
VIVOHOME and the 1818 say about 1.5 hours for about 60 minutes of use. The 1814 and 1822 say about two hours for about 1.5 hours. Dry the VIVOHOME port first. Do not use another brand's long nickel charge.
What if it gets hot and stops?
Check the head stayed under water and the fine bag was fitted. If it still shuts down on a slow submerged pass, use the 30-day right to reject. Do not keep restarting a hot pack.
When is the fault a return, not a technique?
When a full charge, a dry port, the fine filter and real immersion still give no suction, or the charger is dead, or a part has snapped. The sleeve left off, the head in the air, or a rush that blooms silt is technique, and a second careful pass will show the difference.

Related pages

Pool cleaner buying guide

Pool cleaner

Best cordless pool vacuum: who it suits, who to skip

Cordless hot tub vacuum: depth, reach, which stick

Robot pool cleaner vs handheld: flat floor or pole

Sources

Public UK sources for plugs, backflow, CE marking and the 30-day right to reject, taken from the research digest. Listing prices, stars and review counts are from amazon.co.uk on 19 October 2026.

  1. Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, regulation 35 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. GOV.UK — Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, Great Britain (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. GOV.UK — Product regulations and UKCA and CE marking (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. WaterSafe — Hosepipe backflow (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 22 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. ABB — Applying IP ratings, including IPX8 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. amazon.co.uk listings for the nine pool cleaners in this comparison (retrieved 19 October 2026)