Water testing systems and devices

A spa tub, comprising:

• a spa shell defining an interior cavity configured to contain a volume of water;
• at least one spa circulation pump in communication with the interior cavity of the spa shell, the at least one spa circulation pump being configured to create a flow of the water to and from the interior cavity of the spa shell;
• and
• a testing system configured to acquire water samples from the volume of water and perform water quality tests on the water samples, the testing system comprising:
• a housing;
• a testing system circulation pump disposed within the housing, the testing system circulation pump being configured. to acquire the water samples from the volume of water;
• a replaceable reagent cartridge removably received within the housing, the replaceable reagent cartridge comprising at least one pouch for containing at least one chemical reagent;
• a test plate assembly disposed within the housing, the test plate assembly being configured to receive the water samples acquired by the testing systern. circulation pump and the at least one chemical reagent from the reagent cartridge, wherein the test plate assembly is configured to mix the water samples and the at least one chemical reagent and perform the water quality tests on the mixed water samples and the at least one chemical reagent;
• and
• a thermoelectric cooler configured to maintain a temperature of the reagent cartridge.

A water test device for a pool or spa for testing water from the pool or spa using one or more fluid reagents, the test device comprising:

• a base plate comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral edge extending therebetween;
• a mixing chamber on the base plate comprising a water sample port, a reagent port, a drain port, and a conduit arranged i.n a serpentine path on the top surface of the base plate between the water sample port and the drain port, the serpentine path comprising multiple substantially straight segments connected by curved segments;
• a sensor on the base plate configured to detect light transmitting through the multiple substantially straight segments of the serpentine path to measure intensity of light passing through the multiple substantially straight segments of the conduit of the mixing chamber;
• and
• a fluid circuit on the base plate for providing the water from the pool or spa to the mixing chamber through the water sample port, for providing a dose of a reagent to the mixing chamber through the reagent port, and for conducting a mixed sample from the mixing chamber through the drain port after test, the fluid circuit comprising:
• an inflow portion comprising at least one conduit extending between a device inflow port and the water sample port of the mixing chamber;
• a reagent portion comprising at least one conduit extending from at least one device reagent port to the reagent port of the mixing chamber;
• a drain outlet portion comprising a conduit extending from the drain port of the mixing chamber to a device drain port;
• and
• at least one pump for moving the water from the pool or spa, reagent, and/or mixed sample through the portions of the fluid circuit.

A method for testing a water sample from a pool or spa with a water test device in fluid communication with water contained in the pool or spa, the method comprising:

• connecting a water test device to a water circulation assembly of the pool or spa for providing water from the pool or spa to the water test device, wherein the water test device comprises:
• a base plate comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral edge extending therebetween;
• a mixing chamber on the base plate comprising a water sample port, a reagent port, and a drain port;
• a sensor on the base plate configured to detect light transmitting through or reflecting from the mixing chamber;
• and a fluid circuit on the base plate for providing the water from the pool or spa to the mixing chamber through the water sample port, for providing a dose of a reagent to the mixing chamber through the reagent port, and for conducting a mixed sample from the mixing chamber through the drain port after testing;
• introducing the reagent to the water test device from a reagent source by (i) opening a reagent inflow valve positioned on a reagent portion of the fluid circuit so that reagent from the reagent source flows into a reagent dose conduit of the reagent portion of the fluid circuit and so that excess reagent passes through the reagent port into the mixing chamber and (i) trimming the excess reagent from the mixing chamber by flushing the mixing chamber with water from the pool or spa, wherein a volume of the reagent dose conduit between the reagent inflow valve and the reagent port of the mixing chamber corresponds to a volume for the dose of reagent for the water test being performed, in combination with the remaining features and elements of the claimed invention;
• introducing the water of the pool or spa to the water test device;
• causing the reagent dose of the introduced reagent and a sample of the water from the pool or spa to mix together thereby providing the mixed sample in the mixing chamber of the water test device;
• measuring color and/or light intensity for light shown through or reflected from the mixed sample in the mixing chamber with the sensor of the water test device;
• and
• determining, with at least one computer processor, water quality parameters for the water sample based on the measured color and/or light intensity.