Clearray Hot Tub Help Needed ???????????

[Howarth]

Hi
Has anyone bought a Clearray Jacuzzi ?  We have had ours since April and it has been a nightmare.  We have had the radio replaced and are in the process of dealing with their head office regarding the chlorine required to get a decent reading.

Every day the chlorine, ph levels and alkalinity is permanently low on the reading sticks.  The amount of chlorine we have to put in to get a reading is ridiculous.

I have written to them now to see what can be done as something is definitely not right.  I am scared to go in it as there is far too high levels of chemicals in it for my liking. 

Would appreciate it if anyone can help.
Thanks

[Jacuzzi Jim]

  Have you tried talking with your dealer?   How does your water look,clear,cloudy does it smell like a stinky sock?     How's your PH/Alk?  How often are you adding chlorine, how old is the water and when was the last time you shocked it?   In most cases it's the spa owner and not the spa's fault if you are having chem issues, if your dealer has left you hanging I am sorry, but I would love to know what your nightmare has been other than a bad stereo?     

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

it sounds like you need a proper chemical "orientation"...call your dealer and explain that your having troubles with water care and that you would like some assistance

[planetary]

Have you read Nitro's guide to using Chlorine?  Not because you should necessarily use his treatment regime, but because if you set out to understand it, you'll end up learning a lot of useful concepts.

BTW, that forum (Trouble Free Pool) seems to be a good place to go to talk about water chemistry stuff.

[Hottubguy]

Why not just dump the water and start over?  Have you tried testing anywhere else besides with the sticks?  Maybe they are bad.  I also don't understand how you can be afraid to go in because the chemical levels are too high when in your prior sentence you said everything was too low.  I would call the dealer for guidance

[Howarth]

Hi
Sorry I should have added more.  The dealer is involved.  There are only 2 of us so not loads of people getting in the hot tub.  We add lots of chlorine/ph/alkaline increaser to get reading to correct levels and the next day everything is low again.  This happens all of the time.  The amount of chemicals we are using is not healthy.  We have adjusted factory settings and tried loads of different avenues.  The engineer is baffled also.  We have emptied and tried again.  We are liasing with Jacuzzi at the minute to see if they are going to replace the Clearray system/bulb (not sure on what it consists of) and wiil empty again and start from scratch. 
I was hoping to contact someone who has the same system to discuss their experiences.
Thanks for your interest and replies.
Jacuzzi have been good so far!!!???  We'll now see if they can sort it further as they said I am the minority.  I am thankful I have had the engineer involved from day one as he is baffled.
Any replies much appreciated.

[Howarth]

ps   the water looks ok and doesn't smell.  We have used a variety of different sticks.  It's the readings that are low, I don't fell like getting in it as we know how much chemicals are in the water to get a reading which you may think is fine but the reading has disappeared the following day and needs more chemicals.  Isn't the idea of Clearray is not to use as much chemicals/chlorine?  The other day all levels were correct even the PH/alkaline and the following day everything was low again.  Nobody had been in the tub either. 

[Tman122]

When you say Chemicals what exactly are we talking here? Are you trying to raise your PH/Alkalitity? So baking soda?

[Jacuzzi Jim]

I highly doubt clearray is the culprit and curious which mdl Jacuzzi you have?

  The only chem clearray really changes is the amount of chlorine you should be adding, you still have to keep up with PH/Alk no matter what system you use. If you have been adding mega amounts of chlorine then yes you are going to have problems keeping the PH/ALK up.  I am not a fan of maintaining a constant PPM of chlorine, and I know there are a few here that would dissagree with that.   Sometimes it's best to quit trying to get it perfect and let the spa do what it does.   In my own spa with clearray and a family of four with normal use in the spa, using a Proclear cartride (NAT2) I add 1 scoop approx 1 tblspn of chlorine after use sometimes 2 tblspns if more than 2 people. I shock once a week and watch my PH/ALK.   I do hit it hard once a month say 1/4 cup of chlorine if that to kind of nuke it.   Thats it,  and my water stays crystal clear, and I change it every 4 months and sometimes go even longer.     I did this also before clearay ever came out with std ozone, with same results, it worked perfect.    I am not saying this works for everyone but many many of my customers are happy with it.
 
  Hopefully the "engineer" at Jacuzzi will figure your nightmare out for you, personally I would trust a dealer more than a so called engineer at Jacuzzi which is most likely a service tech that doesn't even own a spa.   Sometimes keeping it simple works best, good luck to you, and let me know if I can help!

[hottubdan]

So, Jim, based on your post, what is the benefit of the Clear Ray? Sounds like you are adding as much chlorine as most people do.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

So, Jim, based on your post, what is the benefit of the Clear Ray? Sounds like you are adding as much chlorine as most people do.

  Pretty much, I like Clear Ray and I know it works, but yes You still have to add chlorine as with ozone. I am impartial to it, just another sales tool.   I can cut chlorine out and go the shock after use route then chlorine weekly I just find it easier to throw a bit of chlorine in when I get out.   Call me old fashioned..

 I think Jacuzzi/Sundance should work on a salt system but they never will.     I think it s a sales tool as well but why not be able to offer it and compete against you guys with it.    And FWIW I don't like the aftermarket units like Gecko offers. 

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

ps   the water looks ok and doesn't smell.  We have used a variety of different sticks.  It's the readings that are low, I don't fell like getting in it as we know how much chemicals are in the water to get a reading which you may think is fine but the reading has disappeared the following day and needs more chemicals.  Isn't the idea of Clearray is not to use as much chemicals/chlorine?  The other day all levels were correct even the PH/alkaline and the following day everything was low again.  Nobody had been in the tub either.

the point is to use less chemical, but it will depend on your usage...if your an above average or heavy user you'll be adding enough sanitizer so you probably won't see any advantage with the clearray.  Like Jim said these items are used to generate sales, nobody on the market has a "magic pill" system, you still need sanitizer, you still need to adjust pH/Alk. and you still need to shock occasionally

[Howarth]

Hi
The water looks ok - clear - never smelly - apart from the chlorine!
They are going to empty it next week and start again (for the second time).  The engineer has his own hot tub but not clear ray.  He seems very knowledgeable. 
The model is J335.
You could put 50 ml of chlorine in the tub and a few hours later would not get a reading (even if nobody had been in the tub)?
Yes I agree about the ph/alkalinity reducing because of it.  We are using Jacuzzi Alkalinity increaser and Ph increaser.
Thanks

[ssilver853]

Guys...

Although, I have not received my new jacuzzi, I am very familiar with situation.  I have an inground pool and I use chlorine (I have resisted moving to salt).  Two out of the last 4 years , upon opening I've had trouble holding chlorine and have spent hundreds of dollars to fix the problem.  I'm not sure where you live but there are many things that can contribute to this issue.  Weather, believe it or not lawn fertilizer, severe algae, town or well water etc...

[goose973]

I have a Sundance with clearray, and it doesn't have the problems you describe. I'm on we'll water. I admit that our well water is excellent. It meets every drinking water standard without any chemical treatment. As long as I get and keep my TA around 120 or so, it tends to be quite easy to tend to the tub. Other than the need to add chlorine and shock as well as baking soda, everything else is almost hands off. Very little need to adjust pH (holds around 7.4-7.6) and I only need to add baking soda every two or three weeks to maintain TA and, in a roundabout way, the pH. I use dichlor granules at each fill and after until my cyanuric acid reaches a good level and then switch to bleach. After each use, I put in about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of bleach. I shock about twice a week with MPS (we use the tub almost every day). The clearray does not keep me from having to use chlorine, but it's nowhere near what you say you're using. That's my experience. Hope it helps.