Electric Cost to Maintain Tub

[Chas]

Wanna bet? Jacuzzi and Sundance (I can't speak to hotspring) have on their circuit board a "summer mode." Because the heat within your component bay is SO hot, the circulation pump automaticaly shuts down. They claim that this is so that the circ pump doesn't transfer heat into the water making it hard to keep the temp down. Well if that little 1/20th HP motor can create enough heat to over heat the water, imagine how hot it is in the equipment area!

You're not quite right on this one, Frank. The summer timer, which HS also has, IS, in fact, to keep the tub from overheating in extra hot weather.  And it IS, in fact, because the tubs are so well insulated that even a tiny amount of heat from the circ pump will add up over time and push the water temp up.

As to the temp in the motor compartment - I'll speak for HotSpring spas here - the compartment stays warm, but not hot during heating. The compartment is insulated top, bottom, and all sides except for the door. If you live in ice, you can get a kit to insulate the door.

When the jet pumps kick in, air is drawn in through a vent at the bottom of the door, through the motors, and ducted out to the enviornment. On it's way, it passes a tap for the jet air system, and as much hot air is fed to the jets as you choose - to recycle the heat from the motors and still keep the temp in the motor compartment under control.

Keeps the motor compartment temp under control, adds life to the motors, recycles the heat from the jet pump motors into the water, AND quiets the motors down because of the shroud on each one.

[Wisoki]

Like I said Chaz, "I can't speak to HotSpring." There is no such "shroud" in the Jacuzzi Sundance product. Nor is there any venting system that would expell hot air while drawing in the cool air. Now they do have some funky looking short slats on the front cabinet with 2 half oval cut outs in the abs base where the skirt is attached about 1/4 inch wide and 4 inces long each. Maybe thats their idea on cooling their pumps. Maybe nothing, I know it is. Then again I's jist an ijit from Ineanna.

You're not quite right on this one, Frank. The summer timer, which HS also has, IS, in fact, to keep the tub from overheating in extra hot weather.  And it IS, in fact, because the tubs are so well insulated that even a tiny amount of heat from the circ pump will add up over time and push the water temp up.

As to the temp in the motor compartment - I'll speak for HotSpring spas here - the compartment stays warm, but not hot during heating. The compartment is insulated top, bottom, and all sides except for the door. If you live in ice, you can get a kit to insulate the door.

When the jet pumps kick in, air is drawn in through a vent at the bottom of the door, through the motors, and ducted out to the enviornment. On it's way, it passes a tap for the jet air system, and as much hot air is fed to the jets as you choose - to recycle the heat from the motors and still keep the temp in the motor compartment under control.

Keeps the motor compartment temp under control, adds life to the motors, recycles the heat from the jet pump motors into the water, AND quiets the motors down because of the shroud on each one.

[IonHeaven]

Quote:
they One salesman said that the 24 hr pumps are not usually covered under the warrentee and are expensive--$200 to replace and so wear out quickly.  

Quote:
That is an error. Go to a HotSpring dealership and get a full and complete copy of the warranty. Or download it off the 'net. The circ pump is covered fully for five years, parts and labor. Most of the major brand-name tubs are the same.

Hi,
The Marquis dealer in my area told me that Marquis did away with the circ pump because they were one of the main things that needed replacing. He said that he thinks Hot Springs is soon to be phasing them out as well.   IonHeaven

[Chas]

Like I said Chaz, "I can't speak to HotSpring." There is no such "shroud" in the Jacuzzi Sundance product. Nor is there any venting system that would expell hot air while drawing in the cool air. Now they do have some funky looking short slats on the front cabinet with 2 half oval cut outs in the abs base where the skirt is attached about 1/4 inch wide and 4 inces long each. Maybe thats their idea on cooling their pumps. Maybe nothing, I know it is. Then again I's jist an ijit from Ineanna.

Gotcha. Thanks.

How hot is it in Indiana these days?

[txwillie]

Good point.  Now you went and got me curious.    I think I'll do a temperature check expriment this weekend, and see exactly how warm it gets in there.

Brewman

Please do Brewman and post the findings. As for me, I'm headed out this weekend to checkout a few dealers and wet test one or two. Trust me, I'm not beating myself up about the insulation thing

[McKevin]

Not much of a test about summer temps, but we don't seem to be having summer temps this year.
FWIW, my #1 pump has been runing on low, and the #2 & #3 pumps on high for around 2 hours now.  The room temp is 75, the temp inside the (thermopane) cabinet is 90.
Don't know what that means, if anything, but until the temps get to 100 again it's all I got...

McKevin

[Wisoki]

This will probably go down as one of the coolest summers on record. I don't think we've hit 90 yet. The humidity's been low. Kinda wierd, but I'm not complaining!

Gotcha. Thanks.

How hot is it in Indiana these days?

[Brewman]

I was a little busier than usual this weekend, but I did get a chance to to a quick temperature check.
I put a thermometer probe into the equipment bay thru the slats in the skirt.  The temperature in the bay was about equal to the ambient temperature- about 82 degrees.  I turned on both pumps full speed, and the temperature in the cabinet gradually rose to just over 100 degrees in the 20 minutes until the pumps shut themselves off.  I didn't turn on the blower, that may have added more heat, but we never use the spa with both pumps at full bore with the blower.  
Brewman

[Constance]

  Thanks to everyone for your input!!!  I've really enjoyed the conversation!!!  
Connie