Clear Ray not working??

[Howarth]

I have been struggling since day one of purchasing this hot tub to get regular readings of Chlorine.
Everytime we go away for a few days we have problems trying to get a reading of chlorine, no matter how much we put in.  In fact we are not sure it has ever worked correctly and Jacuzzi are baffled also.  After a few hours the chlorine reading is nil no matter how much we put in.

Does anyone have any idea why??

They are now suggesting we put in a bromine dispenser.  Does that not defeat the object of Clear Ray?? Or am I on the wrong wavelength?

Any help appreciated.

Bev

[Spatech_tuo]

Is it not operating properly or is it just not effective? I've never been sold that it would do much of anything for the end user so I lean toward it probably being the latter. Stick to a standard chlorine routine and you'll be fine.

[TdiDave]

Don't think the clear-ray working or not would cause chlorine to disappear after a few hours.  You have other issues causing major demand on the chlorine.  If you shock to say 10ppm free chlorine after 24 hours with no bathers shouldn't be much lower than 5ppm.  Sounds like you need to decontaminate?

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

I'll take a shot in the dark....dealer sells customer on latest greatest Clear-Ray technology, best thing ever, almost chemical free, no itchiness, etc....customer uses spa adding the small amounts which does not cover bather load, water gets cloudy, dirty, and now the amounts you are adding are not detected because your water is stuck behind the proverbial 8 ball.  Clear-Ray/ozonators/silver ion systems are their to help, they are not the "end all, be all" of water maintanence..you still need to add appropriate amounts of sanitizer to cover your bather load otherwise your water will become cloudy, smelly, etc.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

  Clear Ray doesn't care or know what type of sanitizer you are using.  Your problem lies somewhere else.     Curious what brand chlorine are you using and what is the percentage of chlorine?  Are you using test strips or drops.     Once again how does the water look, cloudy and smelly like a stinky sock?   

[chem geek]

Clear Ray is a UV system.  It is not an oxidizer the way that ozone is from an ozonator.  UV will break apart some molecules, but will not fully oxidize them and it should mostly be seen as a supplemental disinfection system and a way to control chloramines and NOT as a supplemental oxidation system such as an ozonator.

And as was pointed out, even with a true supplemental oxidation system (i.e. an ozonator) it still may not handle all the bather load.  It depends on how much you use your spa, but generally speaking you still need to add an oxidizer after your soak.  Also, neither UV nor ozone are bulk-water disinfectants so do NOTHING to control pathogens growing on spa surfaces and that never get circulated through the UV or ozone system.  That's what chlorine is for.

Generally speaking, in a residential environment, UV can be useful for controlling chloramines in indoor pools while an ozonator can be useful for helping to oxidize bather waste in frequently used spas (every day or two use).  These systems are not generally helpful in other residential situations such as outdoor pools or infrequently used spas (once or twice a week or less).

If there is no ozonator or if the UV system isn't doing much, then the rough rule-of thumb is that every person-hour of soaking in a hot (104ºF) spa needs around 3-1/2 teaspoons of Dichlor or 5 fluid ounces of 6% bleach (3-1/2 fluid ounces of 8.25% bleach) or 7 teaspoons of non-chlorine shock (43% MPS).  But really, the proper dose after a soak is whatever has you still measure at least a small residual (1-2 ppm FC) of chlorine at the start of your next soak.  And if you don't soak every day or two, you will need to add additional chlorine doses in between your soaks since it will drop (with no bather load) at roughly a rate of 25% per day when the water is in good shape.

[Howarth]

Hi everyone
Thank you for your replies.  Any advice will be taken in and appreciated.
We hardly use the tub and it hasn't been used since we got back from holiday last week. 
We use Jacuzzi's own chlorine ph and alkalinity increaser.
The tub is at 39 degrees do you think the heat is killing the chlorine?
It is on factory settings for auto circulation twice daily.
Thanks

[Jacuzzi Jim]

  "Jacuzzi" doesn't sell chlorine or chemicals.   Sounds like some kind of rebranded product from the dealer.   Whats the bottle say on it?

[Howarth]

it says packed for jacuzzi by Complete Pool Controls Ltd

i have tried again to level the ph, alkalinity and chlorine but still no chlorine reading after a few hours

the water looks clear enough so don't know what to do now

[hottubdan]

From Complete Pool Control's web site:
Cannot maintain chlorine levels   

Chlorine demand of water too high at start up, after holidays or due to excess contamination or neglect   

Shock dose the spa water with Spa Fusion or use a double dose of Spa Chlorine Granules or Spa Bromine Granules. Repeat after 24 hours if necessary.

[Chas]

Did you do a water change at 30 days?

 

[Howarth]

i am going away now after xmas for 3 weeks           is it ok to be left ?

i can empty and start again when we get back but what will be the outcome of the water still running through the system?

thanks

[Chas]

Shock it with Chlorine before you go.