Drain and refill hot tub

DRAINING YOUR HOT TUB

OPTION 1

Step 1

Disconnect the spa from the power supply by turning off the isolator.

Step 2

Locate the main drain valve for the spa and remove the drain cap. Attach the inlet of a garden hose to the drain valve (to avoid flooding of the foundation surrounding the spa) and route the outlet of the hose to an appropriate draining area.

Note: Spa water with a high sanitizer level may harm plants and grass. 

Step 3

Open the valve by turning the knob. The spa will drain by gravitational flow.

IMPORTANT: Spa will drain almost completely through the main drain. Equipment such as the jet pump and heating system will drain. Any water remaining within the plumbing or equipment after draining will only need to be removed if the spa is being winterized or flushed. 

Step 4

Allow most of the water to drain through the main drain, bucketing out what remains. 

Step 5

Close the drain valve and reinstall the drain cap. 

Step 6

Spa is now ready to fill 

OPTION 2 

Step 1

Put a submersible pump in to the foot well of the spa and run the attached hose to a suitable draining area. 

Step 2

Once in position turn on the pump and allow it to drain the spa, the pump should turn itself off automatically when the float drops to a certain level. 

Step 3

Bucket out the remaining water. 

Step 4

Spa is now ready to fill

Every few months the spa will require what is known as a flush, whereby prior to step one of ‘Draining Your Hit tub’ you will pour the relevant amount of ‘Hot Tub Flush’ in to the hot tub. Run the jets for ten minutes. Let the water stand for ten minutes. Run the jets for a further ten minutes. Then start from step 1. This chemical breaks down anything that might have accumulated in the pipework. 

Cautions

Do not fill the spa with hot water, as tripping of the high-limit thermostat may result.
DO NOT CONNECT POWER TO AN EMPTY SPA. Power to the spa automatically activates critical components within the spa, such as controls, heater, and other systems. If power is supplied to these components prior to the spa being filled, the components will be damaged, and this may result in a non-warranty component failure.
Do not use your spa after filling until all of the ‘Start Up & Filling your Hot Tub’ steps listed are completed. 

START UP and FILLING YOUR HOT TUB

Step 1

Close all drains and fill the hot tub with water by putting the hose down the centre of the standpipe in the filter compartment. This will minimize airlocks in the equipment by filling through the heater, pumps and jets, pushing most of the air out of the lines. The water level of your hot tub should be maintained at a level of 1 inch above the highest jet. 

Step 2

AFTER the spa has been filled with water and the equipment compartment door is secured, power must be applied to the spa. 

Step 3

The jet pump(s), heating system and all internal plumbing will achieve a partial prime as the spa is filled. Once the jet system is fully operational (as indicated by strong, non-surging jets), priming of the spa is complete. Weak or surging jets are an indication of a low water level condition or clogged filter cartridges. 

Step 4

Adjust Total Alkalinity (TA) to between 80 and 120 ppm, Calcium Hardness (CH) to between 200 and 400 ppm, then spa water pH to between 7.2 and 7.6.

IMPORTANT: Add spa water chemicals directly into the filter compartment with the jet pump on high speed for at least ten minutes.

OPERATION NOTE: Adjusting the Total Alkalinity as the first step is important, as out-of balance TA will affect your ability to adjust the pH correctly and will prevent the sanitizer from operating effectively. 

Step 5

Superchlorinate the spa water by adding superfast chlorine. The jet pump should be running on high speed when adding the chlorine, and remain on high to circulate the spa water for a ten-minute period.

NOTE: All measurements for chemical dosage can be found on the packaging of the relevant chemical and relate to the volume of the hot tub so ensure you know the volume of your hot tub prior to dosing.

Step 6

Set the temperature control to the desired temperature then place the thermal cover on the spa and allow the water temperature to stabilize (approximately 24 hours). Make sure you secure the cover in place using the cover locks. Periodically check the spa water temperature. When the water reaches the desired temperature, proceed to the next step. 

Step 7

Run the jets on high for 10 minutes to circulate the spa water. After the filter cycle is complete, test the spa water for Free Available Chlorine (FAC) residual. If the residual is between 3 and 5 ppm go on to the next step. If the residual is less than 3 ppm adjust the chlorine to between 3 and 5 ppm using Stabilised Chlorine Granules, dosage measurements will be on the side of the packaging. 

Step 8

Recheck the Total Alkalinity (TA) should be between 80 and 120 ppm, Calcium Hardness (CH) between 200 and 400 ppm, then spa water pH at between 7.2 and 7.6.

OPERATION NOTE: Make sure you adjust your Total Alkalinity first, as an out-of-balance condition will affect your ability to adjust the pH correctly, and will prevent the sanitizer from operating effectively. The spa is ready for use when the spa water has circulated and the chlorine level remains between 3 ppm and 5 ppm.