HotSpring ACE User manual

Contents
Important Safety Instructions
(Read, Follow, and Save all Instructions)
WARNING: Operate the ACE salt water sanitizing system only according to these instructions.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of electric shock, replace damaged cords or cell immediately.
WARNING: Remove power from the spa before performing any maintenance or troubleshooting.
CAUTION: To avoid damage DO NOT insert any objects into the cell.
CAUTION: Prior to using the spa, check water parameters and adjust if necessary.
• When using the spa, the chlorine level must be maintained between 3-5 ppm.
• Ozone, Granular Dichlor, MPS, and sliver are compatible with the ACE system.
• The ACE system is NOT compatible with bromine or BaquaSpa®/biguanide.
DISCLAIMER: This is not an automatic water care system. The system is sized for the
typical user. Heavy users may need to supplement sanitizer generation with dichlor or MPS.
THE SPA OWNER IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING
PROPER SANITARY WATER CONDITIONS.
This Owner’s Manual will acquaint you with the operation of the ACE salt water
sanitizing system. We suggest that you carefully review the entire Owner’s Manual
before using the ACE system. Please keep this manual available for reference. If you
have any questions about any aspect of your ACE salt water sanitizing system’s
set-up, operation, or maintenance, contact your authorized Hot Spring® dealer.
LIMELIGHT
®HOT TUBS OPERATION
System Status .................................. 9
Start-Up and Refill Procedures.......... 9
Spa Model Table.............................. 10
ACE 30-Day Check Up ....................11
Chlorine Boost ................................ 12
Salt Test............................................12
System Status Messages.................14
ALL SPAS
Cell Cleaning ....................................15
Tips...................................................15
Troubleshooting................................16
Important Additional Information.......17
Specifications ...................................18
Customer Service.............................19
Warranty ...........................................19
Welcome.............................................1
Product Contents................................1
Overview of the ACE
®
Salt Water
Sanitizing System................................1
Spa Owner Responsibilities................2
Before Start-Up...................................3
ACE Salt Water Sanitizing System
Spa Water Guidelines ..........................3
HOT SPRING®SPAS OPERATION
System Status ...................................3
Start-Up and Refill Procedures...........4
Spa Model Table.................................4
ACE 30-Day Check Up ......................6
Chlorine Boost ...................................7
Salt Test..............................................7
System Status Message.....................8

ACE Salt Water Sanitizing System Page 1
Welcome
Congratulations on your purchase of the ACE
®
salt water sanitizing system which
generates chlorine and powerful mixed oxidants naturally, making it easy to keep spa
water sparkling clean.
Product Contents
Your complete ACE salt water sanitizing system kit includes:
• Owner’s Manual
• Cell (accessible through spa’s filter compartment)
• Vanishing Act™Calcium Remover
• FreshWater
®Spa Salt
• Cell-cleaning Bottle
• 5-way FreshWater Test Strips
• FreshWater Salt Test Strips
• Controller, Power Supply, Hardware, and Installation Instructions
NOTE: Installation of the ACE salt water sanitizing system can only be done on
Hot Spring®and Limelight
®spas, and must be performed by an authorized Hot
Spring technician to ensure proper operation. The ACE salt water sanitizing sys-
tem is compatible with all Hot Spring spas built on or after August 1, 2009 and
Limelight spas built after August 1, 2010. Your local Hot Spring dealer can verify
if your spa is ACE system-ready.
Purchase these items separately from your local Hot Spring dealer. Not included:
• Clean Screen
™
Pre-Filter
• Additional Vanishing Act Calcium Removers (if necessary)
• Hot Spring Freshwater chemicals for balancing and start-up including
Concentrated Chlorinating Granules, pH Up, pH Down.
Overview of the ACE System
The ACE salt water sanitizing system makes water care easy by:
• Naturally generating active oxygen, powerful mixed oxidants like ozone and
MPS non-chlorine oxidizer, and natural chlorine to keep water crystal clear.
• Generating the right amount of sanitizer needed based on spa size and Use
Level, parameters that are easily input through your spa’s control panel.
• Testing for high or low salt levels, using the ACE system Salt Test.
• Increasing chlorine levels to meet high chlorine-demand situations as needed
with a convenient Boost function.
• Alerting you when your spa needs maintenance with the flashing green Hot
Spring On/Ready Indicator light.

Enjoy peace of mind while the illuminated water care icon and system status
messages on the spa’s main control panel confirm that the ACE
®
system is keeping
your spa water clean and crystal clear.
Spa Owner Responsibilities
• Thoroughly reading & understanding the Spa Manual, Operation & Water
Quality sections.
• 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
over time. 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 a low Hardness level of 50 ppm by 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.
• Inputting Spa Size and Use Level.
• Checking chlorine level before each use 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 5 ppm chlorine residual at start up and monthly 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.
Before Start-Up
1. Fill your spa with water using the Clean Screen pre-filter.
NOTE: If you are not filling your spa for the first time, clean your filters with
FreshWater Filter Cleaner or replace with new filters, before refilling spa.
2. Once your spa is filled, use a FreshWater test strip to measure the pH, Total
Alkalinity, and Hardness. Use the table below to determine if your spa water is in
the “OK” range. The “OK” ranges listed below are specific for use with the ACE
salt water sanitizing system and may vary from the back of your test strip bottle.
Page 2 ACE Salt Water Sanitizing System

ACE Salt Water Sanitizing System Spa Water Guidelines
Parameter Target Min - ”OK” Range - Max
Salt 1500 ppm 1000 ppm 1750 ppm
Hardness 50 ppm 25 ppm 75 ppm
Alkalinity 80 ppm 40 ppm 120 ppm
pH 7.4 7.2 7.6
Chlorine 3 ppm 1 ppm 5 ppm
3. Adjust pH and Total Alkalinity following the instructions in the Water Quality and
Maintenance section of your spa’s Owner’s Manual. The pH, and Total Alkalin-
ity must be in the “OK” range as indicated in the table above, before starting the
ACE system.
4. The Vanishing Act calcium remover, included with your ACE salt water sanitizing
system, will help you reduce the Hardness level of the water if needed. Rinse the
calcium remover with a garden hose then follow the Vanishing Act instructions.
NOTE: The ACE system start-up procedure can begin while the calcium remover
is in the spa working to decrease Hardness.
IMPORTANT: It is critical that the Hardness level is in the “OK” range of
25-75ppm to ensure effectiveness of the ACE system. Use additional calcium
removers if necessary.
Hot Spring Spas Operation
System Status
• Water Care Icon – The water care icon, located on the icon bar below the screen of
the main control panel, will be illuminated once the ACE salt water sanitizing system
is installed. The icon will flash when the ACE system requires attention.
• Status Messages – The ACE
®
system provides feedback via the spa’s main
control panel. A status message will always be displayed on the main ACE salt
water sanitizing system screen. Refer to the System Status Messages section for a
complete listing of system status
messages and their meanings.
• Hot Spring On/Ready light – The
green light will slowly flash when
the ACE System requires attention.
Hot Sping
®Spas Operation Page 3
Different Parameters than those in Spa Manual
Green On/Ready light
Water Care Icon

Start-Up and Refill Procedures
At this point your spa should have balanced water, new or properly cleaned filters,
and power. The water care icon on your spa’s main control panel should be flashing,
indicating that action is required.
STEP 1 – Add Salt
1. With the jets running, slowly add the directed amount of salt (see SPA MODEL
table below) to the filter compartment, one cup at a time.
NOTE: Your fill water may require slightly more or less salt than what is
recommended here.
2. Run jets an additional 5 minutes to ensure salt is totally dissolved.
NOTE: After adding the salt at start-up, the water care icon and Hot Spring
On/Ready Light may continue to flash and the display may read “Low Salt”.
Allow 24 hours for the spa to come to temperature (100-104F, 38-40C),
and for the ACE
®
cell to stablize, before retesting and adding salt to reach
40 - 75% in the OK range.
Spa Model Table
Spa Model Salt
(cups) or (grams)
Spa Size
Value
Estimated
Increase in ppm
per 1 cup/290g
Vista
®
/ Summit* 9.5 2750 8 170 ppm
Grandee
®
9.5 2750 8 170 ppm
Envoy
®
8 2500 7 170 ppm
Aria
®
7.5 2200 6 210 ppm
Vanguard
®
7.75 2250 6 190 ppm
Sovereign
®
6.75 1950 6 220 ppm
Prodigy
®
6.25 1800 5 235 ppm
Jetsetter
®
4.0 1150 3 360 ppm
* 50Hz Models only
STEP 2 – Access Water Care System menu
1. On the main control panel, press the Options hard button.
2. Press the Water Care soft button.
STEP 3 – Enter Use Level
1. In the Water Care System menu, press the Use Level soft button.
2. Adjust Use Level setting using the arrow soft buttons. The following are
approximate guidelines for determining use level.
a. 1 = Low bather load (1 person less than 1 hour per week, vacation mode).
b. 2–4 = Normal bather load (1-2 persons less than 3 hours per week).
c. 5 = High bather load (2 or more persons more than 3 hours per week).
Page 4 Hot Sping
®Spas Operation

NOTE: If you are unsure of your Use Level at start-up, an initial Use Level of 3 is
recommended. Daily testing your water during the first weeks after start-up will help you
best determine your correct Use Level setting.
3. Adjusting the Use Level will cause the value on the screen to flash. Once the
correct Use Level is displayed, press the Confirm? soft button to enter your
selection. The value will stop flashing, and the “?” next to the word Confirm
will disappear.
4. Press the BACK hard button to return to the main menu.
STEP 4 – Set Spa Size "Initial Start-Up only"
1. Determine the value (1-8) associated with your spa model using the Spa
Model Table on page 4.
2. In the Water Care System menu, press the Set-up soft button.
3. Press the Spa Size soft button.
4. Adjust spa size using the soft buttons next to the arrows.
5. Adjusting the Spa Size will cause the value on screen to flash. Once the
correct Spa Size is displayed, press the Confirm? soft button to enter your
selection. The value will stop flashing, and the “?” next to the word Confirm
will disappear.
6. Press the BACK hard button to return to the main menu.
STEP 5 – Superchlorinate/Shock Spa Water and Establish Residual
1. Once your Ace
®
System is programmed with the expected USE level check the
chlorine level with a FreshWater 5-Way test strip. Depending on your spa model
and water quality, it will take approximately 24 hours for the ACE system to gen-
erate enough sanitizer to establish a chlorine residual of 3-5 ppm.
2. Superchlorinate: Add granular sodium dichlor as directed on the bottle to
bring the spa water to 5ppm as described in the spa’s Owner’s Manual, to
create a sanitized residual until the ACE system is generating sanitizer at full
capacity.
3. Allow jets to run 5 minutes per jet system (rotating the diverter valves).
NOTE: Ensure that the Vanishing Act calcium remover is
repositioned after running jets
STEP 6 – Remove Vanishing Act calcium remover after 24 hours – discard in
your normal trash
1. Using a new test strip, test spa water for Hardness. If
Hardness level still reads above the recommend range of
25-75ppm, additional calcium removers will be needed at
this time.
2. Run a salt test with the ACE. Dose 1/2 cup at a time to
achieve 40 - 75% green level on the salt meter.
Hot Sping
®Spas Operation Page 5
Target
High
OK
Low
{

Step 7- Following Initial Start-Up
Following initial start-up, test the chlorine level and pH level of your spa once
a week and before use. Adjust the Use Level up if the chlorine level is low, or
down if the chlorine level is high, to find the level that produces a stable
chlorine level of 3-5 ppm. This will help maintain water quality. Allow 24 hours
for a change in Use Level to register in the chlorine reading on a test strip.
ACE
®
30-Day Check-up
You must check your spa water at least once every 30 days. To remind you, the ACE
water care icon will flash and the status message will read, Check Water/Confirm Use
Level at the end of each 30-day cycle. If the USE level has not been changed 3 days
after the reminder started, the USE level will automatically drop to 1 and continue to
flash. After 40 days the Spa Size Value drops to 2. This protects your hot tub from
excessive levels of chlorine.
STEP 1 –Test and Balance Water
1. Use a FreshWater test strip to measure the pH, Total Alkalinity, and Hardness.
Use the Spa Water Guidelines in this manual to determine if your spa water is
in the “OK” range.
2. Adjust pH and Total Alkalinity following instructions in the Water Quality and
Maintenance section of your spa’s Owner’s Manual.
3. To decrease the Hardness level of the water, place a new Vanishing Act
calcium remover over the heater return at the bottom of the spa for 24 hours.
STEP 2 – Access Water Care system menu
Press the Options hard button, followed by the Water Care soft button on the
spa’s main control panel.
STEP 3 – Confirm Use Level
1. In the Water Care system menu, press the Use Level soft button
2. If Use Level is correct, then use the soft buttons next to the up or down
arrows to change the Use Level and then change it back to the original
setting. If chlorine level has been too low or too high, adjust Use Level
accordingly.
3. Adjusting the Use Level will cause the value on screen to flash. Once the
correct Use Level is displayed, press the Confirm? soft button to enter
your selection. The value will stop flashing, and the “?” next to the word
Confirm will disappear. Allow 24 hours for a change in Use Level to
register in the chlorine reading on a test strip.
4. Press the BACK hard button to return to the main menu.
NOTE: If the Use Level has not changed, you must still change the Use Level setting
on the spa’s control panel and then change it back, in order to re-set the thirty day timer
and stop the water care icon from flashing.
Page 6 Hot Sping
®Spas Operation

STEP 4 – Superchlorinate/Shock Spa and Plumbing Lines
1. Use a Freshwater 5-Way test strip to measure chlorine levels.
2. Activate spa’s automatic clean cycle using the main control panel.
3. Increase chlorine level to 5 ppm using granular sodium dichlor.
Chlorine Boost
If the spa is being used more often than usual, it may be necessary to add more
chlorine to the water by “boosting” the ACE
®
system. To increase the chlorine
level:
1. Access the Water Care system menu by pressing the Options hard button,
followed by the Water Care soft button on the spa’s main control panel.
2. Press the Boost soft button.
3. Press the Yes soft button to confirm the manual Boost operation.
4. The system will automatically initiate a salt test before the Boost. Once salt test
is complete, the status will display "Water Care System Boosting" when active.
IMPORTANT: It takes 24 hours to complete the Boost cycle. The chlorine level
must be maintained between 3-5ppm at all times. Manually add sodium dichlor if
necessary for regular use or shocking the spa.
Salt Test
The ACE system automatically tests the water’s salt level. A manual Salt Test is only
required if the water care icon is flashing and the status screen indicates High salt or
Low salt levels. The ACE System is offline/stops generating when High or Low salt is
measured. Freshwater Salt Test Strips should be used to verify the sodium chloride level.
To conduct a manual Salt Test:
1. Access the Water Care system menu by pressing the Options hard button,
followed by the Water Care soft button, on the spa’s main control panel.
2. Press the Set-up soft button, followed by the Salt Test soft button.
3. The red/green/yellow salt level bar on the left side of the screen will display
a black line, which indicates the salt level of the water. The green portion
of the bar represents the OK range for salt, the red portion means high
salt, and the yellow portion means low salt
4. Press Yes soft button to start the salt test and wait 20 seconds for the test
to complete. Do not attempt to conduct a Salt Test while the jets are running.
a. Target salt level is 40 - 75% green
b. If proper amount of salt is present, the screen will
display “Water Care System Functioning”.
c. If “Low Salt” or “High Salt” is displayed, proceed as follows:
Hot Sping
®Spas Operation Page 7

POSSIBLE CAUSES OF A LOW SALT READING: The salt level reading can
be affected by cell age, scale build-up (dirty cell), cold water, high chlorine, dirty
filters, or dirty water (do not add salt until the previous conditions have been
inspected). A salt test strip or meter can be used to manually verify the system’s
salt level reading before adding additional salt.
For Low Salt –
1. Verify the actual salt level of the water using
the salt test strips included with your ACE®
system.
2. If the reading on the test strip confirms that
the salt level of the water is low add (1) cup
of salt to the water and circulate for 5 minutes.
Activate a second salt test.
3. If the proper amount of salt is present, the screen will
display “Water Care System Functioning”. If the screen
still displays Low Salt repeat the process as needed. If the
salt indicator does not change position on the screen, or if the strips
show that the level is ok, inspect the spa for other causes indicated
above.
4. If 50% of the spa’s recommended salt has been added and the icon
continues to flash, contact your Hot Spring Service
Professional for assistance .
For High Salt –
1. If the salt indicator is half way or less up the red part of the salt level bar,
drain 25% of the water from the spa and refill with clean, clear water.
2. Run the jet pumps for 5 minutes, then conduct another manual Salt Test.
3. If the proper amount of salt is present, the screen will display “Water
Care System Functioning”. If the screen still displays High Salt,
repeat steps as needed.
4. If the salt indicator is more than half way up the red part of the salt
level bar, drain completely and refill following the Start-up and Refill
Procedure.
System Status Messages
Status Message On Screen Meaning or Action Required
Water Care System
Functioning
Operating normally
Water Care System
Off
System Off
Use 1 Size 1
Water Care System
Low Use Mode
Low Output
Use 1 Size 2
Page 8 Hot Sping
®Spas Operation
Salt Level
Bar
Black Line
Salt Level
Indicator
High
OK
Low
Target
{

Limelight
® Hot Tubs Operation Page 9
Water Care System
Boosting
Increasing Chlorine level (pg. 6)
Water Care System
Testing Water
Salt test initiated/in progress (pg. 7)
Water Care System
CheckWater/ConrmUseLevel
Update Use Setting (pg. 6)
Water Care System
Ofine-CircPump
ACE®is disabled for 8 hours when
Summer Timer is active
Water Care System
Ofine-HighSalt
Non-operational
High salt level detected -
Correct salt level Clean/Inspect Cell
(pg. 7)
Water Care System
Ofine-InspectCell/CheckSalt
Clean/Inspect cell for scale then
test water with salt test strips and
add salt if needed (pg. 7 & 15)
Water Care System
Contact Dealer For Service
Contact Dealer For Service
Limelight Hot Tubs Operation
System Status
• Water Care Icon – The water care icon, located on the lower left side of the
main control panel, will be illuminated once the ACE salt water sanitizing
system is installed. The icon will flash when the ACE system requires attention.
• Status Indication –
The ACE system
provides feedback
via the spa’s main
control panel. Refer
to the System Status
Messages section for
a complete listing of system status messages and their meanings.
Start-Up and Refill Procedures
At this point your spa should have balanced water, new or properly cleaned filters,
and power. The water care icon on your spa’s main control panel should be flashing,
indicating that action is required.
STEP 1 – Add Salt
1. With the jets running, slowly add the directed amount of salt (see SPA MODEL
table on below) to the filter compartment, one cup at a time.
NOTE: Your fill water may require more or less salt than what is recommended here.

Page 10 ACE Salt Water Sanitizing System
2. Run jets an additional 5 minutes to ensure salt is totally dissolved.
NOTE: After adding the salt at start-up, the water care icon may continue to
flash and the display may read “Low Salt”. Allow 24 hours for the spa to
come to temperature (100-104F, 38-40C), and for the ACE cell to stablize,
before retesting and adding salt to reach a value of 4 - 6.
Spa Model Table
Spa Model Salt
(cups) or (grams)
Spa Size
Value
Estimated
Increase in ppm
per 1 cup/290g
Gleam 9.5 2750 8 170 ppm
Pulse 7 2030 6 210 ppm
Flair 6 1750 5 250 ppm
Bolt 5.5 1595 5 275 ppm
Glow 5 1450 4 310 ppm
STEP 2 – Access ACE
®
+ System Menu
1. On the main control panel, press the MODE▲ button until the ACE menu is reached.
2. Press the ON▲ button to enter the ACE system menu.
STEP 3 – Enter Use Level
1. In the ACE menu, press the MODE▲ button to scroll until USE is displayed.
2. Adjust USE level setting by scrolling through the values by pressing the ON ▲button.
The following are approximate guidelines for determining use level.
a. 1 = Low bather load (1 person less than 1 hour per week, vacation mode).
b. 2–4 = Normal bather load (1-2 persons less than 3 hours per week).
c. 5 = High bather load (2 or more persons more than 3 hours per week).
NOTE: If you are unsure of your Use Level at start-up, an initial Use Level of 3 is
recommended. Regularly testing your water during the first weeks after start-up
will help you best determine your correct Use Level setting.
3. Press the OFF▼button twice to select and confirm the setting. The water care icon
will flash to indicate that the setting has been updated.
STEP 4 – Set Spa Size "Initial Start-Up only"
1. Determine the value (1-8) associated with your spa model using the Spa Model
Table on page 10.
2. In the ACE menu, press the MODE▲ button to scroll until SIZE is displayed.
3. Adjust the Spa Size by scrolling through the values by pressing the ON▲ button
4. Press the OFF▼ button twice to select and confirm the setting. The water care
Page 10 Limelight
® Hot Tubs Operation

ACE Salt Water Sanitizing System Page 11
icon will flash to indicate that the setting has been updated.
5. Press the MODE▲ button until EXIT+ is displayed. Press ON▲ to return to the
main menu.
STEP 5 – Superchlorinate/Shock Spa Water and Establish Residual
1. Once your spa is programmed, check the chlorine level with a FreshWater test
strip. Depending on your spa model and water quality, it will take approximately
24 hours for the ACE
®
system to generate enough sanitizer to establish a
chlorine residual of 3-5 ppm.
2. Superchlorinate: Add granular sodium dichlor to the water as directed on
the bottle to bring the spa water to 5ppm as described in the spa’s Owner’s
Manual, to create a sanitized residual until the ACE system is generating sani-
tizer at full capacity.
3. Allow jets to run 5 minutes per jet system (rotating the diverter valves).
STEP 6 – 24 Hours Later
Test Salt level with ACE. Dose 125 grams (1/2 cup) at a time to achieve a value
of 5 or 6.
STEP 7 – Following Initial Start-Up
Following initial start-up, test the chlorine level and pH level of your spa and
before each use of the spa. Adjust the Use Level up if the chlorine level is low,
or down if the chlorine level is high, to find the level that produces a stable free
available chlorine level of 3-5 ppm. This will help maintain water quality. Allow
24 hours for a change in Use Level to register in the chlorine reading on a test strip.
ACE 30-Day Check-up
You must check your spa water at least once every 30 days. To remind you, the ACE
water care icon and USE level will flash at the end of the 30-day cycle. If the USE level
has not been changed 3 days after the reminder started, the USE level will automatically
drop to 1 and continue to flash. After 40 days the Spa Size Value drops to 2. This protects
your hot tub from excessive levels of chlorine.
STEP 1 – Test & Balance Water
1. Use a FreshWater test strip to measure the pH, Total Alkalinity, and Hardness.
Use the Spa Water Guidelines in this manual to determine if your spa water is
in the “OK” range.
2. Adjust pH and Total Alkalinity following instructions in the Water Quality and
Maintenance section of your spa’s Owner’s Manual.
3. To decrease the Hardness level of the water, place a new Vanishing Act On the
low speed pump suction for up to 3 pump cycles.
STEP 2 – Access ACE + system menu
On the main control panel, press the MODE▲button until the ACE menu is
reached Press the ON▲ button to enter the ACE system menu.
Limelight
® Hot Tubs Operation Page 11

Page 12 ACE Salt Water Sanitizing System
STEP 3 – Confirm Use Level
1. In the ACE menu, press the MODE▲ button to scroll until USE is
displayed. If Use Level is correct, then use the ON▲ button to scroll
through the Use Level values until the original value is displayed attain. If
chlorine level is too low or too high, adjust Use Level accordingly.
2. Press the OFF▼ button twice to select and confirm the setting. The water care
icon will flash to indicate that the setting has been updated. Allow 24 hours for a
change in Use Level to register in the chlorine reading on a test strip.
3. Press the MODE▲ button to reach EXIT+. Press ON▲ to return to the
main menu.
NOTE: If the Use Level has not changed, you must still change the Use Level
setting on the spa’s control panel and then change it back, in order to re-set the
thirty day timer and stop the water care icon from flashing.
STEP 4 – Superchlorinate/Shock Spa and Plumbing Lines
1. Use a Freshwater 5-Way test strip to measure chlorine levels.
2. Activate spa’s automatic clean cycle using the main control panel.
3. Increase chlorine level to 5 ppm using granular sodium dichlor.
Chlorine Boost
If the spa is being used more often than usual, it may be necessary to add more
chlorine to the water by “boosting” the ACE®system. To increase the chlorine level:
1. In the ACE Menu, press the MODE▲ button until bOOST appears Once in the
bOOST screen, press the ON▲ button to enter the bOOST menu.
2. Press the OFF▼ button twice to select and confirm the boost. The water care
icon will flash to indicate that the setting has been updated. The system will
automatically initiate a salt before the boost cycle. Once the test is complete
(up to 20 seconds) the bOOST screen will flash to indicate that the system is
boosting.
3. Press the MODE▲ button to reach EXIT+. Press ON▲ to return to the main
menu.
IMPORTANT: It takes 24 hours to complete the Boost cycle. The chlorine level
must be maintained between 3-5ppm at all times. Manually add sodium dichlor if
necessary for regular use or shocking the spa.
Salt Test
The ACE system automatically tests the water’s salt level. A manual Salt Test is only
required if the water care icon is flashing and the status screen indicates High salt or Low
salt levels. The ACE System is offline/stops generating when High or Low salt is meas-
ured. Freshwater Salt Test Strips should be used to verify the sodium chloride level.
To conduct a manual Salt Test:
Page 12 Limelight
® Hot Tubs Operation

ACE Salt Water Sanitizing System Page 13
1. Press Mode until the ACE menu appears, followed by pressing the On button.
2. Scroll to SALT menu by pressing the Mode button. In the SALT menu, press the Off
button twice to select and confirm the Salt Test. The water care icon will flash to
indicate that the setting has been updated. The SALT menu item will
flash while the system is testing. Do not attempt to conduct a Salt Test
while the jets are running
3. When the test is complete the menu will display one of the following:
a. SALT 1 - 2 : salt low (SALT menu item will flash)
b. SALT 3 - 6 : salt in range (target 4 or 6)
c. SALT 7 - 9 : salt high (SALT menu item will flash)
4. If “Low Salt” or “High Salt” is displayed, proceed as follows:
POSSIBLE CAUSES OF A LOW SALT READING : The salt
level reading can be affected by cell age, scale build-up (dirty cell), cold water, high
chlorine dirty filters, or dirty water (do not add salt until the previous conditions
have been inspected) . A salt test strip or meter can be used to manually
verify the system’s salt level reading before adding additional salt.
For Low Salt –
1. Verify the actual salt level of the water using the salt test strips
included with your ACE system.
2. If the reading on the test strip confirms that the salt level of the
water is low add (1) cup of salt to the water and circulate for 5
minutes. Activate a second salt test.
3. If 50% of the spa’s recommended salt has been added or the
salt indication has not moved and the icon continues to flash,
contact your Hot Spring Service Professional for assistance.
For High Salt –
1. Drain 25-50% of the water, depending on the salt level reading,
from the spa and refill with clean, clear water.
2. If the water is more than 6 months old, drain completely and refill
following the Start-up and Refill Procedure.
3. Run the jet pumps for 5 minutes, then conduct another manual
Salt Test.
4. If the proper amount of salt is present, the screen will display
SALT 4-6 and the water care icon will be solid. If the screen still
displays High Salt 7-9, repeat steps as needed.
Limelight
® Hot Tubs Operation Page 13
Salt Level
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Low
High
OK
Target
{

Page 14 ACE Salt Water Sanitizing System
System Status Messages
Status Message On Screen Meaning or Action Required
Solid water care Icon Operating normally
Solid Icon - Off Use 1 Size 1
Solid Icon - Low Use Use 1 Size 2
bOOSTashing System boosting (pg.13)
SALTashing Salt test initiated/in progress (pg.13)
FlashingIconandUSEashing Update Use Setting (pg. 12)
Summer timer icon ACE is disabled for 8 hours when
summer timer is active
Flashing Icon and SALT 1-2 Clean/Inspect cell for scale then
test water with salt test strips and
add salt if needed (pg. 13)
Flashing icon and SALT 8-9 Highsalt–systemofine
Correct salt level and
clean/Inspect cell (pg. 14)
Flashing water care icon 4 times
per second
Dealer service required
Page 14 Limelight
® Hot Tubs Operation

ACE Salt Water Sanitizing System Page 15
Cell Cleaning
Periodic cleaning of the ACE cell is recommended to maximize the life of your
equipment. Use of the Vanishing Act calcium remover will help reduce the cleaning
frequency. On average, the cell should be cleaned every 3 months. When the status
message on the screen indicates Low Salt and the water has not been changed or
topped off recently, it may be time to inspect and clean the cell.
CAUTION: To avoid damage DO NOT insert any objects into the cell.
1. Turn off the power to the spa. Open the spa cover and remove the filter lid.
2. Unscrew gray filter cap and gently pull the cell out of the filter.
3. Inspect the cell for scale by looking between the electrodes.
4. Unscrew the lid to the cleaning bottle included with the ACE system and fill with
spa water to the fill-line indicated on the bottle. Add 3 tablespoons of pH down
to the cleaning bottle and secure lid. Shake bottle to create cleaning solution.
NOTE: A stronger cleaning solution of 1 pt muriatic pool acid & 10 pt water can be used.
5. Remove the lid from the cleaning bottle. Place the cell in the bottle,
ensuring that the bottom of cell is floating.
6. Soak the cell for 10 minutes or until bubbles stop coming from the cell. If
bubbles are still releasing from the cell after 10 minutes, change the
cleaning solution and repeat until the cell is clean and all scale is removed.
7. Replace cell into the filter standpipe. Screw on the gray filter cap, replace
the filter lid, and power up the spa. Ensure that the cell is at the bottom of
the filter standpipe by feeling for the pull of the pump’s suction.
Tips
• Prevent Cell Damage: Do not insert anything into the cell or pressure wash it.
This will damage the electrodes.
• Salt: Salt is not consumed during sanatizer production. The salt level is only
reduced by adding water to the spa. Using the spa and adding chemicals will
increase the salt level over time.
• Turning the ACE System off: By setting both USE and SIZE levels to 1, the
system will stop generating sanitizers.
• Vacation or limited use. When the spa is not going to be in use, shock the
spa by increasing chlorine to 3-5 ppm and then run the automatic clean cycle.
Clean or replace filters. Lower Use Level setting to 1. For extended vacations,
also lower the Spa Size to 2 for low output mode.
• Water Changes. Because the ACE salt water sanitizing system reduces the
amount of chemicals added to the spa water, it is possible to significantly
extend the life of the water. Test your water regularly to ensure safety.
• If heavy bathing is expected. Initiate a Boost a few hours prior.
Periodically measure the chlorine and add granular sodium dichlor as need.

Page 16 ACE Salt Water Sanitizing System
• MPS use. Granular MPS (Potassium Peroxymonosulfate) can be used
in place of sodium dichlor to establish a sanitizer residual at start-up, and
for shocking the spa at each 30-day check up. Use FreshWater MPS test
strips to measure MPS levels in the spa water.
• Mixed Oxidants. To clean the water, the ACE salt water sanitizing system
generates a variety of mixed oxidants, in addition to chlorine. The chlorine
reading on the test strip may not be indicative of total oxidizer level.
• Ozone. The ACE salt water sanitizing system is safe to use with ozone;
however, except for high use situations, it is not recommended.
• Calcium & Metal Treatment: Use the Vanishing Act calcium remover to
keep total hardness levels low and minimize the need for anti-scalant &
metal control. If metals are an issue, use the Clean Screen Pre-filter and
follow your dealer recommended treatment program. Excessive use of
phosphate anti-scalant will promote high phosphate levels & will be difficult
to remove scale.
• Phosphates. High levels of phosphates (above 300 ppb) may cause
reduced sanitizer output, ask your local Hot Spring
®dealer to help you test for
phosphates.
• Summer Timer. The Summer Timer will decrease the chlorine generation time
of the ACE system. If the spa’s Summer Timer is activated, the Use Level will
most likely need to be increased to compensate. If chlorine level is low, adjust
Use Level up by one each day until 3-5 ppm is maintained. If Use Level is 5,
increase the Spa Size to generate more chlorine.
• Avoiding salt buildup. Periodically hose off your spa and the deck or concrete
surrounding your spa after use to prevent salt buildup that can occur from splash-out.
Troubleshooting
• Flashing On/Ready Light and Water Care Icon:
◦Attention is needed. Access the ACE system menus on the main control
panel to read the System Status Message (pg. 8 & 14).
• The water is cloudy:
◦Use a 5-way FreshWater test strip. If chlorine is low, manually add
granular dichlor as needed, or initiate a chlorine Boost.
◦Check filters and clean as needed (see your spa’s Owner’s Manual).
◦Use a 5-way FreshWater
®test strip to check spa pH level. Add pH down
as needed.
• Low Sanitizer level:
◦Check settings. Your use level may require you to increase the
setting to a higher number. If use level is at 5, increasing spa size will
generate more sanitizer.
◦Install a ozone unit if the ACE system is running at capacity. Increase salt
until the Salt Level display reads 75% within the green section.

ACE Salt Water Sanitizing System Page 17
• High Sanitizer level:
◦Check settings. Your use level may require you to decrease the setting to a lower
number. If use level is at 1, decreasing spa size will generate less sanitizer.
◦Reduce chlorine level by adding 1 cup hydrogen peroxide with jets
running. Check chlorine level after 10 minutes and repeat as needed.
• Low salt reading:
◦Water temperature may be low. Allow water temperature to reach
100F/ 37.5C and re-test.
◦Filters may be dirty. Remove cell from filter and place in main tub.
Re-test the salt level. If the salt shows in the OK range, replace or clean
the filters as needed.
◦Cell may require cleaning. Review Cell Cleaning section.
◦Cell may need to be replaced.
• Water Care icon is not lit when Main Control Panel is illuminated:
◦Contact your local authorized Hot Spring
®dealer.
NOTE: You may continue to use your spa as long as the chlorine level on
the FreshWater test strip is in the OK range.
Important Additional Information
WARNING: Operating ACE without water flow through the cell can cause a build
up of flammable gas.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of injury, do not permit children to operate this
device.
WARNING: Spa usage and higher temperatures may require higher chlorine
output to maintain proper free available chlorine residuals.
WARNING: Maintaining high salt and chlorine levels above recommended range
can contribute to corrosion of pool or spa equipment.
Check the expiration date of test strips as test results may be inaccurate if used
after that date.
The life expectancy of the electrolytic cell is 14,000 hours of operation under
normal use conditions.
When replacing the cell, only use replacement cells having a label the clearly
states that it is a replacement cell for the chlorine generating ACE device.
Follow all aspects of the local and National Electrical Code(s) when installing ACE.
Maximum spa water usage temperature is 104º F (40º C). Bathing in spa water at
maximum temperature should not exceed 15 minutes.

Page 18 ACE Salt Water Sanitizing System
Specifications
• System designed to treat 500 gallons (1890 liters).
• The maximum output of hypochlorous acid equivalent to 16 grams of free
available chlorine per day.
• Input:100-240VAC 0.55A 50/60Hz
• Output: 12VDC 1.67A
Customer Service
If you have any questions about your ACE salt water sanitizing system that have
not been answered by this manual, consult your authorized Hot Spring dealer.
Watkins Manufacturing Corporation can be reached at: 1-800-999-4688
(extension 8432) inside the USA or [phone] outside the USA Monday
through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST) or e-mail
[email protected].
Watkins Manufacturing Corporation, 1280 Park Center Drive, Vista, CA 92081 USA.
ACE
®Salt Water Sanitizing System Warranty
One-Year Limited Warranty
Watkins warrants to you, the original consumer purchaser, that the components
of the ACE salt water sanitizing system will be free from defects in materials and
workmanship for one year.
Extent of Warranty
This warranty extends only to the original consumer purchaser of the ACE salt
water sanitizing system when purchased and originally installed within the
boundaries of the United States. If the ACE salt water sanitizing system is
purchased outside the United States other warranties may apply. See your local
Hot Spring dealer for details.This warranty begins upon installation of the spa.
This warranty terminates upon any transfer of ownership, or if the spa is installed
or relocated outside the boundaries of the United States by the original consumer
purchaser prior to the expiration of the warranty period.
Warranty Performance
To make a claim under this warranty, contact your dealer. In the event you are
unable to obtain service from the dealer, please contact Watkins Manufacturing
Corporation, 1280 Park Center Drive, Vista, California, 92081. Attn: Customer
Service Department [phone] inside the USA or [phone] outside
the USA or via e-mail, [email protected]. You must give Watkins and/or
your dealer written notice of any warranty claim, along with a copy of your original
purchase receipt indicating the date of the purchase, within ten (10) days of the
time you discover the claim. Watkins reserves the right to inspect the malfunction
or defect on location.