Arctic Spa - Onzen Electrode

[sergey]

Hello All

This question is to all Arctic Spa owners who use Onzen (Salt System)
How often do you change an Electrode (cell) ?
Any way to make it last longer ?
They have 5 plate  and 3 plate version - will 5 plate one last longer ?
What is the main reason it breaks ? Will cleaning it every month help ?
Would be nice to hear the system owners Thanks

Thank you !

[Tman122]

Hello All

This question is to all Arctic Spa owners who use Onzen (Salt System)
How often do you change an Electrode (cell) ?
Any way to make it last longer ?
They have 5 plate  and 3 plate version - will 5 plate one last longer ?
What is the main reason it breaks ? Will cleaning it every month help ?
Would be nice to hear the system owners Thanks

Thank you !

Apparently not a lot of Arctic owners here. Or none that use the Onzen salt system.

[sergey]

I am bit surprised
Looks like Arctic is the only hot-tub with half-automated water quality management system ...
Why there and just a few owners ? Am i missing something ?

[Tman122]

Is the dealer you purchased from no longer around? I would guess you could do a google search and find the part your looking for? And the closest dealer to answer your questions. You can also likely call Blue Falls manufacturing and ask for tech services.

[Hot Tub Guru]

I'm a dealer for over 18 years.  We tell people an electrode can last 6 months or 10 years.  Average is about 3 years.  To get it to longer you need to keep your chems in check especially your pH and Calcium Hardness.

Yes cleaning it will make it last longer.  I do sell a salt cell cleaner.

Now the 5 plate does last longer then the 3 plate.  However it's a different system.  The 3 plate is Onzen and 5 plate is Spa Boy.  Spa Boy takes Onzen to the next level.  It has a sensor that test the pH and sanitation.  If tells you what your pH is.  Now if your sanitation is low it will turn the system on yourself. 

Hello All

This question is to all Arctic Spa owners who use Onzen (Salt System)
How often do you change an Electrode (cell) ?
Any way to make it last longer ?
They have 5 plate  and 3 plate version - will 5 plate one last longer ?
What is the main reason it breaks ? Will cleaning it every month help ?
Would be nice to hear the system owners Thanks

Thank you !

[sergey]

Sounds great if it is true. Thank you.
Do you know why they(Arctic) offer just 30 days warranty on it ? or I am wrong ?

[Hot Tub Guru]

Sounds great if it is true. Thank you.
Do you know why they(Arctic) offer just 30 days warranty on it ? or I am wrong ?

Both Spa Boy and Onzen have a 2 year warranty.  The electrode has a 30 day warranty.  The reason for this is water chemistry is the #1 cause of our electrode to fail.  High pH and Calcium build up isn't good for the electrode.  When we shortened the warranty on these electrodes customer then were able to maintain there chemistry much better.   My customers are averaging over 3 years!! 

[newhottubowner]

Hello All

This question is to all Arctic Spa owners who use Onzen (Salt System)
How often do you change an Electrode (cell) ?
Any way to make it last longer ?
They have 5 plate  and 3 plate version - will 5 plate one last longer ?
What is the main reason it breaks ? Will cleaning it every month help ?
Would be nice to hear the system owners Thanks

Thank you !

I've been researching the purchase of a new spa and Arctic was at the top of my list.  One of the key features I liked was the Spa Boy (salt system) - both because it allowed for salt water and because of the remote connectivity.  While the salt cell can last for many years I've heard the reality is you it does need replacing approximately every 12-14 months (however hard to say 100%).  I believe the part is approximately $120 for the 5-plate.

While I really liked the Arctic product I started looking at other brands because I wasn't crazy about the interior seat design on the Arctic.  The configurations seem limiting in that they do not maximize number of people in the spa - plus found some the seats in the two models I was considering too deep (Summit and Tundra).  I'm looking at Beachcomber right now as the configurations work better for us - but unfortunately Beachcomber does not offer salt or remote connectivity.  Decisions Decisions!

[sergey]

I've talked to Arctic Spa sales person ...
She claimed that Salt cells should last 3 years if water is balanced and the cell is regularly cleared. Bad water kill it very fast - sounds fair.
Also I've asked about ORP probe (ph+chlorine probe). She claimed that it last even longer and no need to calibrate it. I have feeling that it is not true.
She mentioned that her home spa is 4 month in use without any chemicals added so far. PH level is normal.
I was quoted for 12000+Tax for a Summit model, 2 pumps, 40 jets + Spa Boy. I did not try to lower the price at the moment.
seat configurations does look limiting ...

[newhottubowner]

I've talked to Arctic Spa sales person ...
She claimed that Salt cells should last 3 years if water is balanced and the cell is regularly cleared. Bad water kill it very fast - sounds fair.
Also I've asked about ORP probe (ph+chlorine probe). She claimed that it last even longer and no need to calibrate it. I have feeling that it is not true.
She mentioned that her home spa is 4 month in use without any chemicals added so far. PH level is normal.
I was quoted for 12000+Tax for a Summit model, 2 pumps, 40 jets + Spa Boy. I did not try to lower the price at the moment.
seat configurations does look limiting ...

I ended up getting very close to purchasing.  I’m located in Canada so pricing is CDN dollars.  Here are the details on what I was looking at:  Summit (Signature model – which I believe has 30 jets), Spa Boy, Maintenance Free Outside Panels (i.e. not the cedar wood), Family Lighting (so gives a bit more lighting), Cover, Cover Lift, Steps, Chemicals, $11,350.00 CDN + tax.  This is the negotiated price as the initial pricing was about higher.
I really like the product, and I was fine with the pricing, but the seating configuration doesn’t work that well for our family.  We like the idea of similar level (bench style) seating around the spa so you can fit more people (i.e. 7 or – the Summit has 3 very defined seats with arm rests and then a  “bench style” for the other 3 seats…Summit also has the filters exposed and they seem to take up space in the spa…ultimately maximizing seating in the Summit to 6…again, great spa, but for our family configuration isn’t great.