Pooled Energy

Don't believe the hype – Pooled worked great for a couple of years. Didn't save us any money but was good for my mother who is disabled and can't get down to the pool to maintain it, so we also then have to pay for a regular pool cleaning person to come and clean the pool as well. But then it stopped working. When there is a problem, Pooled are not there for their… Read more

customers. When we finally.... got someone on the phone, it took 3 weeks before they sent someone out. He got the hardware up and running (if you wifi is disconnected at any time the machines stop working apparently ) but the software / App is still not working. The pool has been green for weeks. We are still paying them of course. Their customer service is terrible. No-one ever answers the phone, you can't leave a message, no-one ever calls you back because you can't leave a message. It is very frustrating and we are thinking we will have to stop the service and go back to the good old fashioned method of caring for our pool with humans, not software. It's a real shame as it was working very well there for a while. It's when it stops working that Pooled Energy falls over. I think those that work there do try and help (once you get them on the phone which can take days) but they are obviously hopelessly understaffed, so frankly their customer service is simply not good enough.

Clear pool but costly – Sales pitch is you pay a $60 monthly fee and they provide all pool chemicals, online system and reduce your power bills with up to 60% reduction in pump/filter usage. CONS: Once I signed up "all chemicals" does not include salt/chlorine and my power bill has not reduced at all. Also the only online system alert I receive is when additional salt… Read more

is needed or to lower water level. Sales told me they would alert when to backwash filter, when skimmer box is full etc but this hasn't happened. PROS: They provide a magic chemical every 6 months that makes my pool sparkle. It has honestly never looked cleaner. No need to add acid/sunscreen etc. Essentially you pay $700/year for a crystal clear pool without needing to test every month.

Fantastic water quality but service when needed not great – Pooled energy system is fantastic as far I consistent water quality - 2 years without it going green or needing to maintain it other than the usual! System is fault taking the stress out of maintenance. Hoeever my pump just died and I was not able to receive a call out service for 6 weeks even though I explained our situation - my husbands… Read more

disability. Unacceptable. Also my power bills are exactly the same-if not more expensive however this was explained that it was because of my old pump probably not running efficiently. Previously we have received great service.

Outstanding Customer Experience – I initially reached out to Pooled Energy a few years ago and was put off by their high pressure tactics. Fast forward to 2021, the changes they implemented have made their customer service the primary focus and in doing so, delivered outstanding customer service to me and my family. Lucas and the team at Pooled Energy ensured regular communication… Read more

at every stage of the engagement from initial contact to installation and after sales service. If like me you were previously put off by Pooled Energy, look again you won’t be disappointed with the service, care and communication from Lucas and the team.

Prfect - Our pool never looked better & any issues were dealt with in a timely manner at no xtra cost – Pooled Enrgy is a lif saver - ur pool never looked better - the best decission Ive made as no worrying about how the water would be for a party. mMaintenance was easy as ABC. Our pool is used every day in the summer season. Often have multiple people in the pool over weekends. We have since sod our house but I fuly recommend Pooled Energy to any pool owner. Show details

System doesn’t work – Installed about 18 months ago, was running smoothly for about a year. For the last 6 months I’ve had numerous issues from faulty equipment to system going offline regularly without apparent reason. Technicians would come over to fix it only to have problems after a few days. It’s now more of a headache than help Decided to cancel contract & go back to previous system A trip to the pool shop once a month is not bad after all Show details

Very noble effort, but mixed results – The team definitely know what they’re talking about, but the higher rates and remote access charges just don’t stack up as a saving for people with smaller pools. My overall bill has gone up by around 15% or more. Also the remote access tool hasn’t worked for months now (help desk told me servers are overloaded and no remediation date in sight).… Read more

Which makes the $60 a month for this really not great value. Wish them well but will likely switch back to a regular provider.

Pooled energy a year in review – When we signed up it started off as a great solution for reducing pool maintenance. I am now questioning our decision to go with Pooled energy. The original installation went smoothly enough, although when we had our our site visit to explain the operation the consultant committed to sending someone out to make some changes to our pool equipment… Read more

that would make the set up more functional.....still waiting. The concept is great and typically our pool requires less maintenance than ever, although with regular MONTHLY bills now being $430.00 the electricity costs are way too high. Ours is a big house, although we very rarely use our air con. Before switching to Pooled our average monthly cost was $300 having not shopped around for a better deal in 7 years. From doing a little research I have found we could be getting our Electricity for 24% cheaper although if we switch we have the hassle of getting the Pooled Energy equipment disconnected/removed then back to the pool shop water testing set up. So a few weeks ago I called Pooled to discuss our situation and a helpful lady committed to reviewing our energy usage and getting back to me with some solutions to reducing costs.....still waiting.

Totally unsatisfactory service – Pool went well until a month ago. The sweep vent was blocking up, preventing it picking up leaves. I phoned the technician, who said add acid. I did, the service team came out, changed the sensor. I was away at that time for over a week. I returned, the sweep still blocked up. After calls to PE tech, I was told it was the sweep at fault. They… Read more

told me to call their pool supplies, they handed it to the next local PE shop. I called them and identified brown algae, told they'd come out in a week, charge for the call out and chems. I called PE and the person there told me that they'd get a tech out in over two weeks. When I complained about the PE promises, no extra chems, no testing, only keeping the pool clean ie skimmer and sweep, he had the temerity to tell me pools need work!!! That's what I signed up to reduce, and from the variations in bills from $350-150per month I doubt that there would be power bill savings. Suffice to say, the dishonest sales person has left, but I would not have entered into it had I known what was coming.

Salesman changed the contract AFTER us signing – We decided not to go with PooledEnergy after consulting with a few pool shops/cleaners and others who have had PooledEnergy. We also noticed the salesman tick a box on the contract that skipped the cooling off period which was done AFTER we signed - and without telling us. Although they still allowed us to cancel FOC, this left a bad taste in our mouth & we wanted to share our experience.  Show details

Very happy with the pooled energy system – We’ve used pooled energy for about 2 years on a brand new pool. We have solar panels also and so the system has worked very well with that and the heat pump. I’ve been very happy with them and have recommended the service to others Show details ·  1

Great experience – We have been using Pooled Energy for 2 years and we have never looked back. No more going to the pool shop where without a doubt there was something that needed to be added to the pool. The water quality is excellent and you do next to nothing - the occasional adding of salt - and the small containers of chemicals Pooled Energy sends you - around… Read more ·  1

twice per year. If you are trying to save on electricity only then this is not the right reason. The savings are in pool maintenance and the added bonus is the water quality. The App is also great to monitor everything. After installing solar recently our electricity bill is really small. Very happy!

Terrible service – Terrible service. Really hard to get in touch with them. When I call them, always you are next one in the queue. Never reply emails. A small technical problems. It took them half of a year and still not solve the problem completely. Finally get in tough with the sales via the phone, she was so rude and just hanged up the phone. Show details

disappointing – So disappointed in the pooled energy system and the connection issues. Was supposed to be hassle free with ill chemicals needed in there than the supplied chemistry and salts. Why am I spending money on chemicals when this was one of the stated benefits of pooled energy conversion. It has been nothing like promised, stay away from this conversion.… Read more

The other selling point of reduced power cost is also questionable. My filter pump is not a variable speed model was constantly stopping and starting at different levels which I’m sure has caused it to fail. Now I’m up for possible replacement cost

Best decision we ever made – Sparkling clean pool all year, no trips to pool shop $$$. Easiest maintenance all year, great service, lower energy costs, and I have never accidentally left the pool running $$$. Our whole family has the app so they can use the pool whenever they wish. Show details ·  1

Best thing I've done since we purchased our pool 11 years ago! – Pooled Energy installed their mineral water system two years ago. What a difference it has made. Saved $ on pool electricity costs and don't put all those chemicals in my pool anymore. Don't have the twice a month trek to Clark Rubber to get water tested and chemicals. But the best thing is that everytime I look at the pool the water is crystal… Read more ·  1

clear and I can use the pool all year round (I don't want the messy cover on it)...even tho 12 deg is cold in winter :) handy app controls everything without fuss. If I need assistance I've found them very responsive...well done Pooled Energy. Best thing I ever did!

Higher bills and terrible service – Worst company to deal with. Promises the world but does not deliver. We had had nothing but problems since we started using them. Also have had no reduction in energy savings. In fact our bills are much higher since joining pooled energy. The app for automation is constantly down. I actually had one if there service techs numbers on speed dial as… Read more

I had that many issues that needed fixing. Just learned that they fired him though. I tried calling a manager yesterday and one was not available to speak to and was told that they’d call me back. Have not received a return call and am in the process of finding another power company to use. STAY CLEAR OF PIOLED ENERGY

I’ve been a long term customer & could not be happier. It’s reliable, maintenance free and cost efficient – I swim daily but for the months of July and August. Maintenance really is only about the leaves/debris for me with all chemical and other measures completely handled by pooled energy with minimal involvement by me. Show details ·  1

Awesome company and awesome result. Concept is pure genius – Since moving to Pooled energy, pool has not gone green once (compare to many times a year in the past). No longer have to order chemicals. Salt and chemicals delivered by the company twice a year. Pour it all in and done. After a heavy rain, might need to vacuum floor through the filter and then ongoing robot does the rest. Customer service very… Read more ·  1

responsive. People who aren't happy need to understand that maintaining a pool is complicated. Although our change over went very smooth, there are so many variable that its possible that it could take some time to get the set up all perfect where you get to a point where it just runs like clock work. Again, the benefits for me were just about immediate. There were a couple things I asked them if could be improved (those things were far worse before I converted over to pooled energy, but nevertheless i asked them to help me find a solution) and they spent the time with me to troubleshoot to work out the best solution. I can see that there would be scenarios, where some new customers would need pooled energy to do some trial and error and trouble shooting before the system runs perfectly, but from my experience, they have the knowledge and the drive to ensure your pool will be converted to lower energy, lower chemical, more streamlined pool requiring far lower maintenance. To top it off, their goal is to shut down one of the 5 coal plants in Australia through their ingenious system of being able to balance the electricity grid on a street by street basis. They will achieve this if they can convert enough customers. Pure genius and good for the environment!

Never visit the pool shop again for water testing – I use my pool most days during summer. Before Pooled energy came along I was doing my own water testing and balancing. I would often have to add a flocking agent to try to get the water clear and balanced. Since having Pooled Energy install their system I have not had to add pool chemicals or flocking agents and the pool is cleaner and clearer… Read more ·  1

than it has ever been.

Second bonus is that we are saving on electricity.

The only thing I do is occasionally add pool salt when Pooled Energy tell me and I will also hook up the pool cleaner to clean the bottom of the pool.

Seriously one of the best changes we have made since having a pool.

Very pushy sales guy expecting immediate sign-up – I had someone over from pooled energy which was quite interesting. However, when I did not sign up on the spot and said I need to do my own "research" he became very impatient and questioned my reservation to say at least which made me very, very suspicious. I never sign up on the first sales call and having now read through some of the reviews I know why and I am glad I did not sign up! Show details

Does exactly what they say it does – Our monthly electricity bill has dropped by 30%. Our pool chemical bill has dropped to zero. The Pool always looks great. Honestly. it just works really well, and does exactly what they say it does. Show details ·  1

Friendly responsive support – Since we switched our energy plan and pool maintenance to Pooled Energy, maintaining water quality has been made much easier. Any problems are handled responsively and in a friendly manner by individuals who know what they need to know, or ensure they find answers promptly. This has made us comfortable that we made the switch. Our electricity… Read more ·  1

costs have increased greatly during our time with Pooled Energy, but we suspect this applies to all the community and across all plans. These cost changes have made it difficult to know whether or not cost wise, we are better off than we were before joining.

water quality amazing and minimal up-keep – electricity bill down significantly water chemical and pool maintenance bill down water and overall pool quality up app works well with alerts on what you need to do which is usually not much at all Show details ·  1

Great Concept - very happy – I have been a client for about a year and barring a few technical challenges with my older equipment breaking, it has been fantastic. My pool is stress free, clear and clean, i am not spending every other weekend buying chlorine and the support staff (if ever needed) are brilliant turn up within days. I would definitely recommend the Pooled Energy service. Show details ·  1

Love Pooled Energy – We have been a customer of PE for a few years. I used to spend my weekends cleaning and balancing chemicals but the pool never looked great and I'd spent a fortune at the Pool Shop. I then contracted a pool guy who came every 2 weeks and was adding more chemicals every visit. The pool was costing us a small fortune. A friend recommended Pooled… Read more ·  1

Energy and lm so glad they did. Not only is my electricity bill reduced considerably but my pool looks fantastic ALL THE TIME. I dont do anything apart from scoop some leaves, empty the basket & run the cleaner. I hardly have to add any chemicals except for a few bags of salt & magnesium when prompted by the app. The app also reminds me when to back wash. Thanks PE for giving me my weekends back, its now a joy to go swimming.

Really nice staff always happy to help. Pool water is beautiful with no chlorine smell – Use it always in summer as we don’t have heating sadly. We just empty filter baskets and the creepy crawly net and do a backwash once a week or so.. pretty easy. Georgia, Vaucluse Show details ·  1

Absolute rip off – Over $2800 in bills since July (its only October!). Salesman promised the world and that power bills would be reduced but all we have seen are more bills. We are very disappointed in this. We will be taking this further to work out whether this has been once massive scam. Show details

Satisfied with the service and response – Pool water quality has improved significantly since we switched to Pool Energy. We are very satisfied with the product and service and response from the company. Maintenance effort has reduced for us with the product, and chemical use is more efficient. Show details

A good product - It Works! – I came across this review page and am surprised to see some of the comments posted. We have been a Pooled Energy customer for over four years. My husband comes from the pool industry (retired). Like most people we lived busy lives prior to retiring and we just did not want to give our pool the attention that it required when we / he looked after… Read more ·  1

it regularly testing the water, adjusting chemicals and so on. He made the decision to try Pooled Energy. Yes, there were some issues in the early days (years ago) but since then we often find ourselves commenting on just how good the pool looks and how little attention it requires from us. It is the lack of regular involvement required that we like the most. We are fortunate and are often away and it is the ability to return home from an extended period and finding the pool presenting awesomly that we like the most. In the past it always required attention. From a water quality perspective I think the reduced amount of chemicals required is much healthier. The water is undoubtedly softer. I have thick hair and and I enjoy the fact that after a swim my hair is less inclined to be tangled. Like many households we have been concerned about the rising cost of electicity but also the impact on the environment from the manufacturing of it. I have not done an analysis in recent times but I did do this earlier in our time as a customer. What I found is that we are using significantly less electricity than we used to use prior to being with Pooled Energy. I am impressed to see in the summer months that the App does vary pump run times when we have spare electricity being made by our PV panels. From our perspective our overall satisfaction is favourable, we are not looking to change from Pooled Energy. There have been times, I suspect as they grow, that we would have liked faster responses to enquries but overall we are pleased to have pool techs that are pleasant and appear to know what they are doing and the ability to speak with staff at the office that ultimately do resolve issues (even if this can be a bit frustrating at times).

It's mostly "smoke & mirrors" so do your homework first – As a recent and now past customer of Pooled Energy, we would very strongly advise existing pool owners, as potential customers, to consider their answer to each of the following questions before signing-up to a pool maintenance and electricity supply contract with this company: 1) Are you able to perform the basic tests used to check and… Read more

successfully adjust the quality of the water in your pool OR have a nearby Pool Shop that will test that pool water for you at no cost?

2) Do you spend less than $1,000 per year on pool additives such chlorine, salt, as those used to adjust its pH and alkalinity?

3) Do you have an automated pool cleaner that uses either your pool's suction or filtered water return lines to operate (i.e. not low voltage robotic)?

4) Does your home have gross metered solar panels of a capacity less than 3kW installed?

5) Is your electricity supply metered and billed at a single rate (i.e. no "smart meter")

6) Do you currently receive a pay-on-time discount of 15% or more on your electricity account?

7) Is your pool in full sunlight for more than 4 hours per day?

8) Do you currently use any form of chlorine to sanitise your pool; this includes granules, tablets, liquid, or by the use of a chlorinator attached to your pool pump / filter?

9) Do you think that an App that provides indicative (but not actual) information on some chemical and sanitisation numbers applicable to your pool water, and enables you to remotely operate your pool's pump / filter would be of no real benefit?

10) Would you like to be able to contact Pooled Energy to discuss your pool operations and/or your electricity supply account 24/7, and want emails to be responded to within 7 days?

If the answer to three (3) or more of the above questions is YES......then don't contract with Pooled Energy!

Why?

Because the costs of purchasing normal additives from the local pool shop together with taking their advice (usually free) will be much cheaper than purchasing Pooled Energy's "advanced" additives and paying their monthly management fee.

The energy from your solar panels won't significantly offset the electricity needed to run your pool pump/filter, and even then Pooled Energy's automated controller would routinely run that pool pump/filter in the daytime under their "solar optimisation" regime, when evaporation and chemical losses are at there highest.

As Pooled Energy fits a variable speed device to your pool's pump/motor in an effort to (slightly) lower its electricity consumption, then its suction and flowrate is also lowered and so your pool cleaner won't work properly.

As Pooled Energy's "advanced chemical regime" is predominantly Bromine then your pool won't be as resilient to environmental factors such as full sun, heatwaves, rain storm events, the entry of leaves / other debris, and increased swimming use.

In fact after Pooled Energy's Controller as fitted to our pool pump / filter disconnected, it took their "Network Operations Centre" almost three (3) weeks to detect the fault......shudder to think of the consequences if we hadn't chemically dosed our pool and run its pump/filter manually.

Then if for any reason you decide to end or not renew your Retail Electricity and Pool Management Contract with Pooled Energy, afterwards you'll need to either double your previous chlorine dosage or run your pump / filter / chlorinator for at least twice its usual run-time (at double the electricity cost) for at least 6 months until Pooled Energy's chemical additives break-down.

While in our experience Pooled Energy's staff were polite and eventually receptive to our issues, they would (metaphorically) always promise a brand new Rolls Royce and invariably deliver a second hand Bicycle (late), and to top it off our electricity consumption actually increased by 6.7% on its seasonal average, and its cost by almost 20%.

UPDATE Almost 12 months after submitting this review Pooled Energy's CEO contacted me to discuss our comments, which he believes were a bit harsh in circumstances where during our contract term, their customer base was quickly growing, some staff were inexperienced, and where a batch of sensors (fitted to customers' pools) were found to have third party manufacturing faults.

We didn't buy in to a R & D program and so our comments were, and remain both objective and based entirely on our personal experiences with Pooled Energy's system, that may well have improved over the 12 months since our review.

Nonetheless do your homework on the advantages and disadvantages of bromine sanitised pools in open (i.e. sunlight exposed), unheated, residential pools and then consider your responses to our 10 questions (above).

Terrible decision to go with this company – Our pool equipment to set up cost us $2000. We were assured by the salesman this initial outlay would pay itself off with the large savings in our power bills. Well, our pool doesn't operate as well as it did before the change, the power bills are huge! We have not seen any savings at all in 9 months. Been months and months of complaining and… Read more

back and forth but still nothing has changed or improved. Sales pitch was very good but we sure went downhill from there. We were misled and deceived.

Bad communication, confusion and expensive – They might have a good product, but their communication and service is bad. They didn’t response our phone calls and emails after we have been misled to sign the contract. Didn’t do what they have promised (again and again). They didn’t explain and expose the cost of signing the contract clearly and we ended up to have to pay the service that we… Read more

never received.

Their service might be cheap, however their electricity is very expensive. Be careful! Hope that helps. Thanks for reading.