Hot Tub Experiences?

[ScottyChip]

I have my QCA Star Gazer (San Juan in Canada) 30 jet hot tub now for 3 months and its great. Its a little bigger than you are looking at about 6' square and meant for 5 people, fits 3 more comfortably. It came prewired with a 115V,GFCI plug but is convertible to 220V hardwired. I haven't really noticed a huge increase in power bill, probably around $40-50, we keep it heated to 102 F all the time and the single 1.5 HP pump 2 speed pump comes on throughout the day to maintain water temperature. Bought mainly for the wife because of her arthritis, which she finds great, but we both enjoy it.
I do not have years of experience with tubs, but right now this one works for us. It was not the most expensive tub, and until we were sure it was what we wanted did not want to tie up a lot of money. It does get cold here and we will probably just shut the tub down for the winter. We are looking at an enclosure for next spring something to keep the snow away and break the wind. I know it takes the fun away from having a tub, but it ain't no fun standing in the snow trying to dry off exposed to nature.
I have heard that Artic Spas get a great name and you can get them on a reinforced base so you don't need a specially built wood or concrete deck just level ground.
I am sure which ever route you go if it last longer then the warranty period then you have got your monies worth. Enjoy.

 

[buickanddeere]

An 8 person hot tub hold four people comfortable. Something like a six person tent holds three people. Fathers cringe when the the daughter fills the hot tub with girls. It's a water, filter, a tub scrub down and chemical change to get rid of the hair gell, makeup, fake tan and skin lotion.

 

[dmccarty]

We looked at this company in Raleigh, Spas, Saunas & Pool Tables Raleigh & Wilmington | Hot Tubs NC, when we were looking for tubs when we were building our house. We liked their products but for what we needed we could get the tubs from HD cheaper and easier. We had a package discount with HD that helped out money wise. Anyway, we liked what we saw at the company back then and I see they have a store down in Wilmington.

I know when we were talking with them they said they made at least some of their own tubs/spas but this was over 10 years ago. They seem to carry a bunch of different brands and they have been in business for decades so they are not a fly by night operation.

Might be worth a look.

Later,
Dan

 

[newbury]

Hot Tub Experiences

Wow! the topic of this thread is a little disappointing to say the least.

Charlie

We are an aging population.

Drew - We got a 6 person square one that came with the retirement home. For me it's been a waste. We've only used it about 3 times since 2012. I've spent more time cleaning it out than relaxing in it. By the time I get done getting dirty and then shower so I can get in it clean to relax in it there is not much time left in the day.

But then I don't think I've taken a "bath" in fifteen or so years. I prefer a quick shower.

 

[caver]

+1 on finding a used one on Craigslist. They are like slate pool tables, people will almost give them away if you move them. I got a two person 110V and it's perfect. It's a Solana which is made by Hotsprings. Most of them I assume will cycle on for about an hour, twice a day. Then if there is a heat demand they will also kick on. I just drain mine in the spring when the freezing temps end. I've got mine outside on a back screened in deck. Nothing like a cold beer, bitter cold nightwith snow flurries and sitting in the tub.

 

[ustmd]

We put in a Dimension One 6 person (which means 3 unless your are being "friendly") in 2009. We love it. Even though we are on the good side of 50, both my wife and I saw the tub as a medical investment. It does wonders with sore muscles to warm up on a cold day prior to starting the day.

Not sure of the general effect on the the electrical bill as we were also doing a remodel/addition at the same time. The overall electric bill went up ~$30 per month, but I cannot say how much of that is the hot tub (or little pool as my daughter calls it).

In 5 years, I have had a heater go out (covered under warranty) and a broken elbow fitting (may have been covered, but easier to fix it myself). I am not sure how if the issues were truely quality related or due to the fact that the access panel (where all of the electronics/servicable components are) faces due east, so it gets baked in the Central Texas sun during the summer.

 

[wngsprd]

Costco sends us a monthly mailer with their specials, and often there are hot tubs shown. I don't know much about hot tubs, but after being a member of Costco for almost 30 years, I'm pleased that they do a good job of product selection. So, here is a link you can use for price and spec comparison. Biggest problem, is that they don't have them in their stores, and I don't think Greenville has a Costco.

We've often toyed with the idea of getting one, but always have other priorities, so maybe in the future. However, yours sure makes the idea of a visit to Terrapin acres an even better idea .

Hot Tubs & Spas

 

[ttriff]

Hot tubs/Spas are a nice luxury. We've used the Hot Springs brand for our 2 spas.

IMO there's nothing better than the back massage (Moto Massage system) in the Hot Springs brand spas

Ozone injection and silver particle systems go a long way toward lowering the amount of time and number of chemicals needed to keep things clean. Using these kinds of system eliminates the chlorine smell with the exception of when the water needs to be shocked.

Buy all your supplies in the largest quantities offered to cut down on costs.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I have several friends with tubs. Can't really add much insight to brand new tubs.
I have been involved in fixing broken ones. Pumps, control boards and heaters seem to be unique and expensive.
God forbid there is a leak in the tubing and fittings. Took the sides off and it looked like two drunk hillbillies had sprayed the tubing and tub with foam. Not a professional looking build. Had to cut / scrape the "insulation" off until we found the leak in the flexible tubes.
Hot tubs kind of remind me of campers and rvs. Look pretty good on the outside. Take the skin off and it's pretty much hacked together.

That has been my experience too. I have owned two of them, and the one I have now is not working because of a leak. They are not worth the hassle and expense of upkeep.

 

[brt]

Look for one with an enhanced insulation package. Mine (LA Spas) has the "Arctic" insulation package and the amount of insulation around the tub is visibly greater than the "Standard" amount I've seen on many brands. In addition, the better insulation package came with the 5" thick cover versus the standard 3" cover. Last winter when I checked the temperature outside it was 17 degrees and we left the tub (heater not running) at 10PM at 102 degrees. When I checked it in the morning at 9AM the temperature was 98 degrees. Not bad for almost 12 hours with no heat added. I credit the great performance to the extra insulation and thicker cover. It is also a 3 person model running on 220 volts. Was advised against the 110 volt models.

I built the lid lifter shown in this video and it works great, even with my heavier cover. I did place 3/4" dowels inside of all of the PVC tubing for extra strength and would highly recommend that modification DIY Hot Tub Cover Lifter - YouTube

 

[NVBigBlue]

I got a used one off of Craigslist a few years back. The cost was right (free for removing). Hired a couple of my sons friends and we lifted it out of the hole it was in (hole was cinder block lined and had a concrete bottom) and hauled it home. I had to repair the water lines between the tub and the heating/pump unit (had to cut them to remove the tub), and I had to replace the air tubing between the control panel and the control unit. And I had to replace the heating element (the reason they wanted it gone...) I think I spent about $20 on everything. I converted a large dog house (never used) to house the heater/pump. I wired it for 220, but something in the control unit was bad, so I could only get it to run on 110, so it either was heating (with the circulation pump running) or not heating, but running the high pressure pump. It also had an air blower (the bubbler), but we hardly ran that because it was so loud. This tub was an older, round unit with simple bench seating and only had 6 jets. I believe it was only 325 gallons.

For the simple pleasure of just soaking in hot water, this is one of the best 'investments' I've ever made. Soaking in it while having a glass of wine, with the snow gently falling, watching the world go by.... priceless. I don't think I've ever slept better than after having a good, hot soak. :thumbsup:

With heavy use (all the kids and us) I had a heck of time keeping the PH levels correct. We had to enforce a standing rule.... if you didn't have any kind of sun screen or any type of lotion on, a quick rinse in the shower before getting in. If you had any of that, you had to go wash it all off in the shower first. But with just 2 people every other day so, it wasn't too bad.

It had an uninsulated cover, but I got a floating cover for it. Basically a big piece of heavy duty bubble wrap that you cut to shape. That made a huge improvement on keeping the temp up.

We ran it year round for about 3 years. It only increased our normal power bill by about $10~$15 a month. But again, it was only running on 110.

Unfortunately, it got shut off during winter one year and the pump froze and broke the housing and the filter housing. We looked at getting a universal replacement unit for it (about $500 IIRC), but we decided to get rid of it and get a new tub at some point. I ended up using a chain saw to cut it into 4 pieces and take it to the dump.

I've been deployed for ever since, so we don't have a new one yet, but this will be one of the first things we get when I get home. :cool2:

Get a good testing set for checking PH, etc. and I would recommend getting a dedicated set of shorts for it. Otherwise you can end up bleaching your favorite shorts. :laughing:

If you've never balanced water before, make small adjustments with your chemicals. It's easy to make the PH too high, which can cause skin irritations. Also, make friends with your chemical guy...they have probably seen every issue you can have and know how to fix them and can turn you onto cheaper alternatives for chemicals....

NV

 

[check]

I have one at the cottage, and I wish it were at my home. It takes a lot of electricity to heat it in the winter, and we are not up that much. Had to buy an automatic standby generator since the power goes out fairly often.

The biggest problem is that the hot tub is made by Dynasty, and they insulated the tub itself, and not the cavity. So, while the water in the tub stays warm, the water in the pipe is exposed to freezing if the power is off. The pipes are outside of the insulation but inside the (non-insulated) hot tub cavity. Bad design!

 

[OZisKTB]

I bought a 6 person Sundance from Habitat for Humanity store. Got it in 2011, was a 2002 model with install and guarantee for $3000. New is $11,000.

My learning points. Best buy I made with my new home, lover sitting in it after a long day on the tractor or in the snow.

We switched to Pristine Blue instead of Bromine or Chlorine. Much easier to maintain, easier on the people and tub.

My real key to success is the relationship we have with our dealer. Being able to get validated water tests, advice and especially repairs on our older tub has been our success. We're near nothing, they still get in and fix the darned thing when it breaks. VERY similar to my old tractor, without a dealer who gets things done I'd never get to use it.

We like our so much, we're ready to go for the same large size in a new model. We rarely have more than 4 in the tub, ususally just two. But when the kids show up, we're glad we have all the room.

 

[Grateful11]

I know this thread is old but how do you folks about hot tubs today?

We're looking a Nordic, suppose to be simple, not a lot of bells and whistles and some built like a tank. I like the idea of the DTS, whirlpool action of all their tubs plus the reg. jets. They have a very good warranty. Prices are quite a bit better than the highend tubs.

Nordic Hot Tubs - Home

 

[Deere Dude]

Bought a new one, a nice one in 2000 and paid $6000. I was in it a lot and found my dainty *** skin can't handle the chemical. Left empty for 4-5 years and sold it for $1500 and was lucky to get it.

If I was to buy one for outside I would find a good used one and let someone else take the hit, then you could sell if for what you probably paid for it. For me they seem hard to sell.

 

[davesl708]

I know this thread is old but how do you folks about hot tubs today?

We're looking a Nordic, suppose to be simple, not a lot of bells and whistles and some built like a tank. I like the idea of the DTS, whirlpool action of all their tubs plus the reg. jets. They have a very good warranty. Prices are quite a bit better than the highend tubs.

Nordic Hot Tubs - Home

I would not be without my hot tub. All the aches and pains go away and I sleep much better.
I have a Hot Springs Spa but have had five warranty calls in four years. The cover is shot in three years and at $600 to replace I am not happy about. The cover only came with one year warranty. Between the controls, leaks and failing moto-massagers I could have bought three cheap hot tubs and thrown them away every five years and would have had a lot less trouble.

 

[mbohuntr]

We bought a Masterspa new from the road show about 4 years ago. Loved it! No issues, and cheap to run. The cover was shot in three years, but otherwise no problems. We sold it with the house, and I'm kinda glad because it ran for 4 years, and things wear out. I'm guessing the pump or heater will go and I wasn't looking forward to tearing into it in sub zero weather....

 

[daugen]

As the OP I apologize for not coming back and letting you know where this went.
I don't have a lot of choices as to where to buy these things locally and the Caldera brand out of California
was represented locally. I bought their smallest Kuai model, 3 person, 175 gallon, primarily because it fit almost perfectly
in the corner of the existing rear porch where I wanted it. In a private corner pretty much out of sight of anyone.

The Caldera is an expensive product, but the insulation package and the fit and finish sold me. And I've been quite happy with it.
In more than a year, I have never had to add one drop of water. I find that amazing. Sometimes I think it's making water...
The cover is so well made and it really holds in both the heat and humidity I guess. Minimal electric expense, under 20 bucks a month, though initial wiring by electrician cost a bunch due to a separate large line which needed to be run. I have a whole home backup gen and the hottub gets disconnected automatically.

The cover is a bi-fold that tucks down behind the end of the hot tub. Clever engineering, but if it got yanked on the wrong way, I could see things bending. But equipped with one of my old boat lines, so I can more easily close the top, it has worked very well for me. I put a coat of 303 on it when I got it, reminds me it's time to do it again.

I test with little dip sticks and bromine shock it once in a while, plus change the water every two months. I live alone and I'm careful not to go in with sun tan lotion on or if I'm really cruddy. So I haven't given it what I'd call a family torture test.

I found that most of the Canadian companies were top rated since they knew they had to insulate their products very well to withstand use in subzero temps.

 

[Grateful11]

Thanks daugen for the updating the topic. You picked a good one from what I've read. There are several Caldera dealers in my area of NC but they are pricey. But then again I've heard nothing but praise from their owners. My problem is I find most hot tubs aren't deep enough for me, 6'1" and 30" inseam, kind of disproportionate.

What all do you coat with the 303?

 

[daugen]

What all do you coat with the 303?

the vinyl top of the cover, not the unit.