Caretaker Threaded Infloor Pop Up Cleaning Head - Overview

Jun 16, 2022

Hello there! We're back today with another wonderful blog overview. Periodically we like to inform our customers of the newest updates in the swimming pool industry. Whether it be a simple "who's who" or maybe even a recent update to equipment. This week we will be discussing the Caretaker Threaded Infloor Pop Up Cleaning Heads. Let's dive in!

First we'd like to talk about how an Infloor System works. There are many different versions of in floor cleaning systems out there however, the principal operation for each manufacturer is roughly the same. As with any pool, the water is circulated through a system of suction lines, run through a filter, and returned back into the pool through various pool jets and water features. This is where the infloor system comes in. Once the water has been filtered, it is driven through an actuator which disperses the water at high pressure to a designated "zone" of three to five cleaning heads. These heads "pop up" from the pool floor and spray dirt & debris towards the main suction drain.

Caretaker Threaded Infloor Pop Up Cleaning Head

The Caretaker 99 System was developed in 1972 and is one of the most popular infloor cleaning systems in the world. The Caretaker 5-Port system uses a hydraulic-mechanical hybrid valve to control each station of cleaning heads, causing them to pop and rotate efficiently.

The Threaded style heads were used prior to 1992; shortly after they switched to the quarter turn twist-lock Bayonet style. They feature a threaded ring around the outside and are secured in the pool floor by twisting them counter-clockwise. Easily diagnose or install these cleaning heads with either the Plastic Tool or our All-Metal Tool. When dealing with older heads that may be stuck in their fittings, we always recommend the Metal Tool. Caretaker has also made some improvements to the spring which allows the head to pop up fully when the pump is running at lower RPM's; a big plus for anyone who has recently switched over to a Variable Speed pump!

The heads measure two inches across the top and three and a half inches from top to bottom. The cleaning heads are available in the following colors:

White
Cream
Tan
Gold
Carolina Blue
Tile Blue
Dark Blue
Light Gray
Charcoal Gray
Black

Depending on where the Heads are located in your pool, Caretaker offers five different Nozzle Inserts to determine the cleaning radius.

The flow rates are as follows:

Mini - 2' Radius at 5 gallons per minute
Step & Bench - 4.5' Radius at 7 gallons per minute
Flow Adjust - 5' Radius at 12 gallons per minute
Standard - 5.5' Radius at 16 gallons per minute
Flow Plus - 6.5' Radius at 25 gallons per minute

Check out the video below for more information!

Please feel free to reach out to us directly with any questions you might have about your Caretaker 99 Threaded Infloor Pool Cleaning Heads. We're happy to help!