Hot Tub Supply Store Blog — Sundance

WHY SHOULD I CHANGE MY CLEARRAY BULB?

This is a question we get quite often. Some people have either not been properly informed of why this is necessary or what their ClearRay Bulb even does.  Here are the little tidbits of information that will help you have a better understanding of how your ClearRay System works.

The first thing to understand is that is what your ClearRay does. It is not going to be the one stop shop that takes care of your hot tub water for you. Your ClearRay system basically slows or inhibits the growth of bacteria using a spectrum of light called UV-C.  It does not however kill bacteria and it does not stop bacteria from finding its way into your hot tub. It's for this reason that maintaining a level of sanitizer in your water is still important.  Traditional hot tub care system require you maintain a level of 5-6 ppm worth of sanitizer in your water to keep your hot tub clean.  With ClearRay, that number drops down to 1-2 ppm.  In San Diego County, our tap water generally contains .5-1.5 ppm of chlorine in the water.  This is a major reduction in sanitizer use!

The other thing to realize is your ClearRay UV-C bulb does have a lifespan.  In testing both by Jacuzzi and third party companies, the ClearRay bulb's potentcy drops off dramatically after 12 months and is virtually useless after 18.  For this reason, we recommend a yearly replacement of your ClearRay Bulb.

While ClearRay does lower the amount of sanitizer required to keep your spa clean, it also has another major benefit. The spectrum of light used in the ClearRay system also helps keep chloramines under control.  For those unfamilar, chloramines are the compound responsible for chemical odor (not chlorine itself).  This means you will not only use less sanitizer, your water will feel AND smell fresher and cleaner.