SD Maxxus '05 ozone issues

[leesweet]

Question on how this is supposed to work. Our Max is about a month old, and doing great except:

When we first got it, the control panel Ozone symbol was on, sometimes.  Now it's not, ever, that I can see.  So, since the manual says nothing about the ozone generator, except that it's an option, I ask the assembled knowledge here:

When is this supposed to be running?  24/7 with the circ pump?  During filter cycles? Or other special timing?

And, if it's not working, is the only troubleshooting I can do (myself) pulling the panel and being sure the power lead to it is still plugged in to the main box?

(We just had the dealer out to replace a waterfall washer (water was dripping down the inside); they did both of them and tested it well; but since they are 80 miles away (!), I hate to have them come out again if it's likely a loose plug or something.)

Thanks!

[hymbaw]

Do you have ozone? If you do it should be on anytime the circ pump is on.

[Wisoki]

Be certain you look for the ozone icon before pressing any buttons. User activation of any component including temprature setting deactivates the ozone and the icon disapears. If you still are not seeing it it may well be a loose wire or a bad ozone unit.

[leesweet]

Thanks... didn't know that (wish the manual was a bit more complete on this subject) about the 'anything turns it off'.

However, I think it's not working.  I'll check tonight and just open the small cover end, and take a look.  Then I'll check the wiring this weekend.  

Appreciate the info.  Hm, do you know how long the ozone is off when you use a button?

[windsurfdog]

I don't know if this applies to your SD but the ozone generation stays off for 1 hour after the last pump button push on my MS.

[golferm]

Just move pretty much anywhere in Canada, and by the end of October, crabgrass isn't much to worry about!!

( I live in Calgary )

Mark

[leesweet]

Hm.. that's either code or a misplaced post...

Anyway...I assume the reason for the delay after a button press is so that no ozone contacts 'people'?  That's the only reason I can come up with...

[tony]

That is exaclty correct.  Anytime any of the pumps are turned on, the ozone shuts off so no ozone is being produced while the spa is being used.  Ozone will start back up after pumps off for a while.

[Joma]

My Maxxus is 3 weeks old and I've never seen an icon.  I thought, foolishly I now realize, that the tiny bubbles coming out of the circ ooutput was the ozone.  This is on whenever we're in the tub.  I know I have ozone, I watch the dealer install a balboa unit myself.  

What gives?  Are the tiny bubbles ozone?  If so is it dangerous to use.  If not?  How do I know if I have ozone working?

Very confused,

Joma

[Wisoki]

The bubbles may or may not be ozone. The mazi injector will draw o2 into the plumbing and make bubbles even if your o3 unit isn't working properly. A bubble stream is not an indication of a working o3ater. Most spas today have a lengthy contact chamber, and use up the ozone before it reaches the body of spa water. It is a toxic gas, but you'd have to be breating it for one heck of a long time before it could do any harm. Sundances contact chamber claims it uses 99% of the ozone before releasing into the vesel, so I wouldn't be too concerned.

My Maxxus is 3 weeks old and I've never seen an icon.  I thought, foolishly I now realize, that the tiny bubbles coming out of the circ ooutput was the ozone.  This is on whenever we're in the tub.  I know I have ozone, I watch the dealer install a balboa unit myself.  

What gives?  Are the tiny bubbles ozone?  If so is it dangerous to use.  If not?  How do I know if I have ozone working?

Very confused,

Joma

[tony]

Also...the icon may not work with a Balboa ozone unit.

[spazman]

Sundance programs their spas to turn on the ozone only during the filter cycles. So, consult your owners manual and determine when and how long your filter cycles are. The ozone icon will only appear during those periods. Also, unlike many other spas, Sundance's ozone icon only appears if the ozone generator unit is drawing amps(translation: if the icon is present, the unit is working). The icon does not appear just because the unit is supposed to be on. My guess is your ozone unit is not working. Hopefully your dealer installed it properly, my guess is he didn't and it never has worked.

[johnvb]

On my 05 Optima, with a CD ozone unit, there is an audible buzz, whenever the ozonator is operating.

Just remember Sundance also has that summer "overheat" feature. If the actual temperature of the water is 2 degrees higher than the T-stat setting, it will lock out the circulation pump, along with the ozonator.

To check this, you simply have to turn the set point up at or higher than the actual temp of the water. On my tub, the pump/ozonator will come back on, almost immediately.

[leesweet]

Sundance programs their spas to turn on the ozone only during the filter cycles. ....

If that was responding to me, okay, thanks for the details.  I thought it ran 24/7 (did someone say that?).

I do know one time when we were heating it up after the first fill, the ozone indicator was on.  But, that could have been at 12:00 noon when the filter cycle runs (by default).

I also know another time we were in the spa when the filter cycle started, but, of course the ozone didn't run then because we had used a jet pump!  

I guess I'll take a look at 6:00 PM tonight and be sure.

(Why the heck doesn't SD document this?  I'd expect this would be the source of many calls from new owners to the dealers!)

And, exactly how can you install one of these *wrong*, There's one screw to fasten it to the frame, one hose to connect it to the circ plumbing, and one plug to insert into the bottom of the control box.  It would really be hard to 'not install it correctly', I'd think!  I know ours is installed right because I looked this weekend.  Even reset the GFCI to see if a power flicker confused it.  But the 'filter cycle only' story makes sense, since I've not looked at it during a filter cycle recently.

General question:  I was under the impression that ozone was better being a 24/7 thing (not running when people are using the spa, I understand that).  So, is the two hours/day amount really doing anything?

[leesweet]

Just remember Sundance also has that summer "overheat" feature. If the actual temperature of the water is 2 degrees higher than the T-stat setting, it will lock out the circulation pump, along with the ozonator.

To check this, you simply have to turn the set point up at or higher than the actual temp of the water. On my tub, the pump/ozonator will come back on, almost immediately.

I'm a bit confused by this... if the ozone is only on in a filter cycle, why would the ozone come on when you raise the temp?  Aren't you 'pressing a button' so the ozone is off, no matter what?   (We're a lot cooler right now than the temps that would cause the summer override, in any case.)