Hot Spring Gleam 77004 | 100 sq ft Spa Filter

SKU: 77004
$96.49

Let's Ensure This Fits Your Model

Check out the Filter Guide to see if this filter fits your hot tub model.

If you have questions, call us at (208) 973-1384 or send us an email to hello@leisuretimeinc.com

If possible, please have your hot tub’s serial number ready when you contact our team.

In stock

Pickup available at Leisure Time Inc. - Idaho Falls

Usually ready in 24 hours

View store information

Description

The Hot Spring Gleam 77004 filter cartridge is the factory-original replacement built for the Hot Spring Limelight® Gleam. It's a genuinely big filter — 100 square feet of filtration across 300 pleats of heavy-duty polyester — delivering powerful filtration and better water clarity from a single cartridge.

Filtration is what keeps spa water pleasant to be in. Every soak leaves behind body oils, lotions, hair, and fine debris, and the cartridge has to remove all of it before it clouds the water, feeds bacteria, or coats your plumbing. When a filter is worn or clogged, the effects show up everywhere: dull water, higher chemical use, softer jets, and a pump and heater straining against restricted flow.

The Gleam handles all of that through one large cartridge rather than a pair of smaller ones, which is why this filter's 300-pleat construction matters so much — it's carrying the spa's entire filtration load. Hot Spring builds its spas as hydraulically balanced systems that filter 100% of the water, 100% of the time, so the correct filtration area and flow characteristics are essential to keeping filtering efficient, jet pressure right, and the pump working comfortably. Made in the USA from heavy-duty polyester, it's built to outlast cheaper alternatives.

Pro Tip: The Gleam uses its own filter — other Limelight models don't share it. Limelight spas from 2018 and newer use a different cartridge, and 2008–2017 Limelight models use another one still. The Gleam is the exception in the lineup with this large 100 sq ft cartridge. If you're ever unsure, pull your current filter and read the part number printed on it.

Brand

Hot Spring®

Key Features
  • 100 sq ft of filtration — the Gleam's full filtration capacity in a single cartridge
  • 300 pleats — exceptional filtering surface for powerful, thorough filtration
  • Better water clarity — captures more oils, debris, and fine particles
  • Heavy-duty polyester — built to last far longer than cheaper alternatives
  • Model-specific fit — engineered for the Limelight Gleam's filter compartment
  • Factory original, made in the USA — genuine Watkins part built to Hot Spring's spec
How It Works

Water is drawn through the cartridge's pleated polyester media as your spa circulates. The pleat count is what creates the capacity: folding the fabric into 300 pleats packs a full 100 square feet of filtering surface into a cartridge that fits the Gleam's filter well. All that surface means water passes through more slowly and thoroughly — catching finer particles — and it means the filter holds a great deal of debris before flow starts to drop off.

That capacity is exactly what a single-cartridge design needs. With no second filter sharing the work, the media has to capture effectively without choking flow, which is why Watkins specifies a heavy-duty polyester that resists the matting and pleat collapse that shorten the life of cheaper fabrics. The cartridge holds both its filtering performance and its flow rate — the balance your Gleam's circulation and jet systems were engineered around.

Pro Tip: With a single-filter spa, cleaning discipline matters more. When one cartridge carries the entire filtration load, there's no second filter to pick up the slack as it loads with oils — so flow and clarity fall off faster once it's dirty. Sticking to the rinse and deep-clean schedule keeps the Gleam performing the way it should.

Directions for Use

Installation

  1. Turn off power to the spa at the breaker before servicing the filter compartment.
  2. Open the filter lid and clear any debris from the compartment.
  3. Lift out the old cartridge, noting its orientation.
  4. Seat the new cartridge squarely in the filter well, fully seated top and bottom. Handle it carefully to avoid creasing the pleats.
  5. Close the lid, restore power, and run the circulation to confirm normal flow.

Routine Cleaning

  1. Monthly: spray the cartridge off thoroughly with a garden hose pressure nozzle, working between the pleats from top to bottom.
  2. Three to four times a year: chemically clean the cartridge with a filter degreaser to dissolve the body oils and buildup a rinse can't remove.
  3. Let it dry fully before returning it to service whenever possible.

Replace the cartridge when the pleats are torn, flattened, or permanently discolored, or when cleaning no longer restores flow and clarity.

Pro Tip: Keep a spare cartridge on hand. A proper chemical soak takes hours and the filter cleans best when it can dry completely afterward — which is awkward when your spa needs that filter back. With a second cartridge you can swap in a clean one immediately and service the other on your own schedule, so the Gleam never runs on a dirty filter.

Specifications
  • Brand: Hot Spring (Watkins Mfg)
  • Part Number: 77004
  • Also Stamped As: 1187501-2 or 1422 on the top of some filters
  • Product Type: Replacement spa filter cartridge
  • Filtration Area: 100 sq ft
  • Pleat Count: 300
  • Media: Heavy-duty polyester
  • Outer Diameter: 8 in
  • Length: 16-1/2 in
  • Top: Open, 3 in
  • Bottom: Open, 3 in
  • Media Weight: Approx. 3 oz
  • Fits: Hot Spring Limelight Gleam (2013–2017)
  • Does Not Fit: Other Limelight models — 2018+ use 78161, Prism uses 78286, 2008–2017 use 71827; not a Tri-X ceramic replacement
  • Cleaning: Hose off monthly; chemically clean with a filter degreaser 3–4 times per year
  • Replace When: Pleats are torn, flattened, or permanently discolored, or cleaning no longer restores flow
  • Origin: Factory-original OEM part; made in the USA
  • Shipping: Standard ground; not classified as a hazardous material

  • Filtration Sq Ft: 100
  • Outer Diameter: 8
  • Length: 16-1/2"
  • Top: Open 3"
  • Bottom: Open 3"
  • Pleat Count: 300
  • Media Weight: 3 oz
Compatibility

The 77004 cartridge is the replacement filter for the Hot Spring Limelight® Gleam (2013–2017 models). Depending on age, your existing filter may be stamped 1187501-2 or 1422 on the top — both point to this same cartridge.

Because Limelight models don't share a single filter, confirm before ordering. 2018-and-newer Limelight spas (Pulse, Flair, Flash, Beam) use the 78161, the Prism uses the 78286, and 2008–2017 Limelight models use the 71827. This is also not a Tri-X ceramic replacement. Check your model and year, or simply read the number off your current filter. For upkeep, pair it with a FreshWater filter cleaner or filter degreaser.

Most products purchased from our online shop within the last 30 days are eligible for return. Please review our return policy to see the list of items that cannot be returned.

Some major items that are non-returnable:

  • Gift cards
  • Electronics
  • Pumps / Motors
  • Hot Tubs
  • Closeouts
  • Fireplaces
  • Electric Fireplaces
  • Massage Chairs
  • See return policy below for full list of non-returnables.

Hot Spring® Brand FAQs

Who makes Hot Spring spas?

Hot Spring spas are made by Watkins Wellness, a company with more than45 years of hydrotherapy expertise and part of the Masco family of brands. Hot Spring is one of the most recognized and highest rated names in hot tubs, known for legendary massage, easy water care, and leading energy efficiency.

What are the Hot Spring spa collections?

Hot Spring offers four collections. The Highlife® Collection is the flagship line, with premium design, specialized jets, smart water care, and 100% filtration. The Limelight® Collection features advanced design with targeted jets. The Hot Spot® Collection delivers the essential Hot Spring experience with comfortable jets and a salt system. The Freeflow® Collection offers Plug-N-Play ease with gentle jets. Hot Spring also makes the Vigor™cold plunge.

Which filter does my Hot Spring spa use?

It depends on your model and year. Many Hot Spring spas use the Tri-X ceramic cartridge filter, marked P/N 0969601 on the top, while others use polyester (paper) cartridges or the larger filters found in Limelight models. The most reliable way to confirm is to check your owner's manual, or pull your current filter and read the part number printed on it. Also check how many filters your spa takes, since some models use more than one.

How often should I clean and replace my spa filter?

As a general rule, rinse every two weeks and deep clean periodically with a dedicated filter cleaner to dissolve the oils a rinse can't remove. Replacement intervals depend on the type: polyester cartridges are typically replaced aboutonce a year, while a Tri-X ceramic filter can last up to five years with proper maintenance. Replace any filter sooner if the pleats are torn, flattened, or permanently discolored.

Are genuine Hot Spring filters worth it compared to aftermarket?

Factory-original filters are built to the exact dimensions and flow characteristics your spa's filtration and jet pump systems were engineered around. An aftermarket filter that fits the opening may still restrict flow or filter less effectively, which can make your pump work harder and leave your water less clear. Genuine filters are the safest choice for protecting both water quality and equipment.

What makes water care easier on a Hot Spring spa?

Hot Spring builds water care into the spa itself. Many models use the FreshWater® IQ salt water system, which monitors water hourly and provides clear instructions with Precision Dosing to help keep water balanced with less effort. Combined with effective filtration and a regular cleaning routine, that's what keeps Hot Spring water clear and comfortable with minimal hands-on maintenance.

About Hot Spring®

For more than 45 years, Hot Spring has been one of the most trusted names in hot tubs. Built by Watkins Wellness — part of the Masco family of brands — Hot Spring spas are engineered around a simple promise: heat that soothes, crystal clear water that invites, and innovation you can actually feel. It's a wellness experience designed to help you unleash your best self.

That promise comes down to three advantages owners notice every day. Better massage, from decades of hydrotherapy expertise and specialized jet systems that deliver a personalized soak. Better water, through exclusive technologies like the FreshWater® IQ salt water system that helps keep water balanced with far less effort. And better energy, with the Energy Smart® System that keeps water hot and ready while holding operating costs down.

The lineup spans four collections — the flagship Highlife®, the design-forward Limelight®, the essential Hot Spot®, and the Plug-N-Play Freeflow® — along with the Vigor™ cold plunge. Genuine Hot Spring parts and filters are built to the same standard as the spas themselves, so your equipment keeps performing exactly as it was engineered to.