Here we will list our frequently Asked Questions and Answers. We are always looking for imput from our customers so if you would like to see a question listed here please email us with your suggestion at info@ozpoolsupplies.com.au.

Q. Which swimming pool pump should I choose?

Answer:

1. Your pool pump needs to be correctly sized for your pool this will allow the entire body of water to be filtered and sanitised when running your pump for recommended times. 

2. For existing pumps that require replacement you may wish to replace like for like to avoid possible costly plumbing changes.

3. There are two types of pumps for residential standard applications. A single speed pump which is normally referred to by the size i.e 1.25 HP ( Horse Power). A single speed pump runs on High for its life span.Then there is the option of a 3 speed pump which allows you to change the setting from low medium and high. Which means you can save considerably on your running costs when used effectively. 

Q. What is the difference between a suction cleaner and a robotic cleaner?

Answer:

A suction cleaner runs off the power of your pump. It generally has a hose or set of hoses which plug into your vacuum plate in your skimmer basket. The advantages of a suction cleaner is that they are generally the cheapest option and people tend to leave them in the pool. The disadvantages are that there are moving parts that can need replacement on a regular basis and if you get a blockage or hole in your cleaner or parts it stops the circulation of water and can cause damage to the equipment.

A robotic cleaner runs off your mains power. Therefore and advantage is that they are not causing unnecessary wear and tear on your pump . They generally are set to run their cleaning cycle which can last from 2 -3 hours and are designed to be removed from the pool and stored until required. There are models which only clean the floor and models which clean the floor and the walls. The disadvantage is that there are a lot of parts in case of repairs required and also they can be quite large/heavy.

Q. Should I choose a sand filter or cartridge filter?

Answer:

A Sand Filter contains sand or glass as a filter media. The media in the sand filter should be changed every 5 Years however on average if maintained correctly a sand filter should last at least 10 Years. The disadvantage is that if the internal laterals on a sand filter break you may get the media return into the pool. The major advantage however is the backwash and rinse and backwash to waste features of the sand filter.

A cartridge filter is much smaller in size and less costly to purchase originally. However the filter cartridge element needs to be replaced approx every few years and removed to be cleaned on a fortnightly/monthly basis.

Q. How to purchase the correct chlorinator?

Answer: 

Please note if your current Chlorinator is not working you will need to add Granular Chlorine ( Not Liquid) straight into the pool ( Not the skimmer box) and manually move the water around ( pool broom ). To stop your pool from turning green until you can install your new chlorinator.

Your new chlorinator needs to be correctly sized for your pool. The larger the pool the more chlorine that needs to be produced. You cannot have a smaller chlorinator than is required and just run it for longer or have an oversized chlorinator and run it for shorter periods. The reason for this is that the entire volume of water still needs to go through (circulation) your chlorinator ( sanitisation system) and your filter ( filtration system). We do prefer to go bigger rather than smaller.

If your existing chlorinator is not working; Check your cell - if your cell is working it should be producing a white (cloudy) water off the end of the plates. If you are getting error lights on your control panel ( chlorinator box) it may be worth taking your chlorinator and cell to a chlorinator repairer for a quote. The reason for this is that 1. It is often uneconimcal to Repair. 2. YOU CANNOT JUST PURCHASE THE BOX in any make or model. If your chlorinator is under 7 years old and your cell is not working we would recommend replacing the cell. If your chlorinator is over 7 years old we would suggest you look at a new chlorinator as you do not wish to spend money on a cell to then find your chlorinator box breaks down.

There are two types of chlorinators. The AC Or NON SELF CLEANING chlorinators which need regular cleaning of the cells ( up to weekly in summer) or the RP (reverse polarity) chlorinators which are SELF CLEANING and only require cleaning around once every 6 months ( factors dependant).

Q. My equipment is not turning on at all, how to I determine if it is the chlorinator or pool pump?

Answer: If your pool equipment is not turning on or it is tripping the power. To determine what is exaclty causing the issue, unplug the pump from the bottom of the chlorinator and plug the pump into an alternate power source. If the pump does come on and continues to work, the issue is with the chlorinator and not the pump.

If the pump does not come on or comes on and the trips the power, the issues is with the pump and not the chlorinator.