Peak Ozone question

[NorthWoodsDipper]

Hi everyone, I am back again,

I read the forum often, but being a newbie, I don't have a lot to contribute, although I have posted a few questions.  Just like the Navy Seals, I get in and then get out.  Maybe that makes me selfish, but everytime I think about replying to a thread, someone else does and says it better than me anyway!

Anyway, I have a question for you.  My question is did any of you Arctic owners get documentation on how the "Peak" Ozone effects the amount of chemicals to use?  My generic manual that came with my Summit just says "bla, bla, bla...unless you have the Peak Ozone, then it will be different, blah, blah, blah"...     I am totally serious.  It is very confusing at best.

I called my dealer and he did his best (great guy btw), but I could tell he had no experiance with the Peak Ozone.  I originally ponied up for the "Peak" instead of the "Arctic" ozone since I don't seem to have a life besides work and need to travel frequently.  Sometimes I can be gone out of the country for an entire week.  Like this coming weekend, I will be leaving on Sat. and returning a week from Monday.  I like to shock before I leave and I feel better knowing the "Peak" ozone is working all the while I am away.

So how about it?  Anyone have documentation on the Peak Ozonator?

Thanks for your help.  I am sure glad to have this resource for spa questions!

Oh, and the next time I get the courage to post something I will include photos of the cool spa deck I built.  It might be even as impressive as Tilemans, *wink wink*!

Steven - aka NorthWoodsDipper

[anne]

I am so with you. The manual/brochure is confusing. My dealer did not explain it at all. I think it is purposefully vague. I took the opposite approach as you- I figured that if nobody was going to be able to tell me in definite terms what I'd be spending $700 more on, forget it. I have the Arctic ozone, and I have fine water quality, though I dont leave it alone for a week at a time. My dealer's assistant tried to tell me that Peak ozone would decrease chem use by 90%, and arctic ozone would decrease it by 50%...... Before anyone gets their knickers in a twist and turns this into an Arctic bashing thread, let me add that other more reputable Arctic reps have clarified that such a statement is invalid. But somebody trained that kid to say that!!!!!

So your confusion is valid and shared, and I wish I could help you more, but all I can do is agree with you that it's be nice if someone could explain it WELL!!! (hint, hint.....)

[Tman122]

Hi everyone, I am back again,

I read the forum often, but being a newbie, I don't have a lot to contribute, although I have posted a few questions.  Just like the Navy Seals, I get in and then get out.  Maybe that makes me selfish, but everytime I think about replying to a thread, someone else does and says it better than me anyway!

Anyway, I have a question for you.  My question is did any of you Arctic owners get documentation on how the "Peak" Ozone effects the amount of chemicals to use?  My generic manual that came with my Summit just says "bla, bla, bla...unless you have the Peak Ozone, then it will be different, blah, blah, blah"...     I am totally serious.  It is very confusing at best.

I called my dealer and he did his best (great guy btw), but I could tell he had no experiance with the Peak Ozone.  I originally ponied up for the "Peak" instead of the "Arctic" ozone since I don't seem to have a life besides work and need to travel frequently.  Sometimes I can be gone out of the country for an entire week.  Like this coming weekend, I will be leaving on Sat. and returning a week from Monday.  I like to shock before I leave and I feel better knowing the "Peak" ozone is working all the while I am away.

So how about it?  Anyone have documentation on the Peak Ozonator?

Thanks for your help.  I am sure glad to have this resource for spa questions!

Oh, and the next time I get the courage to post something I will include photos of the cool spa deck I built.  It might be even as impressive as Tilemans, *wink wink*!

Steven - aka NorthWoodsDipper

An ozone system, no matter which one it is will reduce your sanitizer usage. It won't effect your chemical balancing of your water (PH & TA) The amount of sanitizer it will reduce is rather subjective. I have found that I can reduce it to slightly more than half, in other words when I didn't use an O3 generator I used 1 tsp per person to chlorinate, after installing an O3 generator I reduced it to 1/2 tsp per person and found that with only one bather 1/2 wasn't quiet enough so I started using 1 tsp for one bather and 1/2 tsp for each additional bather. Seems to be working. But I find O3 more valuable between additions, in other words if you soak and add 1.5 tsp because there was 2 of you soaking, instead of going out the next day and adding another tsp even though your not soaking you can go a few days or even more without adding any chlorine.

Just my observations.

[wesj53]

Hi dipper! All I received when I purchaed my unit was a one sheet, "Sanitizer Guideline" for Peak Ozone models. It states the recommendations for things like first fill instructions, start-up chems, and then after each use and weekly maintenance procedures. The Peak system seems to be pretty simple with an ounce of Refresh after each use (per person) and then 1/2 ounce of Boost (chlorine) twice a week. I have had very clear, clean water until I ran out of Refresh and used it a few times without it. After shocking the tub a few times and replacing the filter (after 2 months of pretty heavy usage), the water has cleared again.

So all in all, I am very happy with the simplicity of the system. I'm not sure if others go thru more work than what I do, but it can't get much easier or less time consuming than this system.

[bosco0633]

hey tom,

just a quick question for you, how long does the standard ozone last for??  Am I suppose to do something to replace it over time or does it las forever???

[SugarBear]

Hey, Dipper, and the rest of the Arctic crew.  My tub is up at my country home that we only get to on weekends (right now.)  The Peak Ozone has worked great for us, but we are using bromine with a floater.  Instead of the 3-5ppm without the ozone, I keep the bromine level at about 1ppm.  It has worked great...so far for us.  The big reason for the bromine over the clorine was for the fact that we are not there during the week to feed it every or every other day.  With the bromine floater, I throw in 2 tablets every two weeks or so and give it a good shock  at the end of each weekend.  Works for us.

[bosco0633]

do you have any pics

[SugarBear]

Hey Bosco, not to speak for Tom, but what I have been told is that a standard ozone system, or UV system, has a life expectancy of about 2 years.  After that the light bulb has to be changed because it looses it's effectivness.  The Peak or CD ozone (corona discharge) works differently and has a life expectancy of about 5-6 years.

[bosco0633]

I thought that the standard ozone was a chip not a light.  I am so confused again.

[SugarBear]

Bosco, you may be right.  I just reviewed the manual online.  They claim that their standard system is a CD and that the Peak is above and beyond that.  I was under the impression that the Arctic standard system was UV.  I stand corrected.  If Tom would get back from lunch...maybe we could get the real story (LOL).

[Tom]

Why have my ears been burning?

I wish I could help you more, but all I can do is agree with you that it's be nice if someone could explain it WELL!!! (hint, hint.....) - Anne

just a quick question for you, how long does the standard ozone last for??  Am I suppose to do something to replace it over time or does it las forever??? - Bosco

If Tom would get back from lunch...maybe we could get the real story (LOL) - Sugarbear

These are not really "quick questions" but I'll do my best!

Here is some information from my initial training with Arctic.  

UV Light-

• 10-20 mg/h declining with age,
• 90 day half life,
• 1 yr service

Arctic Ozone -

• Corona Discharge (spark) unit,
• 200 mg/h new, avg 150mg/h,
• service life 3-5 years

Peak Ozone -

• CD unit,
• 500 mg/h steady,
• expected service life 5+ years

It's easy to replace the CD unit, Bosco, and if your spa is still under warranty, AFAIK it will be replaced under the warranty.

Other differences between Arctic and Peak Ozone Systems:

• Arctic uses an expansion chamber to slow the water so the ozone has time to work; Peak uses a reverse-flow mixing chamber which provides a longer exposure time with greater surface area to ensure that the high levels of  ozone are broken down by contact with contaminants
• The AO runs only when the pumps run; PO has its own 24/7 circ pump that shuts off when the pumps run
• The PO has a more extensive off-gas system

I have asked around the plant, people who have an Arctic with ozone, and got a variety of figures up to 80% with the most common estimate being "about half".  Sugarbear's figures suggest a 30% to 80% reduction which is in this range.  However, the official position is that sales people should NOT to give a figure because it varies widely and because we cannot document it; better to under-promise and over-deliver.  

[anne]

thanks!

[bosco0633]

thanks tom!!!  so my tub is 1 1/2 years, should I book service to see if I am in good shape?

[Tman122]

Why have my ears been burning?

I wish I could help you more, but all I can do is agree with you that it's be nice if someone could explain it WELL!!! (hint, hint.....) - Anne

just a quick question for you, how long does the standard ozone last for??  Am I suppose to do something to replace it over time or does it las forever??? - Bosco

If Tom would get back from lunch...maybe we could get the real story (LOL) - Sugarbear

These are not really "quick questions" but I'll do my best!

Here is some information from my initial training with Arctic.  

UV Light-

• 10-20 mg/h declining with age,
• 90 day half life,
• 1 yr service

Arctic Ozone -

• Corona Discharge (spark) unit,
• 200 mg/h new, avg 150mg/h,
• service life 3-5 years

Peak Ozone -

• CD unit,
• 500 mg/h steady,
• expected service life 5+ years

It's easy to replace the CD unit, Bosco, and if your spa is still under warranty, AFAIK it will be replaced under the warranty.

Other differences between Arctic and Peak Ozone Systems:

• Arctic uses an expansion chamber to slow the water so the ozone has time to work; Peak uses a reverse-flow mixing chamber which provides a longer exposure time with greater surface area to ensure that the high levels of  ozone are broken down by contact with contaminants
• The AO runs only when the pumps run; PO has its own 24/7 circ pump that shuts off when the pumps run
• The PO has a more extensive off-gas system

I have asked around the plant, people who have an Arctic with ozone, and got a variety of figures up to 80% with the most common estimate being "about half".  Sugarbear's figures suggest a 30% to 80% reduction which is in this range.  However, the official position is that sales people should NOT to give a figure because it varies widely and because we cannot document it; better to under-promise and over-deliver.  

Except Tom there are several different calculations on output of the differing O3 units, not sure where you numbers came from? And measureing O3 output is a whole lot different than calculating its effectivness based on someones water and its cleanliness. One persons water could very well utilize O3 to actualy do some saitizing that may have a huge effect on the sanitizer usage. While another persons water may see absolutly no benifit from O3 usage.

There's other parts of Arctics concept on Peak Ozone that I'm not to sure what the reasoning is based on the half life of an O3 molecule but hey even if it only works 1% better than a standered contact chamber I guess it's an improvement and not just hype. Sorry had to do it Tom!!!

[NorthWoodsDipper]

Thanks Tom, and everyone else,

I sure wish Arctic could pony up for better documentation.  I am not just talking about Peak Ozone, I am talking across the board.  Everything seems a bit vague to cover all models.  For example, wouldn't it be nice to have a diagram that shows which diverter valves and pumps control which jets?  Yes, you might say duh, just try it out.  But it would be nice to see the entire circuit laid out.

Wes, would you mind sending me the information you have regarding Peak Ozone?  I will pm you with my email and fax number.

Regards to all,

Steven

Oh, and yes I will submit photos of my deck when I get a minutes free time.