CalderaSpas PALATINO, Owner'S Manual

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Your 

CALDERA

 spa is manufactured from the highest quality, most 

durable materials available. Even so, the spa care and maintenance 

program you develop will ultimately determine how long your spa, and its 

individual components, will last. Regular maintenance and following the 

advice in this section will help you to protect your investment.

DRAIN & REFILL INSTRUCTIONS

IMPORTANT: 

It is NOT recommended to refill your spa when the ambient 

temperature goes below 10° C (50° F).

1.  Disconnect the spa from the power supply by tripping both of the GFCI breakers 

located in the subpanel. Unplug power cord for 115V models.

2.  Locate the drain valve for the spa (lower front of the spa) and 

remove the drain cap. Attach the inlet of a garden hose to the drain 

valve (to avoid flooding of the foundation surrounding the spa) and 

route the outlet of the hose to an appropriate draining area. Spa 

water with a high sanitizer level may harm plants and grass.

3.  Open the drain valve by turning the knob. The spa will drain by 

gravitational flow.

IMPORTANT: 

All 

Caldera

 spa models will drain almost completely 

through the drain valve. Equipment such as the jet pump and 

heating system will drain. Any water remaining within the plumbing 

or equipment after draining will only need to be removed if the spa is 

being winterized.

4.  When empty, inspect the spa shell and clean as required. (Follow the 

Care of the Exterior instructions.)

5.  Close the drain valve by reinstall the drain cap.
6.  Install new filter or clean existing with 

MONARCH

 filter cleaner.

7.  Refill the spa through the filter compartment using the 

CLEAN 

SCREEN

 pre-filter. 

IMPORTANT:

 Refill water temperature must be between 10º -21º C 

(50° - 70° F) to avoid high-limit tripping.

8.  Follow the Quick Start-Up instructions on page 14.

COLD WATER REFILL

Should it be necessary to drain and refill your spa in temperatures 

below 10° C (50° F), the spa may go into a High Limit Protection mode 

(causing your spa to stop functioning) if the tap water is below 10° C 

(50° F). Blending warm water with the cold tap water so it exceeds 10° 

C (50° F) during the refilling process will prevent the spa from going into 

the High Limit Protection mode if that is an option for you.

PREVENTION OF FREEZING

Your spa has been designed and engineered for year-round use in any 

climate. In some areas, extremely cold temperatures (below -12° C or 10° 

F) combined with strong wind, may cause partial freezing of the jet pump, 

even though the water inside the spa remains at the selected temperature. 

The energy efficiency of the spa may also decrease during these 

cold periods, as the heater will cycle more frequently. As an additional 

precaution against partial freezing of some of the components, the 

equipment compartment can be insulated with an insulating kit (available 

from your local dealer). This insulating kit will also help to maximize the 

spa’s energy efficiency.

NOTE:

 When warmer weather returns (approx. 16°-21°C or 60-70°F), the 

insulating kit must be removed to prevent overheating of the jet pump.

WINTERIZING YOUR SPA

If you leave the spa unused for a long period of time in severely cold 

weather, you should drain the spa and winterize it to avoid accidental 

freezing due to a power or equipment failure.

 DANGER:

 Use only Propylene Glycol as your anti-freeze (available 

at most RV or marine supply stores). This is non-toxic. Never use an 

automobile anti-freeze (Ethylene Glycol) since it is toxic!

 WARNING

: Failure to follow these instructions correctly can lead to 

freeze damage not covered by warranty.  It is strongly recommended that 

you contact your local 

CALDERA

 dealer to perform this service

1.  Drain your spa following the Drain & Refill Instructions. Open 

waterfall valve. 

2.  Remove the filter cartridge, clean and store in a dry place. 

IMPORTANT:

 These additional instructions must be utilized when 

draining and winterizing your spa in climates where the temperature 

falls below 0°C (32°F). A 20 liters combination (vacuum/blower) 

wet/dry shop vac must be used to effectively remove water that is 

trapped inside the plumbing lines.

3.  Attach the vacuum hose to the vacuum side of the shop vac.  

Vacuum all openings and orifices as follows:
a.  Jet openings: start with the jets at the top and move downward 

(if suction is coming from another jet, block off the other jet 

using a large rag this will help pull out the water that is trapped 

deeper inside the main line).

b.  Filter suction fittings and filter compartment.
c.  Main drain outlet (it may be necessary to cover the drain grate 

tightly with a rag when vacuuming the main drain to ensure 

water is drawn completely from the internal plumbing system).

4.  Thoroughly dry the spa shell with a clean towel.
5.  Replace the main drain cap.  

CAUTION:

 Use only Propylene Glycol as your anti-freeze. This is 

non-toxic. Never use an automobile anti-freeze (Ethylene Glycol) 

since it is toxic!

6.  Using a long-extension funnel, pour anti-freeze into all standpipes, 

filter suction fittings, jet orifices and water feature orifices. Add 

enough anti-freeze to ensure adequate protection – in many cases, 

you will see the liquid in the orifice, or coming out of another 

location.

Front view of pump

DRAIN

PLUG

PUMP DRAIN PLUG LOCATION

Spa Care and Maintenance