Hot tubs. A discussion.

[old goat]

The only thing I check is the pH once a week, when I shock it. Sometimes it needs adjusting, mostly it doesn't.
I add a little chlorine every use to activate the Silver cannister. I don't check the chlorine level. It would read low.
I run the filter 3 hours twice a day, change the water and silver cannister every 4 months, clean the filter every month, and replace the filter about every year and a half. None of that seems burdensome for something I enjoy using pretty much every day.

[nickwm21]

When I bought my house, the previous owners left a 110v Hot Spot tub. Supposedly it works, it’s empty, and I’m trying to determine if I want to start messing around with it or not.

I’ll admit, the chemistry part seems awfully fiddly. Adding chems daily for the first week, needing to figure the balance of five different properties (PH, CH, TA, FC, CYA) *plus* calculating precise amounts of chemicals to change those properties, checking the Free Chlorine before and after every soak. Shocking every week at least. Draining every few months. Then all you folks say “it’s so easy!”

If driving your car required you to change oil every other time, someone would have engineered a better solution.

It’s simple.

Fill it up. Add a few scoops of shock. Dip a test strip in. Balance the hardness, Balance the PH, add chlorine. (ie make the colors on the strip match).

Once a week:
- Add a scoop of shock
- stick a test strip in the water. Add a few scoops of chlorine or PH +/- to balance the chems

When it becomes somewhat difficult to balance the PH / chlorine (ie more than 3-4 scoops of PH or chlorine; likely 6+ months of use) drain the tub and refill, start over.

When you drain and refill. Pull the filter and hose it off. If the filter is nasty, replace.

The tub should be programmed to run a filter cycle once a day for an hour or so. If you have floating debris in the water bump that up an hour.

It probably takes 2min to balance the tub on a weekly basis…



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[Bobby Stainless]

That's what is nice about salt water. You only change the salt cart every 6 months.

[cravenmorhead]

We finally have our tub up and running. Went with a Wind River, which comes standard with an ozone system. Can't speak to longevity yet but we're real happy with it so far.

[retirwntm]

Not related to this ^^^

I’m having an issue with the GFCI tripping over and over today. We have a Jacuzzi 300 model and the code is TRIP GFCI OVERHEAT CALL JACUZZI SERVICE

That’s a new one. Anyone?


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Update. I’m pretty pissed at our Jacuzzi dealer. These aren’t real problems - I accept that.

It’s been a month almost and still not repaired. Sounds like the best solution is to replace the entire mother board since this is the second error code and replacement.


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[MontuckyFried]

Update. I’m pretty pissed at our Jacuzzi dealer. These aren’t real problems - I accept that.

It’s been a month almost and still not repaired. Sounds like the best solution is to replace the entire mother board since this is the second error code and replacement.

I complained about a mobo issue almost a decade ago here, but in a nutshell, it was like a 50 cent capacitor on the board that had to be swapped and totally fixed the tub. Reason I was annoyed was that I knew nothing about hot tubs so called the different outfits in town, some of whom told me I'd definitely need a new motherboard at the tune of about $800 + labor or something like that, others who told me I should just buy a whole new hot tub and they'd haul off my old one for me ("oh golly gee! Thanks!) All were full of crap as I figured it out myself and it was a fairly easy and dirt cheap repair.

Might I suggest just going ahead and pulling the motherboard yourself and doing a visual inspection of it? You might see obviously blown caps like I did, fried leads, maybe a disconnected wire, could be anything. Typically hot tub computers are pretty easy to access and pull out, so it's worth a shot. Worst case, you don't find anything and you just put the board back in and reconnect and wait for service. Not much to lose.

[GiBo]

I complained about a mobo issue almost a decade ago here, but in a nutshell, it was like a 50 cent capacitor on the board that had to be swapped and totally fixed the tub. Reason I was annoyed was that I knew nothing about hot tubs so called the different outfits in town, some of whom told me I'd definitely need a new motherboard at the tune of about $800 + labor or something like that, others who told me I should just buy a whole new hot tub and they'd haul off my old one for me ("oh golly gee! Thanks!) All were full of crap as I figured it out myself and it was a fairly easy and dirt cheap repair.

Might I suggest just going ahead and pulling the motherboard yourself and doing a visual inspection of it? You might see obviously blown caps like I did, fried leads, maybe a disconnected wire, could be anything. Typically hot tub computers are pretty easy to access and pull out, so it's worth a shot. Worst case, you don't find anything and you just put the board back in and reconnect and wait for service. Not much to lose.

This. My buddy did the same thing. Took mobo off. Saw obviously bad component. Googled number on component and ordered one. Soldered it on and it was fixed for a few bucks.

[nickwm21]

If the above is too complicated for ya - try to find a local independent hot tub / pool repair outfit that doesn’t sell tubs and is not handcuffed by some dealer contract. There is a guy here in Seattle that does hot tub maintenance/repair and refurbishes used tubs for sale. Someone like that will get you sorted without the BS…


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[Bronco]

This. My buddy did the same thing. Took mobo off. Saw obviously bad component. Googled number on component and ordered one. Soldered it on and it was fixed for a few bucks.

This is actually true for most major appliances nowadays as well. Fixed a 3 year old clothes dryer this way, just needed some solder.

[Bobby Stainless]

Finally got my tub delivered. Best thing I've ever purchased.

[Marshall Tucker]

^ that'll last about six months.

[shroom]

what’d you go with bobby?

[MontuckyFried]

Finally got my tub delivered. Best thing I've ever purchased.

Niiice! Congrats!

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[MontuckyFried]

^ that'll last about six months.

Whatchu talkin' bout? I had one for many years and used it darn near every night. Loved it!

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[Bobby Stainless]

what’d you go with bobby?

Hot Spring Vanguard.

^ that'll last about six months.

Fortunately, its got a 5 year warranty.

[Core Shot]

I’m pretty sure he meant the satisfaction would last six months.
There’s no guarantee on loving your tub.

Some do.

Most don’t.

I still love mine but don’t soak as much as I should.
It soothes aching bones and muscles. And that’s good

[Bobby Stainless]

Ahh. Yeah.

Im a long time addict. My folks have one in FL and rarely use it. Its more of a design feature for the pool really.

[Marshall Tucker]

Bought two houses in the 90s with hot tubs. used the first one for about six months. took the 2nd house hot tub immediately to the dump. Involved chainsaws.

[Shredhead]

I love mine and am in it everyday, sometimes 2 or 3. It’s often the only pain free time I have in a day.


Salt water tubs still use Chlorine as a sanitizer, it’s just derived thru electrolysis.

All these systems are just manufacturers way of keeping you buying their proprietary chemicals or chlorine generators.

Nothing will be cheaper than using this method.

https://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/i...er-maintaince/

[MiddleOfNight]

Hot Spring Vanguard.

X2 Congrats!
I've had a Hot Spring for years. It's awesome.
The best purchase I made too.

You get ACE cell model or no?

[Bobby Stainless]

You get ACE cell model or no?

I dont know what that is. Is that the chiller system?

[m2711c]

chiller system? what? you gonna turn yer hot tub into a cold tub fer the summertimes?




baller.

[Bobby Stainless]

chiller system? what? you gonna turn yer hot tub into a cold tub fer the summertimes?




baller.

Yep. Cools it down to 55 I think.

[MiddleOfNight]

The ACE system is the salt water chloriney-thingy. I guess it generates the chlorine from that. So when I drain and refill I put cups of salt in. According to some, specifically Ms Middle, it's kinder on the skin.

+1, chiller system is baller

[Bobby Stainless]

Yep. Mine has the salt water system.