After a hard day’s work, nothing sounds better than to take a nice relaxing soak in the hot tub. An ozone generator, or ozonator in the spa can add to that enjoyment, as it produces a powerful natural oxidizer with many benefits.

How does it work?

Ozonators use intense UV light, or corona discharge (CD) to split individual oxygen molecules into free oxygen atoms. As newly freed oxygen atoms collide with oxygen molecules, ozone is created. Ozone’s extra oxygen atom is loosely bound, breaking loose when coming in contact with organic material or other contaminants, oxidizing and destroying them.

Besides oxidizing soap, deodorant, makeup, perfume and lotions, when used along with a sanitizer ozone also helps destroy bacteria, viruses, algae and yeasts. Ozone actually enhances the performance of chlorine and bromine by reactivating them to their free state, reducing the need for high chemical doses.

Ozone benefits by reducing odor and chloramines, and also helps prevent the calcium in spa water from chelating, thus conditioning the water and prolonging equipment life. Ozone has a very short half-life in water, so a sanitizing system must still be used, but less amounts will be required for cleaner, clearer water that actually feels softer to the skin!

Installation

Most hot tubs today are ozone-ready, making an ozonator an easy addition. When connected to your hot tub’s plumbing system, the ozonator converts oxygen into ozone and draws the ozone into the spa water where it dissolves.

If replacing an existing ozonator, or installing in a fully ozone-ready spa, typically all that is needed is an ozonator kit. Installation in an older spa may require a bypass injector manifold in addition to the ozonator kit.

Ozone-ready spas usually have a small jet near the foot well of the spa. This jet will have both a water port and an air (ozone) port. When an ozonator is not present, this jet acts as a water jet only. Connections are made between the air suction tubing from this jet and the ozonator using the one-way check valve and vinyl tubing supplied with the kit.

There are several options for installing an ozonator in non ozone-ready spas. Among these options, the Jet Water Line connection method requires an ozone injector. Water flow provides suction which draws ozone into the spa. Select a jet nearest the bottom of the spa as possible for maximum water contact. The ozone line should be double-looped above the water line (called a Hartford Loop) and the supplied air check valve installed to prevent water back flow from entering the ozonator.

An alternative option is to install an ozone injector manifold into the main water line, called the Main Water Line connection method. The manifold utilizes a bypass valve designed to prevent drastic reduction of jet pressure and strain on the pump. Since ozonators will power-on with the low speed pump, the injector manifold has a special valve that allows the larger volumes of water to bypass during high speed circulation. Creating suction, the injector pulls ozone from the ozonator, mixes it with water and delivers it to the spa jets.

Most spa control systems will have an ozone receptacle to supply power to the ozonator and control its cycle. There are many plug types used for various hot tub makes, and choosing the correct one will make hookup a snap.