Hot tubs ??

mhraracing · September 21, 2004

The wife and I will be buying a hot tub/spa in the next couple of days. Just wondering if anybody has one and would like to share your experiences with different makes models etc.....

What tub do you have ? Do you like why ? or Why not ?

Any hot tub disasters we should avoid ???

Any info would be great !! Thanks !!

Greg · September 23, 2004

I can't help you with your questions, but I just wanted to share that my dad, 85, and his girlfriend bought a hot tub about 2 years ago. They have a big jacuzzi beside the pool at their neighborhood's clubhouse, but they wanted to have one outside their door. They absolutely love it. When they are away traveling during the summers, they miss their tub.

bigdogs · September 24, 2004

We have one that we got last summer and it was worked out pretty well, even in the COLD WI winters. It has 4 seats plus a lounge in it which if I was getting another one I'd probably pass on. It also has these 2 TURBO jets that can really blast your legs or back if you position yourself right (they are strong enough to push you out of the way if not braced).

One thing to watch out is their claim on HP and number of pumps as that is the selling point. Our's has 2 decent sized pumps plus the blower and still requires a 60A breaker, so when you see some that have like 5 pumps they are using real small pumps as you can't really have more than 60A going to one.

Also talk a lot to the guy selling and setting it up. One guy we talked to says "if you can jump on your wood deck and it does not move, it will support a spa". Well as you know that is BS since a full spa can weigh as much as one of these trucks. As you can see by the following photo we opted to install it right off the deck, next to the stairs on it's own concrete pad.

Supurban · September 24, 2004

There was a 4+lounge already installed when we bought our house. When we had time, it was great - especially in cold nights. But count on it adding about $40 to your electric bill if you keep it heated ready to go. You could ramp it up and down as needed, but it's easy to forget.

Make sure you get a cover hinge that works well. After relaxing in a tub, the last thing you want to do is stand in the cold while struggling with the cover.

bigdogs is right about the breaker rating. Ours will trip if it runs heated for about a week.

muddog · September 24, 2004

dont own one but I have worked on them for a summer.....my only sugestion is that you dont put much of a deck around it....well basicly what I am trying to say is make sure you can get to all sides to work on the thing.....it will make it easier down the road.... oh yeah, dont let it freeze or you might

congrats on a tub, wish I had one!

bigdogs · September 24, 2004

Supurban brought up a point I forgot to mention, it will add atleast $40 a month (if you are in a cold climate) to keep it hot all the time. We did that the first winter and then realized we could get away with setting it in "economy mode" for most of the day and then have it hot for the evening. For example our's runs in in the lower temp mode from like 11PM until 2PM the next day, then it starts warming up so by 5 or so it is back to 100F.

Thankfully we never had it trip the breaker, I made sure when the electrician wired it up they used all 6ga wire.

mhraracing · September 25, 2004

Thanks guys. The spa we are looking at is a Caldera Geneva model. I would set it up just like your bigdog - right off the deck on a concrete pad. From what I have researched - Watkins Manufacturing (hotsprings- Caldera) is a very good manufacturer. As wll as Sundance and Demension 1. We wet tested the Caldera yesturday and it was really nice.

As for electric - thats what I figured about 40 bucks - we live in CT and it gets cold in the winter.

bigdogs · September 25, 2004

Where we ended up putting it (on the slab) is actually closer to the door than where we he planned on the deck. I also feel better that there is like 8" of 5000PSI concrete under it instead of the wood deck.