When our Hot Springs Sovereign II was del. in Oct. 2013, the main jet selector / diverter valve was making an annoying hissing sound in the 3 and 9 o’clock selector positions. In the 12 and 6 o'clock position all jets run and the selector valve is quiet. In addition, the pump motor was buzzing after running 5 to 10 seconds. I immediately made an appointment for service tech, when he arrived weeks later he voiced concern about motor noise and hissing, however; after he couldn’t resolve either problem he made a telephone call and then said… he was told “the hissing sound was normal for this model” and the pump had to be replaced…another appointment pending. This purchase is a disappointment and turning into a very stressful ordeal.
QUESTION: Is the hissing noise in fact normal?... and is there a simple fix for the buzzing motor? If you have a new Hot Springs Sovereign II does your selector valve hiss as described?
Currently, I am told that despite the contention this hissing noise is normal, they are sending a tech to replace both the selector valve and motor. I am alarmed that I have to empty this brand new spa and have major components replaced. Is this a valid concern or is this appropriate action? The question that begs to be answered is; if the hissing noise is normal then why replace it?
Any input would be appreciated
UP-DATE: Am I satisfied?... No! 
I would have posted this up-date sooner but I still have a knot in my stomach. On Dec. 27th, the service tech arrived and replaced the motor and diverter valve. Result, the motor is no longer buzzing however; the jet selector / diverter valve still has an annoying hissing sound. The tech reiterated that he has been told “the hissing sound is normal for this model.” Apparently the force of water flowing through the diverter valve is what makes this noise.
If Hot Springs considers this hissing sound as normal, then this unusual distraction should be disclosed to potential buyers! Of all the spas in the Hot Springs showroom (Santa Rosa, Ca.) filled with water and running, the Sovereign II was coincidently one of the few that was not. Of those running, I don’t recall any such hissing noise. If this unusual sound had been disclosed and we had been fully informed we would not have purchased this spa! In my view this amounts to deception and a bait and switch.
Our dissatisfaction is compounded by the fact we have owned two other Sovereign spas within the last 11 years, neither of them made any such noise so we had no reason to believe the new and improved current model was any different… to the contrary, we thought it would be better than ever. Our first Sovereign was replaced after three years when the Endurol shell cracked. The second was seven years old (and looked brand new) when it developed an internal leak and had to be replaced a year later.
Question for experienced spa techs – About the Motor: In an effort to reduce the hissing sound the tech replaced the 2.5 HP Watkins Wavemaster 9000 motor with a 2 HP Watkins motor, model 39577. Since the hissing sound is still there, did they effectively downgrade the performance of our new spa by reducing the HP of the motor? For that matter, was the overall quality of the motor downgraded too?
We have stayed loyal to Hot Springs but this is likely a game changer if they don’t make this right. This has not been a pleasant buying experience and again, feels like a bait and switch. We do not want a hissing spa; we want a traditional spa that provides relaxation, not stress. I am requesting that Hot Springs either refund this purchase or provide a spa that does not have a hissing noise when the jets are running.
I will post additional up-dates as we move forward.
