Hot Spring vs Hot Spot

[dasno]

Honey, I bought a Hot Spot La Palma.  This was the 2009 model it was installed in March.  I have loved it.  The jets are just as powerful as in the Hotsprings line.  The big differences I noticed when looking at the two lines was the warranty,  the circ pump,  the control panel is simpler (although not that hard to use) and the heater is stainless steel in the La Palma.  I think I read somewhere in the Hot Springs line they are titanium.  Not sure this makes a "huge" difference. 

I will say you can program the length of your filtration cycles and if you use the tub while the filtration cycle is on it extends it after you are done using the tub.  Also I added the Freshwater III system to the La Palma.  It seems like I use less chemicals and don't get the harsh chemical smells when I am done using the hot tub.  I know that is a big selling point of the ozone systems.  I believe that system cost me around 200 bucks. 

I couldn't afford at this time a 7-8K  tub so  I settled for the lower model.  I will say it has worked fine and the water stays sparkling clear with the ozone system installed. 

I know I have only owned the tub for a couple of months so far, but as of right now I would buy another Hot Spot tub. 

[honeypot]

Thanks, dasno!

So far I'm feeling right in "Tempo" with everyone.  (I love bad jokes)   

I have been feeling quite a bit of anxiety over the price of the Hot Spring.  It's funny because when I first saw the price next to the tub my reaction was      But, for some reason your mindset changes and you start thinking "well, maybe this is what I need to pay". 

I'm not that easily sold though.  I gave myself time to let the price sink in and am certainly now rethinking the Tempo.  As a matter of fact, I soak again tomorrow.. blub, blub, blub 

Pam aka honeypot

[Vanguard]

Margin is a short way to say profit margin.  Typically products that are price point products will generate less profit than higher end products.  Of course, both the manufacturer and dealer can do this because they don't have to worry about covering a warranty for as long of a period. 

I have owned two Vanguards.  I loved them both.  I do not have one right now.

As far as my affiliation, I've been in the pool and spa business since the mid-80's.  I currently work for a manufacturer of products for swimming pools.  I've been involved in many aspects of both pools and spas for many years.

[dasno]

HP one other thing I had trouble with when deciding on the Hot Spot was I couldn't find too many reviews on the hot spot by owners.  That made my decision at first a little uneasy.  However the dealer I got my tub from was 1st class all the way and I know he has been in business since the 80's which made me feel more easy.

Like a lot of these guys say on here if you got a trust worthy dealer it makes buying the hot tub from him a lot more easy....

[honeypot]

Thanks again, Vanguard.  You are a real asset to this forum.

As you can see from my previous post, I am Tempo bound... soaking in the Tempo and the Vista tomorrow.  This time am going to give the Tempo its deserved attention.  

Thank you and I will let you, et al know how it goes.

Pam aka honeypot

[honeypot]

dasno.

I kind of like this dealer.  He's told me a couple of things that I've read differing opinions on.  For example, I live where the water is very hard and have a water softener for inside the home and hard water outside.  He said to definitely fill the tub with the softened water; easier to add than to take away, or something like that.  I've read just the opposite.

I guess I'm a very skeptical kind of gal... it's the world we live in, I suppose.

HP

[Vanguard]

While I would never add softened water to a swimming pool, if you have extremely hard water, adding soft water followed by adding calcium to your water should be fine.

You can have your tap water tested to get the level of your calcium hardness.  If it is too high, you might add half soft and half hard.  That might be a good way to keep your levels good right at the time you fill it.

[honeypot]

I'm off to test soon.  How about the wood frame vs the plastic(?) frame.  I noticed that the Vanguard has the plastic, but none of the other Hot Spring lineup.  Hopefully, I'll hear something back before I leave.  Thanks. HP

[Vanguard]

I don't think the frame is anything you need to worry about.  I think you'll find all the frames with the top companies are structurally sound.

[honeypot]

Hello All!

I am now the proud owner of a Tempo!  I soaked in it and found it to be wonderful.   I actually like the lounge in it better than in the Vista.  I might have wished for the lighted fountain in the Vista, but that was about it.  Otherwise, it is perfect.

The guy I hired to do the excavation for where my tubby is going will be here soon so I must run.

More later and many thanks to all of you.  You really helped me.

 

Pam aka honeypot

[dasno]

HP, 
Congrats on your purchase... I hope you find your tempo as relaxing and comfortable as I find my Hot Spot!

Did you get the Freshwater III system put in it?

[Spatech_tuo]

Hello All!

I am now the proud owner of a Tempo!  I soaked in it and found it to be wonderful.  
Pam aka honeypot

...and thats why we recommend a wet test. This way, when you purchase you know its the right spa for you. Sometimes we hear from someone who bought a spa that doesn't fit right but they find out when its already in their back yard.

Congrats.

[Vanguard]

Way to go!!  We're glad for you.  You'll really enjoy it.  I'll bet you're really glad you wet tested.

[honeypot]

Hello All.

It's the middle of the night and I'm wide awake.  I think I'm overtired.

I am having the walk out basement patio expanded for my Tempo instead of having the decks rebuilt to handle a hot tub (that was mucho dinero).  They excavated the earth on Saturday to level an area that will have pavers and a retaining wall.  A lot of stress with the planning; not to mention communicating with "Team Tempo" as I am calling them.  The beer at the end of the day seems to help with the motivational factor.  The physical work for me was to relocate and plant all the shrubs that had been growing there.   I've come to learn that physical work is not nearly as tiring as mental stress.  I'll get into the neighbor issue later... ugh.

The dealer came out today to inspect the site and take a sample of my inside softened water.  He still thinks filling the tub with soft water is best.  He said the site is going to be great.  I hope so - he said this tub will weigh 6,000 pds when filled.  I hope "Team Tempo" knows what they are doing 

Alarm just went off so it's time get ready for my real job.

More later.

Thanks!

[Chas]

Congratulations~ welcome to "SpaTopia." May you soak long and prosper...

As to the soft water issue, be sure you are clear on this: you should NOT fill a tub with soft water and leave it that way. Water which is too soft can and will damage expensive things in the tub, and it will cause foaming which is not fun. What I think your dealer is telling you is to fill with soft water, BUT then add calcium hardness to bring the water up to a level of hardness which will protect your warranty, your equipment, and your tubbing experience. Many people, including some here on this board, do that every time they change the water.

Another way to do the same thing would be to fill the tub with a mixture of hard water and soft - but you need to know a few things about that as well - for most folks adding about 25% soft water is just right. That is roughly the last few inches when filling. Because of the crazy shapes of the benches and footwell area, you don't have nearly as much water volume down low as you do at the very top of the tub. Fill the tub with hard water, stopping just about three inches short. Finish with soft. Test, and you should be just right. Some people fill with hard water all the way up, but then top off with soft as water evaporates and gets splashed out. That also works.

Not trying to make this sound hard - once you find the system which works for you it will become second nature, and will be quite easy to repeat. Also - read about "Chas' Law" - change water once at the end of the first 30 days of ownership.