Polaris 9550 Sport Review: Is It a Proficient Pool Cleaner?

Is the Polaris 9550 Sport with its four-wheel drive, remote control and caddy worth the large investment of money? The Polaris 9550 4WD Sport is one of the best Polaris robotic pool cleaners on the market, so it might just be worth it. The Polaris 9550 Sport comes with a few accessories: a caddy, programmable control unit and a motion sensing remote control is included with the pool cleaner. My Polaris 9550 Sport review considers its parts, caddy, remote control and control unit. I discuss how to start and stop the pool cleaner. I also compare the Polaris 9550 to the 9450.

Parts Included In The Package

The following things should be included in the box:

  • Polaris 9550 Sport robotic pool cleaner
  • control unit
  • remote control
  • caddy components

How To Construct The Caddy

The caddy needs to be assembled from its various components. Here is how to assemble the caddy.

First thing is to remove the nut found on the base unit so that you can insert the tube of the metal handle frame into the base. Keep pushing and turning the base until the handle frame is in the right position. Slide the nut over the handle’s tube and tighten it back in its original position. Secure the handle on the bottom of the base with the included support blocks.

The next part of the assembly process involves using the axle/hubcaps, wheels and wheel locking clips to attach the caddy’s wheels. Once the wheels are on, you may add the caddy handle at the top of the handle frame tube. Snap the cleaner hook and the remote control holder in place, and you are done with the caddy!

Well, maybe not quite done. You should add the control unit to complete the look. The control unit locks into position in front of the caddy handle.

Constructing the caddy is not difficult. The instructions and images in the Polaris 9550 manual are easy to follow.

Providing The Control Unit With Power

You should take notice of a few precautions concerning the Polaris 9550 Sport and power connections. It is a robotic pool cleaner, so it runs on electricity.

The control unit should not be closer to the pool than five feet. It has a 6-foot power cable which has to be inserted into a GFCI outlet. The control unit needs a supply voltage of 100-125VAC at 60 Hz.

If you do not have a GFCI outlet within 30 feet of your swimming pool, then you might have to call an electrician to install it. Do not plug the control unit power cable into an extension cord: doing so will void the warranty.

Be aware that the control unit is water-resistant, but not waterproof. Therefore, be careful to store it in a dry place after use so that it does not get wet during a rainstorm.

Putting The Polaris 9550 Into The Pool

The Polaris 9550 has a floating power cable which is 70 feet long. Connect the floating cable to the control unit according to the directions found in the manual.

Please note that the floating cable does not have an anti-tangle swivel device, so do not put more cable into the pool than necessary. The floating cable will tangle up more easily if you add it all into the pool. You should take the time to untangle the floating cable after you remove the pool cleaner from the pool, and before you store it on the caddy.

Once the connections are safe and secure, put the pool cleaner into the inground swimming pool. Grab the cleaner by its handle and submerge it vertically until it sinks to the pool bottom.

How To Start The Polaris 9550 Sport

You can start the robotic pool cleaner when it is submerged in the inground swimming pool. You can change its behavior with the buttons on the control box.

The Polaris 9550 Sport has three options for cleaning pool surfaces: bottom only, bottom and sides, or waterline only.

You can also set the intensity of the cleaning: choose either intensive or high intensity.

The next step is to select the desired pool shape: rectangular or free form.

Satisfied with your selections? Press the start button (in the center of the control box) and the robotic pool cleaner will start its cleaning cycle. You can see the time remaining until the cycle is finished on the display.

The control unit allows you to program a maximum of seven cleaning cycles, edit the cycle duration and change the clock day/time. I will not discuss it here, since the manual already explains it in detail.

How To Use The Remote Control

The Polaris 9550 Sport includes a remote control unit. It has only two buttons: on/off and a lift system activation button.

Where are the direction buttons? There are no direction buttons: instead, the remote control uses motion sensing. When the remote control is turned on and the pool cleaner is being remotely controlled, you point the controller at the pool cleaner and then move it left, right, backward or forward. These hand motions tell the robotic pool cleaner where to go. It is quite an unusual control method.

Stopping And Storing The Polaris 9550 Sport

The robotic pool cleaner can be stopped with the start/stop button, or you can use the lift system button. The lift system is a unique button we have not encountered before on any other robotic pool cleaner.

The robotic pool cleaner will rotate to the left if you press and hold the lift system button. Rotate it until it points in your direction, then press and release the lift button to tell the cleaner to climb up the wall to the waterline, so you can grab it by its handle. What a polite pool cleaner!

Always store the pool cleaner on the caddy when not in use. Remember to clean the filter canister every time you take it out of the pool.

Polaris 9550 vs. 9450

These two Polaris robotic pool cleaners are very similar, but there are a few small but significant differences.

The 9550 and the 9450 have the following features in common: includes the premium caddy, filter canister, lift system, 4-wheel drive. Both these pool robots can be programmed for a week in advance.

However, the Polaris 9450 does not have a remote control. Its control box also does not have a dirty canister indicator.

Another difference is noticed with the cleaning mode options: the 9450 does not have a waterline cleaning mode.

The Polaris 9550 has a longer floating cable: 70 feet. The 9450 has a slightly shorter 60-foot floating cable.

The Polaris 9550 is the more expensive model, yet it is better than the 9350 and 9450 models.

Is it acceptable for above ground pools?

The Polaris 9550 Sport is not made for cleaning an above ground pool. It is made for cleaning the bottom, sides and waterline of a permanently installed inground residential swimming pool.

Is the Polaris 9550 warranty still valid if bought online?

It seems that the 2-year limited manufacturer’s warranty is valid if it is bought brand new at an online shop. However, as with most products, the warranty service might sometimes be satisfying, and sometimes it might be frustrating.

Conclusion

The Polaris 9550 has the longest floating power cable that I have encountered on a pool robot. This is great if you have a large inground swimming pool. The only drawback is that the cable tends to tangle itself because it does not have a swivel device. You need to untangle the cable by hand before storing it.

This brings us to the seven-day programming option. If the floating cable tangles up on day two, then the robot will not clean properly on any of the other days. So, do not assume that the 7-day programming feature makes it a set-and-forget pool cleaner. It still needs daily supervision.

The top loading filter canister is large and holds a lot of debris. It is easily accessible and easier to clean when compared to a filter bag system.

There is, sadly, no such thing as a perfect robotic pool cleaner. The Polaris 9550 Sport certainly has most of the features and performance to make it a proficient pool cleaner. However, the floating cable could do with a swivel device. Click here to learn more about it on Amazon.

P.S. If this Polaris robotic pool cleaner seems too expensive for you, then you might consider getting a Polaris Vac-Sweep pressure-side pool cleaner for your inground swimming pool.