Hotspring Incentive Program / Free ACE System with Highlife series purchase

[Aquatub88]

When Hotspring has a promotion such as providing a free ACE system with the purchase of a new Highlife series Tub, does the dealer have to subsidize the promotional offer or is Watkins Manufacturing funding the purchase incentive fully?

[dishdude]

Why does it matter? As a Hot Spring owner my suggestion is get a Costco membership and buy your spa from them. My Hot Spring has broke multiple times, the dealer claims Hot Spring is so cheap they won't pay them enough to repair it so I am on the hook for a trip charge every time I have to have them come out.

[castletonia]

Every manufacturers warranty states that there can be a trip charge.  Pretty much every manufacturer I have dealt with also has similar rates for warranty compensation.  Sounds like you need a new dealer.

[Spatech_tuo]

Every manufacturers warranty states that there can be a trip charge.  Pretty much every manufacturer I have dealt with also has similar rates for warranty compensation.  Sounds like you need a new dealer.

Exactly, your dealer is really complaining about the industry.

[d00nut]

Why does it matter? As a Hot Spring owner my suggestion is get a Costco membership and buy your spa from them. My Hot Spring has broke multiple times, the dealer claims Hot Spring is so cheap they won't pay them enough to repair it so I am on the hook for a trip charge every time I have to have them come out.

Your dealer is an idiot.  Watkins pays the most out of Bullfrog, Jacuzzi, and Maax (the three I have dealt with.)

If your Costco spa breaks, who fixes that?  I'm a pretty logical person, but complaining about paying for service you have access to is better than no service at all... am I right?

What went wrong on your HSS?  Just because something went wrong doesn't mean something is better that you literally have NO experience with.

[dishdude]

I doubt Costco would be charging me to fix something under warranty.

Back to the ACE system, it does do a good job maintaining a chlorine level while the spa isn't being used, but my experience is that it doesn't do a good job of absorbing a bather load. If you end up buying one with the ACE system, set the level low and just add a small amount of chlorine after using the tub. I tried using the ACE as the only chlorinating source and burned up a cell.

[BullFrogSpasMN]

I doubt Costco would be charging me to fix something under warranty.

Back to the ACE system, it does do a good job maintaining a chlorine level while the spa isn't being used, but my experience is that it doesn't do a good job of absorbing a bather load. If you end up buying one with the ACE system, set the level low and just add a small amount of chlorine after using the tub. I tried using the ACE as the only chlorinating source and burned up a cell.

I got a $100 bill says this guy is a doctor, lawyer, or dentist...any takers? It's always the guys charging $350 an hour themselves in their own profession(s) that whine & moan about a small business charging a $60 trip charge

[Hottubguy]

I doubt Costco would be charging me to fix something under warranty.

Back to the ACE system, it does do a good job maintaining a chlorine level while the spa isn't being used, but my experience is that it doesn't do a good job of absorbing a bather load. If you end up buying one with the ACE system, set the level low and just add a small amount of chlorine after using the tub. I tried using the ACE as the only chlorinating source and burned up a cell.

Most of the labor warranty on Costco stuff is 1 year. Since you are saying you doubt you would pay anything I have done maybe a half dozen warranty jobs on Costco Tubs in the last year. Customer pays me a $169-$219 depending on distance service call charge to diagnose.

[d00nut]

I doubt Costco would be charging me to fix something under warranty.

You doubt, which means you don't know.  They would... FYI, a hot tub.  Travel charges. 

Also, most costco hot tub warranty's cover the parts for longer than the labor.  So travel + labor.  HSS gives the dealer the right to charge a trip charge, but no labor.

If your dealer wants to whine to you about the product they represent, I blame you for doing poor research on the dealer, and I look at the dealer as being someone who needs to get the heck out of the business.

I don't charge a cent for warranty work... FYI.  I think it ruins the experience.  I eat it, but I don't give my hot tubs away either, so I can do that.

[Hottubguy]

I doubt Costco would be charging me to fix something under warranty.

You doubt, which means you don't know.  They would... FYI, a hot tub.  Travel charges. 

Also, most costco hot tub warranty's cover the parts for longer than the labor.  So travel + labor.  HSS gives the dealer the right to charge a trip charge, but no labor.

If your dealer wants to whine to you about the product they represent, I blame you for doing poor research on the dealer, and I look at the dealer as being someone who needs to get the heck out of the business.

I don't charge a cent for warranty work... FYI.  I think it ruins the experience.  I eat it, but I don't give my hot tubs away either, so I can do that.

Same thing on tubs I sell.

[Aquatub88]

That’s concerning that you blew a cell.  Isn’t the idea that this is supposed to be your sanitizer?
Is it really worth getting the salt generation ?  Honest answers would be appreciated by users or past users of the system.

[Tman122]

That’s concerning that you blew a cell.  Isn’t the idea that this is supposed to be your sanitizer?
Is it really worth getting the salt generation ?  Honest answers would be appreciated by users or past users of the system.

No, IMO any chlorine generation system is not worth it. Adding a small amount of chlorine after each use is so easy that if you want easier, your a dumb ass.

[dishdude]

That’s concerning that you blew a cell.  Isn’t the idea that this is supposed to be your sanitizer?
Is it really worth getting the salt generation ?  Honest answers would be appreciated by users or past users of the system.

The warranty on the ACE system is only one year and the cell is $800. In my experience, using it as the sole source of sanitizer wasn't working but if I am out of town or not using it for a period of time it does a great job of keeping the water chlorinated. I have a small bottle with a tiny amount of Clorox (don't use the splash-less stuff!!!) I take in with me and set on the filter cover. As I'm about to get out, I pour it in and let it circulate before turning the pumps off. A tablespoon or two is all that is needed to bump the chlorine level up to 3 ppm and by the next day it'll drop down to about 1 ppm and with the ACE system set to a low level it'll keep it there without the need to remember to check in on it.

I suspect the ACE system also causes the PH to continually rise. I need to add PH reducer frequently to keep the PH 7.2-7.6.

You also need to take the cell out and soak it in muriatic acid once a month. Water the acid down, 2/3 water, 1/3 acid. Good time to rinse the filter off too.

[dishdude]

I doubt Costco would be charging me to fix something under warranty.

You doubt, which means you don't know.  They would... FYI, a hot tub.  Travel charges. 

Also, most costco hot tub warranty's cover the parts for longer than the labor.  So travel + labor.  HSS gives the dealer the right to charge a trip charge, but no labor.

If your dealer wants to whine to you about the product they represent, I blame you for doing poor research on the dealer, and I look at the dealer as being someone who needs to get the heck out of the business.

I don't charge a cent for warranty work... FYI.  I think it ruins the experience.  I eat it, but I don't give my hot tubs away either, so I can do that.

You're right, I am to blame. I thought I was paying extra for a premium product that wouldn't need continual repair. Latest drama, both pumps are leaking. I was told the Chinese "guangdong" pumps that came from the factory aren't the greatest. Luckily they're being replaced with an Aquaflo that is supposed to be higher quality.

[castletonia]

That’s concerning that you blew a cell.  Isn’t the idea that this is supposed to be your sanitizer?
Is it really worth getting the salt generation ?  Honest answers would be appreciated by users or past users of the system.

The warranty on the ACE system is only one year and the cell is $800. In my experience, using it as the sole source of sanitizer wasn't working but if I am out of town or not using it for a period of time it does a great job of keeping the water chlorinated. I have a small bottle with a tiny amount of Clorox (don't use the splash-less stuff!!!) I take in with me and set on the filter cover. As I'm about to get out, I pour it in and let it circulate before turning the pumps off. A tablespoon or two is all that is needed to bump the chlorine level up to 3 ppm and by the next day it'll drop down to about 1 ppm and with the ACE system set to a low level it'll keep it there without the need to remember to check in on it.

I suspect the ACE system also causes the PH to continually rise. I need to add PH reducer frequently to keep the PH 7.2-7.6.

You also need to take the cell out and soak it in muriatic acid once a month. Water the acid down, 2/3 water, 1/3 acid. Good time to rinse the filter off too.

Everyone's mileage will vary.  I only have about a year in with ACE, but I don't have any customer's who continually need to add chlorine to supplement ACE.  I'm guessing you are trying to run ACE with too low of an output setting? 

ACE does not cause pH to rise.  If anything, its the opposite.  Aeration from the jets naturally causes pH to rise.  When you add MPS, stain & scale products, even dichlor, those are all acidic or slightly acid and over time cause pH to drop.  If you are using bleach to supplement ACE, that is why you pH rises.  Bleach has a pH of 13.0

Again, sounds like your dealer did not properly educate you on ACE maintenance.  If they did, you would have known from the getgo that the cell needs cleaning every 90 days.  It's no different than a salt cell in a swimming pool, it needs regular cleaning.