Using the Clean cycle after a soak

[windsurfdog]

I think we all agree that venting after shocking is pretty much the thing to do.  And yup, the best thing you can do to prolong the life of pillows and such is to always vent. even after a small dichlor dose.  However, the debate was more "Must you? Or how much damage would it do?  Most folks reported that they close the cover after a dichlor dose and feel comforatbale with it.  Is it the best thing? nah. Acceptable? I think so. But that's just my 2 cents.   Your pillows will probably outlast mine. But for me, I'd rather dump and run than be in the freezing cold. In the summer, I do leave the cover open more often than not when doing a dichlor dose, but in the winter, I close it up and get in the house.

aaAAAHHhh.....the advantages to living in sunny Florida...... 8-)

[George]

I think we all agree that venting after shocking is pretty much the thing to do.  And yup, the best thing you can do to prolong the life of pillows and such is to always vent. even after a small dichlor dose.  However, the debate was more "Must you? Or how much damage would it do?  Most folks reported that they close the cover after a dichlor dose and feel comforatbale with it.  Is it the best thing? nah. Acceptable? I think so. But that's just my 2 cents.   Your pillows will probably outlast mine. But for me, I'd rather dump and run than be in the freezing cold. In the summer, I do leave the cover open more often than not when doing a dichlor dose, but in the winter, I close it up and get in the house.

aaAAAHHhh.....the advantages to living in sunny Florida...... 8-)

aaAAAHHhh.....the advantages of using a Bromine Floater.

[Vermonter]

Speaking from a microbiological safety standpoint, if your tub has a "clean" cylce that operates only one pump and train of jets, valves, etc., and if you have two or more pump trains, then operating only that single pump train after you add chlorine will NOT ensure you of a microbiologically safe tub.

I have a 2001 HS Grandee.  It has the "clean" cycle that operates only one pump train.  I always add dichlor in front of the filter compartment while both pumps are running.  That enables the chlorine to be immediately circulated through both pumps (there may be a bit of an issue with respect ot how quickly your dichlor dissolves... mine is very fast dissolving) and will actually result in a momentary higher chlorine residual in the pump trains due to the relatively "large" dose you have added to a small amount of water.

I've tested my tub to see how long it takes for chlorine to come out of both pump trains and if I give a couple of minutes of both pumps circulating and all valves / diverters "open", then I know the chlorine is in both trains.  I then turn off both pumps and engage the "clean" cycle and the associated pump train runs for 10 minutes and shuts off.  I'm comfortable that my tub is "safe" at that point.  

There is nothing wrong - arguably, it is better - to run both pumps longer.  In my HS, both pumps will shut off after 2 hours.  Sometimes I just engage both pumps and let them both go for the 2 hours.  

If you DON'T let chlorinated (or brominated) water into the second pump train, then there is the potential for bacteria or other microorganisms to thrive in that warm, non-disinfected environment for one day, one week (whatever time there is between your current and next use of the tub) and, when you then turn on that pump train, a couple of quarts or even gallons (would depend on the tub) of microbe-laden (billions or more, potentially of microbes) water would get dumped into the tub just as you are using it.  Would that be a problem?  Perhaps not - but it depends on whether there are pathogens (usually opportunisitic pathogens) present in that untreated water or not.  Pseudomonas aeruginosa (the cause of hot tub folliculitis) is an opportunistic pathogen that could very well be present and become a problem.

One other important consideration is that you want to miminimize the chance (actually, eliminate) of a biofilm forming.  If you do not get chlorinated water (or brominated) in all the wetted parts of your tub and let untreated water sit in your pump train, a biofilm can form quickly and then your normal disinfection / sanitizing procedures will not be adequate.

So... to recap, from my perpective you should always run both pump trains until you know you have chlorinated water in both and then you can shut one down and let the clean cycle take over.

Best,

Vermonter

[pg_rider]

The master has spoken!!!

[windsurfdog]

aaAAAHHhh.....the advantages to living in sunny Florida...... 8-)

aaAAAHHhh.....the advantages of using a Bromine Floater.

Not soaking in chemical-laden water.

aaAAAHHhh....the advantages of using dichlor..... 8-)

[sledjunkie]

I think Hotsprings was on to something here, however it's too bad it doesn't run all pumps...

I simply dump my dichlor , run all 3 pumps for 5 min or so while I dry off. Shut lid and call it a night.

[Vinny]

aaAAAHHhh.....the advantages to living in sunny Florida...... 8-)

aaAAAHHhh.....the advantages of using a Bromine Floater.

Not soaking in chemical-laden water.

aaAAAHHhh....the advantages of using dichlor..... 8-)

Not to mention the damage that the chlorine/bromine mix is doing to the cover and headrests!!!

[kervis]

Speaking from a microbiological safety standpoint, if your tub has a "clean" cylce that operates only one pump and train of jets, valves, etc., and if you have two or more pump trains, then operating only that single pump train after you add chlorine will NOT ensure you of a microbiologically safe tub.



If you DON'T let chlorinated (or brominated) water into the second pump train, then there is the potential for bacteria or other microorganisms to thrive in that warm, non-disinfected environment for one day, one week (whatever time there is between your current and next use of the tub) and, when you then turn on that pump train, a couple of quarts or even gallons (would depend on the tub) of microbe-laden (billions or more, potentially of microbes) water would get dumped into the tub just as you are using it.  Would that be a problem?  Perhaps not - but it depends on whether there are pathogens (usually opportunisitic pathogens) present in that untreated water or not.  Pseudomonas aeruginosa (the cause of hot tub folliculitis) is an opportunistic pathogen that could very well be present and become a problem.

One other important consideration is that you want to miminimize the chance (actually, eliminate) of a biofilm forming.  If you do not get chlorinated water (or brominated) in all the wetted parts of your tub and let untreated water sit in your pump train, a biofilm can form quickly and then your normal disinfection / sanitizing procedures will not be adequate.

So... to recap, from my perpective you should always run both pump trains until you know you have chlorinated water in both and then you can shut one down and let the clean cycle take over.

Best,

Vermonter

I think this has happened to me before.  I'll try running both jets instead of just hitting the "clean" button--I'll set the timer in the kitchen so I won't forget!  Thanks.