I Need Advice on Commercial Spas

[East_TX_Spa]

I just had a gentleman who is the director of the local municipal swim center ask me to help him find a spa.  These are the requirements as dictated by the state:

1. The suction fittings must be 3 feet apart

2.  It has to have an automatic sanitation system

3.  The controls have to be mounted on a wall separate from the spa itself

Unfortunately, we don't have anything like that!

I thought that this would be the place to ask as ya'll are some pretty sharp folks who might be willing to point me in the right direction.  I appreciate any and all input as this is the first time I have had a request like this.

Thanks in advance!

Terminator

[Vinny]

Since nobody responded to this, I'll give you my 2 cents.

The only spas I've been in are commercial soon to have a home one . Anyway, they are usually made out of concrete and tile or possibly fiberglass. They have a continuous seat and  seem to be built with few jets (10 - 15) and powerful motors. Nothing fancy, I've seen them with temp controller or readout about 6 feet away and also with a timer (looks like a infrared light timer - pointy knob with tic marks on the base) about 5 feet away.

I would think it's more in the realm of a gunite in-ground pool than a portable spa.

[Chas]

HotSpring just discontinued their in-ground tub program. You might contact the factory and see if they have any shells laying around, or if any dealers have any on hand that they would like to be rid of. Most tub makers have in-ground versions: be sure they offer a commercial version.

HS offered a commercial tub - in CA we have some more requirements than what you list. We need to have steps all the way to the floor: evenly spaced from top to bottom. A hand rail. We have to have markers on any depth changes. That means tile lines or painted lines on the edge of the steps and the edge of the benches. Pool-type skimmer, chlorine injection (can be a basic chlorine pump on a timeclock set to inject during open hours of operation). Emergnecy shut-off which will kill power to everything except the light.

GFI for all pumps and light. Controls over 5 feet from the water - can be a simple snap timer for the jets. You can run the heater all the time on it's own thermostat, or have it so the snap timer kicks the heat up from a lower setting when folks are in. A couple of relays can do it all.

Leave out the air blower - potential for problems, costs more to heat a tub with a blower, and it can be very noise in a club or other indoor application.

Flow rates need to not exceed the rating of the suction fittings. I would order it preplumbed - let the folks at the factory do your design work, they know what works.

[Phil]

If that is all your state requires, WOW!  You are very lucky!  Off the top of my head, here is what my state requries...

1)5' off non-skid decking all the way around the spa, or less than 1'
2)ASTM cover
3)NSF approved equipment
4)flo meters, in line thermometers
5)proper flo rates=gallonage/equipment/pipe size
6)stair markings
7)rise and run of steps at 10/12
8)handrails
9)commercial NSF skimmers
10)white shell color
11)anti-vortex main's seperated
12)equilizer system installed to balance suctions/skimmer
13) a whole lota $$ for the state to approve
14) bathroom facilitys
15)depth markings


the list goes on, i know in our neigboring state to the west, there is next to nothing to install a commercial spa!  

I would install some air controls in the wall at least 5' from the tub to run the agitation pump on high for 15 min cycles.  Your circ pump will run 24/7, buy a shell somewhere that meets your states requirments then go to distribution for the pumps/filter/heater, thats what I would do.

Once I purchased a truck of spa shells from Grecian, I believe they are in Texas, they supply commercial shells and could help you out.  I personally would have to stay away from any portable type spa shell in my state.

Did the director of the swim center give you those requirments or did you look them up?  I would bet there is more to it than that, check with your state department of health.

It's great to sell, but it's another thing to get held accountable if there are laws in place.

[East_TX_Spa]

Did the director of the swim center give you those requirments or did you look them up?  I would bet there is more to it than that, check with your state department of health.

That's only the highlights, I'm sure.  There's probably more than what he told me.

I don't really want to get involved with this.  But, on the other hand, it is my city and I would like to help out if I can (trying to be a good citizen!)

Terminator

[East_TX_Spa]

Vinny and Chas, thanks for ya'lls input.  I really do appreciate it!

I think I'll contact the factory as well as some of the folks I met at Top Gun a couple of weeks ago and see what I can find.

Again, thank you.

Terminator

[Phil]

We did commercial spas for a few years then quit.  3 years later after I got our systems ironed out, I was able to re-direct more of my time and efforts into commercial spas and now commercial pools.  

Basically, they are a huge PITA, but once you got it down, it gets easier.

[Steve]

I know that about 1% of dealers have the knowledge to install a pool or spa in a commercial application.

Hydropool has their own commercial department that looks after these applications specifically.

Here's our commercial spas:

http://www.hydropoolhottubs.com/commercial2.html

Steve