Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: Markus on January 03, 2006, 08:04:39 pm
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I've had my HS Vanguard for only a few months and the underside of the cover is very bleached compared to all the underside edges.
I was just curious as to how many of you have the same discoloration. Is this normal?
I use dichlor and there is an ozonator, and I also never mix the dichlor with the cover on.
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We have a new HS Grandee delivered in August, use dichlor and Ozone and have the same issue. assume it's the bleaching effect from the chlorine.
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I am experiencing the same effect on the underside of my cover. (HS Grandee delivered last March)
I write it off to the chlorine gassing off of the water, which happens continuously, not only right after you add it. I'm not the best at leaving the lid open for a while after adding dichlor and I've gotten into the habit of only flipping it half back on days I am just adding a touch of dichlor.
I guess I am going to need to replace it sooner than I would have if I were more careful, but for now it only seems to be cosmetic. (even though I'm sure it is actually degrading the vinyl as it discolors it)
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The bottom of my cover is white, I guess that's a good thing.
The bleaching is from the chlorine but also from the ozone. They both off gas. If you leave the cover off after putting in "normal" chlorine for 5 minutes and shock value (10+ PPM) chlorine for 1 hour, that will help. but remember with ozone running 24/7 any ozone not absorbed and used in the water will off gas.
Try treating the underside with 303 protectorant, it may help slow or stop the discoloration.
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It's from ozone probably more than anything and the chlroine secondly. I always tell people discoloration of the bottom cover is inevitable due to your chlorine use (or whatever is your main sanitizer) but certainly speeds up with ozone. To me it's a minor tradeoff to what ozone does for your spa. The ozone detractors may say otherwie but that's their opinion and this is mine.
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How well are these ozinators regulated? (Meaning how much ozone does one unit produce than from another of the same make and model). I guess I shold say, how consistent are ozinators?
I ask, as a few folks have said they are seeing under the cover discolartion and it's simpley chocked up to "gotta be ozone".
I have a Tiger River, made by Watkins (the Hot Springs folks). with a Freshwater II ozinator installed. I have had the tub for about 8 months and have not seen any problems with discolartion under my cover (Tiger River Factory brand cover).
The thing is, I only have 350 gallons of water (relativly less than the other tubs). I use dichlor with a Renew shock. I was in the habit of keeping the cover closed duing shocking (I've now changed that since discussion on this board) and to top it off, I use the tub only about 3 times a week, where as it seems a lot of folks use thier tub (and hence have the cover off) more than that.
This leads me to wonder why one tub/cover would see this discoloration and not another?
Could the ozone levels be different from tub to tub, ozinator to ozinator? Is it cover material? A defect in product material? Surface area of the water gassing out to cover? Water temp?
Seems there is something else to the mix we are missing, no? ???
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Also, is the discoloration more in one area than another?
If so, is the area over where the ozinator dischrges into the tub? Or over some other significant part of the tub?
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Mine is 1 year old and the underside of the cover is much lighter in color than the rest. Normal methinks and I agree that it is probably mostly from the ozone although chlorine is undoubtedly also a factor. The way I figure it, once this cover is shot they'll make more. I have no problem with that.
It seems that some time ago this was discussed and it was generally agreed that the covers last about 5 years. Is that right?
Regards,
Bill
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It seems that some time ago this was discussed and it was generally agreed that the covers last about 5 years. Is that right?
Regards,
Bill
I'd agree though it seems from what I see and hear it depends on whether you change it due to looks or function. Mine is 6 yrs old; the inside faded the first year but the outside faded slower. The seams started to open some at about 5 yrs but caused no real issue. While the foam is a bit warped it's still structurally sound. Though a bit ugly I'm too frugal to go get a new one just yet.
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What colors are everyones covers on the underside? Mine is a light grey and either I am not having a problem or it is fading consistantly because I cannot tell a difference from the middle to the edge, but then again I would think it would be hard to see fading on a light color like that. Do you all have darker colors on the underside of your covers?
I use dichlor and an ozonator.
-Sarge
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What colors are everyones covers on the underside? Mine is a light grey and either I am not having a problem or it is fading consistantly because I cannot tell a difference from the middle to the edge, but then again I would think it would be hard to see fading on a light color like that. Do you all have darker colors on the underside of your covers?
I use dichlor and an ozonator.
-Sarge
I have light gray and no discoloration.
The other thing would be, is anyone who doens't have an ozinator seeing discoloration?
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The underside of my cover is a medium gray and it has bleached since early on. You can see the outline of where the cover sits on the shell. I can't say it has gotten "whiter" over time. It seems to have lightened and stayed that way.
I use dichlor and ozone.
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No Ozone and I am seeing some discoloration after a few months.
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No Ozone and I am seeing some discoloration after a few months.
I suspected as much.
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My tub is a month old. I noticed today that I have a very slight discoloration that follows the outline of the tub.
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drewstar,
I've been thinking the same thing as you. There seems to be something going on here.
So far, it seems that possibly it's not just the ozone but maybe the bleaching affects of dichlor.
My friend has had his hot springs tub for over a year and uses bromine with an ozonator and claims there is no discoloration.
Is anyone using bromine with an ozonator and not seeing the whitish discoloration underneath their covers?
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I use Bromine, no ozone, and do not see any cover discoloration. Pillows are also in excellent condition.
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I use bromine (add-as-you-go SpaGuard, not a floater) and have an ozonator. Very marked bleaching after six months. My cover, following the outline of the tub, has gone from light gray to almost white.
I think SpaGurad's "brominating concentrate" is about 80% dichlor - that may be the cause.
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drewstar,
I've been thinking the same thing as you. There seems to be something going on here.
So far, it seems that possibly it's not just the ozone but maybe the bleaching affects of dichlor.
My friend has had his hot springs tub for over a year and uses bromine with an ozonator and claims there is no discoloration.
Is anyone using bromine with an ozonator and not seeing the whitish discoloration underneath their covers?
We are missing something. I have dichlor and ozone and no problem yet. Why would one tub cover discolor and another not?
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So... yesterday I left the cover off for an hour or so. It was long enough (80*+ day) for the cover to completely dry. The discoloration was completely gone. After the cover was on for 5 minutes, the discoloration was back. I had previously wiped it off, to make sure the difference was not just the wet and I didn't think it was... but apparently when it completely dried out it went back to normal.
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Brookenstein, I was wondering the same thing. I took a closer look at my cover yesterday and tried wiping it off some but it still looked discolored. However, I have not left cover open long enough to allow it to dry.
Since it is the middle of winter here in Iowa that probably wont happen till spring.
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Brookenstein,
Maybe it's possible that your one-month old tub isn't old enough to show permanent staining...even after completely drying it.
I know that mine is permanent because the bleaching has also affected the rust-colored sides of the cover which are slightly exposed to the escaping gases.
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Well color me stupid. ::)
After telling everyone that I have not had any doscoloration on my cover and wondering if the folks who do claim to are imagining things, I took a second look at my 8 month old Caspain's cover and to my surprise. The cover is faded.
The underside of the cover has faded to a light grey. It is so uniform and so even, that I never noticed it. However, this weekend in the bright winter day, I had the cover up and looked closer, and noticed that along the edges, where the cover rests on the tubs edge, is a darker charcol grey, and the cover area over the water is light grey.
I never noticed this, as the darker edge alwasy looked (to me) like the shadow from the cover's flap edge.
Huh.
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After telling everyone that I have not had any doscoloration on my cover and wondering if the folks who do claim to are imagining things, I took a second look at my 8 month old Caspain's cover and to my surprise. The cover is faded.
See, we're not so dumb afterall. Welcome to the world of ozone but do not fear, your cover will be fine and ozone is well worth it (IMO).
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See, we're not so dumb afterall. Welcome to the world of ozone but do not fear, your cover will be fine and ozone is well worth it (IMO).
I'm loving the tub and the ozone system is working great for me. I just felt like and idoit when I was out there this weekend, taking a soak before heading off to the Patriots game and I noticed the discoloration. " Hey, that's not a shawdow from the edge flap..." ::)
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O.K. I feel better now.
Good thing, because I was about to totally re-design my ozonator with a super duper ozone regulator knob complete with variable control ;D.
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I'm loving the tub and the ozone system is working great for me. I just felt like and idoit when I was out there this weekend, taking a soak before heading off to the Patriots game and I noticed the discoloration. " Hey, that's not a shawdow from the edge flap..." ::)
Hey...I was at that game. ;D