No. A high TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) level means that your spa water is completely saturated and will not be able to absorb any more chemicals, including sanitizer. You must drain and refill your spa.
There are two simple methods to reduce sanitizer levels:
1. Drain half of your water and refill the hot tub. 2. Remove the cover and turn on the air bubbling system for about half an hour and recheck the sanitizer lever. Repeat if necessary.
Too much Spa Activator (Shock) can cause the skin to itch and potentially produce a skin rash. Over-shocking your water can also potentially damage your hot tub cover, and this would not be covered in the warranty. Also, adding an excess of sanitizer may cause the reading on your test strip to go out of range, falsely showing a reading of zero. This has led people to add more spa activator which can further complicate things.
One of the causes of foaming is soft water. Water that is treated with a water softener or has a hardness level below 250 parts per million will foam. Use ThermoSpas Hardness Test Strips to measure the water hardness and our Liquid Calcium to raise the level and help prevent foaming.
Other causes of foaming are the buildup of body oils, lotions, makeup, hair sprays, and chemicals; old water, excessive organics and improper sanitation. Detergent remaining in bathing suits will also cause foaming.
To end foaming add either ThermoSpas Foam Away defoamer, or drain and refill your hot tub. In the case of improper sanitation & excessive organics, you should increase the sanitizer level to balance the water.
Be careful not to use too much Foam Away. Because Foam Away is a highly concentrated product, if you use too much, your water will become very cloudy. Unfortunately, this cloudiness will only disappear with time. If you experience cloudiness from overuse of Foam Away, do not add any more to your spa. Allow the spa to filter the product out. Your water should clear up in about 24 to 48 hours. Be sure to rinse your filters after the water has cleared.
Since there are many possible reasons for cloudy water (along with a long list of solutions), your Owners Manual is the best source of information. As always, remember our Customer Care representatives are only a phone call away. Listed below are the three most common problems and solutions:
Dirty filter — Clean your filters with our Filter Cleaner solution.
High pH or Alkalinity — Our pH/Alkalinity Up and Down will solve this problem.
High bacteria level — A tablespoon of our Sodium Dichlor Chlorine usually helps here.
ThermoSpas offers free computerized testing of your water. If you reach the point of having absolutely no luck keeping your water in balance, and have tried draining and refilling your hot tub, you can send us a sample of your hot tub water for analysis. Clean any plastic container thoroughly, fill it with water directly from the troubled hot tub, seal it well and send it to our Customer Care Department along with your name and telephone. Your Customer Care Representative may also ask you to send us a sample from the water source you used to fill your spa. This will help us understand the make up of the water before you added chemicals.
If you are using Spa Activator, you may be allergic to it. You should consult your doctor for an exact answer and request an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) to help determine your allergies.
Yes, the air that is blowing into your hot tub is cooler than the water you are soaking in. Unfortunately, this is inevitable. But, ThermoSpas is able to minimize any drop in water temperature caused by air blowers, thanks to the design of our spas and our method of insulation. When a spa is in use, the spa’s equipment (pumps, heaters, etc.) generate heat. The heavily insulated ThermoSpas cabinet captures this heat while preventing the cooler, outside air from entering. The air inside the cabinet is kept at a consistent temperature of 90- 95 degrees – no matter what the outside temperature. And it is this warm air that the ThermoSpas blowers use to create the bubbles in your spa. While 90-95 degrees may be a warm air temperature, it is definitely cool compared to the 102 degree water in your hot tub. But it could be significantly worse. The blowers in many competitors’ spas draw in air from outside of the cabinet. That means that, depending on the time of year, a competitor spa could be blowing 70, 50, even 30 degree air – or colder – into your water!
The water could stay well above the temperature you set due to the effects of the sun on the water and the great insulation that your hot tub has. The pumps are also creating heat during filtration cycles and regular usage. We recommend that you never set your water temperature below 80 degrees. You will lose the full effect of warm water therapy and you will reduce the effect of your chemicals.
In a situation like this, there are two options for a spa owner to try. First, you can winterize your spa, removing all of the water from the tub using a submersible pump and a wet/dry vacuum, following the instructions in your Owner’s Manual. Or, if the spa is holding water without a problem, you can leave the water in the spa and generate some sort of heat in the cabinet, such as a low voltage drop light. This will prevent further damage from occurring.
Your spa is not designed to provide full pressure to all jets at the same time. You can regulate the pressure in any section of the spa simply by rotating the outer ring of the whirl pool jet. Refer to your Owners Manual for a picture of the jet and refer to your Special Operating Instructions for the location of this jet. It is easier to turn the ring when the pump to the whirlpool jet is turned off. The ring may be tight on new models but will turn 360 degrees and allow you to divert pressure to meet your comfort level.
Using your control panel is really very simple. Refer to the "Special Operating Instructions" that came with your hot tub. This instruction sheet is for your specific model and explains the usage of the control panel, filter maintenance and spa usage. You will also find easy instructions for unlocking and locking your control panel, as well as instructions for setting your temperature on this sheet.
If the "FLO" is flashing, first make sure filters are clean and seated properly. Next, make sure water level is to the correct line on the filter assembly. Finally, prime the pump to free air pocket if any. If the "FLO" is solid, you need to make an adjustment on the pressure switch itself. Turn the calibration wheel a half to full clockwise turn. The switch is very sensitive and sometimes needs slight adjustment.
"DR" means there is water detected in the heater. On the third
occurrence of this, the control panel will display "DR4" or dry.
To RESOLVE: Prime the pump and make sure all the T-valves are
up. Then, contact the Service Department at (800) 876-0158
for further troubleshooting.
The 24-hour circulation pumps are set to turn on for three minutes and then shut off once the spa goes over the desired set temperature. This is to eliminate heat gain from pump.
"O3" simply means that if you have an ozonator in your spa, it is on. If you do not have an ozone system but would like to order one, please call the Service Department at (800) 876-0158.
NOTE: If you have ozone and you don't see "O3" on your control panel, this doesn't mean your ozonator isn't working. "O3" shows up periodically and the ozonator works even when the light isn't on.
First, turn GFCI breaker OFF. Then, access the Spa Pac and unplug all components except for the light. Next, turn GFCI breaker back ON. If the breaker does not hold, the only component still connected is the heater (since heater wires are inside Spa Pac). If the breaker does hold, re-plug in components one at a time. Whichever one is failing will trip breaker when you plug it in. At this point, the second, third and forth pumps can be left unplugged. Also, if the blower or ozonator is causing the problem, they can be left unplugged. Only the spa's heater and primary pump are necessary to maintain heat and filter cycle.
Until you develop an accurate understanding of your chemicals and the chemistry of your hot tub’s water, you should test the alkalinity, pH and sanitizer levels each time you use your hot tub. Once you’ve developed a good understanding of what it takes to maintain your water’s chemistry you should then test your water at least once a week and definitely after any heavy use.
No matter what your level of spa use is, never wait more than three to four months to drain and refill your spa. Other than that, there are several other reasons you may need to drain your spa:
If your dog or cat jumps into the spa. Unfortunately, animals in hot water produce over 50 times more bacteria than humans.
If your water reaches a TDS (Total Dissolved Dolids) level where your water becomes completely saturated and will not accept any more chemicals. TDS Strips are available to easily measure your water and TDS levels.
Improper water chemistry can throw off your water levels to the point where draining your spa is the only alternative.
The only chemicals that you should not use with ThermoClear are bromine and bromine based products. Specifically Bromine Tablets or Bromide Liquid Salts. You should also avoid using any biguanide products (Baquacil or SoftSwim) or copper-based algaecides with your ThermoClear system. Use of biguanide products could damage your spa and may void your warranty.
The use of ThermoClear and chlorine can be interchanged in the same spa water. All other sanitizers require the draining of the hot tub. We recommend the use of ThermoSpas’ Jet Line Cleaner for cleaning out the lines of any residual bacteria or sanitizer.
The pH level is the measure of active acid or base in your hot tub’s water. The pH reading tells you the quality of your water. A pH reading can be anywhere from 0 to 14. Our body’s normal pH level ranges from 7.2 to 7.8. This is why it is very important to keep your hot tub water within this range. If the water’s pH level is below 7.2, your water is acidic and not only may erode your hot tub’s plumbing and cause damage to its heater and other parts but is also dangerous to you. If the level is above 7.8, your water is alkaline which causes scale to build up on your hot tub’s equipment. For adjusting pH levels, ThermoSpas has two products available: pH/Alkalinity Up and pH/Alkalinity Down.
Alkalinity is the measure of the water’s ability to neutralize acid and keep the pH level within the proper range. The reading will also tell you the water’s buffering capacity or the degree of resistance to pH change. This means that your pH level depends upon the level of alkaline in your water. The recommended range for alkalinity is between 100-150 parts per million (ppm). If your alkalinity reading is below 100 ppm then your pH level will become very unstable and will jump all over the place. If the alkalinity is above 150 ppm, then the pH level will rise to a high level and will be very difficult to change. Keeping your water’s alkalinity level between 100-150 ppm will help to stabilize your pH levels, maximize sanitizer efficiency, and reduce corrosion. To adjust alkalinity levels, ThermoSpas has two products available: pH/Alkalinity Up and pH/Alkalinity Down.
You should always bring the alkalinity level up first to a reading of 150 because this will will raise the pH reading with it. This helps to prevent the pH level from fluctuating and will keep it stabilized.
We discourage customers from buying other brand names for two very important reasons. First, our Customer Care Representatives go through rigorous training in the applications of our products and may not be able to help you when you have a problem with your water unless you are using our products. Secondly, the use of other brands may void your hot tub warranty. ThermoSpas’chemicals are manufactured under strict guidelines using only the best chemicals and fillers. The harshness of other brands may actually damage your spa and create some very expensive repairs.
A hot tub is dramatically different from a swimming pool because you are working with water that is both heated and aerated. The usage ratios are also quite different. For example, four people in a hot tub is equivalent to 300 people in an average size pool. The heated water and higher bather load ratio can produce organic contaminants not found in swimming pools. Because of this, the chemical make-up of swimming pool chemicals is usually quite different from that of hot tub chemicals. One example is that swimming pool chemicals are not buffered so they can create havoc on the pH level of your hot tub water.
Consulting your Owners Manual and your Special Operating Instructions will give you a tremendous amount of information on how to use and maintain your hot tub. Visiting our website offers you another tool in helping to make owning your spa a most pleasant experience.
Yes! ThermoSpas offers a nice selection of spa fragrances that can delicately cover up any chemical smell. Or, use the fragrances as aromatherapy to enhance your spa experience. Just adding a few drops to your water before you enter your spa will produce a subtle scent that will both relax and refresh. Be careful to use only fragrances that are specifically designed for hot tub use. ThermoSpas' fragrances are oil-free, non-foaming, and safe for all surfaces, filters, and equipment.
There are many plumbing lines in a spa. No matter how clean you keep the water, chemicals clean only the water, not the plumbing lines. Bacteria and mildew-attracting scum can accumulate in the vast number of spa plumbing lines and fittings. You need to flush and clean them to prolong the life of your spa and keep it running smoothly. We recommend using ThermoSpas Jet Line Cleaner every six months. You should do this procedure right before you drain your spa.
On some models of ThermoSpas it is almost impossible to change the filters while the pump is on. In these cases, the spa must be put into stand-by mode. Please refer to your Owner's Manual for more information.
It is not necessary to close all therapy control valves (refer to your Owners Manual) but it is important to close the valve that runs off the primary pump. The spa heater runs off the primary pump and if the therapy valve is left open, the heater will not work as efficiently and bacteria will be drawn into the spa from the outside air resulting in more chemical usage. To determine which therapy valve runs off the primary pump, turn the primary pump on low and see which jets become operational. Then close the therapy valve for those jets. If you have misplaced your Owners Manual, it is now available online. Please call Customer Care at 800-876-0158, Option 1, and we can give you the password for access.
If you plan on draining your spa for any extended length of time during the winter months, a winterization is definitely the best thing to do. If the spa is simply drained and left empty, there may still be residual water in the jet lines and manifolds of your spa. This can cause some very serious damage to the plumbing, pumps and even the heater. See our full instructions on a winterization. You may also refer to your Owner’s Manual, or call 1-800-876-0158, then select Option 2, to speak with a ThermoSpas Service Technician.
For most of you, the colder months are the favorite time of year to use your hot tubs. But there are some who prefer to give your hot tub a long winter’s rest. If so, you need to follow our winterizing procedures to ensure that your hot tub safely makes it through the rough season ahead. Remember that a failure to winterize your spa will cause serious damage to the pumps and plumbing lines - damage that is not covered by your warranty.
Note: These procedures should be followed EVERY time you drain your hot tub during the colder months.
Close all therapy control valves and open all jets.
Turn the spa circuit breaker OFF.
Drain your spa using a submersible pump and garden hose. Be sure to run the drain line to an area that can handle the water drainage.
TIP: The ideal way to drain a spa is with a submersible pump. We offer a pump in our Innovations catalog. If you don’t have a submersible pump, you can attach a garden hose to the hose spigot - located on the primary water pump within the spa interior. Once the hose is attached, open the hose spigot. This will enable the water in the spa to gravity drain.
Remove the cabinet panel in front of the spa’s equipment compartment.
If you used a submersible pump to drain your spa, open the hose spigot located on the primary water pump to drain any remaining water. Leave the hose spigot open.
Locate the heater and open the heater unions at both ends by turning counter-clockwise.
Clear water from the water pump(s) suctions and return lines using a canister-type wet vacuum in order to ensure that the lines are cleared of ALL remaining water.
Remove the drain plug(s) from all water pump(s).
Replace the pump plug(s) after ALL of the water has drained from them.
Reconnect the heater unions on the heater at both ends by turning clockwise until they are tight. Make sure the O-ring gaskets are sealed properly so as not to pinch O-rings.
Put the cabinet panel in front of the equipment compartment back on.
Turn the spa circuit breaker ON.
Turn the blower ON to expel water from the plumbing and air channels.
Turn the spa circuit breaker OFF.
Use a canister-type wet vacuum to clean ALL fittings. Use the wet vacuum nozzle at EACH fitting to assist in removing any existing water in fittings, water lines, and spa shell.
Sponge out any remaining water from the spa shell.
Clean the shell and remove any debris.
Clean the filter.
Store the filter basket and filter element indoors for the winter months.
Install the insulated spa cover and check to ensure that rain water and/or snow is not entering the spa through the cover.
WARNING: Water can enter the spa through the cover, which can cause freezing. We recommend that you check your spa daily to ensure that cover is securely attached to the spa, and that water is not entering the shell by this means. If water is found, it must be removed IMMEDIATELY with a wet vacuum and sponge to prevent freezing.
Standard mode heats the spa to the set temperature and will maintain that temperature throughout the day and night. The benefit of Standard mode is that your hot tub always remains ready at your desired temperature. During the Economy mode cycle, the heater will only turn on during the filtration cycles (which is twice a day for a period of two or five hours) or when the water temperature drops 15° F below your set temperature. However, due to the co-generated heat that our spas utilize, as well as our great insulation, it is very rare that the temperature would drop as much as 15° F. The benefit of Economy mode is that it heats the water less often, thus saving you money on your electric bills. The downside is you may have to wait 30 to 60 minutes for the water temperature to rise to your desired level.
Your ThermoSpas hot tub has an acrylic shell which has been made rigid by multiple layers of fiberglass through our ThermoBond process. This is done to achieve the maximum in both the strength and insulation of the shell. The effect of water temperature and outside temperature can have an affect on the shell’s behavior. The noise you may hear is simply the expansion and contracting of the shell and the fiberglass coating. This is a perfectly natural occurrence in the life of a hot tub shell.
Yes. Wax is a layer of protection between the shell and the water. We recommend ThermoSpas’ ThermoGloss. ThermoGloss helps to create a hard, durable, protective coating on the shell that seals the surface and hides the fine scratches in the acrylic. The wax also helps to create a more comfortable feel to your skin against the acrylic.
Yes. We recommend removing the right front panel where the main motor is twice a year. The main pump does a lot of work during the filtration and heating process. Check for moisture around this pump which would indicate seal wear. Call Technical Service at 800-876-0158, option 2, for repair. A seal failure could damage the pump and other equipment.
Wood cabinets need regular care or they will dry out and deteriorate. Indoor spa cabinets should be stained twice a year and outdoor spa cabinets should be stained a minimum of four times a year. We recommend WonderVar Stain, which provides a durable, crystal clear satin finish that highlights the natural beauty of the wood. WonderVar is the same product applied at the factory.
If your spa cabinet is made of ThermoBoard, our synthetic wood, no staining is necessary. A simple hosing down and wiping off is all that is needed.
Put no more than a dozen moth balls around the inside of the cabinet. Any more than this and the odor of the moth balls may start coming up through the blower.
The length of your ozonator’s life depends on which system you are currently using. The industry standard system, Ultraviolet (UV), uses fluorescent-type light bulbs which will need to be replaced after approximately 1 year. The Corona Discharge (CD) system uses a chip instead of a bulb. It will create Ozone for a 2 year period before requiring a chip replacement. The industry’s newest system, ThermOzone from ThermoSpas, uses a cell and will last for 5 to 10 years – all while creating more Ozone than the chip!!
Ozone is a powerful oxidizer and is considered to be 25 times more effective and work 100 times faster than traditional sanitizers like chlorine or bromine. However, Ozone only lasts about 20 minutes in a hot tub when the filtration pump shuts off. There are many contaminants (i.e. algae, ammonia and bather wastes) that are not controlled by Ozone. Also, ozonators have no affect on reducing the use of any other chemical but sanitizers.
It is possible that a spa cover exposed to Ozone gas can deteriorate more quickly than one which is not. But the benefits of having an ozonator far outweigh the costs of any damage that may occur to your cover. When installed correctly, ozonators can provide a much healthier spa environment than if there is no Ozone. For example, because ozone is a natural purifier, you will use less sanitizer to maintain your hot tub, creating less maintenance for you. The real problem is not Ozone itself; it is the excess gas – or “off gas” – given off when Ozone is not properly mixed into your water. Off-gas generally evaporates into the air, but if your hot tub is installed in a poorly ventilated, enclosed area, it cause increased deterioration of your cover and many other spa parts. More importantly, not providing proper ventilation for off-gas can pose health risks. Typical ozonators, if installed in a well-ventilated area, pose little health threat but may still increase the rate at which your spa cover deteriorates.
Product Tip: If you enjoy the benefits of your ozonator - or are interested in getting one for the first time – consider one which features an off-gas chamber, such as ThermOzone from ThermoSpas. This system eliminates any risk of off-gas problems and actually allows you to increase the amount of Ozone you can put in your water – by 8 times!!
A common cause of this smell can be that mold or mildew is growing on the inside of your cover. These organisms grow when heated water is captured in the form of vapor on your cover. Because they reside above the water line, your sanitizer is unable to eliminate the bacteria present on your cover allowing them to continue to grow. To control this, simply clean the inside of your spa’s cover at least once a month.
Product Tip: Mix one-third cup of white household vinegar with two-thirds cup of water. Spray the inside cover, let sit for one minute and wipe off. Ideally you should let the inside of your cover dry completely, but if you don’t have the time, try to clean it more frequently.
In order to lengthen the life of your spa cover, we recommend flipping the cores within the cover skin twice a year. This will help to prevent your cover from sagging.
Water absorption by foam cores is the result of holes in the plastic surrounding the foam. The foam acts like a sponge, absorbing water vapors and making the cover very heavy.
Our hold down straps are perfect for windy areas! These hold down straps assist your regular straps for a tight fit and to help make sure your cover stays on, no matter what the weather condition.
The Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP) states that the cover will be the first item to replace on your hot tub, and should cost $350 to $500 for a quality product. Many covers come with a one year warranty and last an average of 2 to 3 years.
Improper water chemistry — mainly improper pH or lack of water maintenance. There are four stages of delamination:
1. Discoloration. The bottom side of the cover will become discolored. 2. Bumpy. The bottom side of the cover will become bumpy. 3. Blistering. The bottom side of the cover will blister. 4. Disintegration. The bottom side of the cover will fall off and disintegrate.
No. A high TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) level means that your spa water is completely saturated and will not be able to absorb any more chemicals, including sanitizer. You must drain and refill your spa.