Hot Spot TX Electrical Question

[plzwork]

Checked out the Hot Spot TX at my Hot Spring dealer today and was given a decent price on it. He said that it was the only hot tub there that does 115v/15 amp which meant that if "I could plug a lamp into it, I could plug this tub into it". Is this true? I've seen so many posts on this forum that say even the 110 tubs need a dedicated line and any little interference will cause the tub to trip or even damage the tub if its being undervolted, but is the TX different due to the 15 amp spec?

My dealer said that in most houses all the outdoor outlets are on their own line so all I have to do is make sure is nothing is plugged into the other outdoor outlets and I'm fine. One of my reasons for buying this tub would be the versatility it provides being a plug and go type of procedure. If this wasn't true (i.e. I'm going to need to have electrical work done regardless) I would probably go in a different direction.

[Chas]

Yes, the TX will run fine on a 15 amp outlet. But just like a 20A tub, the TX should be the only item on that 15A circuit. How do you know if that outlet runs other items in your home? Simple: plug in something which makes noise. I use a vacuum because there is almost always one around, but a stereo, blow-drier or something similar works fine. Turn it on, and then go to the main house panel. The breakers should be labeled (by law) but they may not be. If not -

Shut off breakers one at a time, skipping double breakers and the main breaker. Once you determine which breaker feeds the outdoor outlet, (silences the vac), leave it off. Then transfer the vac around the house, searching for other outlets which are now off. START in the bathrooms, because it is very common for houses to have one GFI in a bathroom (required by code) which then daisy-chains to other bathrooms and then outdoors. That is a problem if people in your home use a blow-drier or other high-amperage appliances in those bathrooms. In my house the patio outlet is daisy chained off two of our bathrooms, and one of those outlets is a favorite place for our maid to plug in a vacuum cleaner and/or floor cleaner to do the floors in that part of the house - that would be a problem if we had a 110v spa.

 

[plzwork]

Yes, the TX will run fine on a 15 amp outlet. But just like a 20A tub, the TX should be the only item on that 15A circuit. How do you know if that outlet runs other items in your home? Simple: plug in something which makes noise. I use a vacuum because there is almost always one around, but a stereo, blow-drier or something similar works fine. Turn it on, and then go to the main house panel. The breakers should be labeled (by law) but they may not be. If not -

Shut off breakers one at a time, skipping double breakers and the main breaker. Once you determine which breaker feeds the outdoor outlet, (silences the vac), leave it off. Then transfer the vac around the house, searching for other outlets which are now off. START in the bathrooms, because it is very common for houses to have one GFI in a bathroom (required by code) which then daisy-chains to other bathrooms and then outdoors. That is a problem if people in your home use a blow-drier or other high-amperage appliances in those bathrooms. In my house the patio outlet is daisy chained off two of our bathrooms, and one of those outlets is a favorite place for our maid to plug in a vacuum cleaner and/or floor cleaner to do the floors in that part of the house - that would be a problem if we had a 110v spa.

 

Okay, I did the test and the circuit the outdoor outlet is on also includes two outlets in my bathrooms and an outlet in my garage. Unfortunately I have a treadmill, TV, and Apple TV plugged into that outlet in the garage, so I guess I would need a dedicated line run for the hot tub.

I saw a post by you about the TX but it was a while back I think. You said that the TX, if run at 115v/20a, would be able to have both the heater and jets run simultaneously without the need of a 220 line. Is this still true?

[Chas]

Okay, I did the test and the circuit the outdoor outlet is on also includes two outlets in my bathrooms and an outlet in my garage. Unfortunately I have a treadmill, TV, and Apple TV plugged into that outlet in the garage, so I guess I would need a dedicated line run for the hot tub.

I saw a post by you about the TX but it was a while back I think. You said that the TX, if run at 115v/20a, would be able to have both the heater and jets run simultaneously without the need of a 220 line. Is this still true?

The TX can run jets and heat (1000Watts) simultaneously only if it is wired for 30a 115v. Thirty.

But the TX can ALSO be wired 50a 220. It doesn't change much in the operation: the heater jumps up to around 4KW which is very nice. It is the most trouble-free way to wire one of these units, and is not much more money than doing 115v 30a would be: one more wire, and in most cases one wire size larger.