New Home - Tub Electric

[slw4w084]

Good afternoon,

I am currently in the process of building a home and looking to add a tub to the 10x10 slab in the back. I am a complete newbie when it comes to hot tubs as I have never owned one in my life. I am having the builder put in a 220V connection in close proximity to the target area. For electric purposes, will this be sufficient or will I need need additional work done on the front end (electric panels, additional wiring etc)? I am looking to purchase a smaller tub (Bullfrog X-series or Hotspot) but am having some issues learning what electric requirements I will need.

I really appreciate your help with this!

Lee

[Spatech_tuo]

Good afternoon,

I am currently in the process of building a home and looking to add a tub to the 10x10 slab in the back. I am a complete newbie when it comes to hot tubs as I have never owned one in my life. I am having the builder put in a 220V connection in close proximity to the target area. For electric purposes, will this be sufficient or will I need need additional work done on the front end (electric panels, additional wiring etc)? I am looking to purchase a smaller tub (Bullfrog X-series or Hotspot) but am having some issues learning what electric requirements I will need.

I really appreciate your help with this!

Lee

Ask the local dealers you are working with.

[bud16415]

Most 240v tubs require a 50a breaker in the main panel. Some of the high end tubs need 60a. Most tubs with two jet pumps work with 50a. the wire run thru the house has to be sized for that load and length of the run of the proper wire type for indoor service (dry). When it exits the house close to the location of the tub but greater than 5' from the tub and within eye shot of the tub (not hidden) there has to be a GFCI disconnect breaker. This is where you will test the GFCI once a month to make sure it is working and also where you will shut the power off when draining and cleaning the tub. This GFCI device is the most important thing in your setup as it protects you sitting in a tub of water with a 240v power supply close to that water. Different makers require different setups. some have a 20a and a 30a GFCI together and some have a 50a/60a. The wires from this box have to be run in ridged conduit and wet rated wire. the last few feet where the conduit comes out of the ground can then be switched to flex conduit and that should be run all the way up inside the tubs service area and connected to the electrical box in the tub. the connections and the number and size of the wires will be spelled out in the manual.

As a side note some tubs can be converted to run on 30a for people that are lacking power. When you do this conversion to the wiring the pumps and the heater wont both work at the same time. In a warm area that might work ok. I wouldn't recommended that in the north unless you like to use the tub mostly as a soaking tub. 

[Sam]

In these instances it's common for the builder to say he's running the 220v line and for the customer to think that nothing else needs done.  As stated above, you still need the GFCI box (properly located) and then have the spa hard-wired into the hot tub.  So to answer your question (I think), yes you will still need additional work to be done. 

Also as as stated, Bullfrog X series and hot spot spas are 50 amps but Host Spring uses a different breaker setup compared to Bullfrog's.

[Hottubguy]

In these instances it's common for the builder to say he's running the 220v line and for the customer to think that nothing else needs done.  As stated above, you still need the GFCI box (properly located) and then have the spa hard-wired into the hot tub.  So to answer your question (I think), yes you will still need additional work to be done. 

Also as as stated, Bullfrog X series and hot spot spas are 50 amps but Host Spring uses a different breaker setup compared to Bullfrog's.

Hot spot should be same as Bullfrog. Limelight and highlife use the split breaker

[Sam]

In these instances it's common for the builder to say he's running the 220v line and for the customer to think that nothing else needs done.  As stated above, you still need the GFCI box (properly located) and then have the spa hard-wired into the hot tub.  So to answer your question (I think), yes you will still need additional work to be done. 

Also as as stated, Bullfrog X series and hot spot spas are 50 amps but Host Spring uses a different breaker setup compared to Bullfrog's.

Hot spot should be same as Bullfrog. Limelight and highlife use the split breaker

Good to know, thanks.  I sold Hot Spring years ago but did not remember this tidbit.

[Hottubguy]

In these instances it's common for the builder to say he's running the 220v line and for the customer to think that nothing else needs done.  As stated above, you still need the GFCI box (properly located) and then have the spa hard-wired into the hot tub.  So to answer your question (I think), yes you will still need additional work to be done. 

Also as as stated, Bullfrog X series and hot spot spas are 50 amps but Host Spring uses a different breaker setup compared to Bullfrog's.

Hot spot should be same as Bullfrog. Limelight and highlife use the split breaker

Good to know, thanks.  I sold Hot Spring years ago but did not remember this tidbit.

No problem. Same way on a Vacanza series Caldera. Whereas the paradise and utopia use the split breaker.

[bud16415]

Most dealers don’t know or don’t explain the split GFCI breaker very well. I personally think tubs that are wired this way are a great idea for anyone living in sub freezing areas.

The 20a side of the breaker just runs the heater and the 30a side runs the rest of the tub. if your heater goes out the tubs brain still has power to it and it knows the heater is out and goes into survival mode. It alarms you that the heater is not working and then slowly circulates hot water stored in the tub out to the extremities to keep things from freezing until service can come. It can turn a few hours into a few days.