Ozone Check Valves

[tony]

My ozonator check valve needs replacing about every three months.  It is a SD Sunzone CD unit, three years old.  I have tried Sundance check valves, HotSpring check valves and just tried another brand.  All with the same result.  Anyone have any ideas?

[Snuggles]

I just had to replace mine on a 1.5 year old Jacuzzi J330. I think it's due to sediment or sand being brought into the tub. I'm not an expert but that's my guess since the old ones when it went bad had mucho grit. I have paving stone patio set with sand surrounding the tub. Since then I place a pan for washing feet before entry. If anything it should help the diverter valve from getting scratched internally and causing it to stick since that was also a problem. So far so good. Good Luck.  

[tony]

Thanks for the reply.  My spa sits in a deck and gets very little grit or sand.  It almost seems like a chemistry problem, but my water is almost always in balance and I don't believe water normally interacts with the check valve itself.  Could it be the ozone itself deteriorating the mechanism?

[leesweet]

I was wondering myself how sand would get into the check valve plumbing to wear it out that much... I can see sand hurting water flow in the diverter areas, for sure, since water is recirculated there all the time.

My first thought was that the valve was deteriorating from the ozone, but you'd sure think the ozonator check valves would be designed to withstand ozone!    I assume from what I know of the plumbing is that this check valve is to keep the water in the spa from getting to the ozonator, and to let the ozone from the ozonator to the spa when it's being generated.

Having said all that, I can't see a reason for such quick deterioration except:  I wonder if somehow it's the wrong valve in there? Are we sure it's made for ozonator line use?  Did the dealer have any comment on possible causes?

[HotTubMan]

Thanks for the reply.  My spa sits in a deck and gets very little grit or sand.  It almost seems like a chemistry problem, but my water is almost always in balance and I don't believe water normally interacts with the check valve itself.  Could it be the ozone itself deteriorating the mechanism?

Bingo

[jsimo7]

I just had to replace mine on a 1.5 year old Jacuzzi J330. I think it's due to sediment or sand being brought into the tub. I'm not an expert but that's my guess since the old ones when it went bad had mucho grit. I have paving stone patio set with sand surrounding the tub. Since then I place a pan for washing feet before entry. If anything it should help the diverter valve from getting scratched internally and causing it to stick since that was also a problem. So far so good. Good Luck.  

Another selling point for the HS dealers to give to customers. 100% filteration wont let anything into the pumps or ozone system. This problem would  be avoided

[HotTubMan]

Another selling point for the HS dealers to give to customers. 100% filteration wont let anything into the pumps or ozone system. This problem would  be avoided

What about when the tub temperature reaches > 2 degrees higher than what it has been set too and the circ pump turns off? Not positve HS does this but Beachcomber and D-1 do...

[J._McD]

It is the same ozone valve that has been used for several years and it is intended for use with ozone.  I will ask a question only to draw your attention to the possible solution.  The injector port is where the circ pump injects the little air bubbles and heated water.  Have you ever noticed the heated water coming out of that port?  do yo have any children that know about it?

Possibly one could put their toe over the inlet and cause back pressure that redirects the water through the check valve under pressure because it can't come out of the port.  I have done this myself, forcing water back through the ozonator line.

[jsimo7]

What about when the tub temperature reaches > 2 degrees higher than what it has been set too and the circ pump turns off? Not positve HS does this but Beachcomber and D-1 do...

I don't think HS pumps turn off when the temp goes 2% over setting. My Envoy didn't when the temp went up from the circ pump and very hot outside temps.

[tony]

Thanks all for helping.  It is certainly possible and highly probable that the circ pump return jet has been blocked.  I have 16 year old twin boys and at any time the spa could be a tubfull of teenagers.  You know they love to put their hands and feet against the hot water comming out.

So, J. _McD, you thing that water is being forced back through the Mazzei injector to the check valve and that causes it to fail?  If that would cause it to fail, then you just might have the answer.

[HotTubMan]

Isn't stopping water from flowing back toward the ozonator exactly what a check valve is supposed to do???

[tony]

I am wondering if too much pressure on the backside would cause it to fail.  There isn't much holding the water back.  When it does fail, it does not allow anything either way.  The bubbles stop flowing and thats when I know I have a problem.

[leesweet]

Well, I'd definitely agree that that sort of back pressure could do it! I'd not expect the valve to be able to normally take that sort of back pressure.  Only the obvious sort from normal water pressure, but not from intentional blockages, as it were...

[SerjicalStrike]

Tony, has the hose coming from the ozone turned a white or yellowish color?  If the ozone puts out too much nitric acid, it can eat through that line and the check valve.

Also, does the hose loop up above the water line?  

[drewstar]

What about when the tub temperature reaches > 2 degrees higher than what it has been set too and the circ pump turns off? Not positve HS does this but Beachcomber and D-1 do...

It was explained to me by the dealer that my Tiger River's circ pump would shut off  in this instance.  Since Tiger River is Hot Springs sister line, made in the same factory incorporating many of the same technologies,  perhaps this is true for HS?