Alice Springs is full of these units. Due to the high calcium content in the water, annual pad replacement is the normal procedure along with filling the unit with vinegar to dissolve the calcium, then running the pump for a couple of hours to clean out the lines.
when the vinegar is drained out, the new pads are refitted, the unit filled with water & a small amount of disinfectant to sanitise the unit & mask the vinegar smell, the it runs nearly non-stop for four months through summer.
Pumps are about AU$60-80, motors are 230-250VAC 1HP costing about AU$250-400 depending if they are single, two or three speed, a bearing change is about 2 hours work & parts are AU$45-60
