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Ozonator Installation Tips

Ozonator Installation Information

Warnings:

Please note: These are generic instructions that cover the typical installation procedure for most ozonators. Your make and model may vary. Your spa brand may require certain alterations to properly install the ozonator. When in doubt, contact the ozonator manufacturer and/or the spa manufacturer to make sure.

These instructions are for the do-it-yourselfer who needs some help working on their own hot tub spa. Here we are assuming that if you have chosen to work on your own unit, you have a basic knowledge of electricity.

Please remember that water and electricity DO NOT MIX. If you are not capable of performing a repair yourself, please contact a local spa professional or a licensed electrician in your area.

Also realize that the wiring and equipment described herein represents the "average" spa equipment pack. Your unit may vary significantly from the components described below. If you are in doubt as to how to properly troubleshoot, install or repair your specific unit, please contact a local spa professional or a licensed electrician in your area.

Use any of the information contained herein AT YOUR OWN RISK. We will not be held liable for any injuries that may result from the troubleshooting or installation of any electrical components in your hot tub spa unit.

Concept:

An ozonator produces ozone gas by combining oxygen with ultra violet light to produce O3 (ozone) gas. This gas is a powerful oxidizer and will sanitize water when properly injected.

Overview:

The ozonator should be firmly mounted by the spa or by the spa's equipment (sometimes under the cabinet in portable spas). The ozonator is hooked up to a power source. The ozone tubing is connected to the ozonator at one end and into an air pipe of the spa's jet piping on the other end. When water runs through the spa's jet piping, a suction is created in the air piping attached to each jet. This is called the "Venturi Effect". That suction is what actually pulls (sucks) the ozone gas from the ozonator. The gas is then mixed with the water and small ozone bubbles are injected into the spa through the jet that is closest to the ozone tubing. The ozone gas then reacts with the water and kills almost 100% of all bacteria and organics in the water.

Installation Tips:

Step 1 - Mount ozonator. Decide where you want to mount the ozonator itself. Normally this would be under the cabinet of a portable, self-contained spa - or near the spa pack of an in-the-ground component type spa system. Sometimes it is necessary to mount the ozonator under a deck, or on the wall of a spa room. Wherever you decide, there should be adequate air flow around the unit.

Step 2 - Hookup electric power to the ozonator. There are many ways to do this. Different ozonators come with different type plugs on the end of the cord. Some brands do not come with any plug, just wires. Each installation is a little different. You can plug the unit into a standard 110 volt outlet, if one is available nearby - but the unit will always be on. A more common installation is to hookup the ozonator directly to the timer of the spa pack. This way it is GFCI protected as well as the unit only comes on and off when you have your timer set. Another way is to hook it up directly to the GFCI of the spa. This way it is GFCI protected, but it will always be on.

There are 2 schools of thought when it comes to deciding whether or not to hook up the ozonator to a timed electric source or to hook it up to a constant powered source. We will not make a value judgment here, but we will simply tell you the two opposing viewpoints and you can make the best decision that you feel comfortable with. Some manufacturers and Spa Guys feel strongly about # 1 and some feel strongly about # 2. You decide which is best for you.

School # 1 - Definitely hook it up to your timer circuit. This will save the life of the bulb. Why keep the bulb burning 24 hours per day when you will only be using the ozonator 6 hours per day ?

School # 2 - Definitely hook it up to a constant power source. These bulbs will last 4-5 years when kept on continuously. Constantly turning them off and on will reduce the bulb life and cause undue strain on the ballast.

Step # 3 - Hookup venturi assembly. Decide where you want to cut into your jet air piping. Usually you will want to choose a location that is closest to the ozonator and easiest to work on. The ozone tubing must be tapped into the air pipe line or air control tube (see attached drawings). This will be your Venturi Assembly.

This can be done in a few of ways:

A) This can sometimes be accomplished with a saddle clamp that is often included with some ozonator brands. Drill into the air pipe and insert the saddle clamp fitting. Attach the ozone tube to the fitting (barb).

B) You can use an ozonator injector manifold that you can either build with commonly available plumbing fittings or commercially available prefabricated injector manifolds (see attached drawing). Cut the jet air piping and insert the manifold assembly. Attach the ozone tubing to the barbed fitting.

C) In some instances, you can simply drill a hole into the jet air piping, slip the ozone tubing into the hole and silicone around the tubing to keep it in place. Since this is not a water filled pipe, a 100% seal is not absolutely necessary - but the better the seal, the greater your suction will be, so try to seal it as best as possible with the silicone.

Step # 4 - Install check valve. The check valve is a safety device that will not allow any water to back up into the ozonator unit itself. When properly installed, water should never even be in the ozonator tubing, but there are instances when this could possibly happen - so it is best to use the check valve. Blow into it. You will notice that you can only blow into it in one direction. Make sure that you install it the correct way or the gas will not be able to be sucked out of the ozonator unit. Once you have determined the proper direction of flow, cut the ozone tubing and insert the check valve at that point. Once more, blow into each end of the tubing to check that the flow direction is correct. If you are blowing from the end that will attach to the spa, you SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BLOW THROUGH IT. If you are blowing from the end that gets attached to the ozonator, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO BLOW THROUGH IT.

Step # 5 - Check all connections. One end of the ozonator tubing should be attached to the spa jet piping at your Venturi Assembly. Then it should run to the check valve. Then it should be hooked up to the ozonator itself.

Step # 6 - Check for proper gas flow. Turn on the spa (low speed). Make sure that any and all air control knobs (valves) on the spa are closed (see attached drawing). They must always be closed or you will not get the proper seal for the Venturi Effect suction to take place. Good rule of thumb is to always have the air control knobs closed at all times except when you are actually using the spa. When the air control knobs are closed, and the spa is running at high or low speed, you should see little air bubbles coming from the spa jet closest to the area where you installed your Venturi Assembly. Those bubbles will be ozone gas if the ozonator is on and will just be regular air bubbles when the ozonator is off.

Step # 7 - Set up system timer. An ozonator should run for 3 hours per every 12 hours (see Ozonator Facts information attached). It is best not to run it for 6 hours continuously. For example, set your timer to run from 6AM - 9AM, then 6PM-9PM. Whenever the pump is running, there is ozone being injected into the water.

Step # 8 - Chemicals. Review the EZ Chemical Instructions and Ozonator Facts. You will still need to chemically treat the water to some degree. The ozonator will only help to sanitize the water.

E - Z Chemical Instructions for Tubs with Ozonators

INITIAL HOT TUB SPA SET UP

Drain spa water every 2 - 3 months, depending on use.
Clean spa shell with SPRAY AWAY acrylic spa cleaner (do not use a soap based cleaner !)
Wax spa shell with HIGH LIGHT SPA BRITE aerosol acrylic wax (do not use car wax!).
Soak filter cartridge overnight in FILTER CLEANER solution and rinse thoroughly with water.
Squeeze out SCUMBALLS or SCUMBUGS and rinse them off with fresh water.
Refill spa with fresh water to recommended level.

WATER SET UP

If using PERFECT PH, add the entire bottle to the spa water. Run the spa on HIGH SPEED for 15 minutes, then proceed with Step # 2. If not using PERFECT PH, go directly to Step # 2.
Add 2 bottle caps of DEMINERALIZER or METAL OUT to the water.
Add 2 bottle caps of SPA SHOCK, SPA CHLOR or NON-CHLORINE SPA SHOCK to the water.
Add 2 bottle caps of WATER CLARIFIER to the water (Don't add this if using PERFECT pH).
Add 2 ounces of SCUMDIGESTER or any other ENZYME based product to the water.
Test and adjust the pH of the water to 7.6 - 8.2 by adding either pH PLUS or pH MINUS (Don't do this if using PERFECT pH).
Test and adjust the ALKALINITY of the water to 100 by adding ALKALINITY PLUS (Don't do this if using PERFECT pH).
Add 1-2 BROMINE TABLETS to the CHEMICAL FLOATER and put FLOATER in the spa water. This will ensure that there is a small amount of bromine sanitizer in the water, even when the ozonator is off.
Run spa on LOW SPEED for at least 6 hours to heat up, properly mix all the chemicals and filter the water.

WEEKLY MAINTENANCE

Test water for Bromine, pH and Alkalinity.
Add 1-2 new BROMINE TABLETS to the FLOATER if necessary.
Adjust the Alkalinity to 100 and the pH to 7.6 - 8.2 (Don't adjust pH or Alkalinity if using PERFECT pH).
Rinse off the cartridge filter with fresh water.
Squeeze out SCUMBALLS or SCUMBUGS and rinse them off with fresh water.
Add 2 bottle caps of WATER CLARIFIER (Don't add this if using PERFECT pH).
Add 2 bottle caps of SPA SHOCK, SPA CHLOR or NON-CHLORINE SPA SHOCK to the water.
Add 2 ounces of SCUMDIGESTER or any other ENZYME based product.
Clean water line and lip of spa with SPRAY AWAY acrylic spa cleaner (do not use a soap based cleaner !)

DAILY OPERATION

OZONATOR and low speed spa pump should operate on LOW SPEED at least 3 hours every 12 hours. If using OZONATOR, you should also use at least 1-2 BROMINE TABLETS in a Chemical FLOATER as well.
Chemical FLOATER should have BROMINE TABS in it and should remain in spa at all times, except when you are using it.
SCUMBALLS or SCUMBUGS should remain in spa at all times, except when you are using it. They absorb surface oils and reduce "ring around the spa" at the water line.

NEED HELP ?

Call us anytime for water chemistry advice or to order any hot tub chemicals or accessories. 1-800-876-7647 or 1-702-437-4343

Ozonator Facts

What is Ozone ? Ozone is a gas (like the ozone layer around the earth) that is produced by ultraviolet light exposure to oxygen. When ozone gas is injected into spa water, it acts as a very powerful sanitizer and will kill off almost all of the bacteria present. Ozonated spa water will remain clearer longer than just using bromine or chlorine as the primary sanitizer.

Ozone water purification is 3000 times more powerful than ordinary water sanitizers (bromine or chlorine). It does not give off that "chemical smell" normally found in pools and spas and tends to produce less skin and nasal irritation. An ozonated spa can usually go longer between water drainings than a spa using other sanitizer chemicals.

How does it work ? The ozone generator in a spa contains an ultraviolet light bulb. The unit sucks in oxygen from the surrounding air and exposes it to this light source. The oxygen is transformed into ozone which is "O-3" gas. This gas is then sucked into the jet piping of the spa by the "venturi effect" which creates a suction that shoots the gas into the spa water through either a water jet or a special ozone fitting located near the bottom of your spa.

The O-3 gas then goes to work attacking any bacteria present in the water. Two of the oxygen molecules are used up during the chemical reaction and the third oxygen molecule is released back into the air. That molecule accounts for the "fresh" or "sweet" scent that is often noticed coming from an ozonated spa.

How long does it last ? Once injected into the spa water, ozone gas will only remain present for approximately 12 hours. This means that at the end of 12 hours, your spa will have NO SANITIZER in it ! For this reason it is recommended that an ozonator be turned on at least 2 hours every 12 hours. This will ensure an adequate amount of ozone sanitizer in the water at all times.

Do I have to use any other chemicals ? Yes, you do ! You should check and adjust your Total Alkalinity and pH levels once per week. You may still need a Demineralizer, Defoamer and a Water Clarifier. Even with an ozonator, you still need to add some form of regular sanitizer to your spa.

You can do this in one of two ways: You can add 2 caps of Spa Shock to the spa twice a week or you can keep 1 or 2 Bromine Tablets in a chemical Floater and leave the Floater in the spa at all times except when you are using it. Either of these methods will provide you with a minimum level of sanitizer in the spa even when the ozonator is off and neither will be enough to produce a bad "chemical smell" or any of the other negative side effects of regular sanitizers.

Does an ozonator ever need any maintenance ? Yes, it does. The ultraviolet light bulb in the unit will eventually burn out and need replacing. Bulbs usually last approximately 5 years under normal use and are relatively easy to replace. Aside from that, an ozonator will pretty much take care of itself.

How big is an ozonator ? Is it huge ? No, it isn't ! When ozonators first came out in the mid 80's, they were much larger than they are today. The first ozonators were about 2 feet high and 10 inches wide. It was a problem to fit them into some portable spa cabinets. With the increased technology available today, ozonator units have become much, much smaller and can be installed into almost any spa with ease.

How do I know if it's working ? There are a few ways you can check to make sure that you are injecting ozone into your spa. Most ozonators have an indicator light on them which tells you that the ultraviolet light is on. Also, you can actually see the ozone coming into your spa. You can see the little ozone bubbles coming out of your main spa jet. This is a real good indication that the unit is on.