General FAQ

Welcome to our technical support page which has been designed to allow our customers to visit this page and get the answers to the most common water care and technical support questions 24 hours a day 7 days a week. 

Green water tends to be caused by an incorrect sanitiser level in your water. The first thing to do is to dip a test strip in your water and see what your Chlorine level is. We want the Chlorine to be showing between 3-5ppm on the test strip and this should be a purple colour on your test strip.

What to do if the Chlorine is zero and white on the test strip

Make sure no one uses the hot tub until we establish the correct Chlorine level. Add a heaped tablespoon of Chlorine granules to the spa water with your jets running and leave the jets running for around 20 minutes to circulate the Chlorine in the water. After 20 minutes test your water again and the Chlorine level should be high and a deep purple colour on the test strip. In this situation this is ok as the Chlorine will be used up clearing the green water. It may take a day or two for the water to go clear again and once it has gone clear and you have established a 3-5ppm on the strip you can use the hot tub again.

What to do if the Chlorine is zero and white on a test strip but there is a strong smell of Chlorine.

Sometimes if the Chlorine level is extremely high a bleaching affect can happen. In this case to obtain a more accurate reading, take a pint glass and fill exactly half full with water from the hot tub. Then fill the remainder of the glass with clean water from the tap and dip a test strip in to see what the reading is. When you get a reading, double what this reading is on the test strip and that will tell you what level the Chlorine is in your hot tub water.

What to do if the Chlorine level is high and a deep purple on the test strip

If the Chlorine level is high the quickest and easiest way to reduce it is to turn your hot tub off at the socket and take some water out of the hot tub, then replace it with fresh water to dilute the high Chlorine level down.

Cloudy water is caused by either a chemical inbalance or contaminants in the water. Firstly test your water with a test strip and check your Alkalinity, pH and Chlorine are all within the ok range on the test strips.

What to do if your test strip readings are ok

If your test strip readings are ok it is going to be contaminants in the water that are causing it to go cloudy. The first thing to do is add Spa Sparkle to the water with your jets running as this will collect any contaminants in the the water and bring them to the surface which will then result in a greasy foam being produced. Skim this foam away with a clean cloth making sure the cloth has not had any detergents on it, then rinse the cloth in a bucket of hot water. Leave the hot tub to circulate and re check in a hour. When you are satisfied that no more greasy foam is left in the hot tub we recommend you change and clean your filter. Your water should now start to look better. If you find after repeating this process your water is still cloudy we would then suggest you drain and refill your hot tub

Foam in the water tends to come from swimwear that has been through a washing machine or a cloth that has had some detergent on it.

You will have Foamaway in your kit which will kill the foam for you, but use it sparingly as Foamaway is a silicone based product which will could contaminate your filter and this can cause the water to go cloudy if too much is added.

Sometimes you may find that you can never get a Chlorine reading on your test strip. This can be caused by a few different factors including the pH level or what we call ‘catch up’. Firstly make sure your pH is no higher than 7.4 as a high pH makes Chlorine ineffective. If your pH level is ok then you will probably find you need to add a mass of Chlorine. If you let the Chlorine level drop over a prolonged period anything you add will be used up quickly trying to recover the water and this is why you can’t get a Chlorine reading. In this case you need to add a mass of Chlorine which will recover the water and leave extra Chlorine in the water so when you add Chlorine the next time you are adding to a mass still in the water rather than to nothing. To generate a mass of Chlorine add 2 tablespoons of Chlorine granules to the water with your jets running and also leave the cover open for 30 minutes after adding the Chlorine.

Your Chlorine level will be very high after adding a mass so make sure no one uses the hot tub at this point, but you will find the Chlorine will be used up quite quickly. Once the Chlorine level is back to between 3-5ppm it is safe use the hot tub again.

Sanitising your water whilst you are away can sometimes be a concern however there is an easy way around this. You can use slow dissolving Chlorine tablets in a dispenser which just floats about and slowly release’s Chlorine into the water. You can buy a tablet and dispenser kit in our online chemical shop by clicking here 

We recommend that you change the water in your hot tub every 3-4 months but this does vary depending on use and how well the water has been maintained. Following the step by step guide below will make changing the water an easy process.

Master Spas Waterchange (Escape 5, 8, Elite 1, AS, 3, 4 and 5, Legend 2 & 3)

1. Ensure all of your jets are open and they have water flowing through them.
2. Switch the power off to your hot tub at the isolation switch or by unplugging the 13amp or 32amp plug from the socket.
3. Check the display on the hot tub to make sure it is blank. On models with a touchscreen keypad press the screen to ensure the power is off.
4. The drain valve on all Master Spas models is located within the cabinet of the hot tub. Although the cabinet panels are removable we strongly recommend that you use a submersible pump or a Venturi pump as both of these will not only drain the water quicker but save you having to remove the cabinet panels.  Submersible pumps tend to cost around £30 and are readily available online.
5. Once the hot tub is empty you may have some water left sitting in the seats and lounger. A good way to remove this is to cut the bottom off a 2 ltr milk carton and use this as a scoop.
6.  Give the hot tub inside shell a good wipe down with a clean cloth. This is also a good time to give your filter a clean.
7. Remove all fittings from your garden hose and allow to run for a few minutes to flush out any stale water. Then place the hose in the filter chamber (The place where your filter normally sits).  Allow the water to full up to your normal water level which is typically 2 cm above the highest jet in the hot tub. Now remove the hose and place the filter back into the hot tub.
8. Once filled back up to the correct water level turn the hot tub power supply back on.On powering up the hot tub will go into a priming mode. When in priming mode you will need to prime the pumps. Simply press each pump button to turn on to ensure you have a water flow. If there is no water flowing after 15 seconds press the jets button for high speed pressure. Repeat this process until the water flows from the jets.
9. Set your water temperature to your desired level and set the clock if necessary (touchscreen models). 
10. Once the water is back up to temperature use your hot tub chemicals and balancers to get to the required levels.

Watkins Manufacturing Waterchange (Signature XL, 2, 3, Escape Classic, Compact & Family)

1. Ensure all of your jets are open and they have water flowing through them.
2. Switch the power off to your hot tub at the isolation switch or by unplugging the 13amp or 32amp plug from the socket.
3. Check the display on the hot tub to make sure it is blank. On models with a touchscreen keypad press the screen to ensure the power is off.
4. Attach your hose to the hose adapter provided. This is an American fitting which is tight on some UK hose sizes. If this is the case place your hose in hot water to make it pliable and it should then fit over the adapter. 
5. Locate the drain plug on your hot tub and unscrew the drain cap taking care not to loose the seal inside the cap. Attach your hose with the adapter and then turn the valve to release the water. 
6. Once the hot tub is empty you may have some water left sitting in the seats and lounger. A good way to remove this is to cut the bottom off a 2 ltr milk carton and use this as a scoop.
7.  Give the hot tub inside shell a good wipe down with a clean cloth. This is also a good time to give your filter a clean.
8. Unscrew the hose attachment from the hot tub. Close the valve and replace the drain cap.
9. Remove all fittings from your garden hose and allow to run for a few minutes to flush out any stale water. Then place the hose in the filter chamber (The place where your filter normally sits).  Allow the water to full up to your normal water level which is typically 2 cm above the highest jet in the hot tub. Now remove the hose and place the filter back into the hot tub.
10. Once filled back up to the correct water level turn the hot tub power supply back on.
11. On powering up the hot tub will go into a priming mode. When in priming mode you will need to prime the pumps. Simply press each pump button to turn on to ensure you have a water flow. If there is no water flowing after 15 seconds press the jets button for high speed pressure. Repeat this process until the water flows from the jets. For Breeze, Spray and Surf models.
    The pumps and jets will automatically operate when you power the hot tub back up. Please ensure you have water flow when this happens.Important for all hot tub models.If you still have no water flow after 3 attempts of priming the pump, switch the hot tub off and wait 5 minutes before repeating the process. If after this point you still have no flow you may have an airlock. In this instance please switch the power off and contact technical support.
12. Set your water temperature to your desired level and set the clock if necessary (touchscreen models). 
13. Once the water is back up to temperature use your hot tub chemicals and balancers to get to the required levels.

WARNING: DO NOT DRAIN YOUR HOT TUB AND THEN LEAVE IT OVER WINTER – THIS CAN SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR TUB

It is very important that a hot tub is not left empty during winter months. Winter is often the best time of year for using a hot tub however should you wish to not use your hot tub you must winterise it correctly to save the excess water in the pipes and components from freezing. There are 2 ways of protecting your hot tub in this situation.

1. Run the hot tub cold (Recommended)

The best and recommended option is to simply run your hot tub cold. To do this use the temperature down button on your keypad turn the temperature down as low it will go. On models with a touchscreen keypad select Settings icon > then select Heat > Heat range will show as High, press High and it will change to Low an this will allow you to drop the temperature further.

Running a hot tub cold uses very little chemicals and energy but keeps everything moving and will prevent it from freezing. The other bonus to this is you can always turn the temperature back up should you fancy using your hot tub.

2. The other option is to to fully winterise your hot tub.

Full details on how to winterise your hot tub can be found below. We do need to point out that when a spa is winterised some of the seals can dry out and crack which can then lead to leaks when the spa is refilled and back up to temperature. 

1. Flush your system , then drain your hot tub

We recommend that you flush your plumbing system with Spa Flush. Pour in the flush and run for 2 full cycles with the air controls off, then allow the spa to run overnight as normal. The next day switch off the power to your hot tub and empty your water by opening the drain valve or using a venturi pump depending on the model. Some of our hot tubs allow you to hook up a garden hose to discharge the water. A venturi pump may also be used to speed the draining and to remove remaining water and debris from foot wells.

2. Remove your filters

With the cover off, remove your filter(s). Now is a good time to clean and soak them in filter cleaning solution, so that they can be put away in a dry location for the winter. If they’ve had a year or more of use consider replacing them. Never store a dirty filter. Make sure to remove any remaining water from filter compartment then clean it along with the skimmer basket if so equipped. 

3. Loosen the fittings

There may be several fittings on your spa’s plumbing system that can be loosened enough to allow water to drain. Disconnect any unions on the inlet and outlet of your pumps and heater. Your pump casing will have drain plugs. These should also be removed as pumps can easily be damaged when water freezes. Leave the unions unconnected to the heater and pumps and the drain plugs out of the pump(s)

4. Blow the excess water from the jets

It is also important to get any remaining water out of your jet plumbing. This can be accomplished by first opening all jets and then using a wet-dry vac set to the blowing mode, force air into each of your jets. Work your way around the spa clockwise, and when you have gone all the way around, go back around counter-clockwise and blow out each jet again. Repeat until no significant amounts of water can be purged.

5. Clean your shell

Cleaning your spa shell is very important, and will make the job of opening your spa in the spring a lot more pleasant. Use a non-foaming cleaner such as shell/surface cleaner to wipe down all surfaces and then rinse with clean water. If you wish to order shell/surface cleaner please click here

6. Mop up any excess water

Any remaining water inside the spa should now be mopped up with a towel. Leave your drain valve open.

7. Consider covering your hot tub

Many people cover their entire spa with a tarpaulin for the winter, if in a location exposed to the weather. This prevents rain water or snow melt from seeping back into the spa and causing potential freeze damage. Mold and mildew spots may occur on the underside of the cover if in water is allowed to enter the hot tub. Occasion checks on the underside of the cover is recommended during the period the hot tub is winterised.

Welcome to our technical support page which has been designed to allow our customers to visit this page and get the answers to the most common water care and technical support questions 24 hours a day 7 days a week. 

Your touchscreen keypad has a high and a low range setting. If you want to reduce the temperature below 37 degrees go to Settings icon> Then select Heat icon> Temperature range will be High, Simply press High and this will change to Low. Once in Low range you can drop the temperature below 37 degrees.

Welcome to our technical support page which has been designed to allow our customers to visit this page and get the answers to the most common water care and technical support questions 24 hours a day 7 days a week. 

The pump on your hot tub only puts out one pressure so if the jets are not as strong, it can be one of four things below. Start at number one and work your way down the list to solve the issue

1. The air control valves being closed. These are the valves on the top of the hot tub that regulate the amount of air coming throught the jets. If these are closed or part closed you will notice a big difference in the jet pressure. Turn these valves anti-clockwise to make sure they are open

2. The jets themselves are closed. You can open your jets by turning the chrome jet head so make sure the jets in question are fully open (this can either be clockwise or anti-clockwise depending on the jet type and style).

3. A blocked filter will restrict the flow. Make sure you don’t have any toys floating around the surface of the water and then remove the filter from the hot tub. Put the filter assembly back as you normally would but without the filter in and run the jets to see if this solves the issue

4. If you have tried the three things above you may have a blockage in the pipework which is restricting the flow. In this case please call our service team on 01382 530220 to arrange for one of our engineers to visit your spa 

Some of our models have adjustment on the jets themselves which allows you to open the close the jet.

To open the jet gently turn the chrome jet in either direction a quarter turn and you should start to see water coming out the jet

To close the jet gently turn the chrome jet head in either direction quarter turn and you should start to see the water pressure coming through the jet decrease. The jet will not go off completely to allow some waterflow so make sure the water in the plumbing to that jet is still being filtered and sanitisied.

When you are turning a jet a quarter turn to open it you will feel some resistance, if you turn the jet too far and passed the resistance the jet will come out of the housing. Don’t worry this will not cause a leak and simply place the jet back in the housing and gently turn it until you feel the jet pull intowards the housing and lock back in place.

The message Flo or low flow condition is telling us there is not enough water passing through the system which is generally down to two things. Start at number one and work your way down to solve the problem.

1.Make sure your water level is at least one inch (25cm) above the highest jet as low water is the most common cause of the flow condition. If your water level is low switch the power to your hot tub off, top the water level up to the correct level then switch the power to your hot tub back on and run the jets. If the Flo meassage clears low water has been the issue.

2. If your water level is ok make sure you have no toys etc floating on the surface of the water then remove your filter from the hot tub. Put the filter assembly back together as you normally would but without the filter and then switch off the power to the hot tub and leave it off for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes power the tub back up and run the jets. If the flow condition goes away a dirty or blocked filter is the issue. Either clean your filter thoroughly or buy a replacement filter (filters should be replaced annually).

If after checking the water level and running the hot tub without a filter you still have a flo message please contact our technical support team.

There may be a few reasons that your hot tub is not heating. Please check through the list of the most common causes below

1. Make sure your water level is at least one inch (25cm) above the highest jet as low water can cause the flow condition. When the flo condition is activated it will shut the heater down to prevent it from overheating. If the water level has been low, switch the tub off for 20 minutes and switch it back on to reset the system.

2. If the water level is ok make sure you have no toys etc floating on the surface of the water then remove your filter from the hot tub. Put the filter assembly back together as you normally would but without the filter and then run the jets. If the flow condition goes away a dirty or blocked filter is the issue. Either clean your filter thoroughly or buy a replacement filter. Filters should be replaced annually.

If the above doesnt resolve your issue turn the power off to the hot tub at the fusebord, leave the power off for 20 minutes then power back up. If you still have an issue please contact our service team.

The Hr message is a hardware issue caused by either a power surge or voltage drop on the electric supply coming in to the hot tub. If the voltage is either lower or higher than normal and outwith the safe range for the components the hot tub will shut down to protect the components and at this point it will display Hr on the screen. All you have to do is switch the power off at the mains and leave it off for 20 minutes then power it back up and your hot tub will work as normal.

Welcome to our technical support page which has been designed to allow our customers to visit this page and get the answers to the most common water care and technical support questions 24 hours a day 7 days a week. 

When the inclear keypad displays the message Err or Lo this tells us the system does not detect any Sanicharge/Sodium Bromide in your water. First thing to do is check your Sanicharge level and to this follow the steps below.

1.Press the maintenance button on the inclear keypad and your maintenance level will show on the display, this tends to be between 25 and 40 depending on your water and bather usage.

2.Press the maintenance button again and you will get 11h on the display, this tells us we need 11 hours filtration for that maintenance level but we have 24hr filtration on all models so this does not matter to us.

3. Press the maintenance button a third time and you should get a red light on the chart above the buttons. This should be in the green area. If its just a little low add some Sanicharge to the water and this should raise the reading.

4. If the reading is still showing 0.0 your in clear cell may require cleaning. Full instructions on cleaning the in clear cell are within a tab below called cleaning your in clear cell.

If you have had an error code showing for more than 2 hours it will lock in the system. To reset this you will need to power your hot tub down at your fuseboard, leave the power off for 20 minutes then power the hot tub back up as this will reset the system which should clear the error code.

The message Flo or low flow condition is telling us there is not enough water passing through the system which is generally down to two things. Start at number one and work your way down to solve the problem.

1.Make sure your water level is at least one inch (25cm) above the highest jet as low water can cause the flow condition

2. Make sure you have no toys etc floating on the surface of the water then remove your filter from the hot tub. Put the filter assembly back together as you normally would but without the filter and then run the jets. If the flow condition goes away a dirty or blocked filter is the issue. Either clean your filter thoroughly or buy a replacement filter. Filters should be replaced annually.

If you have had an error code showing for more than 2 hours it will lock in the system. To reset this you will need to power your hot tub down at your fuseboard, leave the power off for 20 minutes then power the hot tub back up as this will reset the system which should clear the error code.

Through time a build of contaminants can form a coating on the in clear cell plates which then reduces the conductivity of the cell. This can cause the system to read low salt levels and produce less Bromine than normal. In this case we advise you clean the cell using brick and patio cleaner from all good diy stores. The brominator cell is positioned behind the cabinet, half way up on the right hand side of the hot tub when you are standing at the keypad. Full instructions on cleaning the cell are below.