Category: Pool Booster Pump

A booster pump is a separate, smaller pump used to power pressure-side pool cleaners — most commonly Polaris and Zodiac models. It runs in addition to the main circulation pump and operates on its own timer. When the pool cleaner isn’t moving properly, most homeowners troubleshoot the cleaner itself when the booster pump is actually the source of the problem.

Booster pumps have the same basic failure modes as circulation pumps — capacitor failure, shaft seal leaks, impeller debris, motor bearing wear — but they’re often neglected because they’re smaller and less visible. The Polaris PB4-60 is the most commonly installed booster pump and has well-documented repair procedures and widely available parts. This section covers booster pump diagnosis, the difference between a booster pump failure and a pool cleaner failure, maintenance schedules, and repair procedures for the most common booster pump models.