Newb Questions on Spa Installation

[Nickel II]

Hi - Considering a Jacuzzi J-210 as a basic round tub for the backyard patio.  I live in San Diego.  My apologies if these are silly questions.  I did some searches and really don't see these basic (maybe stupid) questions addressed:

1. How important or unimportant is it for the spa to be covered?  I don't mean a spa cover, but I mean, on my patio, should the patio be a fully covered patio to protect the spa from rain?  Our patio has on of those slotted covers that does not offer full protection from rain, so the Jacuzzi will get wet on the outside during rain.

2. Should the spa be raised off the concrete patio at all?  I guess by this, I mean, when it rains the patio gets wet.  The concrete drains well, but should the spa be raised up 1-2" off the patio using some sort of pad to keep the base dry?

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 The spa does not have to be covered,only reason you would is if you don't want to be rained on. Beings your in San Diego you will be fine, except for maybe this winter     And the spa does not need to be raised off the ground, it can sit flat on the patio.   Unless your patio has say more than a 1" slope to it then you would want the spa sitting as level as you can which might require some kind of a sub-base to level it off.

 The J-210 is a nice spa for it's size.

[Nickel II]

Thanks Jim - another question...power outlet.  With the J-210 being standard 110v outlet, how close and/or far away should the tub be from the outlet?  There are a few spots on the patio I am considering, some closer to the couple of outlets I have as options.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 If I remember right I think the cord is only about 8' long so you can have the spa pretty darn close if not right next to it.  The cord itself is GFCI protected and your outlet outside probably is also?

[Nickel II]

Cool, yes, GFCI outlet outside with a rain protective cover over it to keep it dry, even though that part of tha patio is partially covered and doesn't see much rain unless it is windblown...which DOES happen here on occasion despite popular belief!

[socal147]

I have the same issue but opposite. My spa will be sitting in direct high desert sun. I will probabely throw a tarp over the top to prevent the cover from be killed prematurely. It does rain here sometimes, but I dont see that as a major issue. I have wondered about the slope of my concrete. Where will the water go if my spa is blocking it? I hope it doesnt sit underneath and cause problems. I am in the process of landscaping to mitigate some of the full sun issues.
Patrick

[clover]

Nickel II, you may want to LOOK at the configuration of the 110 Volt plug that you intend to plug in to operate the spa.  I would suspect it has a "twisted", or "opposing pin" pin that will not fit into a regular 15 amp receptacle.  The Hot Tub may require a 20 amp dedicated circuit and NOT just a regular 110 volt plug in receptacle that will have other things on that circuit.  Extension cords ARE NOT AN OPTION.

Socal147, you should know that the cover damage comes from within the hot tub, not above it, such as weather or rain.  The cover lives over a hot, humid, tropical zone 24 hours a day, and is more commonly damaged by chemical treatments, and using the tub with the cover ½ on, with one half open.

Covering it with a tarp really doesn’t benefit the cover much.  This would be a good subject for the Doc to explain how moisture is absorbed into the cover foam core.

[John-Duck]

Also consider the fact that any material left in the sun will decay at a higher rate than out of it. However covering the spa with a tarp may trap more of the humidity from the tub depending on material used.

[socal147]

Thanks. That makes sense. I am working on landscape to keep some of the sun away. I did buy one of those covers that fits on top of the water. Hopefully that will help with some of the cover issues.