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Thoughts on Hot Springs ACE system

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PatB52:
I did a search of the forum for threads on this topic but most of the ones I found were very old.

The Hot Springs dealer said about half of his buyers go with their ACE water sanitizing system. Is it worth the $1,5000? Those of you that may have it, are you glad you bought it?

Pat (feeling overwhelmed and confused)

chem geek:
Read this thread on another forum for pros/cons of the system.  The main con is that it historically hasn't been very reliable so had maintenance issues.  Some of these may have been worked out by now.  We'll see how long the cells last in the newer systems.

TwinCitiesHotSpring:
of the spas that are ACE compatible, we are selling about 65% of them with the ACE option.  The biggest thing is starting up the system properly which is not hard to do..as for cell life like it was mentioned above that is to be determined, although we still have plenty of customers who bought in late 2009/early 2010 that are still on their original cell..(fyi cell has been updated/improved since then as well)

PatB52:
Thanks for the answers. I did find that thread on the other forum today. It's kind of discouraging that they have taken so long to get the technology right. TwinCities, thanks for the vote of confidence on the system.

Sam:
Seems to me to be a lot easier and a lot less expensive to just add di-chlor.  I suggest people read the owner's manual which can be found online.  Here is a sample:


--- Quote --- Spa Owner Responsibilities
•    Balancing the pH level and Total Alkalinity to the “OK” range.
NOTe: The generation of chlorine from salt will cause the pH to drift upwards
initially. Check the pH level at least once a week after initial start-up, and once
a month after normal use patterns have been established. Adjust as needed to
maintain water quality. An extensively high pH will cause premature failure of
the system, cloudy water, and decreased effectiveness of the sanitizer.
•    Maintaining low Hardness levels using the Vanishing Act calcium remover as
needed.
NOTe: The ACE system works best with low levels of calcium and minerals
in the water. Softened water prolongs the life of hot tub equipment, while
enhancing the soaking experience. The ideal hardness level when using the
ACE system is 50 ppm.
•    Inputting Spa Size and Use Level.
•    Checking chlorine level before each use after initial start-up to determine best
Use Level to maintain healthy water quality.
•    Conducting a check up every 30 days, which includes testing and balancing the
spa water, and reconfirming Use Level.
NOTe: The 30-day cycle begins when the Use Level is confirmed at start-up,
and resets any time the Use Level is changed or re-confirmed. The water care
icon will flash as a reminder when each 30-day cycle is over.
•    Establishing a chlorine residual at start up.
•    Manually flushing plumbing lines by super-chlorinating or “shocking” the spa monthly.
ImPORTANT: Ensure that the chlorine level is always between 3-5ppm before using
the spa. Add chlorine manually if needed. 
--- End quote ---

Another odd thing that I noticed in the manual is:


--- Quote --- For proper sanitation, spas must be completely drained periodically. The number
of days between COMPLETE SPA DRAINAGE is equal to the volume of spa
water in liters, divided by 10 times the maximum number of daily spa users. Refill
spa with water and repeat DIRECTIONS FOR USE of the device.
--- End quote ---

A 400 gallon spa is approximately 1500 liters.  If the house hold has 3 people that regularly use the spa, this formula indicates that you need to change the water every 50 days!  So that means that you need to drain and go through the whole start-up procedure in less than 2 months. 

I may not understand this properly, so please correct me if I am wrong.  From the reading that I have done about this system, I can't imagine spending $1500 on it, plus the cost of replacement cells, when di-chlor is so cheap and easy.

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