Intex Hot Tub Filters
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This page is for owners of Intex hot tubs who are looking for information about hot tub filters for these spas, how to change them, where they are located, how often you should change them and how you should go about cleaning your filters. Filtration is the backbone for water clarity so it will be very important to learn and understand about how your filters work and how you need to maintain them. The reality is that these portable, inflatable hot tubs from Intex have very minimal plumbing and filtration systems and so you need to change and clean your filter often to avoid overtaxing your filters which would result in turbid, dull, listless and foamy water.
While it can be said that the filters and the filtration system in Intex spas is minimal, the benefit to this is that replacement filters are as cheap as they come for hot tub filters. Often premium brand hot tub manufacturers will advertise and tout their multi-stage filtration process which utilizes proprietary filters designed for this specific application. While that might result is some nicely filtered water any time you need to buy special filters you will undoubtedly be paying a premium for them. The small filters used for Intex brand spas are cheap and available everywhere so there is no reason to have only one set of filters. I prefer to buy a bulk pack of which I readily replace dirty filters even if a little ahead of schedule so as to avoid any chances of compromised water quality.
Intex S1 Filters
Most inflatable Intex spas (and similar competing inflatable spas) use this S1 style of replacement filter cartridge, model number 29001E. Buying filters in bulk is the cheapest way to keep your spa water clean and minimize how often you need to be degreasing and cleaning filter elements.
Do Intex Spas Have Filters?
The first question that new hot tub owners might have in regards to filters on their Intex spa is whether the tub has them or not. Even when you are unboxing and setting up an Intex inflatable hot tub you will not see the filter elements right away as they are already installed in the two main drains that come with your spa. Indeed every Intex spa will have filter elements that you need to install, maintain and clean.
These spa filters are very small, minimally sized, such that regular cleaning and maintenance will be very important. Essentially they can keep the spa water clean under optimal conditions but if you attempt to run your filters too long, or fail to clean them properly, then you will very likely start to have water quality issues as a result.
How To Change The Filter In An Intex Spa?
Changing filters in an Intex hot spa is very easy to do and takes less than a minute to complete. The filter elements for Intex hot tubs are located in the two main drain suction grates and should be removed and replaced every week or so depending on how often you use your hot tub. The lid for the main drain is threaded in place, however the main drain body itself is also threaded in place so you want to try to take the lid off without actually unthreading the body of the main drain off of the wall.
The main drain located adjacent to the light seems to have a stronger connection to the inflatable wall, where the main drain located further from the light (and pump / heater) seems to be a looser connection on the wall. It is my estimation that this loose connection of the second main drain is a potential area to develop a leak over time. In order to avoid this I would encourage Intex spa owners to use two hands when opening the main drains to change filters. Use one hand to support the base of the main drain, and the other hand to spin the lid off to access the filters. Simply pull out the dirty filters and pop some new clean ones in place before threading the lid back on the main drains.
How Often Should You Change Intex Spa Filters?
How often you change the filter in your Intex spa will depend on how often you use your tub, how many people use it at a time, how long you use it for, and how well you balance your day to day water chemistry. It will also matter whether you shower before using the spa or not as failure to shower before use will dramatically increase the loading of sweat, body oils, makeup, lotions, hair products etc. that go in the water (and ultimately need to be removed by the filters). As a general rule you should change the filters in your Intex spa every week. If you use your hot tub a lot then change them even more often than this.
Attempting to go too long between filter changes in your water will result in clarity issues, excessive foam, and increased chemical consumption. You will also likely experience an oily film that sits on top of the water as well as the potential for poor smelling water. Since the filters are so small in these Intex spas you should adopt a proactive maintenance plan and replace your filters at the first sign of them becoming dirty. In the next video I will show you a way to make your filters last twice as long between cleanings without compromising the quality of your water.
Tips For Cleaning Intex Hot Tub Filters
As mentioned above the filtration system in Intex spas is minimally functional and attempting to go too long between changing of your filters will very quickly start to impact the quality of your water. In order to reduce the amount of time and work that you need to do maintaining your spa filters you might find it useful to switch the locations of your filters at least once before removing them from the spa for cleaning.
In plumbing systems water will always follow the path of least resistance. In an Intex spa the filtration pump and heater are both located in the external pack that attaches to the side of the spa. This is directly adjacent to one of the main drains (and the light/return unit). Since one main drain is close to the pump, while the other is located much further away you will notice that the filter close to the pump collects the vast majority of the debris in your water. By swapping the filter locations you can get the maximum amount of filtering time before you need to remove both filters and clean them.
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