How Do I Know If The Ozonator Is Working?

[Jaimbo]

OK I'm going to sound a bit dim here but here goes.

I bought a spa a few years ago in the last year have had a load of problems which I hope are now behind me (I've changed out just about everything but the pipework!). I discovered during this process that the spa has an ozonator. This was not explained to me when I bought the spa and I never knew or considered it. It consists, from what I can see, of a canister that looks like a water filter cannister or a silicon sealant tube type thing with a pipe going in one and and another coming out the other. It is attached to the control board so it's clearly getting power and the plastic box on the side is warm so somethings going on.

My questions are:

1/ how do I know if it's working?

2/ Does it need any maintenance? Do I need to change the cannister or anything?

Thanks in advance.

[cofive]

OK I'm going to sound a bit dim here but here goes.

I bought a spa a few years ago in the last year have had a load of problems which I hope are now behind me (I've changed out just about everything but the pipework!). I discovered during this process that the spa has an ozonator. This was not explained to me when I bought the spa and I never knew or considered it. It consists, from what I can see, of a canister that looks like a water filter cannister or a silicon sealant tube type thing with a pipe going in one and and another coming out the other. It is attached to the control board so it's clearly getting power and the plastic box on the side is warm so somethings going on.

My questions are:

1/ how do I know if it's working?

2/ Does it need any maintenance? Do I need to change the cannister or anything?

Thanks in advance.

You can buy an ozone test kit that you attach into the 1/4" feed line to the ozone nozzle. Spa Depot is where I got mine.

Ken

[simonc]

Jaimbo -

Good question.

I looked at the kit recommended, but it appears to be a single use kit. So I test my ozonator (4 years old) this week and it tests good. Well ... a month from now ... is it still good??? Well ... go buy another kit. This doesn't seem like a good solution unless you are relatively sure that your ozonator is only blowing regular air and need confirmation before you spend a couple hundred dollars on a new one.

The sales person at the spa store told me he can smell the ozone coming out of his showroom tubs. I couldn't smell it. Maybe I need a new nose??? Many years ago, I smelled ozone that had been produced by a strong ultraviolet light in a lab. As I remember it, it smelled "sharp" and had an acrid smell ... I think.

Anyway ... I went home and put an inverted cup over the ozone outlet. The cup filled with "ozone" (I assume) and I took a smell. Nothing. Smelled like regular air to me. I asked my wife to give it the smell test. She didn't smell any difference. (Yes ... I used her as a "guinea pig" ... but we're still married.)

So ... can YOU personally smell the ozone coming out of your spa's ozonator? Do I need a new nose, a new wife, or a new ozonator ... or ... all of the above???

Seriously ... Is it possible to wake up and smell the ozone in your spa???

- Simon

[SJswimmer]

I was in the same boat: trying to determine if the ozonator was working. It's a single- use test kit, and an expensive one at about $10. You could use a meter to test for ORP (Oxidation-Reduction Potential), but if you don't have easy access to one, . If there's a cover on it, when you first open the cover after it's been closed for a long time, you should be able to smell the ozone.

In my case, I couldn't smell any ozone, had little to no ORP, and bought a new bulb for the ozone generator. My current plan is to run it until I can't smell the ozone when opening the cover, then to borrow a meter and test or ORP, then to replace the bulb.

[simonc]

In my case, I couldn't smell any ozone, had little to no ORP, and bought a new bulb for the ozone generator.

My ozone generator is a small black box - maybe 3"x"5"x2". It's made by Spa Necessities . I noticed that it has a small plastic "window" near the bottom of the box, right next to the plastic hose that goes into the spa system. I figured that the window must be for something. But what??? It's hard to believe that the window is just cosmetic on a a nondescript box that is hidden behind an access panel on my Jacuzzi brand spa ... that doesn't make sense.

Am I suppose to see a light through the window while it's "making" ozone? I don't see anything.

Does anyone have an idea what this little window is for? Maybe it tells me if my ozonator is working properly??? I don't smell any ozone either.

- Simon

[Nitro]

What is your Baseline Idle Chlorine Demand?

[simonc]

What is your Baseline Idle Chlorine Demand?

Nitro -

I'm not sure if you are asking me or someone else who posted on this thread. Anyway ...

1. I don't know what "Baseline Idle Chlorine Demand" is.

2. Why would this have anything to do with whether or not my ozonator is working?

Please pardon my ignorance on this subject.

My ozonator is about 4 years old. I paid about $200 dollars for it at the time of installation by the company who sold me my Jacuzzi spa. I don't know that it has ever worked properly. However, I do know that it generates bubbles (maybe just plain old air?). If I crimp the hose that comes out of the box, the bubbles stop. When I stop crimping the hose, the bubbles start again. Unfortunately, that's my TOTAL level of "knowledge" about this little black box.

Maybe the answer is that ozonators are a waste of money???

- Simon

[shovelhd]

I have the same ozonator on my Jacuzzi. It is a 50mg unit made by Del Ozone. Mine does not have the clear window, but you can hear the CD chip buzzing as it does it's thing. The bubbles don't mean much. Unplug the ozonator from the spa pack, and you will still get bubbles.

I'm not sure if mine is working, either. I'm not going to spend $10 plus shipping on a one time test. Del Ozone says that these units should last 3-5 years with the spa on a normal cleaning cycle. Since I bought my tub used, I have no idea how much it has been used already, but since it still makes noise, something must be working. I am going to replace the CD chip next year at the 5 year mark. It's half the cost of a new ozonator. You can get them here:

http://www.lpsbathandspa.com/jpsozonators.html

Nitro makes a good point with respect to CD. I have just converted over to chlorine from bromine and my tub is still in the "holy $#!+" stage. The pH is all over the place and so is the chlorine. I am testing twice a day now. With no use overnight, my CD was 3ppm. I don't know if that's because of sanitation or the ozonator.

[Nitro]

Simon, please read my link below about Chlorine Demand.

Your Baseline CD is your CD right after filling your clean tub. If it's 25%, than most likely your ozonator is not working up to par. However, if your CD is higher (~50%), it could mean you have a strong ozonator still working. Or it could just mean you have a dirty tub with a possible bug in it.

This is one reason to measure your Baseline CD as soon as you get your clean tub. If CD is 50%, and slowly drops off, it could mean your ozonator is not working as it should.

[simonc]

Nitro -

Thank you for pointing me to your excellent article on CD. It seems that it will be a helpful tool in maintaining my tub water and getting an idea about whether or not my ozone generator is working.

I've order a better test kit (Taylor K2006). When it arrives I'll do a CD test. Unfortunately, I drained/filled by tub about a week ago so I won't be able to do the fresh water baseline test. Oh well ... next time.

- Simon

[Nitro]

Nitro -

Thank you for pointing me to your excellent article on CD. It seems that it will be a helpful tool in maintaining my tub water and getting an idea about whether or not my ozone generator is working.

I've order a better test kit (Taylor K2006). When it arrives I'll do a CD test. Unfortunately, I drained/filled by tub about a week ago so I won't be able to do the fresh water baseline test. Oh well ... next time.

- Simon

Simon, you can still get a good baseline reading if your water is only a week old. Just give it a good shock with MPS (1-2 TBS) and 10-20 ppm FC. Let it sit for a couple days without using it, then test your CD. BTW, your CD will stay at your Baseline if you use enough Chlorine.