Facom

Facom tools for pool and spa servicing

Hand tools from Facom appear in this part of the catalogue for one reason: some pool and spa components simply cannot be opened with a standard household tool. Jet internals, union nuts and threaded inserts are often designed to be turned by a specific key profile, and using the wrong implement on moulded plastic usually ends in a cracked housing rather than a serviced jet. Here you will find the tool that matches that job, listed under its own reference so it can be ordered alongside the parts it is meant to fit.

The 11 mm Allen wrench for cluster jets

Cluster jets are the small-diameter jets fitted in rows along spa benches, whirlpool baths and shaped pool seating. Unlike a large rotating jet, the insert of a cluster jet is usually driven from a hexagonal recess in its centre, so the whole nozzle can be unscrewed from the wall fitting without disturbing the pipework behind the shell. The recess on many of these jets takes an 11 mm hex drive, which is a size most general-purpose Allen key sets skip over entirely — they tend to jump from 10 mm straight to 12 mm.

That is what makes a dedicated key worth having. The 11 mm Facom wrench listed here (reference PPS-10209) engages the full depth of the recess, spreading the load across all six flats instead of rounding out the corners. Typical uses include:

• Removing a blocked jet insert so the nozzle and its internal flow path can be rinsed clear of scale or debris.
• Replacing a worn jet where the eyeball or nozzle no longer swivels or has lost its seal.
• Refitting after a reseal, where the O-ring or gasket behind the insert has been renewed.
• Seasonal checks, loosening and refitting jets so they do not seize into the wall fitting over time.

Checking the size before you order

Hex sizes are measured across the flats, not point to point, and the difference between neighbouring sizes is small enough to be easy to misjudge by eye. Before ordering, it is worth confirming what the jets in your pool or spa actually take:

• Measure the recess with vernier calipers, flat face to opposite flat face, rather than guessing from the jet diameter.
• Test for play with a key you already own — if a 10 mm key rattles in the socket, 11 mm is the likely size.
• Check the exploded view for your jet if one is available, where the insert and its drive detail are usually shown as separate position numbers.
• Compare several jets on the same wall, since a pool that has been repaired over the years may carry inserts from more than one generation.

If the recess is rounded or already damaged from a previous attempt with pliers or a screwdriver, a correctly sized key may no longer grip. In that case the insert itself usually needs replacing rather than the tool being at fault.

Working on jets without causing damage

Jet bodies and inserts are generally moulded plastic, and the threads are fine. Turn slowly, keep the key square to the recess so it does not cant over and bite into one flat, and stop as soon as the insert meets resistance on refitting. Hand-tight against the seal is almost always enough; extra force compresses the gasket unevenly and can split a threaded collar. If an insert will not move at all, leaving the water level below the jet and allowing time for scale to soften is kinder than adding leverage.

Tools used around pools live in a damp, chlorinated environment. Rinsing the key in fresh water and drying it after use keeps the finish intact and stops corrosion forming on the working ends, which is where a clean, sharp hexagon matters most.

Facom at PoolParthub.com

Here we list the Facom hand tools that have a direct use in pool and spa maintenance, starting with the 11 mm Allen wrench for cluster jets under reference PPS-10209. It is stocked because it is the size that most owners discover they are missing at exactly the wrong moment — part-way through clearing a bench of jets, with no key in the set that fits.

Tools are listed alongside the jets, seals and wall fittings they are used on, so a service job can be put together in one order. If you are unsure which drive size your jets use, measure the recess across the flats first and match that figure to the key.