wish2fish
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Posts posted by wish2fish
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I've had precipitate in my tub 2 times now. don't remember much about the first time but I do think it was flakes. I might have been using chlorine tablets at that time. The last time I was doing a drain and refill. I refilled, adjusted the pH and Alkalinity and added a bromine boost but I added way too much as my strips where showing bright purple for high levels. Shortly after I found a pH stabilizer and added it. I immediately got a white precipitate but it was very fine. Eventually the filter got all the stuff out of my tub and the bromine level came down.
I figure it was some sort of chemical reaction.
What sanitizer are you using?
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you can buy brom stat packets to get the levels to rebound. I've used the powder that is in the tablet container to do it also. If there isn't any, I've cut off a portion of the the tablet and smashed into powder and dumped into the spa.
I just drained and refilled and without measuring dumped a lot of powder into the spa. It was way over brominated.
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11 hours ago, Susanj said:
The salesperson told me there are 3 chlorine cartridges and they each last 3-4 weeks.
I would say 3 weeks was about right for me.
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I will tell you also, the cartridges do not last a month.
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I was investigating these systems. It appears that you have to fine tune the system once installed. If you can do that you would be fine.
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1 hour ago, Susanj said:
Thank you. For us , the benefit may outweigh the cost as it’s a vacation rental and may give us peace of mind that the sanitizer level is being maintained well when our guests are there for three days or a week or whatever.
would you be using the @ease ball or the smartchlor inline cartridges? I'm might still worry about heavy bathing load. During the winter it was just me 2-3 days a week.
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Might want to see if you can edit the title from you name.
when you say pump do you mean the pump moving water around or the air jets?
there are some settings on my spa for how the pump runs to keep circulating through the filter.
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I can't help as I have a 110 tub and it takes a long time to heat from ground temp water.
My solutions:
I have a continuous hot water heater.
If drain and refill, I lower my temp to 104 at the heater and run a really long hose from basement stationary tub. water ready to go immediately.
If low because of power issue or shutdown, I raise the water temp to 130 at the heater and hot water 5 gallons at a time. to increase temp
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depending on your electric panel, you can convert 1 single breaker into 2 single breakers. Do that on one of the breakers next to the open spot creating 2 spots. That would allow you to put a 50amp 220v breaker into that newly opened area. still need to increase your wire size. You never said what you entire panel amperage is. Adding 50amp draw to 100amp panel will never work.
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I have tried the smartchlor @ease (round ball). It worked great for me but is way more expensive that using tablets or granular. It did eliminate my skin irritation that I get during the winter.
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Prior to switching to the @ease system I removed my filter and replaced with my backup filter. The filter was coated with a chalky white substance. If you put it between your fingers it has a gritty texture.
Everything on the outside just washed off but still has some of this substance in the pleats. I have tried warm water, soaking in cleaning vinegar and finally tried the filter cleaning tablets. None of these have dissolved the white substance.
I've had this spa for 5+ years and have never encountered anything like this.
What is this stuff and does anyone have suggestions for getting it out of the pleats.
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I don't have any advice. did you get it working?
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Wanted to share my experience with the @ease smart chlor system.
Historically I've used bromine to sanitize my spa. During the winter my skin would get really itchy and rash in several locations. It was so bad I had to limit how much I used my spa. I did try using chlorine for a few weeks and had the same problem. In the beginning of December I switched to the Frog @Ease SmartChlor Floating Chlorine and Mineral sanitizing system. Since the switch I have not had any issues with rash and dry itchy skin. I have actually been using the spa for longer periods too knowing I won't be getting the rash.
Now, this system isn't cheap. A 4 month supply costs about $84 but it definitely has made a difference for me. @ease starter kit comes with a mineral unit that lasts 4 months and 1 smart chlor unit that they estimate lasts 3-4 weeks. My smart smart chlor unit is about empty so that timeline is about right. You can buy the smart chlor refill (3 more units) seperately from the starter kit.
I realize some of you can manage your spa with individual chemicals but I had trouble trying to maintain bromine/chlorine, pH and alkalinity previously. With the @Ease system, I shock occasionally and test the levels weekly. I don't see the fluctuations that I saw previously.
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is the motor running?
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Is it a friction heated model? I have a dreammaker and it doesn't have a heating element. My manual list those same control models as your mentioned.
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I have a DreamMaker X400. It is a roto molded 110 volt model.
I use my spa a lot during the winter. It sits on an elevated covered porch but has exposure from 3 sides. When using I only expose half by flipping back half the cover. If it is above freezing, the spa does a decent job keeping up with the cold temperatures until you approach freezing and below. I will use the spa down to 25 degree F. In that 25 to 32 degree range the spa will go from 100 to 98 in less than 30 minutes. I do not use the air control when temps are this cold as it will lose heat even faster.
I'm trying to find solutions so I can get a little more time. I like to watch basketball/football games in the spa and would like to stay in up to an hour. As stated above, I only flip back half the cover. I was thinking about getting a section of pool solar cover and cutting out a section where I sit. Also considered wrapping the spa with more insulation during the winter which would also help reduced heat loss when not using the spa.
Thanks for any ideas.
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On 10/31/2018 at 12:46 PM, QGolden said:
I too created an account just to comment on this thread. There is much mis-information here, particularly by "Southsider".
The fact is that Dream maker has not (as of Oct 2018) gone out of business. They are still in operation. As far as I know, (local dealer told me) they still sell spas with their "heatstick" technology. I have had mine (X-400) for 10 years. On an outside deck in Northern New England. I have had exactly one leak in it in 10 years, that was a pump seal, which was a standard seal, replacement bought on Amazon. This summer the control board failed. It looked to me like the gasket sealing the control box degraded letting moisture into the board, as it was corroded. (Remember, it is outside, and I did have a seal leak a couple of years ago). I called Dream Maker customer support. They suggested 3 tests to verify it was the board and not the Spa side control panel. When I diagnosed the issue and called them back, the sold me a new Control Board complete with new sealed box, (it had been updated), It was a drop in repair, so they continue to support older models.
As for the "heatstick technology" something there works. Whether it is the water forced through the heat stick or impeller friction (there is nothing visibly different in the pump housing, I took mine apart to change out the seal, I used to be a Pool and Spa technical in a former life and I have had a lot of impeller housings apart) Additionally my tub has no plumbing windings around the motor, it harvests no "waste heat" directly from the motor, although the heat from the motor does exhaust into the roto-molded shell. It has no electric heater. It clearly relies on friction from the impeller and subsequent "heatstick" (http://images.inyopools.com/cloud/images/561257-4.jpg) which is a vortex producing device (and perhaps some ambient warm air from the motor). The water temp does climb at a rate of nearly 2 degrees an hour, so yes it can take days to heat the first fill depending on the water temp you fill it with. It does run on a 15 Amp 110V house circuit with a standard plug, the plug contains a GFI. We run it and use it all year round, more so in the winter. It stays up to temp 100-102 all winter, outside, despite below 0 temps. It certainly runs more hours a day in the winter, but it does not run constantly by any measure. If you Google "vortex tubes" you will find that there is nothing new, or revolutionary about the technology. It has been used to heat air since it was invented in 1931. The vortex tube is a mechanical device that separates a compressed gas into hot and cold streams. It has no moving parts. The Dream Maker Spas evidently utilize the similar basic theory and apply it to water.
The tub will not gain heat with the cover off and the jets on. It is a single speed motor, and if you open the Air Control Valves to allow air to mix in with the jets, the cool air drops the water temp faster than the heating system will keep up. We use it for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, and are not uncomfortable after 20 minutes, maybe a 2 degree drop. But I find that after getting out of the tub, it is back up to temp within an hour and shuts down.
As for efficiency, I wont argue about the physics behind the claimed technology. However I can tell you that based on my local rate of 9.25 cents per KWH, if the motor uses about 4 amps when running (which is high, my meter says closer to 3), if I figure it runs worst case at 5 hours run a day then that equates to about 116 dollars a year. A little more if the winter is extra long or extra cold.
I hope this helps some with an evaluation of this tub. I recommend you search out people who actually own them vs the experts that know why they don't want one. They are good, they do the job with a minimum of cost, and parts. The jets have good output, strong enough to take effort to block off while running. The jets are in a good position to reach the upper and lower back depending on which corner you sit in (They are in different positions on each side). Parts are available. The shell is not the most attractive in the business, looks like an oversize dog food dish, but scratches buff out, the surface has not broken down in 10 years, the chemicals have not discolored it, there is no evidence of the scrubbing damaging the surface at the water line.
I will sell this house when it is paid off it in 4 more years, I will leave the tub and manual with the new owners and buy the same model tub for our next house.
I mostly agree with QGolden. I bought my X400 used at least 5 years ago. My spa will gain heat with the cover off and jets running. It has a harder time as we reach below freezing temps and will lose temp when using. If temps above 40 degrees F, the jets will shutdown after the 10 minute cycle. I will turn them on again.
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not sure about your spa, but on my spa the temp sensors don't touch the water at all. They sit in pvc channel that is right in the area of the control board.
If your sensors do touch the water, they should be removable. I would find them and clean them.
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I have a Dreammaker x400 that I bought used over 5 years ago. It meets our needs which sound similar to yours. Usually only 2 people so size is fine. Only problem I have is during the winter (when below freezing) it is hard to keep hot after the lid is opened. It just can't keep up with the heat loss. It is a friction heater.
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Interested in this topic.
Where do you get concentrated hydrogen peroxide. Is the stuff at the pharmacy strong enough?
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I have a continuous Bosch hot water heater. I turn the temperature down to 104 degrees and fill from the stationary tub faucet (hose ready) using a 75' hose. Out the window, around the house and up on the deck.
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this looks nasty. wonder what the cause was.
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Thinking about switching to salt water with a chlorine generator for my hot tub. Does anyone have one of the after market models that you just hang over the side?
Thoughts, comments, suggestions appreciated.
T
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I have a Dreammaker and mine control is attached firmly. I assume it is it just screwed into the roto molded plastic. Its to cold outside (~20) to pull the motor cover of and give it a check for you.
Replacement Cover
in Portable Hot Tubs & Spas
Posted
I need to replace the cover on my Dream Maker X400. It's not a fancy spa but I do use it year round. The current cover is a SpaMate and looks to be uniform thickness throughout. I am currently away from the spa so I don't know the thickness.
I live in the Cincinnati Ohio area and use the spa year round. Where is a place to find a reasonably priced cover that would keep the spa temperatures during the winter and prevent overheating in the summer?
Thanks,