Sump Pumps

[Warkovision]

OK. I know this has been covered - and I did do a three year search on the subject, but didn't find the info I was after. I'm due for a water change and rather than use the gravity drain, thought I would go the pump route. I saw Steve's post about just using a hose (pool vacuum type) to syphon out the water, but our tub is on the ground and I don't believe I can get the hose low enough in relation to the tub to be effective. My question is, what brand or variety pump would you recommend and what accessories? (hose adapter, etc.) And where's the best place to purchase such a thing? I saw where someone suggested an oil free pump because of the chance of leakage with one that has oil. Anyhow, thanks.

[Steve]

Hey Wark! That concept of using a vacuum has no bearing on the spas position or depth. Once the flow has been established by use of a shop vac, it will flow freely from that point on without suction. You'll just need a weight of some sort to keep it in the footwell.

If you are considering a sump, any basic unit will do and I don't believe special consideration needs to be looked at for this application. These usually come with the required fittings to hook up to the unit itself. I don't have any brand names to forward to you but keep it simple and inexpensive. It'll do the job for ya!

Steve

[Russ]

good info at homedepot.com
do a search on sump pumps
then click on the info page.

[Warkovision]

Thanks guys,
  Maybe I'll just buy the pump connection hose first and see if I can make the syphon trick work. Then move on to the pump if that fails,

[gb60]

I'm just a newb, but here's what I did...
I bought a 24' sump pump discharge hose ($7 everywhere), held one end tight to a handy jet, ran the pump for 10 seconds, and voila!!

[UnderTheStars]

Maybe I'll just buy the pump connection hose first and see if I can make the syphon trick work. Then move on to the pump if that fails

Good plan Warko!  My 400 gallon tub sits on the ground, yard is flat.   The $7 sump discharge hose (no pump) empties it in 15 minutes.  

[nicker]

lucky for me my drain hole is much larger then most spas so I can drain my tub (about 275 gal) in about 20 minutes.  My drain is about 1 1/2".

But I have heard the sump pump works great and FAST probably becuase it to has a large capacity hose.  And that is good especially if you live in a cold climate as to get the empty and refill done quickly.   I have hear others use the tub drain along with a garden hose at the same time and that speeds it up.  But I think the sump pump would be the quickest. I just bought one for our house at Home Depot for $130 Cnd funds.

[Elle]

Maybe I'm just being a girl who knows little about sump pumps and the like, but where does the water go when you are draining with such a short hose  (24") ?  Am I missing something here?  My tub sits on the ground, and the one time I drained it I ran a long hose to the back corner of my lot where the drainage sewer is located and hung the end of the hose down into it.  Would I  need a larger, but equally long, hose to drain faster?  Can someone set me straight?  

Elle...giving women everywhere a bad name

[wmccall]

I'm just a newb, but here's what I did...
I bought a 24' sump pump discharge hose ($7 everywhere), held one end tight to a handy jet, ran the pump for 10 seconds, and voila!!

Being that your a newbie, that can't have any merit  

I might try that next time.  Something simple I didn't think of doing.

[bulmer4nc]

Maybe I'm just being a girl who knows little about sump pumps and the like, but where does the water go when you are draining with such a short hose  (24") ?  Am I missing something here?  My tub sits on the ground, and the one time I drained it I ran a long hose to the back corner of my lot where the drainage sewer is located and hung the end of the hose down into it.  Would I  need a larger, but equally long, hose to drain faster?  Can someone set me straight?  

Elle...giving women everywhere a bad name

Think he said a 24' hose (24 feet)...  That should be lots for most people.  We actually need about 50 feet to get the back of our yard so I'd need 2.

Anyone know if the sump pump hoses can be connected together?

[nicker]

Dont you just drain the water onto your yard/lawn  That is what I do.  I don't add any chems to my tub for a couple days before I drain as to try no to kill my lawn.  So far so good my lawn is still green.

[wmccall]

Dont you just drain the water onto your yard/lawn  That is what I do.  I don't add any chems to my tub for a couple days before I drain as to try no to kill my lawn.  So far so good my lawn is still green.

Same for me. A couple of weeks ago I wouldn't have wanted to add 425 gallons to my lawn, but normally it isn't a problem.

[ebirrane]

Maybe I'm just being a girl who knows little about sump pumps and the like, but where does the water go when you are draining with such a short hose  (24") ?  Am I missing something here?  My tub sits on the ground, and the one time I drained it I ran a long hose to the back corner of my lot where the drainage sewer is located and hung the end of the hose down into it.  Would I  need a larger, but equally long, hose to drain faster?  Can someone set me straight?  

Elle...giving women everywhere a bad name

Yeah. leave it to a guy to state that 24" will stretch across the whole yard...

-Ed

[bulmer4nc]

Dont you just drain the water onto your yard/lawn  That is what I do.  I don't add any chems to my tub for a couple days before I drain as to try no to kill my lawn.  So far so good my lawn is still green.

Right now we're using Bromine and keep the levels up right until we drain.  We've got a drainage easement right on the other side of our back fence so we just run the hose and stick it under the fense.  That way the're no risk of doing anything to the grass...

[Elle]

Dont you just drain the water onto your yard/lawn  That is what I do.  I don't add any chems to my tub for a couple days before I drain as to try no to kill my lawn.  So far so good my lawn is still green.

Dear hubby would take off my head if I drained the spa onto his precious lawn.  Not going to happen on my watch.  

Elle