HS doesnt recommend SPA Sentry Product

[hawkman]

I got my new Envoy yesterday and the dealer sold me Spa Sentry (Spa Guard) .. It does something with the hardenss of the water which buffers the PH so it doesnt go up and down.

I called Hot Spring and the C/S lady said not to use that in the spa as it will reduce the hardness which has other problems associated with that.

So why is it that these hot tub dealers aren't on the same page as the people making the tubs? Really makes me mad for all of the trouble.

If there ever was a warranty issue and a non approved chemical was in the tub, HS isnt going to honor the warranty. Think the dealer cares? No they dont, they want to make their quick buck on all of the other chemicals they can sell you.

HS said to use the silver cartdrige and just add some chlorine before use and 1x per week as a shock. No need for the clarifiers, defoamers, etc.

have a good one!

[drewstar]

I had an old bromine tub before I bought my Tiger River dichlor tub.  I had several Spa Guard Prodcuts in my cabinet and the  HS dealer who came out to do the orinetation told me not to use several of the Spa Guard products.   I was under theimpression it was because they were not compatable with the dichlor system. not the tub  

[Chas]

I have stopped selling products like that years ago.

I have had far too many folks lose a heater using this stuff. Every time that would happen, I would go and test the water hardness and balance. Then I would ask them if they had tested the water hardness and balance. They would always say no - even though it clearly states on the label that these products work in a very narrow hardness range, and you MUST get the pH and TA in balance before you add them to your spa. Even though they give you a wide range of pH - 7.0 to 8.0 - the folks who had expensive repair bills also did not do that important step.

In my experience, if you have the hardness that well maintained, and you have taken time to balance the water (pH and TA) you really don't have much left to do.

[tony]

HS said to use the silver cartdrige and just add some chlorine before use and 1x per week as a shock. No need for the clarifiers, defoamers, etc.

I would say that Hot Spring gave you good advice.

[JJ]

My dealer recommends Spa Sentry when you fill, but I found out that it makes a huge mess if you put it in first thing.  I don't know what is in that stuff, but in addition to locking in the PH, it takes all kinds of cr@p out of your water.  It must have clarifier, softener, metal out, and who knows what else.  I was wiping the sides of my tub for 30 minutes after puting it in, and it took me forever to get my filters clean afterward.  The scum line was gross, but I'm glad I got all that stuff out of my water.

What I do now is wait a day or two after changing the water so I can balance the PH and TA and filter everything filterable out of the water.  Then I add the Spa Sentry, and it doesn't make as big a mess.  It really locks in the PH though, don't put it in unless you have it right in the range.

[The_real_Clown_Shoes]

HS doesn't recommend the product because basically to remove the calcium hardness from the spa you have to do just that- remove it.  By way of the filters.  If you don't clean the filter promptly, you'll burn out your heater element.

Spa Sentry is the biggest waste of marketing EVER.