Salt chlorinator service and repair
A salt chlorinator makes chlorine from salt dissolved in the pool water, using an electrolytic cell. The cell is the part that wears. Hard Gauteng water deposits calcium on the cell plates, and a scaled cell produces less and less chlorine until the pool goes green while the control box still shows it is running.
A chlorinator service at R1,299 covers cleaning the cell and inspecting the unit: the plates, the flow switch, the connections and the control box readings. We check the salt level in the water too, because too little salt makes the cell work harder and too much is wasted money.
- Pool going green even though the chlorinator is on
- White crust visible on the cell plates
- Low-salt or check-cell warnings on the control box
- No bubbles from the cell when the pump is running
Pool lights
Old halogen pool lights run hot, blow bulbs and use more power than they need to. Most can be replaced with an LED unit and a matching transformer. LED lights run cooler, last far longer and are available in plain white or colour-changing versions.
Our pool light package at R1,799 is the transformer and the LED light. Fitting is quoted separately, because it depends on whether the existing niche, cable and conduit can be reused. Pool lighting is low-voltage for safety, and the transformer and connections must be right — if your existing wiring is not safe, we will say so rather than work around it.
Valves, weirs and fittings
The multiport valve on top of the filter directs water to filter, backwash, rinse or waste. When its internal spider gasket wears, water leaks to the backwash line all the time, you lose pool water, and the filter does not work as it should. The gasket, handle and complete valve heads are all replaceable.
Weirs crack, especially in older pools where the ground has moved, and a cracked weir leaks. Aimflows, return fittings, suction points and the pipe joints around the pump all develop leaks with age and sun. Many of these are small parts; the skill is finding which one is at fault, which is why we inspect before we quote.
Losing water? Evaporation versus a leak
Every pool in Gauteng loses some water to evaporation, more in hot, dry, windy weather. Losing water is not proof of a leak. The simple bucket test separates the two: stand a bucket of water on the pool step, mark the water level inside the bucket and on the pool wall, switch off any auto-top-up, and compare after a day or two. If the pool drops noticeably more than the bucket, you are losing water somewhere other than the air.
If the pool drops faster with the pump running, suspect the plumbing on the pressure side or the backwash valve. If it drops the same either way, suspect the shell, a light niche or the weir. Our leak detection page explains how we trace it.
Timers, DB boxes and the electrical side
Most pool systems are switched by a timer in a small distribution box near the pump. When the pool suddenly stops being filtered, the timer is a common culprit: a mechanical timer whose pins have been knocked out, a digital timer that lost its programme in a power cut, or a trip switch that has dropped and not been reset. Before assuming the pump is dead, check that the timer is showing the right time and that the trip is up.
We check and reset timers as part of any repair visit, and replace timers, DB boxes and transformers where they have failed — these are stocked in the Lights & Electrical department of our shop. Where the fault is in the fixed wiring or the supply itself, that is work for a qualified electrician, who can issue a certificate of compliance. We will tell you clearly which side of that line a fault sits on, so you call the right person first.
Surface repairs
Small chips and cracks in marbelite or fibreglass can often be patched. Our shop stocks marbelite, plaster and fibreglass repair materials. For a patch, we assess whether it is a surface problem or the sign of something structural before recommending a repair; a crack that keeps coming back is telling you something about the ground or the shell.
Full resurfacing is a larger project that we assess and quote individually. It is best done in winter, between May and August, when the pool is out of use anyway.
How we price repairs
Where a job has a fixed rate, it is published on this page and in our shop. Where it depends on what we find, we come out, diagnose and quote in writing. You decide whether to go ahead. If you do, the call-out comes off the quote.
Parts are priced at the time of quoting. If a repair is close to the cost of a new unit, we show you both options side by side so you can choose, and we tell you honestly which we would pick for our own pool.
How it works
Tell us what is wrong
WhatsApp 081 577 5051 with photos of the equipment and a description of the symptom.
Inspect and diagnose
We find the actual cause on site, not just the part that looks worst.
Written quote
Labour and parts in writing. The call-out comes off the quote if you accept it.
Repair and test
We fit, test and show you the system running properly before we leave.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my pool green when the salt chlorinator is on?
Usually a scaled cell. Calcium from hard water coats the plates and the cell stops producing chlorine, even though the control box still shows it running. Low salt is the other common cause.
How often should a salt chlorinator cell be cleaned?
Check it every few months and clean it when you see white scale on the plates. Hard water areas like Centurion and Pretoria need it more often than soft water areas.
Can I replace my halogen pool light with an LED?
In most pools, yes, with a matching transformer. Our transformer and LED light package is R1,799, with fitting quoted once we see the existing niche and wiring.
Why is water coming out of my backwash pipe all the time?
The spider gasket inside the multiport valve is worn. It is a common, inexpensive repair and stops a steady loss of pool water.
Is my pool leaking or just evaporating?
Do the bucket test: a bucket of water on the step, both levels marked, compared after a day or two. If the pool drops more than the bucket, it is leaking.
Do you charge to quote a repair?
A call-out to inspect is R650, deducted from your quote when you accept it. Quoting a new pump or installation costs nothing.