Salt System Tips/Tricks

[wcmorris]

I’m taking delivery of my Envoy this week and have been reading up on the salt system to ensure I understand how to get it started correctly. It seems that many have issues with it and I hear that proper setup is crucial to long term success.

For those of you that have experience with the Freshwater Salt System, do you have any tip or tricks that you’ve learned along the way that might help set me up for success?

[Sammi]

I've had the same spa for 11 months now.  I'd recommend only putting 4 cups of salt in to start even though the book recommends 7-8. My dealer recommended this and I can see why. Over time the various chemicals added are sodium based and so is your sweat. The salt values will creep up so you just want enough salt for your salt meter to read OK (it will be in the 7-8 o'clock position - you'll understand when you see your touch controller).

Biggest advice I have is the first fill will be a PITA to control the water. Due to leftover stale water from factory testing the first fill is tough to control water sanitation. Don't be afraid to use it for a few weeks, get a feel for it, and if the water is challenging to keep sanitized don't be afraid to dump a cup of dichlor in, let it run for an hour, then drain and start over. I battled my water for the first 2-3 months until I got fed up. Water care has been a breeze ever since my first re-fill.

[Spatech_tuo]

I've had the same spa for 11 months now.  I'd recommend only putting 4 cups of salt in to start even though the book recommends 7-8. My dealer recommended this and I can see why. Over time the various chemicals added are sodium based and so is your sweat. The salt values will creep up so you just want enough salt for your salt meter to read OK (it will be in the 7-8 o'clock position - you'll understand when you see your touch controller).

Biggest advice I have is the first fill will be a PITA to control the water. Due to leftover stale water from factory testing the first fill is tough to control water sanitation. Don't be afraid to use it for a few weeks, get a feel for it, and if the water is challenging to keep sanitized don't be afraid to dump a cup of dichlor in, let it run for an hour, then drain and start over. I battled my water for the first 2-3 months until I got fed up. Water care has been a breeze ever since my first re-fill.

Chas who was a LONG time dealer and super helpful on this site for YEARS before retirement had a mantra that you should fill and drain when you first get your spa.

Personally I think its ok to use it a short time and then do the drain (couple days/weeks) but as much as it may seem like a waste of water it really does assure you that you're starting fresh as there is always some residual water that has been sitting in the plumbing from the factory and even though that time from leaving the factory until it gets in your yard has been greatly reduced these days due to super-high demand, its really a good idea to pump it in and dump it out.

[dishdude]

I only add 4 cups of salt to my Envoy as well.

I have found that the ACE system is only good for maintaining a baseline chlorine level when the tub isn't used. I pour a small amount of plain household bleach in (no scented or splash-less stuff) after each use to slightly shock the water and remove the contaminants from the bather load. I have found that keeping the system set at a 2 output, 1/4 cup generally is enough for 2 people, 30 min soak time. 24 hrs later the chlorine level will settle back down to 1 ppm and be ready for use. If you don't use it for a week it'll stay right at that level.

I think I burned my first cell out in less than a year turning it up and using boost to get the chlorine level back up, the last one has been in there for 5 years and it's really easy to just pour the bleach in as you're exiting the tub.