Parts interchangeability

[Warbeetle]

I just bought a used Hot Springs Pulse (2014) for a pretty good price. I think the previous owner tried to hide the fact that the Jet Pump 2 was leaking. Oh well, no big deal. I bought used knowing I'd have to be handy with repairs. It looks like it's just a bad shaft seal on the volute. Doing some research and looking at the label on the pump, it looks like my "Watkins Wavemaster 9000" that sells for $600 with a $20 replacement seal is really just a $240 48 frame "Gecko Aquaflow XP2" that's been modified with a motor cowl to direct the hot air exhaust into the spa's exhaust hose, and the $20 replacement seal is just a $8 PS-200 seal kit from US Seal.

So my question is, does all this sound right? Is this sort of thing common with spa parts where some generic part gets rebranded and marked up 100%?

[Tman122]

I just bought a used Hot Springs Pulse (2014) for a pretty good price. I think the previous owner tried to hide the fact that the Jet Pump 2 was leaking. Oh well, no big deal. I bought used knowing I'd have to be handy with repairs. It looks like it's just a bad shaft seal on the volute. Doing some research and looking at the label on the pump, it looks like my "Watkins Wavemaster 9000" that sells for $600 with a $20 replacement seal is really just a $240 48 frame "Gecko Aquaflow XP2" that's been modified with a motor cowl to direct the hot air exhaust into the spa's exhaust hose, and the $20 replacement seal is just a $8 PS-200 seal kit from US Seal.

So my question is, does all this sound right? Is this sort of thing common with spa parts where some generic part gets rebranded and marked up 100%?

Yes

[Spatech_tuo]

I just bought a used Hot Springs Pulse (2014) for a pretty good price. I think the previous owner tried to hide the fact that the Jet Pump 2 was leaking. Oh well, no big deal. I bought used knowing I'd have to be handy with repairs. It looks like it's just a bad shaft seal on the volute. Doing some research and looking at the label on the pump, it looks like my "Watkins Wavemaster 9000" that sells for $600 with a $20 replacement seal is really just a $240 48 frame "Gecko Aquaflow XP2" that's been modified with a motor cowl to direct the hot air exhaust into the spa's exhaust hose, and the $20 replacement seal is just a $8 PS-200 seal kit from US Seal.

So my question is, does all this sound right? Is this sort of thing common with spa parts where some generic part gets rebranded and marked up 100%?

There is obviously mark up at the spa manufacturers and the spa dealers so if you are a DIYer and are able to bypass one or both on something like a pump or its parts you'll save for sure.