Bottom Drains

[East_TX_Spa]

Why don't most spas have drains in the bottom?  I have always wondered about this and have never seen it explained adequately.  Does anyone have the definitive answer?

Terminator

[JJ]

My Vita has a bottom drain, and if I used it to empty the tub it would take 2 days.  This may be because the bottom drain is also the circulation pump outlet, and there may be some plumbing slowing down the water flow.  It might be different if it were a dedicated drain, but I think it is an over-rated feature.  Setting up a siphon empties the tub much faster and leaves very little water in the bottom.  A little wet dry vac takes care of the rest and you can suck the water out of the jets at the same time.

[East_TX_Spa]

It seems pretty handy to me.  I just drained a Prodigy in my showroom.  Hooked a hose to it, ran it out the door, and it took about an hour to drain.

Terminator

[PaulMc]

  Maybe a bottom drain isn't a generic part..

[HotTubMan]

It does come in handy, what can be even nicer is if that bottom drain is attached to pump.

[SerjicalStrike]

Where do most tubs have a drain?  Or do they just not have a drain?

[HotTubMan]

Most tubs have gravity feeds through jets and siuctions

[East_TX_Spa]

 Maybe a bottom drain isn't a generic part..

Evidently, they aren't generic.  Most of the kit type spas use the by-pass valves as drains.  I wonder why?

Terminator

[SerjicalStrike]

What is the benefit of having a bottom drain, as opposed to a bypass valve?  

[East_TX_Spa]

A bottom drain, like in your bathtub, means you don't have to bail or siphon water.  As to the advantages over having by-pass valves, well, that's a whole big can of worms that I don't want to get anyone stirred up about today.

Terminator

[SerjicalStrike]

If your tub has bucket seats, won't you have to get that water into the middle of the tub for it to drain?  

Do most tubs have suctions on the bottom?  If they drain out of there, that should be good enough.  No matter what drain you use, you will not get all the water out of the tub.  So if you only get a few more gallons out of the tub by using a bottom drain, then a manufacturer might not want to invest in a shell design change just to accomplish that.

[East_TX_Spa]

It's really easy getting the water out of the bucket seats.  I just take a wooden boat paddle and push it out of the seats.  After that, it all drains away, easy as pie.  Beats the heck out of using a bucket.

Why would a spa be designed without a drain in the bottom to start with?  There has to be a reason that makes sense, I've just never heard one.

Terminator

[TubsAndCues]

My guess is that it's just cheaper to not install a main drain.  I can't think of any other reason why manufacturers wouldn't have a main drain.

[Brewman]

It does come in handy, what can be even nicer is if that bottom drain is attached to pump.

Good idea.  
Our Optima has a bottom drain, and with a 3/4" garden hose, takes less than an hour to drain.  
I made a scooper out of an empty bleach bottle by keeping the cap on, and cutting off the bottom.  I use this to get the water out of the bucket seats, and to pick up the few gallons of water that the drain doesn't get.

[Guzz]

A bottom drain takes up space underneath the shell of the spa, you therefore have to add extra material, wood , foam whatever, to cover and protect the plumbing coming from the dain. This adds height to the spa and considerable cost to production. The manufacturer does'nt care, he's not draining it, you are and he's saving money.