Defective Swimming Pool Products or User Error?

Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of bad pool products out there in the market. Some defective pool products also fall into the bad category. But there is also something to say about user error. Was the product installed correctly? Was the pump programmed correctly? Or is there a pre-existing issue with the pool equipment. All of these are factors in determining if a product is indeed bad.

Take automatic cleaners for instance. If you purchase a Robotic cleaner and it stops working in the first month it is more than likely defective. There is nothing you can really do at this point except take it in for service. On the flip side, if you install a suction side pool cleaner and it stops working or never moves after installing it, it may not be defective. Since there is nothing electronic in it and the overall concept of how the cleaner moves are rather simple, it may be user error or a problem with your system.

The first thing that I check for when installing a suction side cleaner that doesn’t move after the pool is turned on is the suction to the cleaner. Is the side port/ vacuum port on? Maybe there is a clog in the side port line? Or if the filter PSI on the gauge drops down to near zero with the cleaner hooked up but goes back up to 20 PSI when you unplug it from the line, there probably is an air leak in the system. In that case, no suction side cleaner will work in that pool until the air leak – also known as a vacuum leak or suction leak is fixed. The pump just can’t pull the water the extra 30 ft with air getting into the system. Check for visible signs of water around the pump, typically it is the pump lid o-ring or a leak at the threaded part right above the pump or going into the pump.

If the pool filter is dirty this will also cause the suction cleaner not to move well. So, make sure the filter is clean and in good working order. I also like to check the pump impeller to make sure it isn’t jammed with debris. All of this can make your new suction cleaner look defective when it is actually an equipment issue and not the cleaner. I always carry a spare cleaner in my truck to swap out the existing cleaner to check for deficits in the equipment. If you have a neighbor with a cleaner you can ask to borrow their cleaner head to make sure it is not the equipment. Or take your cleaner head over to their house. You just want to eliminate an actual defect in the new cleaner and this method works well.

I see a lot of user error with Variable Speed pumps also. Sometimes it is difficult to program the VS pump and other times there are overlapping, or missing programs and the pump is not running when it should be. There is probably nothing wrong with your brand-new VS pump, it may just need to be set up or programmed correctly. The same goes for salt systems and automated systems. Unless the item is defective it should run fine after installation if it is set up and programmed correctly.

There are of course just plain bad products out there. Some of the $99.00 automatic cleaners are worth .99 cents and don’t even work out of the box. Other times a manufacturer will have a run of bad products at one time or another and you are indeed stuck holding a defective product. You will know like anything else if it is defective if it stops working within the first 6 months to a year. Like with any product there are duds and you may run into one during the course of owning your pool. But I would pin user error on most of the problems with pool equipment. It can be complicated and unless you know what you are doing you can install or set something up wrong.

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