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No, bromide does not show up as part of the total bromine. Total bromine is a measure of hypobromous acid and bromamines. Bromamines, unlike chloramines, are effective sanitizers. Total bromine is tested the same way as Free Chlorine with DPD, FAS-DPD, tetramethylbenzidine test strips, or syringaldazine/vanillin azine test strips. Fun fact, if you want to convert the chlorine scale on your comparator or test strip container to give a total bromine reading then multiply the 'chlorine' reading by 2.25 to get total bromine. However, most comparators and test strip bottles just double the chl

If you are super-chlorinating then MPS is not necessary, MPS is an oxidizer. Chlorine is both an oxidizer and sanitizer and at the levels needed after a fecal accident it will more than take care of oxidizing any fecal matter in addition to the pathogens (which are also part of the fecal matter).

Man I feel like I dodged a bullet on this one..... After typing my original post, I went back out by the tub looking for any signs something was bad on the heater and relay board. One of my kids walked up and told me she turned the temp down to 83 the other day for no reason.... So I check and sure enough, temp set at 83.....This makes sense now because the heater lights were on indicating it was working, its just the temp was turned wayyyyy down. The one thing I never thought to check was to press the temp button to see where it was set. 😣 Thanks for the help tho RD! She is n

Never, ever tell any prospective guest tubbers about this. Take that information to your grave.....

@waterbear, thank you again for your time and all of your feedback and advice. Since we last spoke I drained my hot tub, followed @Nitro's full cleanse instruction and then filled it back up and followed all of your instruction and @Nitro's Dichlor/Bleach in a nutshell method. For weeks I've now got perfectly clear and clean water that is amazing. My pH is at 7.6 and my TA is at 60 and everything is staying stable. I added 50ppm of borates and I'm sure that is helping as well. I now have my maintenance process working as it should and know how to measure and adjust as needed...properly. The fa

same thing that causes it to drop after you shock and the level goes way high. If the level stayed constant there would be no need to keep adding sanitizer, even when the spa or pool is not in use. the only way to maintain a constant level is by a constant addition of your chosen sanitizer. this is why salt systems, peristaltic pumps, and feeder systems are used.

Alot of new tubs are using CD ozonators, even some older ones, but in the big picture it is a drop in the bucket. The purpose of the ozone is not to generate bromine, it is to oxidize chloramines, which are much more reactive than bromide. To do what you are talking would take a much larger unit and injection system. But that would create it's own set of problems. You are trying to cook a pizza in a tanning bed.

without the instructions, which are fairly extensive and the dropper, which is calibrated to dispense the correct amount, the reagent is useless. They also have a kit that comes with the 2 oz bottles of reagent that goes for about $35 and a kit that combines the FAS-DPD test with the monopersulfate interference remover for around $100. https://www.taylortechnologies.com/en/product/test-kits/reagent-packmonopersulfate-interference-remover-for-2000-series-kits-w-75oz-rea--K-2041 https://www.taylortechnologies.com/en/uproduct/reagent-pack-monopersulfate-interference-remover-for-2000-ser

this was on the Spa Pack and top side - for anyone troubleshooting in the future that stumbles onto this thread. RN NF on the spa pack and FLO on the top-side controller. The spa pack had the RED WRENCH showing when the code was thrown. As stated above, the motor wasn't powered correctly due to blown fuse and has since been replaced. One the motor fired and started moving water over the heating element, errors cleared after a reset and i have a nice warm hot tub again.

It takes alot more energy to heat up at fill-up than to maintain it, so when talking cost on your bill, you will definitely see it when you drain and refill. If used in economy mode, so that the heater can only run when the pump is already running for a filter cycle, it can save you a few $. Obviously, more heat will be lost the greater the difference between water temp and ambient air temp, but with a well insulated spa and a good cover this should still be minimal. Letting it get cool, then heating all a once will cause longer run time on the heater, like at fill, and will mak

Hot Spring does make a plug that can be inserted into the drain nipple from inside the moto-massage. This is intended to still keep the drain functional but reinforce the part that may have cracked. You will need to epoxy this in so it will require a empty hot tub to do so. In my experience, this only works about 20% of the time and there is a decent chance that if it doesn't it will further disturb the cracked nipple and make the leak worse. Part number on the plug is 1299901 and it is called a Niche Nipple Repair Plug and there is also a tool to help insert the plug, part number 1481

shocking to 10 times the cc to reach breakpoint is one of the fallacies still being taught to CPOs. Here is a quote that you might find interesting: "To oxidize monochloramine, it takes from 0.5 to 1.0 times the CC level. Even if the CC were urea, it takes 2-3 times the CC level, not 10x. Of course, the higher the FC level the faster reactions occur, but there is no magic 10x amount." - Richard Falk" The above quote is from the Orenda Technologies blog on breakpoint chlorination. Richard Falk is chem geek on this and several other online pool and spa forums. I forget if this was o

2)... This is where an economy mode works best. In Economy it will only heat the water during the 2 hour filter cycle. If your spa can't be programmed on a time setting where you determine the actual start and stop times and can only program 2 hour am and 2 hour pm cycles the start time is determined by whatever time you initially turn or flip the main breaker on. So if you come home every day at 5 pm and like to go in the spa at 6 pm...flip the breaker off/on at 4 or 4:30 pm and then use the Economy setting and a 2 hour filter cycle. It will have had time to heat the water back up to the set

NO, it's not. Once you use a good test kit you will understand. (I recommend Taylor K-2006, not the K-2005, if you go to dichlor/bleach or use N2 with only chlorine/dichlor). How much did your spa cost? Now consider if less than $100 US is too much to pay for what is the most important spa accessory you can have. Your water chemistry is as good as the testing you do. As far as pool store testing, this is an area that I know quite a bit about since I had worked in the retail end of the business for several years. Most pool/spa store employees are not really trained and rely on the computer

i have found no practical impact of ozone on the bromide bank when treating per label dirs. I treat once at first fill and voila "set and forget " -- just sayin...ozone eating bromide salts is a red herring non problem nothingburger! In fact, ozone in a bromine spa is a beautiful thing. Highly recommended! With a clean spa (no biofilms) and a modern corona discharge ozone genny, ive been able to maintain a fraction of a ppm bromine for days (no load of course) cause the ozone is able to oxidize bromide into the good stuff: sanitizing hybobromous acid

I do know that it won't work right if that metal tab with the screw is not grounded.

I knew because I saw it. Balboa has used those for dedicated blower circuit switching for decades. Don't ask me why, or how they work. I am not an electronics guy.

I personally cannot tolerate the smell of bromine so that would be a no go for me. I use the Frog @ease system in my hot tub and I am generally happy with it. Frog @ease doesn’t add cyanuric acid which is nice. Having sold the system for 4 years and using it personally in my hot tub I have noticed that pH and Alkalinity tend to drift downward. I usually have to add alkalinity increased every 2-3 weeks in my hot tub. I do treat for phosphates when I fill my hot tub and I do add a weekly enzyme. Otherwise I shock once a month with MPS. I have a 230 gallon hot tub that typically g

Was starting to stress fighting my hot tub water issues. Mainly PH rise. The PH down, aerate technique to beat down the TA really saved the day! Used a little 20 mule team borax and got the PH at 7.6 I haven’t had to adjust anything for 3 days and counting. A new record for me. The water looks good, feels good, doesn’t smell. I think it’s fixed! Only thing is my TDS is getting up there at about 1200 ppm from all the mistakes I was making in the beginning. I hope I can get it right again after I dump the water before long. I’m not so trusting of asking the pool stores for help either. I alread

https://www.hottuboutpost.com/balboa-power-input-terminal-block-5-position-100968/ ...just cut off 2 and it should line up with what you have... Should being the key word. Take some measurements and verify with the seller. Good Luck with the repair.

It looks like the blower circuit uses a triac. That's the little square with 3 prongs and a ground screw next to the plug. Should be an easy fix for an electronics guy. That system probably engages the blower for a short period (maybe 5 minutes) at the beginning of a filter cycle. If you do not have programmable filter cycles then it will start a filter cycle at or shortly after power-up. It may also run the blower in the event of high temperatures, but should show an error code on the display.

TDS is a bogus measurement. It became popular by the manufacturers of stabilized chlorine products so they could have a 'scapegoat' for what was really an overstabilzied pool or spa without blaming cyanuric acid! If TDS really make a difference then all salt water systems would not work because the measured TDS of a salt system is going to be between 2000 to 6000 or higher PPM on a fresh fill and balance (depending on the recommended salt level for that system). The TDS is a measurement of all ionic species in the water such as calcium, sodium, chloride, bromide (for bromine systems), bicarbon

Just remember that if the ambient temperatures are cold and the tub water is hot evaporation will occur much faster than when air temps are warmer. Since this is January faster evaporation is to be expected.

Test strips are notoriously unreliable. I recommend a good test kit.

I'm with @RDspaguy on this.

On the exterior logo light. Green will not come on until the water temperature is within 2 degrees of what it is set for, so being off isn't unusual on a fresh fill. The blue turning off after 30 seconds isn't behavior I have personally encountered. Additionally, the 20A breaker should have nothing to do with the display turning on. The 20A is for the heater only. Assuming the hot tub is wired correctly and myself not being a service tech, I would be out of suggestions.

Most spas have a built in drain port. I would suggest that you use Ahhsome spa jet and plumbing cleaner before draining. I hope you are in a warm climate, or you are likely to have some freeze damage.

An inch a week is about normal for a seldom used tub, between evaporative loss and carryout.

O.M.G. 🙄 Please, please, please read about the dichlor/bleach method in the water chemistry section, or really anything ever written anywhere about pool and spa water maintenance. You are begging for nasty and potentially dangerous contaminants to live in your spa and infect you with anything from parasites to legionella. After you have done some basic homework, come back with any questions. Clean that spa with Ahhsome jet and plumbing cleaner before you use it again. Drain and refill.

The element touching the side creates a hot spot that will burn out the element. It will not create continuity to ground. Remove the clips, bend the element, replace the clips if you choose. They usually just snap on.

Oh don't be a party pooper... lol

Well, I don't think much of Acura, just for the record. Haven't seen anything of theirs in years, so maybe they have improved, but I wouldn't buy one. I definitely prefer balboa. https://www.spadepot.com/Balboa-VS-Spa-Control-Kit-P3185 Just fill in the blanks. I agree with @CanadianSpaTechthat the relay is likely damaged, I think I can see the burnt circuit through the board. Pull the board and see.

Not necessarily. It depends on the cause of this issue. Just the corrosion on the other terminal. Spadepot.com. They make a titanium version that I do recommend.

Please tell me that spa is properly wired on a gfci breaker... Your heater looks shot before it burned up. I suspect you had a loose connection heat up at the heater. Replace the board, heater element, and connector. Be sure you do not twist the terminal stud on the new heater and that the element does not touch the tube. An electronics repair guy may be able to fix that board.

Doesn't have to be Clorox, can use private label "store brand" bleach. My employer made bleach, not much more than sodium hydroxide solution with chlorine gas bubbled in to make sodium hypochlorite. Pool liquid shock is higher concentration but typically sold in packs of 2 or 4 gallons.

The Frog system does not use a standard chlorine - instead it uses this chemical. You're not the first to try to find a replacement to refill your own frog system. The problem everyone has is that while they have been able to identify the chemical compound, there is no supplier for this chemical selling it in granular form on the market (the closest someone has gotten was a powdered format). So unless you have a Chemist friend who wants to be the next Walter White, it's a fools errand That said, I personally use a Dichlor 56 product (AllClear Spa Sanitizer) in my tub for s

Ok- 4 coats and mesh. Nephew came over and looked at it (underwater welding engineer at GE). He passed once with the sander and that crack was gone. He’s pretty confident it was from the stress of the hot tub move to my house. Tubs filled back up- dry as a bone so far. Amazing how a little washer can cause all of this trouble. I don’t know how you do this for a living! Thank you for your help on this one!

Low flow. Remove the filter. If it doesn't clear up remove the circulation pump and check for debris in the impeller. If that looks ok you need a circ pump.

I’ll stop the manual bleach shock and see what happens and let you know.

Low chlorine and metal ions (silver) is still a chemical tub. For cartridge filter cleaner you can use TSP (the real stuff, not the substitute) or automatic dishwater powder at the rate of 1 cup per every 5 gallons of water. Soak the filter for at least an hour (over night is better) in a container big enough to submerge the filter completely (a plastic waste basket or trash can works) and then rinse well with a garden hose and a high pressure brass nozzle, about $5 or $6 at most hardware, big box stores, or online.

If it is a water diverter, that switches water flow to various jets, then @CanadianSpaTechis correct. If it is the air control, that mixes air in with the water turning the water white where it comes out of the jets, it should not have water in it at all. Make sure all adjustable jets are fully open and getting good flow. If so, begin removing jet internals until it stops. Post a pic of the jet internals. Some have o-rings that separate the water and air connections, and will pressurize the air line with water when they fail.

Hello DayDay1: The purges you performed on your hot tub will now start paying you dividends. The people that make postings on this forum are a godsend to new hot tub and pool owners. You did the right thing by listening to their advice. Hope you and your family enjoy many happy times soaking in your well maintained hot tub.

Heat does not make copper more malleable like iron. It will bend as is with a pair of pliers.

just temporarily pretend you have a chlorine spa and use the pool calculator to determine the amount of free chlorine that you want to target. the conversion to total bromine will happen naturally in your spa when you add the prescribed amount of free-chlorine in the form of bleach (if you have sufficient bromide bank). for example, pool calculator might say 4 ounces of 6% bleach for 3ppm FC in a 500 gallon spa (no idea if those are correct numbers but play along with me here) -- that means 4 ounces of bleach will generate 3ppm of FC if you have a chlorine spa (no bromide present). The

Yup. That's what I am doing. I'm also trying to establish a pattern as to what is happening to help others who might catch this post in the future. Help them try to narrow things down based on their symptoms and by eliminating variables. I'm going to replace the hi-limit sensor in the next few days when I get a decent day, since the circ pump won't be here for a couple of weeks. What other testing would you do that I haven't already done? Regarding a digital thermometer, I found out that some cheaper ones are better calibrated to a certain range of temps and give inaccurate readings outs

Thank you for the advice everyone. I didn't see RDspaguys warning before attempting, but I was successful at very slowly and carefully heating up the piece and carefully removing it without damaging the jet back. Successfully replaced the broken pipe, and today successfully ran the tub and new heater with no issues. (This tub was taken apart at the pump when I moved into this house so I've been trying to get it running without putting too much extra $$ into it as we will be removing it in a few years for a master remodel anyway)

Got a bit of snow last night and today here in Northern West Virginia, so it may be a day or so till I get cooperative weather for a disassembly.

I would not recommend it. You are unlikely to see any noticeable difference, but full foam can create it's own troubles. And closed cell, meaning water resistant, can turn the smallest leak into a $2k repair bill.

Mildly confused by your post... So you have display on the topside but the lights are or are not working? What year is the spa? Jacuzzi uses a LED light controller https://www.hottubsupplystore.com/dcu-light-control/ in many model years. There is a fuse inside this controller that might have failed but the controller is prone to burnt relays. Look on the backside of the controller for a burnt area. There are 5 screws on the back of the controller one on each corner and also one under a sticker in the center of the controller. Make sure to mark the locations of the light ribbon tape where

To anybody out there that might be wondering what the consequences might be if you choose not to heed the advice of this board, listen to a little story I have to say. Two weeks ago I picked up a 5 y/o marquis spirit, 2 person 170 gal tub. Got it via a divorce sale from a coworker for $500. It had been left unattended for a few months so there was pea soup in it when drained to be transported to my home. I have never owned a hot tub so I figured I would go to the local marquis dealer to buy some supplies and get a crash course on tub maintenance, of course I left ringing up a $150 bill with