ACE saltwater system troubleshoot??

[ccarver80]

I have a 2013 Grandee I bought from hot spring spas brand new.


Finally got it set up again after sitting empty all winter and most of the summer till our house was finished.


Water pH and Alk is balanced pretty good per what the strips say

I thought the Saltwater was reading perfect.

Well the green light started blinking which 99% of the time meant the ACE SW system was malfunctioning so I cleaned the salt cell (filled a small container full of spa water and added 3 tbs of "SPA down" put salt cell in for 10-15min .... that would clean the scaling issue most of the time.)

when I completed that and fired it back up it was reading "High salt" .... it kept saying this for 24 hours... next day I drained probably 100 gallons out and refilled back up.... still saying "high salt" ... test strips are reading low salt now if anything.... SO CONFUSED. I'm about to say screw it and run my hot tub normally and ignore that stupid salt cell.....

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I really don't want to drain my spa completely either, I just filled it a second time, (first time was to much foam and suds) and its balanced perfect (takes 6.5lbs of spa down to drop pH which costs $$$)

 

[pooldv]

I'm not familiar with the ACE system. But, you can use muriatic acid to lower your PH instead of the spa down and save some money.

Here is my favorite page on pool and spa chemicals, Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

Here is how I maintain my hot tub with just bleach. Been working great for two years. How do I use Chlorine in my Spa (or pool)?

 

[ccarver80]

Well it turns out that the ACE saltwater system is a total joke if you ask me.
I called Hot Springs spas in my local area and explain what was going on and they told me quote the salt Cell only has a life expectancy of 1 to 3 years and it cost $650 to replace plus the $150 travel fee!
In theory it's a great idea because the salt Cell I guess have a diamond inside of it that when electricity is put to it it can break down the salt molecules and create chlorine that way or something and it's a little to no maintenance but for the price and hassle it's not worth it.

I guess it's time to look on this form and figure out how to just run a hot tub the basic way ....kind of sucks cuz the whole point of the ACE saltwater system was

1.didn't need to add chlorine
2.there was never a smell of chlorine
3.it was a set it and forget it kind of deal.

 

[chem geek]

The boron-doped diamond electrodes are more than a regular saltwater chlorine generator. They do not just produce chlorine from chloride salt. They also produce hydroxyl radicals that are very powerful, though very short-lived, oxidizers. Think of it as an ozonator on steroids. The downside as you found out is that it is expensive. It also requires the Calcium Hardness level to be very low though they sell a reducer for that.

 

[ccarver80]

The boron-doped diamond electrodes are more than a regular saltwater chlorine generator. They do not just produce chlorine from chloride salt. They also produce hydroxyl radicals that are very powerful, though very short-lived, oxidizers. Think of it as an ozonator on steroids. The downside as you found out is that it is expensive. It also requires the Calcium Hardness level to be very low though they sell a reducer for that.

HAHA funny story, I got mad the other night... cranked the output usage to 10 (max) ... and hit the "boost" mode on.... the next day come home... its actually working again!

sad thing is I literally opened the lid and looked at it.... must of looked at it wrong because when I went inside to get test strips and I came back out it was blinking again.....