Description
Description
Davey Aqua Select Spa Bath Suction and Cover
The Davey Aqua Select spa bath suction and cover is obsolete. It was discontinued in the early 2000s and has not been made since. There is no new old stock held by Davey or by any Australian wholesaler, and no aftermarket manufacturer has reproduced it. Neither the cover nor the wall fitting behind it can be bought new, so there is no partial repair available.
You do not need the original part. In almost every case an Aqua Select suction is replaced with a current S&P fitting. Which one you need comes down to a single check, set out below.
Replacement options at a glance
| What you find behind the cover | What to order | What is involved |
|---|---|---|
| The wall fitting unscrews. No pipe is glued inside it. | S&P ASF523 spa bath suction, white | Unscrew the old fitting and install the new one with silicone. The thread usually needs shortening to suit. |
| Pipe is glued inside the wall fitting and it will not unscrew. | S&P ASF480 spa bath suction, white | The entire rear assembly is replaced. Replumbing and access behind the bath are required, and the hole normally needs modifying. |
- Both replacements are physically stocked, unlike most "drop-shipping" websites.
- Shipped from VIC, NSW, WA, QLD
The original Aqua Select was supplied in white, gold and chrome. If you want a metal finish rather than white, we also stock a chrome S&P spa bath suction (ASF480CP). Check its thread and hole size against your own fitting before ordering, or contact us first.
How to tell which case you have
- Switch the spa bath pump off at the power point or isolator.
- Undo the cover screws and lift the cover away from the wall fitting inside the bath.
- Look into the wall fitting. PVC pipe glued inside it means Case 2. A visible thread with no glued pipe means Case 1.
- If you are unsure, try turning the wall fitting by hand. A fitting that moves is threaded. A fitting that will not move is almost always glued.
See the third image on this listing for a visual comparison of the two.
Case 1: the wall fitting is not glued
If the wall fitting is not glued in, it can usually be unscrewed from the elbow or tee behind the bath and a new ASF523 white suction fitted in its place with silicone. In most cases the thread on the new fitting needs to be shortened so it seats correctly against the bath wall.
The ASF523 is supplied as a complete assembly with its own cover. It accepts 40mm pressure PVC pipe glued into the 48mm ID socket, or screws in via its 50mm male thread (approx. 59mm OD) with the supplied locking nut. Hole size required is approximately 59mm.
Case 2: the wall fitting is glued in
If the existing wall fitting is glued into the plumbing it cannot be unscrewed. The entire rear assembly has to be replaced, which means replumbing and access to the back of the bath. This ASF480 suction can be used, but the hole and the plumbing will need to be modified by a qualified person.
The ASF480 screws into a female 40mm BSP fitting via its 40mm BSP male thread (approx. 47mm OD thread). Pipe does not glue into it. Hole size required is 50mm. Be aware that replumbing a bath suction can be difficult and is sometimes not feasible, depending on how the bath was built and how much access there is.
Why the original is no longer available
These suction covers are now obsolete and no longer available due to their non-VGB-compliance.
Davey withdrew the Aqua Select spa bath fitting range in the early 2000s and the tooling is long gone. Because the fitting was never reproduced by anyone else, and because the cover and the wall fitting were a matched pair, there is no way to repair an Aqua Select suction. Replacing it with a current fitting is the only option.
How to identify a Davey Aqua Select suction
- Originally supplied in white, gold or chrome. White examples are usually yellowed with age.
- Some units carry markings embossed on the back of the face: AS.3861, 155 L.P.M., 3900mm², 40mm PIPE.
- The Davey part numbers 12424 and 12423 may appear on the face or on the wall fitting.
- AS 3861 is the Australian Standard for spa baths, first published in 1991, which covers suction outlet fittings among other requirements. The marking refers to that standard, not to a flow approval in its own right.
Original and replacement compared
| Fitting | Maximum rated flow | Connection | Hole required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davey Aqua Select (obsolete) | 155 LPM, as marked on the face | 40mm pipe, as marked on the face | Varies by bath |
| S&P ASF523, white | 192 LPM | 48mm ID slip for 40mm pipe, or 50mm male thread (approx. 59mm OD) with locking nut | Approx. 59mm |
| S&P ASF480, white | 168 LPM | 40mm BSP male thread (approx. 47mm OD). Pipe does not glue in. | 50mm |
Both replacements are rated above the 155 LPM marked on the original, so flow capacity is not a limiting factor in either case. Both have an 85mm / 100mm OD faceplate, are 27.5mm thick at the cover, and have cover screws 49-50mm apart. Both are supplied as a complete part, and on both the cover unscrews from the base. Covers are not sold separately.
Important notes
- Every bath is different. Many manufacturers used their own methods at the time, so there is no universal rule and the information above may differ on your bath.
- Measure your own fitting before ordering. Do not order on the strength of the photos alone.
- Suction fittings are a safety item. Any replacement should be installed by a qualified and experienced person in accordance with the applicable Australian standards.
- If you are not certain which case applies to your bath, send us a photo looking into the wall fitting with the cover removed and we will tell you what fits.
Questions we get asked
Can I still buy the Davey Aqua Select suction cover anywhere?
No. It has not been manufactured since the early 2000s and there is no remaining stock in the Australian supply chain. Any listing showing it as available is almost certainly a dead catalogue entry.
Can I just replace the cover and keep the existing wall fitting?
Not with a genuine Davey cover, because none exist. The S&P replacements are supplied as complete assemblies and their covers are not sold on their own, so the fitting is replaced rather than repaired.
How do I know whether my wall fitting is glued?
Remove the cover and look inside. Glued PVC pipe visible inside the fitting means it cannot be unscrewed. A visible thread with no glued pipe means it usually can.
Do I need a plumber?
For Case 1, often not, provided the old fitting comes out cleanly and the new thread is shortened correctly. For Case 2 the bath has to be replumbed from behind, and that is work for a qualified person.
Is the replacement rated for the same flow as the original?
Higher. The original is marked 155 LPM. The ASF523 is rated to 192 LPM and the ASF480 to 168 LPM.
My original is gold or chrome. Is there a matching replacement?
There is no gold replacement available. For a metal finish we stock a chrome S&P suction (ASF480CP). Check the thread and hole size against your own fitting before ordering, or contact us first.
What do the markings on the back of the cover mean?
AS.3861 refers to the Australian Standard for spa baths. 155 L.P.M. is the maximum rated flow, 3900mm² is the open area of the cover, and 40mm PIPE is the plumbing size it was designed for. 12424 and 12423 are Davey part numbers.
Will the new cover line up with my existing screw holes?
Do not count on it. The S&P fittings come as complete assemblies with their own cover and screw pattern, and the old screw positions are not a reliable guide.
Other spa bath suctions we stock
We hold suction covers and bath fittings for Edgetec, Markon, Stylus, Englefield, Kohler, Balboa, Onga, S&P, SpaPro, WWDG and others. Browse the full range in Spa Bath Suctions.
Replaces / may be marked as
12424, 12423, D12424, D-12424, Davey Aqua Select suction cover, Davey Aquaselect suction cover.
Common search terms
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