Mistake on a Grandee scale.

[NZArtist]

Okay, so a 3kW heater is or isn't going to work?  Any Hotspring gurus know if I'll end up replacing the controller as well?  If I get the 3kW heater can I avoid rewiring the connection?
I don't mind getting an electrician in.  Like he says - existing wiring makes a perfectly fine pull-wire for better wiring.  If we need to have 2 x 25A cables and separate out the motor from the heater so be it.  I'd prefer to have a solution even if it costs a bit more rather than spend the next few years annoyed at getting cold in the spa.
And it's cheaper than replacing the entire spa pool and starting again.

[Isaac-1]

I am far from a Guru, I just bought a just Hot Spring tub and wired it up myself, a few months ago, which required a bit of studying of the manuals, etc. since I had to reconnect it from 240V mode to 120V model.  I really doubt you will need to replace the controller, however Hot Spring did change the controller design a couple of years ago, and I don't know if you have the older or newer style controller on your tub.  I don't know much about the new one as my tub actually has the close cousin predecessor of the one they discontinued a couple of years ago.

[wmccall]

The forum is named "What's the best hot tub".  If I'm having a bad experience with a brand of hot tub isn't this the perfect place to let others know?

[/quote]

Not arguing there, though I do find your generalizations a bit much.  It can be typical of a person who gets a bad item to try and spread it over the internet.  You may not be in that mold, but my message was to draw you out a bit.  Can't argue with your experiences, and also hope to learn a little.  I've never heard of HS putting such a small heater in their biggest tub.  The Salt  water system, I can't comment on.  The latches have worked fine for thousands of owners.  I'm just trying to encourage you from labeling the entire model or brand junk when so many would disagree.


-Not afilliated with Hot Springs all nor is this forum supported by.

[NZArtist]

I've never heard of HS putting such a small heater in their biggest tub. 

Well... now you have.
I can possibly resolve it by making modifications to their US$22,000 product to make it adequate.
I can also possibly modify their product so it doesn't spit black flakes into the water after nine months and cost me an additional $800 (when it comes out of warranty).
And I can drain the spa and keep this US$22,000 product unusable while the technician replaces the apparently common fault of the motor seals failing.
It's only US$22,000 for a bent piece of plastic, three motors and a heater.  I shouldn't expect the remaining US$20,000 left over from materials to have actually been spent on Quality Assurance.  They have to pay for all that glitzy sales pitch, after all.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 Yeah something is not jiving here.   Hot Springs builds a great spa, the fact that you are having problems is tough for you obviously.  But if yours is doing it, so are all the other HS spas your dealer has sold in the area.    Either it's a wiring issue or something is not hooked up right, wrong heater put in the spa, bad circuit board it's not adding up.  Id be camped out at the dealer or on the phone to HS corporate and see what they say.   They are a great company and stand behind what the sell, part of it might be a dealer issue not knowing what they are doing.

 As far as the ace system I can't comment on that.

  FWIW I sell Jacuzzi and Bullfrog brands so no cards in this game..   

[Chas]

I AM a HS guru, and I say go ahead and upgrade to the 3K heater. Be sure it matches your 1000 watt heater in all other respects. By that I mean: pressure switch if yours has one (If it has two small grey wires going to the temp sensors and a third grey wire going into the end of the heater, it has a p switch) or a self-resetting high limit if not.

The heater is switched on and off by a 'heater relay board' which can handle up to 6000w at 240v here in 60 cycle land, so it should have no problems running 3K at 220 50Hz.

Yes, I can get ozone systems which will work on your tub, and I would be happy to send it off. I do recommend the ozone system over the ACE system - as stated in my post above. But as I also stated above, I would ask your dealer to trade you back to the FWIII ozone system. Here in the US, all tubs come with the ozone installed. We take that OFF to install the ACE, and I, for one, give a trade-in value for it. Ask your dealer to swap it back, and let him keep the ACE for his troubles. If it's so amazingly valuable that he could charge you $x then surely he can give you back the ozone he didn't pay a cent for in exchange. Again- we get the ozone free here, can't be sure they do there.



Cheers - hope you get this thing to do what you want it to!

 

[NZArtist]

So my $22,000 Grandee mistake is sitting empty at the moment - since yesterday.  Waiting for a service technician to come by to replace the two failed pump seals.  The technician cant give me a date when they'll be here - just that it's likely to be within 8 working days.  So it'll just have to sit empty until they get around to it.
Did I mention?  Don't buy Hotsprings.  They're overpriced, poor quality, and the heater is woefully underpowered.

[NZArtist]

Day 4 with hot tub sitting empty and idle, waiting for tech to get around to fixing the apparently commonly faulty pump seals.

No rush, guys.  It's only US$22,000 of mistake making me feel bad about wasting my money.  No rush.

[mrmojo1111]

Well, I have to offer my counterpoint here. My beautiful new Grandee is flawless so far. Fit and finish is superb. Asthetically, just breathtaking. Pumps are very quiet. Remote controller is very cool, intuitive to use, capable of changing many parameters instantly. Our heater seems to be more than adequate, raising the temperature to 105F in about 5 hours. Of course I'm a new owner, and it seems as though the Grandee available domestically is a very different product from that available overseas. I just wanted to express my thorough satisfaction with my purchase, so that others reading this thread child get a more complete picture. NZArtist, I'm sorry you are having a negative experience, and I hope that all your issues are rectified soon.

[NZArtist]

Day 8 - no sign of technician yet.
Hotspring Grandee $22,000 mistake still sitting empty and unusable.
 
Hotspring quality is appalling, heating is dismal, service is dire, and it is hugely overpriced.  Don't buy Hotspring - buy anything but Hotspring.

[Lionheart_CHP]

We get it, you're unhappy.  I don't have a dog in this fight, but it's obvious that your issues are specific to your location much more than the manufacturer.  I don't doubt that your heater is undersized (if it's as you mention), but it seems that this also is specific to your location since it's far different than what's sold in the US.

It seems people here have gone out of their way to provide you with advice and input, and have lent a compassionate ear - but none of that is satisfying your displeasure.  The only thing that will help, is better service from your local dealer/service center and that is something NOONE here can provide.

[Spoiledrotten]

I've never heard of HS putting such a small heater in their biggest tub. 

Well... now you have.
I can possibly resolve it by making modifications to their US$22,000 product to make it adequate.
I can also possibly modify their product so it doesn't spit black flakes into the water after nine months and cost me an additional $800 (when it comes out of warranty).
And I can drain the spa and keep this US$22,000 product unusable while the technician replaces the apparently common fault of the motor seals failing.
It's only US$22,000 for a bent piece of plastic, three motors and a heater.  I shouldn't expect the remaining US$20,000 left over from materials to have actually been spent on Quality Assurance.  They have to pay for all that glitzy sales pitch, after all.

Aside from all of that, how much did you pay for it?

[Spoiledrotten]

So my $22,000 Grandee mistake is sitting empty at the moment - since yesterday.  Waiting for a service technician to come by to replace the two failed pump seals.  The technician cant give me a date when they'll be here - just that it's likely to be within 8 working days.  So it'll just have to sit empty until they get around to it.
Did I mention?  Don't buy Hotsprings.  They're overpriced, poor quality, and the heater is woefully underpowered.

Did your arm recover from when the dealership twisted it behind your back until you bought it? I think not. You are responsible for you actions. You'll be hard pressed to find over 5 people on this forum that don't love their HS tub. I bought a HS Envoy just over a year ago.... and the wife and I love it. Quality is superior. I'm having to lean toward what I've read others post. It seem to be more of where you live and the kind of service you have running to it. I also don't have the ACE system. I considered it by weighing out what I read about it. I chose not to get it because of the reviews. That was a smart decision on my part. You had access to the same reviews. You are obviously not as smart as I. Did I mention that the wife and I love our HS tub? Oh, and I paid about 1/2 the amount you claim to have paid for yours. Oh, and one more thing... the wife and I love our HS tub.


Might I suggest you get rid of your $22000 spa and go to Wal-Mart and purchase one of their $400 inflatable spas. Either that or go online and buy a Chinese made Thermospa. You'll be happy with either of those. They would fit you perfectly.


Or maybe this one:

[NZArtist]

Aside from all of that, how much did you pay for it?

Want me to include time spent at my usual hourly rate chasing up service people as well?

I called up Hotspring 'service' again this morning asking where my technician was.  The service manager said he was surprised I hadn't seen a technician yet.  Anyone else here surprised?

[Spoiledrotten]

Aside from all of that, how much did you pay for it?

Want me to include time spent at my usual hourly rate chasing up service people as well?

I called up Hotspring 'service' again this morning asking where my technician was.  The service manager said he was surprised I hadn't seen a technician yet.  Anyone else here surprised?

If you use the same attitude with them that you are using here, they are most likely taking their time for a reason.