Winter Months...

[Ohio45424]

This will be the first winter since owning a hot tub and I have some concerns.

1. Cost, how much more will it cost to run in the winter over the warmer months? On average, it gets used 3-4 times per week but think that will drop some being colder out.
2. Power outage and freezing up. I had a good friend that had his hot tub freeze up in January, do to a power outage. He was foolish and not check it till several days after but the damage was already done.
3. Even though the jets are not always running, will the pipes freeze up if it doesn't get used often enough?
4. If I do drain it for the winter, shop vac the remaining water out, and pull the plugs on the pumps, how much water still remains in the lines?

Sorry for the random newbie questions but I've had good luck with this forum in the past.

Thanks!

[Vinny]

Is it a quality tub or lower end tub?

Is it full foam or is it thermopane?

How cold are we talking?

How long does power go out?

Is it 120 volt or 230 volt? Can get a cheap generator to keep the spa running its jets if its 120 ... Running water takes longer to freeze. Can also use a cheap generator to put an incadecent or halogen bulb in the equipment compartment if need be.

A lot of variables.

[wmccall]

As a fellow Ohioan, we use our tub on average 5-6 days a week over the winter.  In the 13 years I've been an owner we have only lost power for 2-3 days once and my tub dropped to 82 degrees during that time.  My tub is 240volts and  I have the ability to run it on generator if needed.  It would only take a couple of hours to heat it up to 100 or so and that will hold it for a few days.

[Ohio45424]

The tub is a 2007 Vita Spa Chateau, which I was told was one of there better models. This tub is packed full of foam, other than pump area. I just bought a new rhtubs cover which the say is rated R21 value. I can already tell a differance in my electric bill, compaired to my old cover. Really we don't have any major problems with the power going out but there is always that what if. The is also a 240 volt, not sure how that plays into it.

Anyone have any luck with the wireless thermometers for hot tubs? To keep an eye on the temp while not always in it.

Thanks

[Tman122]

The tub is a 2007 Vita Spa Chateau, which I was told was one of there better models. This tub is packed full of foam, other than pump area. I just bought a new rhtubs cover which the say is rated R21 value. I can already tell a differance in my electric bill, compaired to my old cover. Really we don't have any major problems with the power going out but there is always that what if. The is also a 240 volt, not sure how that plays into it.

Anyone have any luck with the wireless thermometers for hot tubs? To keep an eye on the temp while not always in it.

Thanks

Forget about the tub for a minute and tell us how YOU and your FAMILY will survive during a power outage? Heat, light, water, food, garage door openers, chargers, phones?

If you can figure this out, your tub will be low on your priority list. They can last for weeks with minimal effort in moderate/temperate cold. Extreme cold may require additional steps but how many times, and for how long, has the power been off in your area, in your memory, during extreme cold -10 to 20f? Understand that extreme cold comes with light fluffy perdy snowfall, heavy snow fall or not, light and fluffy, light and fluffy. Moderate cold sure, freezing rain/ice storms, heavy power lines, trees down. 20-40f deg avg. Seems a tub will fall low on your priority list because you have a few days to figure it out. And you only have a day or so to figure out sleep, water, food.

I'd put 110v for a TV and some lights higher up on my priority's. But understand that you may have to use that 110v gen to run a shop vac after you drained your tub if the power wasn't back on in week two.

[Vinny]

Tman brings up great points. I don't live in an area where I have to worry too much about power outages but I would want my furnace, refrigerator and at least one room with power. I would also use a natural gas generator to make sure no real maintenance is required of it.

When my tub was new I had one and it worked great except in extreme cold (short battery life). I probably should have mounted the transmitter inside the equipment compartment but it would be a pain to access it for battery changes. Maybe technology has changed and they gt better battery life.

[wmccall]

4 days is the longest I've been without power in the winter months so I've yet to have to power my tub with my generator, but I can do it.  I think my generator is 7000 watts.   On the plus side my Majesta heats at 7-10 degrees an hour under most conditions so i could run it for 3-4 hours and be good for many days.  However, the only complaint I've had about my Sundance Majesta was the guy who wired it originally (internally)  could have done a neater job with the wiring.  Getting the power hooked up to it was a small challenge at 75 degrees. I'd hate to have to do it in winter. I'd probably just wire it to the cutoff box.