Clearwater vs Artesian Spa

[Hottubguy]

Artesian does not have variable speed motors they would cost a fortune. You can adjust the pressure up and down but they use balboa pumps nothing super exotic. Not trying to be a pain just inform.

I didn't think so. I just looked they are doing variable flow control which is something similar to what marquis does with the vector tubs but not variable speed pumps

[The Wizard of Spas]

Artesian does not have variable speed motors they would cost a fortune. You can adjust the pressure up and down but they use balboa pumps nothing super exotic. Not trying to be a pain just inform.

On Platinum Elite & Island Elites they do.  Yes:  You can adjust the pressure (water flow) up or down but that is because you have a dial that you increase or decrease the amount of amperage from the motor.  That increases or decreases the RPMs.  Thus- Variable Speed.  This is the same as what is happening with the in ground pool industry.  This is not a two speed motor, nor is it adjusted by diverter valves.

Platinum Elites ONLY have variable speed pumps, all connected to DirectFlow controls.  Island Elites have (2) VS pumps connected to DirectFlow controls, and at least one standard pump.  Island Spas, South Seas Spas and Garden Spas all have just standard pumps.

[Hottubprosne]

The artesian platinum use a power wow 3 hp 1 speed 220v pump part number#21-0025-81. It is not variable speed. The knobs that adjust the pressure are just air valves. They cause cavitation which causes lower flow. The pump does not have to work as hard and so amperage would drop a little as well. On the Tidal Fit swim spas you can actually adjust the pressure for the swim jets instead of just off and on like all the others. BTW artesian platinum has awesome pressure just like Bullfrog. And for tman the bullfrog koolaid tastes so good you should try some      

[BullFrogSpasMN]

The artesian platinum use a power wow 3 hp 1 speed 220v pump part number#21-0025-81. It is not variable speed. The knobs that adjust the pressure are just air valves. They cause cavitation which causes lower flow. The pump does not have to work as hard and so amperage would drop a little as well. On the Tidal Fit swim spas you can actually adjust the pressure for the swim jets instead of just off and on like all the others. BTW artesian platinum has awesome pressure just like Bullfrog. And for tman the bullfrog koolaid tastes so good you should try some      

I imagine that being like the system on the AquaTrainer line from Hydropool Swim Spas...push buttons to increase/decrease, very nice setup actually...and don't let Tman fool you, he's been pm'ing me asking for a Bullfrog hat and Jacket so he can become a brand ambassador in Northern MN...hahaha 

[The Wizard of Spas]

The artesian platinum use a power wow 3 hp 1 speed 220v pump part number#21-0025-81. It is not variable speed. The knobs that adjust the pressure are just air valves. They cause cavitation which causes lower flow. The pump does not have to work as hard and so amperage would drop a little as well. On the Tidal Fit swim spas you can actually adjust the pressure for the swim jets instead of just off and on like all the others. BTW artesian platinum has awesome pressure just like Bullfrog. And for tman the bullfrog koolaid tastes so good you should try some      

That is the correct part number.  However, the air has its own control.  You can turn the air off completely and still turn the water flow up and down.  The air has nothing to do with the water pressure with the jets.  The DirectFlow allows you to physically dial up or down the amperage of the specific motor in the specific seat you are using.  The increase or decrease of the amps will increase or decrease the RPMs. 

DirectFlow controls have 3 buttons:  One is the ON/OFF for the motor, one is the venturi air control, and one is a physical knob that you can turn up or down.  It is not an on/off but rather a dial, like that on a radio.

If you were injecting air to cause cavatation in the pump there would be air bubbles in the water stream when the venturi air control is closed.  That is not the case.

The entire time that the water is off, the flow can be increased or decreased.  None of it is by diversion.  Its all about the motor and how fast or slow it is going.

[Edit:  Clarification]

[Hottubprosne]

Check them out when your in New Orleans the adjustment is unlike any thing i have seen in any other tub. I have no idea how the hydro pool buttons work looks to be electronic instead of pneumatic.

[BullFrogSpasMN]

Check them out when your in New Orleans the adjustment is unlike any thing i have seen in any other tub. I have no idea how the hydro pool buttons work looks to be electronic instead of pneumatic.

I'll have to check them out when I'm down there next week

[Hottubprosne]

Wizard your killing me. Yes the tub has a normal air valve and that is a push button style on off air jet system like every hot tub has. That adjusts the air at the jet as it is drawn in. The knob that adjusts the pressure has a small air tube attached that is plumbed right before the intake at the pump. Turning the knob down for less pressure adds air bubbles that cause cavitation. There is no wire from that control to the pump or the pack just an air tube. If you turn the air off in that seat and have the power all the way on you will see no bubbles. Then if you turn the power down you will see small bubbles.

[The Wizard of Spas]

First off- love the give and take.  This is all positive and I enjoy the exchange of ideas, points etc. and if I am off the mark on this I'm a very humble dude and will freely admit it.  Could have sworn it's varible speed so I am going to look under the hood in the showroom to confirm either my ignorance or reaffirm my ability to every once and a while to be right

I'll walk with you on that but we have tech that we show the actual reduction/increase in amps. How is that a thing? Now you got me questioning myself (a good thing- I hate relaying incorrect info, hence loving the back and forth).

I'm off till Monday and am going to take apart my spa and look for this tube as well as the other points you mentioned.

Good exchange tho. Y'all are excellent. Off to drink some beers now. Ciao!

[Tman122]

So are they or aren't they reo-statically controlled variable speed pumps like the Pentaire Inteliflow?

And damn straight I want that hat and jacket.

[BullFrogSpasMN]

So are they or aren't they reo-statically controlled variable speed pumps like the Pentaire Inteliflow?

And damn straight I want that hat and jacket.

not if it has an air tube as described above, sounds like a "poor mans version" to me, I still wanna see how it works...Like I stated before Hydropool has a true push button pneumatic system attached to the swim jets on their AquaTrainer models, no air being introduced, just pure water and each swim jet is powered by its own pump, its freakin ridiculously powerful and a very cool system...$$$ though

[The Wizard of Spas]

Eating all the crow today.  All of it.

I have always had my tubs hooked up to a program on our tv display that shows amperage and always adjusted the flow to show customers that you're messing with the speeds, RMPs, etc. and never really looked at the specific motor when it came to the air lines and the cavitation, etc. 

I was wrong on this one guys.  Its got that air line as mentioned.

Welp- Again, this is why I come to these forums:  To learn new things every day.

[Hottubprosne]

I think the reduced amperage is because the cavitation makes the motor not work as hard so it draws less amps. If you haven't seen it in person its a simple fix to a complex problem. BTW wizard the only reason i have any idea about this is i too sell artesian spas and when we brought them on a called and wanted to know how it worked it took a couple of people until i talked to an engineer to explain it to me.