JerimiahR

Here's what we have our customers do in a situation like this: To remove bacterial growth in a spa: 1. Drain spa completely. 2. Refill with fresh water. 3. Remove cartridge filter and soak in a chlorine and water solution of 2 teaspoons Chlorinating concentrate to 10 gallons of water. Soak filter for 2-3 hours. Rinse well. 4. Shock the spa with 4 times the normal superchlorination amount of Chlorinating Concentrate. 5. With cover ½ off, run jets for 2-3 hours. 6. Wipe down the underside of the cover with the chlorine and water solution to kill any bacteria there. 7. Pour about half a bottle (one bottle treats 800 gallons) of Spa System Flush into your hot tub. Run all the jets for 30 minutes to flush out the plumbing. 8. Drain spa again and wipe down interior if needed, refill with fresh water. Follow directions for “Starting your spa with each fresh fill” from your original water test. The purpose of the above instructions, is to destroy any living organic compounds in your spa or spa water. We particularly use it for "watermold" problems. If spas are left empty, with water in the plumbing during warmer months, mold can grow in there. Also, if a spa is not properly sanitized during the life of the water in it, this same mold can form in the plumbing where you don't see it. This can produce a musty type smell, and customers often see "floaties" that look like dead skin flakes or paint chips. Though these flakes are usually soft, slimy, or have a consistency like wet tissue paper. Under Step 4: "normal superchlorination amount" means the dose of Chlorine you'd add weekly. In a 400 gallon spa, that should be somewhere around 2 Tablespoons (that's what I recommend). So I'd dose the spa with 8 TBS total for this process. You may also opt to use Bromine instead of Chlorine for this process. If your spa is second hand, and you have not already purchased a new filter, I'd suggest considering replacing the existing filter. One, I just don't like using old filters from others. Two, should you have bacteria or mold spores present in the spa they can embed themselves in the filter and are more difficult to sanitize therein. Sometimes it's safest just to replace the filter and not have to worry about if it's clean or sanitized enough.

Ozone is a great feature to have! Depending on the Sundance model you have, and how it's setup: Ozone Systems convert Oxygen into Ozone and inject it into the water which circulates through your equipment. The oxidation provided by this Ozone injection helps as a natural clarifying agent. It breaks down unwanted contaminants in the water, and can help reduce bacterial growth. However, because Ozone is a gas, it dissipates from water quickly. So Ozone systems which are active all the time, are a bit more effective as you get constant oxidation. The biggest benefit most customers seem to like, is that Ozone will break down any Bromine or Chlorine residual in the water. (Therefore, don't try to test for Chlorine content every day or you'll be low all the time). I typically recommend to folks to follow these general guidelines: Weekly: Add approx 2TBS of Chlorine (Dichlor Granules) to "Shock" your spa each week (regardless of use) Test pH & Alkalinity and balance as necessary. Run your jets for at least 10 to 30 minutes with the cover OPEN. This allows for the Chlorine to "gas off" and remove contaminents from the water. Each Use: Add approx 1 teaspoon of Chlorine (Dichlor Granules) per person AFTER you finish soaking. Run your jets or clean-up cycle for 10 minutes to allow this to mix up. With ozone, you can also add the Nature 2 Silver Ionizing Cartridge to your spa. This helps keep the water sanitized while Chlorine levels are non-existent between weekly doses. Check with your local Sundance dealer to get one of these if you don't have one. (You cannot use Nature 2 with Bromine). Ultimately, Ozone will help you keep the water cleaner, easier, with less chemicals, and allow for a more comfortable soaking experience since you won't have as much Chlorine present during use. *Keep in mind, dosages completely depend on the gallon capacity (size) of your spa. You may also wish to contact your local Sundance dealer to see what works best for them.*

To be honest, I've never heard anyone make that allegation against Tiger River or Hot Spring's jets. I've personally found the opposite to be the case with some brands. However, don't take my word for it. And don't other people's word for it either. Go feel the jets yourself. Whether you do a 'wet test' and soak in the hot tub, or simply go into a showroom and stick your hand in the water and feel it yourself. You're the judge. Check out that Tiger River Caspian. I think you'll be surprised.

Great! Hope it turns out to be something simple. Good Luck! The settings are correct, so I was going to replace the 20 amp gfci outlet with a standard 20 amp outlet and replace the 20 amp breaker in the the panel with a 30 amp gfci breaker, but I could not find one in the stores in my area. So, I am just going to switch to 240v and be done with it. Unless somebody has another idea? Thank you for all your help You're better off switching to 240V. If you ran #12 wire, and want to switch your 20amp breaker to a 30amp, you could potentially run into issues. Should anything ever try to draw over 20amp, your #12 wire is not large enough. That could spell trouble. If you can do the 240V (which you had mentioned wanting to do in the future anyhow) I'd definitely go that route. You'll enjoy it more that way. Hot tub should heat a lot faster, and maintain temperature better while your spa is being used (cover off, jets on). I would definitely contact your local Viking dealer, or the Viking manufacturer to get advice on how to proceed. You really want to make sure the settings are all correct so something does not get wired wrong. It's not to difficult to wire something and cause significant damage to your spa, yourself, or home.

It's kinda hard to airlock a jet pump. If you can turn it on high speed, and the jets and such work, it's not air locked. If it tries to kick on low speed, and only hums, you could have a flat spot in the motor where it's sticking. The lower power setting may not be quite strong enough to get it to turn over. Might actually need to have some work done on the jet pump. You can also try removing your filter, and trying again. If you remove the filter and stuff works fine, that'll indicate that your filter is either dirty (and needs cleaned) or simply needs replaced. Your jet pump should be pulling water through the filter. I'm thinking it's more likely a pump issue though. If your spa is still under warranty, I'd contact your local Coleman dealer for support. They might be able to walk you through troubleshooting by phone, and can send a technician out to fix/replace the pump if needed.

We have most of our customers use Dichlor & Nature 2. We used to have folks use MPS, Dichlor, and Nature 2. However, we've found that most customers actually have better results (and save money) using only Nature 2 and Dichlor (assuming they've got Ozone). We recommend customers add about 2 TBS of Dichlor (Spa Chlorine) each week to "Shock" the spa. The ozone then depletes this chlorine level. Then we have customers add about 1 tsp per person after they get out of the spa each time. This seems quite effective for our customers, and costs less money compared to using MPS each soak (since you have to add larger doses to get equal results). Keep in mind these dosages are for the average "medium" sized spa. Larger or smaller spas may need larger or smaller dosages.

The standard Bromine Cartridges from Spa Frog are designed to last anywhere from 2-4 weeks. Finding the right adjustment on your Spa Frog cartridge can take a little time. It's all based on how often you use the spa, and how many people use it each time (this helps determine Bromine usage). One thing I'd ask, since you're testing and finding low Bromine levels. Do your test strips indicate Zero Bromine? If so, can you SMELL the Bromine? You could have one of four things going on: 1) Spa Usage may be using up the Bromine faster than it disolves from the Spa Frog cartridge. Solution: Add Brominating Concentrate (powdered Bromine) to "Shock" your spa and raise Bromine residual. 2) If you have an Ozone system in your spa, it can deplete Bromine residual as fast as your Spa Frog cartridge can supply it, thereby keeping you at nearly Zero all the time. Solution: Add Brominating Concentrate (powdered Bromine) to "Shock" your spa and raise Bromine residual. 3) If you smell the strong odor of Bromine being present, but the test strip shows Zero Bromine, you could have too much Bromine. If Bromine levels are well above 10ppm, it can actually "Bleach" test strips and force them to show a false Zero. Solution: Reduce the setting on your Bromine Cartridge, and allow the Bromine levels to dissipate. Sunlight, leaving the cover off, and running the jets can help reduce the levels more quickly. 4) Your Bromine Catridge could very well just be empty. Solution: Install a new Spa Frog Bromine Catridge

This depends on the brand of your spa. The vast majority of hot tubs use their Jet Pump for circulation. This means that every time the hot tub needs to heat itself, or needs to run a programmed filtration cycle, the jet pump will activate to move water through the filter system, or through the heater for heating purposes. For 90% of hot tubs you'll notice it turns itself on and off all the time (more so in cold climates). However, if you have a Hot Spring hot tub in particular, the spa should not do this. Some spas like Hot Spring, do not use the jet pump for circulation, thereby saving on energy costs and virtually eliminating any noise heard from the spa. If you have a Hot Spring hot tub and it's turning on and off, you will want to contact your local dealer for support. Otherwise, if it's another brand, your hot tub is likely doing what it was programmed to do.

Different spas are setup differently internally (especially on the underside) as far as insulation and such go. I'm not familiar with the Ymir brand at all. However, if the leak is under the shell you'll probably be forced to drain the spa, and either set it up on blocks or turn it onto it's side. Then you'll have to gain access to the underside of it and find the plumbing where the leak is. Could be anything from a bad glue joint in the plumbing, to a cracked pipe. Hard to say until you get into the hot tub. If the spa is insulated on the under side, you may have to dig through and remove that insulating foam. If its not insulated, it should be a quick peak inside to find the bad joint or pipe.

$200 is pretty cheap! Considering they had to transport it an hour away, and get it up the hill and such. Good find!

Great! Enjoy that new spa! That's really great your Jacuzzi dealer does water testing too. We also do that for our customers, and it can help people a ton. Especially if you're still learning the basics of water chemistry in hot tubs. It's just really nice to be able to take a water sample in to your dealer and ask, "What's wrong here?"

Personally, I'd like to get the spa filled, heated, and running before I'd buy a spa. Up here in Montana where it gets darn cold, it's very important to make sure the spa owner properly winterizes the spa when they drain it. If any water is left in the equipment or plumbing in a cold climate, it's possible to cause serious damage (spa leaks, stops heating, etc). If you're in a warmer climate, you probably won't have to worry about this. How well do you know this friend who has the hot tub? Would he be honest with you with regards to what works and what doesn't? As far as Costco goes. I love Costco! But I'd never buy a spa there. Food, laptops, etc I'd buy there all day. But when it comes to a hot tub, the draw back with Costco is that they can't provide any technical support for you. Also, when you order a spa through Costco, be prepared to install your own hot tub. They only provide curb side delivery. If you're willing to wire it and move it into your backyard on your own, go for it. Having a Costco in town here, and selling the Hot Spring brand of spas, I talk to folks quite often whom return their Costco spas and order new spas from us. The biggest difficulty for most of these folks is simply that the brands of spas sold by Costco don't have local dealers to provide technical support. Any hot tub you buy, see if you can find a local hot tub dealer who can provide you with tech support /parts should you need it.

Would tend to agree with spatech on this one. The newer CD Ozone systems will typically cost more, but are a much better way to go. The CD Ozone systems typically output a higher level of ozone (therefore it's more effective) and they last a lot longer. Older less expensive UV Ozone systems need to be rebuilt every couple years to be effective. The UV bulbs in them wear out and just don't do their job anymore or very effectively. If you ask, some manufacturers give you the option to install a CD Ozone or UV Ozone. Some only do one or the other. Jacuzzi, Sundance, and Hot Spring all use CD Ozone. Keep in mind, some spas allow Ozone to operate continuously, while others the Ozone system operates only while the spa circulates water during intermittent cycles. So it's good to ask questions.

Great! Hope it turns out to be something simple. Good Luck!

Couple things come to my mind: 1) The wiring to the jet pump may not be correct. I've seen wiring that's been done wrong/backwards and causes a GFCI to trip off. If the GFCI trips off instantly, each time you activate the jets, it would suggest to me there is an electrical/wiring issue in that area. 2) It is possible (though not super common) that a GFCI can become "weak" or too sensitive. In some cases they can stay on for a few days, and suddenly trip off during load. It's always good to try turning the breaker on, and pressing the "Test" button to ensure it trips off instantly, just to make sure it's working right. 3) Re-Confirm jumper settings/changes. I'm assuming your spa is convertible from 120v to 240v since you mention jumpers and such. Was the 120v power cord pre-installed by the factory? If so, it should have been pre-set internally for 120v settings.

Awesome!

Goodness! No hot tubbing at 10 degrees? Folks up here use theirs spas @ -20F all the time! Gotta love it! MRE: I grew up in the Phoenix Metro area! So it's cool seeing someone from Chandler on these forums. Reminds me of home. Big advantage for you is that you're bound to find a dealer for just about every brand possible in the Phoenix Metro area. With the housing market the way it is, I imagine you can look for some pretty good deals right about now too! Though you may not necessarily NEED the extra insulation, I'm definitely a huge fan of the Hot Spring brand. Course I'm a bit biased, but frankly they're a spectacular product. Your local Hot Spring Dealer (should you wish to visit them) is: WOW Indoor Outdoor - Tempe 1746 W Ruby Rd #104 Tempe, AZ 85281 480-899-5599 One thing to keep in mind. Come summer, any spa you get you may want to activate a "Summer" setting. Those Phoenix 110-120F days will heat things up pretty well! And keep in mind you can turn down the water temperature during the summer, and cool off in your Cool Spa.

For another interesting model, take a look at the Tiger River Caspian. It is a Hot Spring brand spa, so you'll have to see if there's a Hot Spring dealer in your area. It's the same dimensions as the J345. Caspian http://tigerriver.hotspring.com/Models/spa...ls_caspian.html Also take a peek at the Limelight Pulse. This is a new model to the Hot Spring family. http://www.limelighthottubs.com/#explore-s...d=pulse-hot-tub Both spas are great for even 6 adults! As far as the pricing you listed, those prices sound about right. $200 is pretty inexpensive for an Ozone system. If you've never had a Ozonator before, you should get one with ANY spa you buy. They are very nice, and help reduce the amounts of Chlorine in your spa water while you soak.

Awesome!! There's nothing like the joys of soaking in a brand new hot tub while it snows and is below freezing! Make sure you sit in your spa while it's snowing too, quite an experience.

Hey Shane Nice Hot Tub by the way! We usually tell folks to keep the water somewhere between the top of the four neck jets (the ones above your Moto-Massage) and below the pillow. This works fine for having two people in there. If you should decide to have 3 or 4 people in there, you may find some splash over. Don't worry about it. Should you need to add water later no big deal. Just so long as your water level stays high enough that it can naturally spill into your filter compartment you'll be fine. Keep in mind however, if someone turns on the jets when the water is below jet level, they might get a good splash of jet water.

Hi there Kiz! Unless you have a particular need for filtering (such as the sediment bizdoc mentioned) you probably have no real need for a pre-filtering device. I work for a large hot tub company in Montana and a lot of our customers are drawing water out of personal wells. Though we stock pre-filters for sale, it's pretty rare any of my customers ever need them. I usually ask people, "If you fill a bucket of water with your hose, do you get sediment or particles of stuff settling in it?" If the answer is no, you shouldn't have need for a pre-filter. Your city water should be a pretty clean source, and unless you're in a really old house, you shouldn't have to worry about rust or other contaminants being in your water.