76078 ACE Cell Compatibility Chart: Hot Spring & Limelight

If your spa was factory-equipped with the ACE® Salt Water System and the cell has finally reached the end of its life, here’s the short version: nearly every ACE-equipped Hot Spring® and Limelight® spa takes the same replacement cell — part number 76078. The chart below lists every model and model-year range the system appeared on, so you can confirm your spa at a glance, then verify the model year before you order anything.

The complete ACE cell compatibility chart

One cell part number covers the entire ACE-equipped range. What varies between spas is which models offered the system and for which model years — not which cell fits. This chart reflects the official compatibility list for the ACE system as offered from the 2009 model year through the end of its run around 2021 (the system left some lineups earlier, and availability varied by market).

Three things to keep in mind when reading the chart:

• ACE was optional. Not every Grandee or Pulse from these years has the system — it was a factory option (and a retrofit option on 2004–2008 tubs). If your control panel has never shown a salt prompt or cell-cleaning reminder, your spa may simply not have ACE.
• The year ranges are model years, not purchase dates. The Vista drops off after 2013 because that model ended then. The NXT models start in 2014, when Hot Spring relaunched the Highlife line as the Highlife NXT collection.
• 2004–2008 spas are a special case. These predate factory ACE and use the retrofit version of the system (kit 76298) — but the cell inside that system is the same 76078.

How to find your spa’s model and year

Before you order any part, confirm exactly what you own. Three reliable routes:

1. The serial plate. Every Hot Spring and Limelight spa has an identification plate inside the equipment compartment, usually on the cabinet wall near the pumps. It lists the model name and the serial number. Write both down — the serial number is what encodes the manufacture details.
2. The owner’s manual. The model name is typically on the manual’s cover or first page, and the manual will say whether the ACE system was part of your spa’s build. If you’ve lost the paper copy, Watkins maintains documentation for older models online.
3. A dealer lookup. Any Hot Spring dealer can decode your serial number and tell you the exact model year and how the spa was equipped from the factory. This is the definitive answer when the plate is worn or the spa was bought used.

One more confirmation that costs nothing: if your spa has ACE, the control panel will show system-specific messages — salt-level prompts, cell-cleaning reminders, output settings. A spa without the system never displays them. If you’re seeing them, you’re in the right place.

NXT vs. non-NXT: does it change the cell?

No — and this is the single most common point of confusion. The NXT models (Grandee NXT, Envoy NXT, and Jetsetter NXT, from 2014 onward) differ from their non-NXT stablemates in shell design, jets, and features. The ACE system installed in them, however, uses the same 76078 cell as everything else on the chart.

So if you own a 2016 Jetsetter NXT and your neighbor owns a 2010 Jetsetter, you both replace the same cell part when the time comes. The NXT badge matters when you’re buying a cover or a jet pillow — not when you’re buying a salt cell.

Same cell everywhere — but not the same system part

This is where owners get tripped up at checkout. The 76078 is just the cell — the replaceable electrode cartridge that wears out. Around it sit other part numbers that are not interchangeable purchases:

• 76078 — the salt cell itself. This is the wear part you replace every few years, on every model in the chart.
• 76067 — the complete ACE system assembly. Relevant only if you’re specifying or replacing an entire system, not just swapping a spent cell.
• 76298 — the retrofit kit for 2004–2008 Hot Spring spas. Same cell once installed, different package and plumbing work to get there.

If you’re simply replacing a worn-out cell on a 2009-or-newer spa, the 76078 is the part you want. We break down the entire parts family — controllers, power supply, cleaner, salt, and test strips — in our ACE salt system parts guide. And if you’re not yet sure the cell is actually the problem, the ACE replacement guide on our site covers the signs of a spent cell in detail.

Once you’ve confirmed your model against the chart, our ACE-compatible replacement cell for the 76078 is made to work across this entire model range. Check current pricing and availability on Amazon.

Prefer not to guess? Use the compatibility checker

If you’d rather answer a few questions than cross-reference a table, our ACE compatibility checker walks you through your model, year, and system clues and tells you which part fits your spa. It covers the same range as the chart above — including the 2004–2008 retrofit cases, which trip up more owners than any other edge case.

FAQ: ACE cell compatibility

Does the Jetsetter NXT use the same ACE cell as the Grandee?

Yes. Despite the different spa sizes and collections, every ACE-equipped Hot Spring and Limelight spa in the chart uses the 76078 cell — the Jetsetter NXT (2014–2021) and the Grandee (2009–2021) included.

My Hot Spring spa is a 2007. Which cell do I need?

Still the 76078 — but your spa uses the ACE retrofit system (kit 76298) rather than the factory-installed version. If you’re replacing a failed cell in an already-installed retrofit system, the 76078 is the part. If your 2004–2008 spa never had ACE and you want to add it, that’s a bigger project than a cell swap.

Is the Limelight cell different from the Hot Spring cell?

No. Limelight Collection models (Bolt, Pulse, Gleam, Flair, Glow) use the same 76078 cell as the Hot Spring models. Make and model matter for confirming that your tub could carry the system at all — not for choosing the replacement cell.

My model year isn’t in the chart. What now?

First, re-check the model year on the serial plate — model years and purchase years don’t always line up, and a spa “bought in 2009” can easily be a 2008 build. If your spa is genuinely outside these ranges, it either predates ACE (2004–2008 retrofit territory), or it’s a newer collection that uses the cartridge-based FreshWater® Salt System instead. A dealer can decode your serial number, or you can run your details through our compatibility checker.

Can I install the replacement cell myself?

In most cases, yes — the cell is designed to be a user-replaceable part, and the swap itself is straightforward: power the spa down, swap the cartridge, and confirm your output settings when it comes back up. If your spa is still under warranty or you’re uncomfortable opening the equipment bay, a dealer can do it during a routine service visit.

Ready to replace your ACE cell?

If the chart confirms what you suspected, the fix is simple: a verified ACE-compatible replacement cell that matches your Hot Spring or Limelight spa, installed in the same housing as the original, and you’re back to hands-off water care. Check current pricing and availability on Amazon.