My TP study COMPLETED

[anne]

So, This is good. In fact, to make it better, I suggest that we find a cold spot in the country - perhaps near a major ski resort in Colorado or somehting - and set up a bunch of different spas.

Then run 'em for a month and check the amount of electjuicity each one takes - and then we should just shut 'em all down and see which one freezes first.

What d'ya think?

 

I am sure there is a government agency out there that would think this is a FINE use of grant money. We all pay taxes, right?

[Vinny]

My belief is as NJDave said that a well constructed TP spa will keep the water warmer due to the motor's heat.

Bosco, I'm glad to see that your tub maintains it's heat very well. Obviously Arctric builds TP pretty well ... at least you and I can sleep at night knowing that our tubs won't frreeze solid in a couple of hours!

[Mendocino101]

I am confused a bit here.....(ok so its not the first time)...but if you spa heats on its filter cycles than I would think the only real way to find out if one FF or TP works better is to cut the power for an extended period of time....I think that was snypers point that he had no power at all to the spa and this is what he lost....also if there is a break point ...meaning how will one which ever it might be keep things warm for say 18 hours but after that things start to drop quickly and with one it might be 30 hours or something....but if you are recapturing heat while filtering that is what the spa is supposed to do.....or am I missing something......

[Vinny]

Mendo.

It started with my thread of my tub retaining it's heat and the only thing running was the circ pump. It was because of my turning down the heat on Wed to do a water change (and not doing one) and forgetting about it until Fri.

Quite honestly, I won't nor do I expect anyone else to shut down a perfectly good tub in the winter to see what happens. I'll leave that up to the manufacturers! I also don't want Bosco's water to get skunky, my tub was filtering ... so that's why he has his filter cycles going.

I think it's pretty impressive that Bosco's tub retained that much heat with only the pump(s) running on a filter cycle. It's a good example of a well constructed spa, IMO. I truely expected his water to lose more temp than it did - thinking that the water is sitting in the vessel without circulating for a number of hours and when the pump kicks on, it'll go up a degree or so.

This wasn't a due to a bash, challange or anything else. I think I can speak for Bosco that our "experiments" were for our own knowledge. I now know for sure that if my heater ever goes, I just got to keep that circ pump going until it can be replaced and in 20 - 30 F temp I have about a week.

Vinny

[Mendocino101]

Vinny,

I understand and I should have been more clear that I was relating this test to something with no power on it....Marquis as that I am most familiar with does not use a circ pump and on the economy setting 2 hours of filtering twice a day it will in most cases maintain a temp of 104 ....Snyper had mentioned having no power with only a minimal loss of heat.....cheers to all for the good information you guys are putting out.....

[NJDave]

Bosco,
As Mendocino mentioned, since your motors are still producing heat for the spa and under skirt area. The study is not accurate, because you are still producing heat. If motors run, you can heat a spa to 100+ degrees. Remember, Softubs have no heater, they draw heat from the motor only.If motors continue to run, the water is warmed by water running through the hot motors. The only true test to watch temperature drop for your spa is to shut off the breaker and see how well the temperature holds then. Otherwise you are wasting your time. Of course, we don't want anyone to shut down their breaker and possibly damage their beautiful spa, due to freeze cracking. Even though your heater is turned down, your motors are producing heat. Now, Chas made a great point, to see which spa is the most effecient overall. Placing 10 manufacturers side by side, set at the same temperature, for a period of three months, with each spa having it's own meter, to determine which is really the most effecient, set at 100 degrees and operated 7 times per week on high speed for an hour a day. Then we will know which is the winner. Lets do it. Shall we  say Minnesota? I'll have to buy one of those hats with the flap. Dave.

[tony]

So, This is good. In fact, to make it better, I suggest that we find a cold spot in the country - perhaps near a major ski resort in Colorado or somehting - and set up a bunch of different spas.

Then run 'em for a month and check the amount of electjuicity each one takes - and then we should just shut 'em all down and see which one freezes first.

What d'ya think?

 

I think this went over most everybody's head!!!

Ahhh, the great spa challenge.

[bosco0633]

Ok, I have been testing this out for about 30 hours now.  My tub without the heater running has maintained a temperature of 102.  This has been great.  I would love to try the study of shutting it down, but I dont want to have any issues in the event of cold weather.  I agree with you that the test may not be that great of one, but I just wanted to see with these cold temperatures here in Canada, what my tub will be like without a heater.  

Does it help contribute to things, maybe maybe not, but like Vinny says, it is piece of mind for myslef and others that always wondered.  Ill continue until tommorow at 12pm.  Maybe after that, I will go 12 hours without power just to see.
 -1°C                                             tub temp 102
Clear
FEELS LIKE   -6°C
WIND   W 19 km/h
GUSTS    
RELATIVE HUMIDITY   55%
DEWPOINT   -9°C
PRESSURE   102.51 kPa  
VISIBILITY   24 km
CEILING   unlimited

[Chas]

I think this went over most everybody's head!!!

Ahhh, the great spa challenge.

[bosco0633]

almost 36 hours in, and the tub is holding at 102.  

[bosco0633]

call me crazy, but I tripped the breaker at 12pm, I am going to let it go over night just to see.

 -6°C                             tub 102 still
Clear
WIND   W 6 km/h
GUSTS    
RELATIVE HUMIDITY   93%
DEWPOINT   -7°C
PRESSURE   102.61 kPa  
VISIBILITY   24 km
CEILING   unlimited

I will do this until the 12pm and then turn it back on and end my personal satisfaction study.

[Tman122]

Mine usualy holds without the heater also, as long as I let it filter as you are for a minumum of 8-12 hours a day. If I lower the filter time to 4-6 I will start to loose  a couple degrees a day. The real test begins when you power down the motor.

If you do this do not look at your vessel for reassurance it is not frozen. Loosen a union at the pump to see if the water is still liquid. And be carefull in the pump and heater as there is steel in there and water around cold steel in a smaller space will freeze the quickest. And the worst part is you will not know if it freezes unless you take off the side panel and then you will let all the heat out.

[Tman122]

Then we will know which is the winner. Lets do it. Shall we  say Minnesota? I'll have to buy one of those hats with the flap. Dave.

Dave and others, start sending your spas this way I have the perfect spot for this test and I will, at no cost to you, supply the power and the personell to monitor and utilize the spas every day for 1 hour. After the test I will supply non subjective data back to those who supplied spas. And a photo of the spa supplied to go alone with that data. Incase you wanted to remember what spa you sent. PM me for the address, common carrier is fine I have unloading capability. Maybe some of you guys should get together get a bunch on one truck to save on some shipping cost.

[DaisyBug08016]

I feel like I have stumbled into a Mythbusters episode.  

[bosco0633]

 WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW

OK  last night, I tripped the breaker just to see.  The temp last night dropped to -9 and it felt really cold.  It was 102 when I shut it down.  12 hours have passed and I just opened it up to see where I am at.  100 degrees.  Droped 2 degrees overnight with no power.  I powered it back up and the tub is running fine no issues.  I opend the side panel just to see what is going on, and I must say, it was still very warm in there.  I am assuming the heat from the water kept the cavity warm.  I am very happy with these results and have decided to end my study.

To recap, 48 hours of no heater maintained 102 temperature with basic filter cycles on.  I then shut the power off over night for 12 hours and the tub only dropped 2 degrees.

What does this all mean? who knows.  But at the end of the day, I can say that my tub performs well and in the event of a power failure, I think that i should be ok for atleast 24 to 48 hours in -9 degree weather.  

So I would suggest, that my TP tub is really an effective product for MY NEEDS.

Thank you for your time and here is the current temp.
 -1°C
A few clouds
FEELS LIKE   -6°C
WIND   NW 17 km/h
GUSTS    
RELATIVE HUMIDITY   55%
DEWPOINT   -9°C
PRESSURE   102.64 kPa  
VISIBILITY   24 km
CEILING   unlimited