Hayward Navigator Flipping Over Or Climbing Too High: Step-By-Step Fix

What "Sucking Air At Surface" Means

The manual describes this symptom as: "Cleaner climbs to water surface and sucks air." The three root causes listed are: too much or improper water flow through the cleaner, improper tension on the rear flap (specifically set too high), and steering failure.

The Navigator's head is denser than water — the manual notes "Cleaner head is HEAVIER than WATER, and should not 'float'." When you see the cleaner appearing to float or hover at the surface, something is actively pushing it upward: either excess suction force against the wall, or air trapped under the body buoying it up.

Step-By-Step Troubleshooting

Step 1: Check the Flow Gauge and reduce suction

Owner-level:

1. Check the flow gauge on the leader hose with the pump running and cleaner submerged.
2. If the black disk is above the MAX mark, the system is delivering too much suction. This is the most common cause of over-climbing and flipping.
3. Reduce suction by partially closing the suction valve at the equipment pad, or by installing the Regulator Valve into the skimmer cone connection and adjusting it until the disk drops into the MIN-MAX range.

Tech-level:

• On high-flow pump systems (oversized variable-speed pumps running at full speed, or powerful single-speed pumps), the Navigator frequently operates above MAX flow even at a standard skimmer connection. Use the Regulator Valve as the primary flow control tool — it allows fine adjustment without affecting the rest of the system.
• An optional Hayward Automatic Skimmer Vacuum Plate can also regulate flow if the Regulator Valve alone is insufficient.
• After reducing flow, verify the disk is in the acceptable range and watch the cleaner operate for 5–10 minutes to confirm it no longer reaches the waterline.

Step 2: Set the rear flap adjuster to position I

Owner-level:

1. Remove the cleaner from the pool.
2. Move the rear flap adjuster to position I. Per the manual: "If still climbing too much, reduce water flow until proper operation is achieved."
3. Position I reduces the force the rear flap exerts against wall surfaces, causing the cleaner to release from vertical surfaces sooner before reaching the waterline.

Tech-level:

• Position III is specifically designed to increase wall-climbing force — installing the cleaner with position III on a high-flow system is a reliable recipe for over-climbing and flipping.
• The optimal setting for most pools is position II (factory default), but position I is appropriate when over-climbing is a persistent issue even after flow adjustment.

Step 3: Check for and eliminate air in the cleaner head

The manual specifies that the cleaner head should not float. If the head appears buoyant, air is trapped inside it.

Owner-level:

1. Remove the cleaner from the pool and submerge it fully, tilting it to allow air to escape through the throat.
2. Check all return lines for air injection — return lines with air in the system can deposit bubbles on and under the cleaner head, making it appear to float.
3. If return lines are injecting air (visible as streams of fine bubbles from eyeball fittings), address the air source before continuing to diagnose the cleaner.

Step 4: Check for steering failure causing repetitive climbing

Tech-level:

1. With flow correctly adjusted and rear flap at position I, observe whether the cleaner executes turning sequences normally on the pool floor.
2. A cleaner that travels straight to the wall every time, climbs, and never turns suggests a stuck or damaged cone gear preventing the steering program from executing.
3. Open the bottom access panel and inspect the cone gear for free rotation in both directions.
4. Inspect the rear screen for blockage — a debris-blocked rear screen restricts flow through the turbine and can disrupt the steering sequence.
5. Check medium turbine and spindle gear assemblies for seized or broken components.

Step 5: Adjust return jet direction

Tech-level:

• Return jets directed downward at the pool floor near the cleaner can create a current that pushes the cleaner upward toward a wall when it's in that zone.
• Redirect eyeball fittings to aim toward the surface at a 45-degree angle, or toward the far wall, to prevent floor-level return currents from interfering with cleaner travel.