Though Blu Fusion makes it very easy to maintain your spa, it is NOT maintenance-free.
The following are key to ensuring your enjoyment of your hot tub or swim spa.
Across the US, water varies considerably in both mineral content and pH. Though not always necessary, the use of a pre-filter when filling your spa helps ensure the best water at the start of your spa experience.
Bromine is both your primary sanitizing agent and an oxidizer in your spa. As a sanitizer, bromine kills bacteria and other pathogens in your spa. As an oxidizer it removes biologic waste (dead bacteria, skin cells, etc.) from your spa. It is important to both, not allow your bromine level to drop below 3 ppm nor exceed 5 ppm for extended periods.
A significant advantage to bromine as a sanitizer is that, unlike chlorine which absolutely requires pH in the 7.2 – 7.6 range for it to be effective, bromine is relatively unaffected by pH variations in its ability to kill pathogens in your spa. However, there is another important reason to keep your spa water pH in this range. It prevents calcium scaling.
Regardless of the calcium level in your spa water, you will not experience calcium scaling if you keep your pH no higher than 7.6.
The ideal pH in all Salt-System spas is 7.2 because the pH will gradually increase over time. Hence, adjusting your spa water pH to 7.2 gives you a bit of a buffer to keep the pH in the proper range.
Maintaining a very low level of phosphates is important for all spa and pool applications because phosphates have two very negative consequences when present in your spa water. First, they can promote the growth of algae. Second, phosphates interfere with the proper functioning and measurement of both bromine and chlorine.
Note that we measure phosphates in the parts per billion range (ppb) rather than the part per million range (ppm) used for other chemicals in your spa water. This demonstrates just how low a level of phosphates are required.
Though it’s relatively easy to remove phosphates (with a phosphate removing product) it is also rather easy to introduce phosphates to your spa water. If you are having trouble maintaining 3- 5 ppm of bromine, one of your first checks should be for phosphates.
Though you might think a low level of calcium is good in your spa, it is not. Calcium provides two important benefits in your spa.
- It protects the metal parts in your spa from corrosion. Distilled water is actually slightly corrosive. Calcium stops this corrosion.
- Calcium also helps reduce foaming in your spa water. It will not stop foaming if your water needs to be changed, or has other chemistry issues, but it does help reduce foaming when chemistry issues are minor.
Note: Blu Fusion will operate properly at considerably higher levels of calcium (in the 500 – 600 ppm range) however, it is all the more important to keep your pH in the 7.2 – 7.6 range when using spa water with this elevated calcium level.
You can test your Blu Fusion System by following this procedure:
-
- Ensure your spa is in circulation (filtration) mode in order to ensure you have power going to your Blu Fusion system.
- Unlock your Blu Fusion display.
- Hold both the “Increase” and “Decrease” buttons down simultaneously for about 5 seconds.
- The Blu Fusion reading will change to something with a decimal in it. Ideally, you want a reading in the 1.0 – 1.4 range, with 1.2 being just right.
For more information, see “Problem Solver”, I am not recording any bromine in my spa.
Your Blu Fusion Automatic Bromine Generator only receives electrical power when your spa is in circulation mode as water must be flowing through the electrode cell when it is operating. Hence, your control display will only light up when your spa is in circulation mode.
Note that if your spa has a 24-hour circulation pump, the display should always be lit.
If your spa is in circulation mode and the Blu Fusion display is not lit, it is best to contact your hot tub dealer. One of three issues might be present, however all of them are quite rare.
- There is a small fuse in the electronic box that may be blown.
- There may be something wrong with the electronics.
- The power connection to the Blu Fusion unit may be compromised
There are several reasons you may not be recording bromine in your spa. Understanding why, and finding a solution, is a “process of elimination.”
First:
Second:
A very common reason for not recording bromine on your test strips in phosphates in your spa water.
- Phosphate testing equipment was included with your Blu Fusion unit and is available from your hot tub dealer.
- Phosphates should be < 200 ppb and ideally < 30 ppb. If phosphates exceed 200 ppb, use phosphate remover, available from your hot tub dealer.
Third:
If your reading is in the 1.0 – 1.4 range, your Blu Fusion unit is producing bromine. If you tested for bromine before using your spa, the question is now – why are you not recording bromine on your test strips.
- You control the amount of bromine produced via the setting on Blu Fusion AND the circulation time (# of hours every day). Are these consistent with the bather load you are imposing on your spa? Note that bather load is affected by four things. The higher these are, the higher the bather load.
- How often are you using your spa (# of days / week)?
- How many people use your spa?
- How much time are you using your spa?
- How clean are the users when using your spa? (i.e. Did they shower before using your spa?)
If your reading is < 1.0 it is likely that you have an issue with your Blu Fusion electrode cell.
- If your electrode cell is more than 3-years old, replace it.
- If it is less than 3-years old, it’s likely you have calcium scaling on the electrodes inside the cell.
- Remove the electrode cell and clean it.
If your reading is > 1.4, it is likely that you have too much salt in your spa water.
- Drain some spa water and replace with fresh water sufficient to reduce the salt level to no more than 1,700 ppm.
Fourth:
High TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) may be an issue.
- TDS should not exceed 200 ppm prior to adding Tru Blu salt to your spa. With Tru Blu salt in our spa, if TDS exceeds 2,500 ppm, Blu Fusion may not operate properly.
Fifth:
In addition to the standard setting and test readings, four other messages may be seen:
LC (Low Current)
Electrical current is flowing through the Blu Fusion electrode cell however it is insufficient for proper operation. This may indicate:
- Insufficient Tru Blu salt in your spa water.
- Calcium scaling on the electrodes inside the cell.
bSt (Boost)
OE (Open Element)
Essentially this means there is no electrical current flowing through the Blu Fusion electrode cell. This may indicate:
- There is no Blu Fusion salt in the spa water.
- Heavy calcium scaling on the electrodes inside the cell.
- The electrode cell is not connected to the Blu Fusion electronics.
- The electrode cell needs to be replaced.
HC (High Current)
Too much electrical current is flowing through the Blu Fusion electrode cell. This may indicate:
- TDS is above 2,500 ppm
- Excessive level of salt in the spa water
LOC (Lock)
This is a natural result of the electrolysis process used to convert Tru Blu sodium bromide salt (NaBr) to bromine. The actual chemical processes involved are a bit complicated but gradually rising pH is a result.
The rate at which pH rises will vary based upon other chemicals in your spa water however keeping both Total Alkalinity and Calcium in the proper ranges ( 80 – 120 ppm and 150 – 250 ppm respectively) will help slow this increase.