Annoying issue with Sundance Optima

[galen]

My Maxxus use to be noisy on one diverter but what I found was that the knob can be lifted up and off the base. It was not line up right. In other words, if you would turn it all the way in one direction to the stop, it wasn't all the way. You could put the knob back on and turn it a little more. I think someone was turning it and accidentally lifted it off and when they put it back on, the knob wasn't in the same pointing direction as before. Same with air injector. Also I noticed that water was leaking under the knob of the diverter and to fix it, I just lifted the knob off and hand tightened the base a quarter turn and it stopped. My tub now is very quite with all three pumps running. When I kick the blower on it does get a little louder but not bad at all.

[pg_rider]

The problem here isn't with the diverter itself, it's with the sound of water gushing through the plumbing to a particular whirlpool jet.  The diverter only came up because it has to be turned all the way to that jet in order for the sound to be a problem...  Unfortunately I don't think there's an easy way to quiet down the water sounds through that particular bit of plumbing other than to not send full power to that jet...  

[galen]

Thats my point pg. Check to make sure your diverter is going as far as it needs to. It may not be all the way to the valve stop. In my case it wasn't and it was making more noise than it should. I too thought that when I turned the diverter to the left it was where it was suppose to be. But I noticed one time that the pointer on the knob was not where is was suppose to be, after checking, I found in my case is was the diverter. It may just be your tub that the noise is inherent

[BigK75]

I can't get past this noise, all I do is keep figeting with the dials to get it right.  I cannot believe Sundance actually produced a spa with this.  I almost wish I bought the cameo since I hear it does not make the noise.  The funny thing is I didn't hear it during the wet test, most likely becasue I was so excited.  I am really down in spirits due to this.  I'd like to sit in my second best seat in silence and I can't, I think this is a major design flaw.  I really want to hear another optima or the 2007 to see if its just mine that's this loud.  Does anyone know if I can plug up the one whirlpool jet I think this would stop the noise.    

Claude  

[pg_rider]

I can't get past this noise, all I do is keep figeting with the dials to get it right.  I cannot believe Sundance actually produced a spa with this.  I almost wish I bought the cameo since I hear it does not make the noise.  The funny thing is I didn't hear it during the wet test, most likely becasue I was so excited.  I am really down in spirits due to this.  I'd like to sit in my second best seat in silence and I can't, I think this is a major design flaw.  I really want to hear another optima or the 2007 to see if its just mine that's this loud.  Does anyone know if I can plug up the one whirlpool jet I think this would stop the noise.

Which seat are you wanting to sit in and have pump #1 running only to the whirlpool jets?  Are you not wanting to have the air turned on to the whirlpool jets (which reduces the noise considerably as we discussed)?  I agree it sucks that they designed a jet to have such a huge flowrate yet have a 90 degree bend in the piping right behind it, but I've learned to just turn on the air for that jet (which of course makes it much stronger, which I like)...

[BigK75]

Sometimes I would like to turn the jets to 50/50 (whirlpools/seats) without air to keep it quiet, but can't because its too loud.  I am not an engineer but I can't understand why its so tough to fix the issue.  I mean its not like these things where produced yesterday, optimas have been around some time now.  The odd part is that when someone does complain it always seems to be the 2006 version.  I wonder if the waterfall has something to do with it.  

If the manufacture knows that will happen when you put in a 90 degree angle, why would do they do this, they could just as easily put the jet somewhere else.  Anyway I am pretty bummed about it.  I also can't believe so few people have complained.  I found only on other post on this topic.  But to me, It sounds like a train is going by.  If the sound was only when you put full jets to the whirpool jets then I could understand that this would be an issue, but not when you have turn it 25/75 (whirlpool/seats) to make the sound go away.  

Claude

[BBoppin]

Patty,
If your water is hard. Then each time you wash your suits or someone comes over with a washed suit. There is soap left in those suits from the laundry. When jets agitate then the soap gets bubbly like the wash machine does. Now I know what you're going to say. We don't wear suits. Soap also in hair and on skin. Your dealer should have some foam dispersing product. Or make sure you have at least 200 ppm. of calcium in your spa water. Or get a water softener for the house. can't go wrong there. Will do wonders for the plumbing and fixtures. Also great for your hair. Sorry nothing on the diverter though.

[hottubjimbob]

Bigk75
I just got my Optima one week ago. It was made in March of 2007.
That noise is present in mine also. What works best for me is, I turn the whirpool jets off by turning the the affending divertor all the way counter-clockwise and then adjust the individual jets in the co-pilot's seat to level that makes my wife happy. I usually sit in the pilot's seat. I find the whirlpool jet that is next to the pilot's seat bothersome anyway and the whirlpool jet in the middle of the foor dome is just an awe factor for guests. On mine the divertor in question switches water flow from "1a" whirlpool jets and "2a" co-pilots's seat, plus the single jet in cooldown seat to the right of the pilot's seat. The flow to the other 2 seats, which I call first class, are not affected by the divertor. Is this set up the same as yours or has Sundance changed the piping setup so I can do what I do?

So for, I am very happy with the Optima.

I did get a blinking "flo" display the other night. I found it would go away if I had the waterfall on all the way or turned off. When waterrfall was set part way the "flo" display returned. Any input?

 

[SerjicalStrike]

Turn your spa off and take your filter out.  Is there still a nylon screen over the suction below the filter?

[hottubjimbob]

Yes. Should I remove or clean?
Thanks for the speedy reply.

[clover]

If you turn your air venturri's off, does it reduce the noise?

The air water mix is taking a 90° turn in both the left and right direction.  The air water mix is what is generating the noise.  Diverter gates were modified internally at the top of the "diverter gate", the rotating part, so that it would reduce the affect of the abrupt 90° turn.  If you close your venturri controls and the noise is modified, it indicates that the water air mix is what is generating the "noise".

It is unlikely that you will find a solution to this situation.

[Swell-Tub]

Yes. Should I remove or clean?
Thanks for the speedy reply.

I am waiting for the answer to this one as I'm on the verge of buying a new Sundance Optima and if this is a known problem then I'm buying a Jacuzzi...

Scott  :-?

[SerjicalStrike]

Yes. Should I remove or clean?
Thanks for the speedy reply.

Neither, just leave it.  Sometimes customers take the filter out and don't realize that the screen is there and it gets sucked into the circulation pump, causing an intermittent FLO error.  

If you take the filter out and take that screen out (so it doesn't get sucked in) does the FLO error go away?

[hottubjimbob]

If you turn your air venturri's off, does it reduce the noise?

Yes.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

If you turn your air venturri's off, does it reduce the noise?

Yes.

 This doesn't make any sense since the venturi's air tubes are connected to the jet backs and have nothing to do with the divertor.  Air manifolds are connected to air controls, not divertors, but if it makes a difference to you then great.

 And yes this is a common problem with Sundance not sure why they haven't changed it, some spas seem to have it worse than others.