Sundance Spa Filter/Circulation Pump Settings

Asked by Allison

119 replies

Last Reply on April 7th, 2023 by Nigel

July 7, 2017

Hi,
I have a Sundance Spa 880 Series at my new residence and I am wondering what the recommended setting is for the filter/circuation pump. Currently it is set on “Standard Mode” and continuously runs. In my previous residence I had an Arctic Spa that was set to circulate intermittently. I have the manual and see how to change the circulation time/durations but wanted to know what was recommended by the professionals before changing anything. Thank you in advance for your reply.

Replies

  1. Nigel

    July 07, 2017

    Reply

    Allison from November 1st to April 31st you should run the spa in Standard mode with the Circulation pump set to run 24hr duration. Between May and November depending on the ambient air temperature you may experience overheat of the water especially in July and August. During those months you could reduce the run time of the circ pump to alleviate the overheat scenario. Most people run your Series of Sundance spa in Standard mode with a 24hr circ pump run time 12 months a year. Setting it up this way and always having a clean micro filter lessens the chance of the water chemistry and water clarity getting away on you. Also make sure that your ClearRay Uv lamp has not expired and or your ozone is still operational.

  2. Kenton

    January 08, 2018

    Reply

    My pump is running every 10 minutes. I can’t figure out how to get it to only run twick a day

    • Nigel

      January 08, 2018

      Reply

      Kenton what is the make, model and serial number of your spa?

  3. maria durkin

    February 18, 2018

    Reply

    I have a sundance 880 optima from 2011. The ozone cycle … do I use it? I touched some buttons in the dark and I think I reprogrammed it . . now I can’t work out what to set it to. Should I have it coming on at a certain time and then what duration? Manual says duration in two hour blocks but what does that mean? Any help .. guidance appreciated Thanks.

    • Nigel

      February 26, 2018

      Reply

      Maria the ozone will come on anytime your circ pump turns on. It will run with your circ pump and will shut off anytime you turn on a jet pump or blower. It will come back on 20min after the blower or jet pump turns off provided your circ pump is still programmed to run.

  4. Dale

    March 28, 2018

    Reply

    I have a 2000 Sundance Cameo and seem to have a circulating pump issue. I’m wondering if it is normal for very tiny bubbles to be coming out of the heater outlet into the tub when I run just the low power jet pump? When the low power jet pump isn’t running, and the control panel is calling for heat, I have no circulation coming from the heater outlet. Could these tiny bubbles be causing an airlock in the circulating pump?

    • Nigel

      March 29, 2018

      Reply

      Dale it is not uncommon to see small bubbles coming from the small circulation jet. If the heat icon is showing on the topside control this would mean the circulation pump is running. Sometimes it is tough to see water movement from this small jet. Put your hand in front of the jet while the other pumps are off and the heat icon is showing to check for water movement from this jet.

  5. David

    August 16, 2018

    Reply

    I have a 2014 sun dance marin spa 880 series. Looked in owners manual but nothing answers my question. The circulation pump runs 24 hours per day. I have it on Standard filtration so it should run a mandatory 8 hours which is non-programable but it does not shut off. I also checked all 4 timing cycles and set them all the same. ON at 12:00 AM for 0 duration except for cycle 1 which I set for 8 hours starting at 12:00 AM. The time of day is correct and the temperture setting is locked at 96 degrees. But the filtration system runs all day and night?

    • Nigel

      August 16, 2018

      Reply

      Hi David. If your circ pump is running 24/7 this means your duration setting for the circ pump is set for 24hrs. If you want it to be less then 24hrs simply go into the circ pump parameter settings and reduce the duration time for the circ pump and then lock it in.

  6. Jeff Rinna

    September 12, 2018

    Reply

    Hello. I have a 2015 Peyton 680.

    I am concerned that is it running too much affecting my electrical costs? I find it running (Pump 1 slow speed) for about an hour a time approx 4-6 times a day… Is this normal? How do I set it for less?

    THANK YOU!!! Jeff

    • Nigel

      September 12, 2018

      Reply

      Hi Jeff. You could set your spa for Economy mode. Economy filtration/heating modes are typically selected by customers in
      warm climates where heat up times are minimized due to higher ambient
      temperatures. In these modes, the water temperature is regulated by the
      set temperature only during a programmed filtration/heating cycle. The
      heater will turn on only when there is a heat call during a programmed
      filtration/heating cycle.
      Note: These modes consume less energy than standard modes F1-F3
      F4 Economy will operate as follows: 4 hours of filtration/heating per day (one 2-hour cycle every 12 hours). If you are in a cold climate set your spa for Standard mode F3.

  7. Jeff

    September 13, 2018

    Reply

    Thank you! Those instructions were perfect! Last question: my Sundance Peyton 680 lights only in red? If I shut it off, it takes 4 pushes and goes Red again? Occasionally, you can get a red strobe. But, no other colors. Do you think I need a whole new control unit? Thank you! Jeff

    • Nigel

      September 14, 2018

      Reply

      Hi Jeff. If you only have the color red it sounds like you could have a bad DCU. Let me know if you would like to order one. They are about $140.00 plus shipping. I could send you a purchase link if you like.

  8. John Koch

    January 08, 2019

    Reply

    Hello. I’m trying to understand how the Primary Filtration cycle works on a Sundance Spa 780 series Montclair. I’ve adjusted my electric bill so that I will pay less if I can avoid high electrical use between 5PM and 9PM. For the Primary Filtration cycle, it is set at 8 hours a day, starting at 12:00AM. Does this mean that the Primary Filtration runs every day from 12:00AM to 8:00AM, or does this mean that the Primary Filtration runs 4 times a day, every 6 hours, for 2 hours? I want to stagger when Primary Filtration happens so I can move it outside this 5PM-9PM window.
    Thanks!!! John

    • Nigel

      January 08, 2019

      Reply

      Hi John. During the primary filtration cycle, the circulation pump and CLEARRAY
      are activated. The hot tub is programmed with a default setting starting
      at 12:00 AM and lasting for 8 hours, but this can be changed. This cycle
      allows the circulation pump to run for a preset amount of time per day, in
      addition to the normal operation.
      Any time the circulation pump runs outside of a program cycle,
      e.g. for heating, that run time will be deducted from the next primary
      filter cycle. For example, the primary filter cycle is set to 8 hours every
      24 hours but the circulation pump comes on for 2 hours to heat the
      water after the cycle has finished. The next primary filter cycle will only
      be for 6 hours not 8 hours. Presumably if the ambient air is warmer or the spa is retaining it’s heat better in your region the spa would run for those 8 hrs in primary provided you don’t alter the factory default setting.

  9. John P Koch

    January 08, 2019

    Reply

    Is it correct that if I have filtration set for 8 hours, starting at 12:00AM, the Primary Filtration runs from 12 AM to 8AM once a day? I notice that the spa does run sometimes in the morning, afternoon and evening, but maybe I’m confusing the Heating cycle with the Filtration cycle.

    • Nigel

      January 08, 2019

      Reply

      Hi John. It is correct.

  10. Chad

    February 18, 2019

    Reply

    I have a 1998 Sundance 850 series. We just had a temperature sensor replaced on the unit a few weeks ago and we just noticed that the jets setting for some odd reason now are flipped. IE… on the low jet setting of our control switch are turning on the high Jets and on the high jet setting the low jets are engaging. Has anyone seen anything like this? What might cause this?

    • Nigel

      February 19, 2019

      Reply

      Hi Chad. This could be caused if the connections for the low speed and hi speed of the pump are reversed. Either at the circuit board or the back of the pump motor.
      If the pump is turning on in a randomn way ie without pressing the button and you have a smaller remote keypad on the spa in addition to your main keypad the remote keypad could be faulty and causing the pump to come on randomnly.

  11. Armando Acevedo

    March 03, 2019

    Reply

    Good afternoon everyone.

    I am a brand new hot tub owner. I inherited a 2002 Sundance Altamar 850 which I refurbished and finally got running. Now I have many questions about the cycles I should be running and filtration modes, etc. I went to the local supply store (coincidentally the people who fixed it for me), but they were useless to help me out at all. I had seen the posts here and found them current and very useful, so I thought I’d give it a try.

    Specifially, what I need to figure out is:

    A. How should I set my four filtration cycles? The user manual says the default is 30 minutes at midnight, 6 am, noon, and 6 pm. Should I do more? Less?

    B. Should I run in Standard Mode or Economy Mode?

    C. How should I set the circulation pump? It’s running at the default 24 hour setting. Can I get away with less?

    Please do not construe this as a weather brag, but I live in Miami, and it’s already pretty hot and will remain so for many months at even hotter temperatures. I just ordered my spa cover, which I’m hoping will help maintain the water warm.

    I’ve been watching the electric bill, and it’s starting to frighten me! I will appreciate any advice you can give me.

    Thank you very much.

    Armando

    • Nigel

      March 04, 2019

      Reply

      Armando you can experiment with the filter settings. The small circulation pump doesn’t use up alot of energy so I would leave that one at 24hrs. If the spa is not used frequently you could drop you filter cycles down to 15min each or even make 3 of them 0 min and one of them 15min. You could put the spa in Economy mode. In economy mode, the low speed pump #1 and heater turn on only during
      a programmed filter cycle so if you set it for one 15min cycle per day your spa would only have 15min to heat. Typically the spa can heat 2 degrees in an hour. If you find your heat is dropping quickly with a 15min cycle and not bouncing back quick enough for you in your region you could increase the duration or activate a 2nd filter cycle. Also you could just leave all 4 filter cycles at 0 and run the spa in standard mode. Then the spa will always maintain the heat with the smaller circulation pump which uses less energy. If you find your water getting cloudy with no filter cycles then you may want to add some to increase filteration in the spa. No matter what pumps you run and how long you run them the spa will absorb some of this heat from the pump motors running and transfer it to the water. When the cover is open you will lose some heat. When the air blower is on you will lose some heat. When the air controls are in the open position you will lose some heat. Air controls should stay closed when the spa is not in use unless you want the water to cool down. Hope this help out.

  12. Armando Acevedo

    March 05, 2019

    Reply

    Nigel, this information is invaluable to me. I can’t thank you enough. The guys at the spa store were useless in comparison! You’ve provided me a very good starting point to play around with cycles. Thanks for the information on the circulation pump as well. I didn’t realize it was inexpensive to run. I’ll report back if I have any issues, and I’ll continue reading through this forum. The topics are applicable all around. What a great resource!

    Thanks again.

    • Nigel

      March 06, 2019

      Reply

      Hi Armando. You are quite welcome. Yes the circ pump generally pulls between 1/2 to 1 amp. In contrast your heater when running pulls between 19 and 24 amps.
      Yes the forum is quite helpful and has been constructed so everybody can help everybody. You will often find whatever your question is has already been answered without having to ask it again.

  13. Chuck Wilson

    March 28, 2019

    Reply

    I have a 2002 Altamar Sundance spa. My question is that when I first start the hot tub up- after been sitting for a while and it is heating the water the the circ pump and one of the jet pumps runs. Do I need the jet pump running also to heat the water up or can I shut off that pump while it is heating the water? Please let me know, thanks in advance

    • Nigel

      March 28, 2019

      Reply

      Hi Chuck. If you are in Standard Mode you can shut off the Jet 1 pump and the circ pump will be enough to circulate the water through the heater while it is heating.

  14. Robert

    May 28, 2019

    Reply

    Hi I have a Sundance Maxxis 880 and the spa stops intermitantly with dashes ( – – – -) on the display (no temperature and none of the buttons respond / work) If I turn the power off and reset after about 5 mins, every thing works the spa will work OK for days / weeks at a time and then I have to reset the power again. I have noticed that the circulation pump does not run all the time even if the setting is set for standard mode.
    What could be tripping the power on the spa.

    • Nigel

      May 28, 2019

      Reply

      I Robert. That is the Watchdog error code. Except for a runaway heat condition usually caused by a bad temp sensor, bad hi limit sensor, loose connection and transformer harnesses and or a bad circuit board. In rare cases a topside keypad and or a transformer could also cause this.

  15. john flanagan

    June 18, 2019

    Reply

    I have a 2000 optima sundance. Sometimes the up and down temp settings along with the air bubbles and light wont work but after awhile will start working. No error codes. I tried disconnecting the remote but no help. I have a 6600-028 revb circuit board. could i have a bad high limit sensor or bad top control or bad capacitor ?

    • Nigel

      June 18, 2019

      Reply

      Hi John. Could be a bad topside or a bad board.

  16. Wayne Garrett

    July 02, 2019

    Reply

    Hi Nigel,
    I have a Sundance Optima 1997 export model. I have replaced a faulty flow switch and the circulation pump. Now the pump runs continuously even after set temp had been reached and exceeded. Before the replacements, the circulation pump would turn off as it should when the temperature of the water was approximately 1C above the set temp. Can you advise?
    Thank you.

    • Nigel

      July 02, 2019

      Reply

      Wayne does the heat icon stay on as well?

  17. Wayne Garrett

    July 03, 2019

    Reply

    No heat icon switches off once set temp is reached but circ pump continues 24/7 heating the water further over time

    • Nigel

      July 03, 2019

      Reply

      Check your circulation pump duration settings. Sounds like they are set for a combined duration of 24hrs.

  18. Wayne Garrett

    July 03, 2019

    Reply

    Sorry this model spa has no settings to control circulation pump. Sundance Optima 1997 model

    • Nigel

      July 03, 2019

      Reply

      Pump one has 4 filter cycles that can be set for a duration of 6 hrs each.

  19. AP Ryan

    July 03, 2019

    Reply

    I have a Sundance Cameo 2001. I just change the water and keep getting the FLO code and then everything stops. When i first plugged it back in, it seemed to work – but at some point FLO comes up and then nothing works. I have gone through the steps to prime the pump. I have changed out the filter. i have cleaned off all of the little mesh filters that cover the return exchange. Do you think it is a problem with the circulation pump? Or one of the other therapy pumps? I put a new Flow control in maybe a year or two ago. Before I changed the water, one of the pumps was sort of having a hard time after running for about 10 minutes. It was almost like it was pulsing. Any advice is appreciated.

    • Nigel

      July 03, 2019

      Reply

      Sounds like low water level Ryan.

  20. Matt

    July 16, 2019

    Reply

    I have a Sundance Optima 2004 and the 2nd pump runs at times without me turning it on. I cannot press the button to turn it off. Now it seems that I sometimes cannot turn it on. Before this behavior the spa would run and the pumps would turn on sporadically and sometimes pulse on and off. I have added water per the previous post, and this behavior remains.

    Any help would be greatly appreciated!

    • Nigel

      July 17, 2019

      Reply

      Hi Matt. Sounds like you may have a bad remote panel and or main panel. Try disconnecting the smaller remote panel first to see if the spa performs normal with that unplugged.

  21. Matt

    July 20, 2019

    Reply

    Thanks Nigel! So my remote panel has been out for sometime now but don’t recall it affecting the spa. That being said, how do I disconnect it to see if that fixes it? I looked at the wiring diagram in the Owner’s Manual but do not see where the remote panel connects to the main panel.

    • Nigel

      July 23, 2019

      Reply

      It is connected to one ribbon cable that comes from the main panel down below the Sentry Control box in the sensor loom Matt.

  22. Frank Butren

    July 31, 2019

    Reply

    I have a 2002 Sundance Capri. Does the Ozonator turn on and off when the circulation pump turns on and off. Or does it stay on all the time.

    • Nigel

      July 31, 2019

      Reply

      Frank the ozonator runs when the circulation pump is running. If you turn on your jet pump the ozonator will shut off and won’t turn back on again for 20min approx after the jet pump shuts off provided your circulation pump is still running.

  23. Scott

    August 28, 2019

    Reply

    Thanks for this website! I have a 880 Cameo running in Economy mode and lately every night (usually at midnight) it starts humming and the display icon that looks like a flower or the sun (called the Sanitizer in my manual) is on. The only way I can get it to shut off is to lower the temperature setting a few degrees. Why is this happening and is there a permanent fix so I don’t have to get out of bed for some peace and quiet. And while I’m at it, one more question. In the section of the manual about Summer Logic it mentions a mandatory 2 hour filter/circulation cycle between 9-11 AM but I can’t find any other mention of this feature in the manual. What is this cycle all about?

    • Nigel

      August 29, 2019

      Reply

      Hi Scott. In Economy mode the circulation pump will turn on to the heat the spa if there is a filter cycle set and the water temperature in the spa is below your set point desired temperature. You must have a filter cycle set around midnight. You can simply change you filter cycle settings to be in the daytime when you are awake or eliminate the cycles completely if you continue to leave the spa in Economy mode. The filter cycle may be set at that time of day if power consumption rates are higher during the daytime in your region. The 9-11 cycle is non programmable. It is in the logic of the PWA to give the spa water at least two hours of filtration regardless of filter settings in Economy mode and regardless of temperature of the spa water.

  24. Scott

    August 29, 2019

    Reply

    Thanks Nigel. I should have mentioned that this is happening outside the programmed cycle time periods, and that it doesn’t always happen at midnight — I just notice it then because we’re trying to sleep. Today I’m putting it in standard mode and cranking up the temperature to 104 because I suspect it’s having problems getting up to anything above 100 degrees. If that turns out to be the case, could that be related to it trying to heat the water outside the programmed cycle times in Economy mode?

    • Nigel

      August 29, 2019

      Reply

      Scott what is the serial number for your Cameo?

  25. Scott

    August 30, 2019

    Reply

    One more clue — when the sanitizer icon is on and the pump is humming (again, this is not during the programmed cycles) it does not seem to be heating the water — the temperature does not increase to the programmed setting. If it is not heating, what exactly is the spa doing? But the heater does respond during the programmed cycles and in Standard mode.

    • Nigel

      August 30, 2019

      Reply

      Is the heat icon on when the circ pump is on when the spa is in Economy mode if there is a call for heat?

  26. Scott

    August 30, 2019

    Reply

    If by heat icon you mean the sun-shaped one (in the manual they call it “Sanitizer”), then yes, it does come on.

    • Nigel

      August 30, 2019

      Reply

      The heat icon looks like a thermometer with 3 lines through it.

  27. Mike

    September 01, 2019

    Reply

    My filter/circulation pump is running constantly. I can get it to shut off only by dropping the temp Should there be two speeds for this motor and if so I assume a circulation speed and a filter speed. I can get the motor to stop only by dropping the temp about 2 degrees lower than the actual temp.

    • Nigel

      September 07, 2019

      Reply

      What’s the make, model and serial number of your spa Mike?

  28. Scott

    September 03, 2019

    Reply

    I know I’ve thrown a lot at you but in a nutshell it looks like the circ pump runs almost constantly — as if the spa is set to Standard mode even when it is in Economy. And it even continues to run after it’s reached the programed temperature. The only way I can get it to stop is by lowering the temp two degrees below the current temp to activate Summer Logic shut-off. Any suggestions on fixing would be greatly appreciated.

    • Nigel

      September 07, 2019

      Reply

      Check what duration each of your filter cycles are set for Scott.

  29. Denise

    September 12, 2019

    Reply

    Hello, I am brand new to owning a hot tub. We picked up a free Sundance Optima from 2002. It was throwing a “FLO” error code and the previous owner did not want to deal with it.

    We have installed a cement slab, gotten the electrical hook ups done. We discovered a small leak on our initial fill. We discovered the big pump had a rusted out shaft that went to the “wet” side. We replaced the whole pump. We filled with water and turned stuff on. The circulation pump is getting extremely hot after just a short time running (10-15 minutes). I have not checked the circulation pump settings yet as I am still working my way through figuring that out.

    Obviously thrrre is still a water flow problem.

    Where do we begin? How do we search down the problem?

    I would like to run some cleaner through the jets, but have to make sure the pumps/jets will stay running.

    THANKS!!!

    • Nigel

      September 12, 2019

      Reply

      Denise, start by removing your filter and seeing if the FLO msg goes away. If it does you need to replace your filter with a clean filter.

  30. Denise

    September 12, 2019

    Reply

    Nigel,

    I have run the tub with no filter. It had been running for about 20 minutes. Then it threw the FLO code. I did have the panel off and could see the flow switch. When it was turned off the flow switch was away from the inner shaft. When I turned it on, the flow switch pinched closed against the inner shaft. I noticed when the error code was showing the switch was no longer against the inner shaft. So I think the flow switch is bad. I will get it replaced.

    However, I have also noticed the circulation pump gets excessively hot. Is this a result of the flow switch bot working correctly or is there something else going on? It looks like the circulation pump has a manufacture date of July 2017, so it has been replaced fairly recently.
    THANKS!!!

    • Nigel

      September 12, 2019

      Reply

      If the paddle is not touching the post that means you do not have good enough flow. The switch may still be good. Check your circulation line after the flow switch for blockage. Check the circ pump for blockage. If the the paddle touches the post when the pump is on and the FLO message goes away this means the flow switch is probably ok. If the paddle is not making good solid contact with the post it will give the FLO msg (Usually caused by a dirty filter). If you lower the temperature setpoint to put the spa in Summer Logic and shutoff the circ pump and get a FLO message than you could have an issue with your board.

  31. James

    October 02, 2019

    Reply

    What is the definitive best practice for the circulation cycle. I have a 2006 cameo and set it to economy for 4 non peak times for 30 min each. The circulation cycle has been recommended to be left at 24 hrs. Some say 8. What is the best practice. I am trying to find the sweet spot for filtering, water quality and cost. I inherited the tub and my first bill was massive. I live in los angeles.

    • Nigel

      October 02, 2019

      Reply

      It’s really user preference and how much the spa is used James. Some people have luck with 1 fifteen minute cycle and leaving the spa in economy mode. Keeping in mind the spa potentially will only heat 15min a day if there is a heat call during that set filter cycle. Also keeping in mind if your spa goes cloudy then your circulation duration is not long enough. 4 thirty minute filter cycles is factory default with a circulation pump duration of 24hrs. You could consider reducing your circulation duration from 24hrs to 12. Also you could add an insulation layer between the spa skirt and the spa shell to help retain heat during the colder nights. Any Sundance Spas dealer in the Los Angeles area should be able to sell you this product. It comes standard mostly on all new Sundance Spas. It is made of recycled denim and easy to install yourself.

  32. Scott

    October 02, 2019

    Reply

    OK, think I’ve finally isolated the symptom — the only way I can get the circus pump to turn off is to lower the temperature two degrees — activating the Summer Logic feature. How can this be fixed?

    • Nigel

      October 02, 2019

      Reply

      Reduce your circulation pump duration setting.

  33. Scott

    February 20, 2020

    Reply

    I own a Sundance 880 Capri Spa. I bought it new in 2014 (SN# OCP3LCD-0614). For the past several months I have been hearing an intermittent sound when the filter/circulation pump starts up. It sounds like a bearing from my experience. It’s a higher pitched whirling sound that often goes away after a few minutes, but at times it may stay on during the whole cycle. It’s not super loud but you can hear it, especially at night when it’s quiet. Any thoughts on this? (I am assuming it’s easier to replace the whole pump if need be; and it is now 6 years old). Is this an easy replacement if so? I am fairly handy around the home and wired the hot tub when it was delivered.

  34. George Rezabek

    February 21, 2020

    Reply

    I have a 2005 Sundance Maxxus spa. The circulation pump is set to operate 24 hours. The spa operates in standard mode. There are 4 ea. 30 minute filter cycles set to operate at. 9 am, 1 pm, 6 pm, 9 pm.

    During the filter cycles, the topside display properly indicates a filter cycle is in operation.

    During the filter cycle, none of the jet pumps operate. Is this normal?

    Is the filter cycle only used for circulation pump operation and heating cycles in the economy mode ?

    The mandatory non programmable 12 noon pump blowout operates correctly.

    • Nigel

      February 24, 2020

      Reply

      Hi George. This is normal. Filter cycle is used for the circulation pump and heater ie if your circulation pump duration is only set for 1 hr a day and that hour does not fall within am 9, pm 1, pm 6 or pm then the circulation pump will come on during those 4 times and run for as long as you have the duration set for those times. The heater will also run while the circulation pump is running if there is a heat call unless the spa is in Summer Logic mode.

  35. Alanna

    April 09, 2020

    Reply

    Have a Sundance 2006 Marin. We had it in Economy mode and the filter/pump schedule programmed, but now The ozonator symbol is on 24/7 and program went back to factory settings. Even after reprogramming, ozonator on 24/7. Any idea whats going on?

    • Nigel

      April 09, 2020

      Reply

      Sounds like you are in Standard mode Alanna.

  36. Alanna

    April 09, 2020

    Reply

    It’s definitely not in standard mode. The only icon showing on the display is the ozonator icon – all the time. Might it have something to do with the waterfall being on?

    • Nigel

      April 12, 2020

      Reply

      If the topside does not have the Standard icon lit then you should be in Economy mode. Depending on what you have your filter cycles set for when the circ pump comes on the ozone should come on as well as your heater if there is a heat call. There should be no movement through your waterfall unless the circ pump is running Alanna.

  37. Dana Mericle

    June 07, 2020

    Reply

    I have a Sundance Optima 880. The soft tissue massage bubbles come on every minute. Is this a programming issue? If so, how do I correct it?

    • Nigel

      June 07, 2020

      Reply

      Hi Dana. What year was the Optima built or what is your serial number?

  38. John kistel

    December 06, 2020

    Reply

    I have a Sundance 780 Hanover spa
    We had a power outage
    When the electric came back on the clearray pump runs continuously
    How do I adjust for different time intervals etc
    Thanks

    • Nigel

      December 06, 2020

      Reply

      What’s the serial number of your Sundance Hanover spa John?

  39. John kistel

    December 06, 2020

    Reply

    Serial # 100677188

    • Nigel

      December 07, 2020

      Reply

      Here are the instructions for your 2018 Hanover John:
      Primary Filtration Menu
      During the primary filtration cycle, the circulation pump and CLEARRAY
      are activated. The hot tub is programmed with a default setting starting
      at 12:00 AM and lasting for 8 hours, but this can be changed. This cycle
      allows the circulation pump to run for a preset amount of time per day, in
      addition to the normal operation.
      Note: Any time the circulation pump runs outside of a program cycle,
      e.g. for heating, that run time will be deducted from the next primary
      filter cycle. For example, the primary filter cycle is set to 8 hours every
      24 hours but the circulation pump comes on for 2 hours to heat the
      water after the cycle has finished. The next primary filter cycle will only
      be for 6 hours not 8 hours.
      A. Programming the Primary Filtration Cycle
      To change the programmed Primary Filtration Cycle:
      Note: If no button is pressed within 5 seconds of each
      selection the screen will revert back to the Main Menu and the current
      settings will remain active.
      1. Press setting button until you get to the “PF” Menu. The display will scroll
      “PRIMARY FILTER.” After the second scroll, if no action is taken,
      the system will revert back to the Main Menu.
      2. Press or to display the current start time and prepare the
      system for changes.
      3. Press up or down button to adjust the start time, in 1-hour increments. To
      switch from “AM” to “PM” you must round a 12-hour period.
      4. Press Jet 1
      to confirm and save the start time.
      5. Press Up or down arrow button to adjust the duration of cycle, in 1-hour
      increments.
      6. Press Jet 1 button
      to confirm and save the duration time. The system will
      return to the “PRIMARY FILTER” Menu
      These instructions can also be found on page 31 of your owners manual.

  40. Mike B

    December 29, 2020

    Reply

    1999 Sundance Optima, I was trying to reduce the temperature to 84 degrees for winter non-use and the control panel froze with a steady FLO indicator. The panel is now inoperable and won’t reset using the “display, mode, down” sequence. Is it possibly a “summer logic” issue where the water temp is higher than the setting? And will it fix itself when the water temp gets down to 84? I have done this procedure every winter and never had the control panel lock up before like this. Is there anything else I can do?

    • Nigel

      December 29, 2020

      Reply

      Is there water movement through the small circulation heating outlet in the spa Mike? Not the therapy jets.

  41. Mike B

    December 29, 2020

    Reply

    Nigel, there is no water movement through the circulation outlet and the control panel remains frozen…none of the buttons work. The FLO indicator is steady on and the control panel backlighting is on. I have reset the circuit breakers, but no change.

    • Nigel

      December 30, 2020

      Reply

      Hi Mike. What voltage do you have at the small circulation pump test points on the board and what is the serial number of the spa?

  42. Mike B

    December 30, 2020

    Reply

    Nigel, this morning everything is working again…must have been the summer logic issue. The water temp is at 89 (set at 84) and circulation pump is working as are both jet pumps. I will leave it alone and see if the problem happens again.
    Thanks
    Mike

    • Nigel

      December 30, 2020

      Reply

      Mike summer logic activates when the spa water reaches 2 degrees above set temperature. Summer logic only activates when water is above 95 degrees. Good to know that your circulation pump works so there is voltage getting to the circ pump at some points. When the spa locks out again with the FLO msg it will likely be indicating bad or expanded capacitors on the circuit board. Let me know the serial number of your spa and I can let you know if we have a new board in stock for that model when you need it.

  43. Chris Hopper

    February 26, 2021

    Reply

    Hi There ! I just purchased a new Sundance Marin 880 series spa. I filled it with water, turned it on and all is fine……except the recirculating pump is very loud / humming. My neighbor has a similar spa and is much quieter. I purged the system as discussed and it has good flow so I assume no air bubble. Thoughts ?? Thanks…….Chris from WA.

    • Nigel

      February 27, 2021

      Reply

      What’s the serial number of the spa?

  44. Chris Hopper

    February 27, 2021

    Reply

    OMR3LCD-1007911848-0121

    • Nigel

      February 27, 2021

      Reply

      Chris, that is an invalid serial number. Please provide your 9 digit serial number beginning with the number 1.

  45. Stephen

    April 22, 2021

    Reply

    Recently changed pump 1 on my Optima (2000)
    Now when I get a Flo code when just the circulation pump is running but soon as I turn on pump 1 code disappears
    Noticed when just in circulation mode the flow switch is not moving and touching to make contact do you think circulation pump is on its way out

    • Nigel

      April 22, 2021

      Reply

      Do you have any water movement from the small circulation jet in the bottom of the spa when pump 1 is off and or do you hear any noise coming from the small circulation pump? Is the small circulation pump vibrating or warm/hot to the touch Stephen?

  46. George

    June 09, 2021

    Reply

    I have a Sundance Optima with a date of 11-4-10. The circulator pump needs to be replaced. It has a THERAMAX 11 pump at 1/15hp, 230volts. What is the correct replacement pump?

  47. Troy

    July 01, 2021

    Reply

    I have a 2003 Sundance cameo. The spa started tripping. I replaced the gfci breaker and and it was ok for a week or 2. It’s doing it again. If I put into economy mode it will go a few days or a week before tripping. In standard mode it trips after 5 minutes or immediately. Could it be the heater?

    • Nigel

      July 01, 2021

      Reply

      Could be bad heater, could be other things as well Troy. Disconnect the heater and see how long it runs and if the breaker stops tripping.

  48. Scott Lavery

    October 28, 2021

    Reply

    Hello: I have confused myself! I have a 2008 sundance cameo and have had it drained for the last few months.Everything started & settings seemed to all come back.I have Circulation/filter set for 8 hrs (standard mode) 2am start. When I checked this morning @ 7am it wasn’t running. I re-checked the settings and they appear to be correct.My next confusion is this- when I push the cycle button CIR appears to be set as I stated above
    “FIL” is off- Not sure if it should be? , “U” is off and I have no idea what the U means
    Thanks in advance!

    • Nigel

      October 29, 2021

      Reply

      The clock will have to run it’s full 24hrs to take affect at am 2 or if you don’t want to wait for that go back into your circ pump programming set the start time slightly ahead of your current time ie 15min, lock the setting and power cycle the spa.

  49. Scott Lavery

    October 29, 2021

    Reply

    Thanks Nigel! Ill check that. How about the “u” & Fil icons questions-

    • Nigel

      October 30, 2021

      Reply

      Fil if your clean filter reminder countdown timer. You can set it for certain amount of days or you can set it to 0 in your programming parameters. U is your ClearRay Uv countdown timer. If you don’t have ClearRay Uv on your spa you can toggle this setting to Ozone in your programming parameters and than it will stopping popping up on the screen for you.

  50. Robb Empson

    October 31, 2021

    Reply

    How do I set my circ pump to run for 24 hours? I have a 2020 880 series. Do I set the begin and end time for 12:00 AM. The setting only adjusts in hour increments.

    • Nigel

      November 01, 2021

      Reply

      Yes. If you are in a cold weather region I would also suggest setting your heater mode for Auto. Remember that any time the circulation pump runs outside of a program cycle, e.g. for
      heating, that run time will be deducted from the next primary filter cycle.
      For example, the primary filter cycle is set to 8 hours every 24 hours but
      the circulation pump comes on for 2 hours to heat the water after the
      cycle has finished. The next primary filter cycle will only be for 6 hours not 8 hours.

  51. Zac Stringam

    November 21, 2021

    Reply

    I just purchased a new Sundance 880 Aspen and don’t understand the use of the water droplet icon on the screen (ClearRay?). I was told by the dealer that the button controls the waterfall, as well as the knob next to the captains chair. The owners manual says tapping that button activates ClearRay on demand. Tapping once for one hour, tapping twice activating it for two hours, three taps for three hours, tap again to turn it off.

    QUESTION: Why when I tap the water drop icon (ClearRay) can I not get it to turn off, no matter how many times I tap it? The waterfall does not turn off! It only turns off with the knob control. Plus, there is no indication on the screen of whether it’s on for the one, two, or three hours due to how many times I tapped the icon.

    Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

    • Nigel

      November 26, 2021

      Reply

      Pressing the droplet icon would turn on the filter circulation pump if it is not currently running. If the waterfall valve is open there would be water movement after doing that. If the waterfall valve is closed you will only hear the pump running and there will be no water movement through the waterfall. If you want the waterfall to not run you need to close the waterfall valve. The ClearRay automatically activates when the circulation pump is programmed to run. You can get the circulation pump to turn off in a couple of different ways. Set your primary filter cycle for a shorter duration so the pump won’t run as often. If you change your heat mode from Auto to Economy or Day the pump will also run less. The ClearRay on demand option will work when you are starting the circulation pump when it is not running by pressing the droplet button. You can also turn it off from that state. There is no indication on the Spa screen of the amount of hours on demand you have programmed it for. It is like an app that operates in the background.

  52. D J Giancarlo

    February 11, 2022

    Reply

    Hello, I have a 2004 Sundance Marin 880, I am experiencing the Dreaded “—-” Watch Dog. I have drained and filled, installed a new filter. I also replaced the temperature sensor. Reset the tub (powered off for 5 minutes) the tub starts and heats up runs for 2-3 hours then shuts off with the “—-” again ? ? When it shuts down I don’t know how hot it is but, its hot. Could the circulation pump be the problem (one end of the pump has corrosion in the center bearing plug area?) No “OH”,”FLO” or other trouble codes. Have any help, input or suggestions they would be welcome and appreciated.
    Thank you
    DJ

    • Nigel

      February 11, 2022

      Reply

      Hey DJ, there are many conditions that can cause a watchdog error message. Except for a runaway heat condition,
      most are caused by a faulty circuit board, bad hi-limit sensor, or temperature sensor. On rare occasions
      a control panel or a bad transformer will cause Watchdog. Check that both of your transformer harnesses are making good contact with the board. If that checks out, observe the capacitors on the board. If they looked swelled up try hold a hair drier near the capacitors to warm them up a bit. If the board comes out of Watchdog while you are warming them up you know you have a bad board. If it doesn’t come out of Watchdog you still could have a bad board or any of the other items listed above.

  53. Iver

    February 13, 2022

    Reply

    Hello, I just came upon this site which is very informative and I hope you could help me.
    We just got a 2012 Sundance Aspen. Currently everything seems to be working with respect to controls etc. However, pump #3 will not start. When the button is pushed the pump hums for 2 seconds, tries to spin a revolution or 2 and then stops. Then repeats. I have had the capacitor tested. (ok) and checked the voltage to the pump. (230V) when the button is pushed. Also, there appears to be some voltage (50V) even when the pump button is off. I guess we will need to replace the pump? This apparently is a PSC motor which does not have a centrifugal switch.

    • Nigel

      February 23, 2022

      Reply

      Sounds like a bad pump Iver. You could confirm this by disconnecting pump one from the board and hooking pump 3 up to the pump 1 spot on the board to see if it reacts the same way.

  54. Jaroslav

    March 27, 2022

    Reply

    Hello, I have a model Capri 750/850 from 2000. The hot tub was turned off in the winter. Now after filling the water and heating it up it shows a water temperature of 39 degrees, but the setting is 32 degrees. The water temperature according to the thermometer is 30 degrees. Filtration or bubblers will not cool it down. When the hot tub is unplugged, the temperature drops to 33 degrees, but shortly after turning it on, the temperature rises back to 39 degrees. Is this a sensor malfunction? Is there any way to calibrate the temperature sensor? Thank you for your experience.

    • Nigel

      April 26, 2022

      Reply

      Sounds like a bad temp sensor Jaroslav.

  55. kenneth polse

    July 11, 2022

    Reply

    I just purchased a Dover 780 Sundance. I am not certain that the circulation pump is working. During the programed time for the pump to work (12aM-8am, what should I observe to confirm the pump is working?

    Is there a manual way to check to determine if the circulation pump is working?

    Ken

    • Nigel

      July 15, 2022

      Reply

      What’s the 9 digit serial number of your Dover Ken?

  56. kenneth polse

    July 17, 2022

    Reply

    Serial number: 100902832

    • Nigel

      July 18, 2022

      Reply

      You should have water movement through the circulation fitting in the footwell of the spa when the circ pump is running. If the pump is programmed to run you should be able to hear the pump running if you open the front skirt panel.

  57. kenneth polse

    July 18, 2022

    Reply

    I assume that if I lift the cover when the circulation pump is operating, I will not see or hear anything. The reason I ask is that the hand rail is secured to the front skirt and I would need to remove several screws to open the front, which I prefer not to do. The spa stays very clean and it seems that all functions are operating, it is that just when I lift the cover during the programed time (12am-8am) I do not see water circulating although I do see bubbles coming up from the ozone system.

    • Nigel

      July 19, 2022

      Reply

      Bubbles are from the ozone jet/circulation jet. If you put your hand in front of that and feel water movement it is an indication that the circulation pump is running.

  58. Vish

    August 12, 2022

    Reply

    Hello, we just moved into a house that has a 2001 altamar. I just had the temperature sensor replaced. It was reading 75 when in fact the water was 106 and I was getting an OH readout on the screen. Now that the thermostat is fixed, the water is at 100. I had it previously set at 86 however all I’m seeing is a solid FLO message. No pumps are running, I cannot toggle through screens. Is this summer logic mode? Prior to the temp sensor replacement, I could run all pumps etc without issues- until the OH reading. I’ve tried turning the breaker off/on, taking out the filter (that is brand new) but nothing works.

    • Nigel

      August 12, 2022

      Reply

      Solid FLO sometimes is a bad flow switch and or bad connection from the flow switch to the board. To replace you temp sensor you maybe dislodged or damaged one of the flow switch wires as they are in the same harness as the temp sensor over to the left.

  59. John A

    January 07, 2023

    Reply

    Hi, I have a 2017 Sundance 880, and am wondering the best way to save some money on electricity. I am completely new to owning a hot tub. All settings are currently in Auto/Default mode, and I was hoping to program it for the heater and filter to run less frequently. I do live in a cold climate, so I also want to be sensitive for it to be able maintain heat and stay clean. We generally use the hot tub in the evening, so I just want to make sure its hot when we use it. Would love some input!

    A few other questions:

    -One of the corner seats jets dont appear to be working as powerfully as the others. Ive tried turning all of the jet knobs, and it doesnt seem to affect the jet power of this particular seat. Is there something else I could check?
    -Occasionally I will get a ‘flow switch open’ message, that says the heater is off bc of an open flow switch. It will eventually go away, and I havent seen it for awhile. Just wondering what may cause that. Air in the lines?

    Any thoughts on these questions, or other tips for a new hot tub owner are greatly appreciated!

    • Nigel

      January 07, 2023

      Reply

      What’s the 9 digit serial number of your spa John?

  60. Gary

    April 07, 2023

    Reply

    I have a 2013 Sundance Altamar 880. Can you set this modelfor 24hr circulation. I have it on the standard setting which is 12 hrs and it is causing me a problem. I really would like to know if I can change it to run 24hrs. Thanks You

    • Nigel

      April 07, 2023

      Reply

      Hi Gary, yes you can.

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