High electric bills

[stevekees]

Got my new hot tub, filled and activated on October 1, 2012. My first two full month electric bills since then are at least $100 above normal. I have a Viking Destiny Spa. Seatd "6-7". Any help?JEYCDA

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 What kind of temp are you keeping it at, and does it have a 24hr circ pump or runs a 2spd pump on low.   Insulation yes, no maybe?   If its a 2month billing wait till your next one and see what it is..

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

not enough info...what are you "filter cycles" set for? what is your kw/h cost on your electricity? what part of the country do you live in? if a cold area could some of cost be from turning your furnace on?

[Chas]

I have sold thousands of tubs - the vast majority of which are HotSpring Portable tubs. I consider them to be top tier as far as energy efficiency goes. Having said that, I can't remember any one of my customers who didn't have a big jump in electricity at the end of the first month. It tapers greatly the second month, and then levels out much lower in following months.

Why? Well, the only way to do a complete, accurate answer would be to take a close look at the myriad of variables, including but not limited to:

Did you get a rate increase?
Have you been REALLY watching the bills, or have they actually climbed over the past year and you didn't notice?
Were you home more evenings, or perhaps more full days in the past month?
Time off, vacation/staycation,
House guests?
Kid or Kids off school and home all day?
Seasonal decorations with lights?
Shorter days - compare to this same month last year...
Running out and lifting the tub lid just to play with the lights (with a big smile on your face...)?
Much longer soaks - as you learn the jets and settings you like?
And finally - the one which has caught about a dozen of my customers off guard: is there an appliance in your home which is dying or broken? This one is crazy, but I have loaned my electric meter to people who have found the old 'fridge in the garage was running constantly, or that all the basement (or shop, garage, outdoor, barn, backyard) lights had been left on... One fellow forum member discovered the pipe from her well to her house had broken, running her water pump 24/7 for quite some time.

So unless you have been scrutinizing those and more variables, then I would enjoy the tub - set the filtration cycles to the lowest possible setting, leave the temp at a constant setting, keep the lid closed except when needed, and wait for the next few bills.

And enjoy!

 

[vangoghsear]

If you pay 15 cents per kWh for electricity, $100/.15= 666.7 kWh per month.  Using 30 days that's 22.2 kW additional per day. 

At 22.2 kW per day, a 280 gallon hot tub (not sure how many gallons yours is, so I used my own gallons) would have to lose 32.5 degrees F per day to be reheated That's about half the equivalent of heating a daily refill.

How much is the hot tub being used?
Is the lid waterlogged?

Otherwise, I'd have a look at what Chas wrote, the Viking tubs do not seem to be that poorly insulated.

[stevekees]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'll check all this out.

By the way, if just two of us are in for maybe an two hours a week, what do you suggest as the lowest filter cycle? Maybe every 12 hours?

[clover]

Filter cycles are determined by the clarity of water, which should be clean and clear, not foggy or hazy.  If you are putting 6 hours of dirt in, you need to filter for 6 to 8 hours a day to take it out.  As you can see, it is not an easy answer for any of us to give.  Dirt comes from what you might perceive to be clean bodies, but they have oils, cosmetics, lotions, perspiration etc. in the skin pores.  The only thing we know for sure is that only clean bodies get out of the tub, leaving the dirt behind.

Your electrical consumption is greatest when you first fill the tub, the heater runs non stop from ground temp water at 56° to what you set it for 102°.  Then, this is when the tub is new and gets the most use which will taper off in the coming months.  After that, it depends on heat loss related to cold temperatures and the amount of insulation which equates to heat retention.

[zapta]

Here is an idea for spa makers, have an integral KWH tracking function. Since the controller and display are already there, it should not add too much to the cost. Extra points for breakdown by filtering, heating, jets, etc and a wireless link to a phone app.

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

Here is an idea for spa makers, have an integral KWH tracking function. Since the controller and display are already there, it should not add too much to the cost. Extra points for breakdown by filtering, heating, jets, etc and a wireless link to a phone app.

sorry, but never in a million years...that would give to much disclosure on just how poor some spa manufacturers are when it comes to foam/insulation,, basically overall energy efficiency.  If your looking for a wireless monitor I use this in my showroom: http://www.sears.com/search=2%20Save%20Energy%20Ltd%20Owl%20Micro%20Wireless%20Electricity?catalogId=12605&autoRedirect=false&storeId=10153&yikes_prod=true