How And When To Clean The Copper Electrodes In A Spa System
Items Needed To Clean The Copper Electrodes In A Spa System;
- 5 gallon bucket
- Liquid muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid), or Acid Magic (Muriatic Acid Replacement)
- Water
The copper electrodes in a spa system in soft water areas only need to be cleaned once per year. In areas with hard water the electrodes should be cleaned every three months at every spa refill.
1) Turn off the electrical power by switching off the breaker or switching off the disconnect.
2) If also draining the spa, remove the filter and drain the spa using a garden hose at the bottom of the filter housing.
2) Slip the wires off of the metal tabs on the outside of the electrode chamber.
3) Unscrew the union ends at either end of the chamber. Be careful not to crack the chamber. If the ends are screwed in too tightly to turn, use a strap wrench. *Do not use channel locks!.
4) Take the chamber out of the plumbing line, but do not remove the electrodes. The entire chamber gets submerged for cleaning.
5) Create a solution of 5 parts water to 1 part liquid muriatic acid, or Acid Magic. Pour in the water first and then the acid to keep from splashing acid.
6) Submerge the entire chamber in the acid/water solution for 5 -10 minutes. The chamber will bubble. When the bubbling stops the electrodes and chamber are clean. *Do not use anything to scrub or scrape the electrodes which will damage them).
7) Remove the chamber and rinse. Replace the chamber into the plumbing line so that the copper electrodes are first in the flow of water and the titanium electrodes are last. Do not over tighten. Hand tight is sufficient. Tighten until there is no more leaking.
8) Reconnect the wires. (Red and Green wires go to the copper electrodes. Black and White wires go to the titanium electrodes). The copper electrodes are first in the flow of water, titanium electrodes are last.
9) Refill the spa, put the clean filter in, open the valves, switch on the electrical power, and follow Start Up procedure.
