Auxillary heater wanted - any suggestions?

[neocacher]

I would like to purchase a submersable heater that will help heat the hot tub ( i only have 115 V and it takes 40 hours to heat it.)  Any suggestions and places to purchase would be appreciated.

[Vinny]

I would suggest either see if the tub can be converted or buy a new tub!

I guess you can rig something up but the risk would be too great. Also to get the type of heating you're looking for you'd need a 220V heater.

[bwbski22]

i know my dealer has one just in case, for durring the winter if the heater goes or what not.

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

Look into a "stock tank heater".

[Vinny]

Look into a "stock tank heater".

Wow, I learned something new today!

I saw a 1500 W heater for $47, not too bad.

Doc, how do you know about farm instruments ... have you been cow tipping?

[bwbski22]

but the stock heaters shut off at 40 degrees, any other type of heater that will speed up the heating process after a fill during the winter?

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

Cows seem to have a natural fear of me and wont let me get within 20'....... Except for the one at the petting farm, and the stall isn't big enough for it to fall over.

Stock tank heaters......... I've been planning on making a "camping hot tub". Basically a portable one person, simple hot tub that will operate off-grid in back country. Came across the electric stock tank heaters will researching heaters to use. Yes, they make a gas (LPG) version.

The one I actually considered though, isn't available any more. It's a heater that was last used in the military around WW2. Basically it was a metal cylinder that stuck down into the water (they used it to heat 55 gallon drums of water). Gasoline was fed in through the top and dripped down the cylinder igniting at the bottom. I'm still kinda curious if they'll work with the unleaded stuff. Though, it doesn't sound to Smokey the Bear friendly.

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

Most are designed to just keep the stock tank from freezing and have a permanently set built in thermostat. I've seen a few though that have an adjustable thermostat.

The other thing you might want to look into is a baptismal heater.

Or an "electric immersion water heater"

but the stock heaters shut off at 40 degrees, any other type of heater that will speed up the heating process after a fill during the winter?

[bosco0633]

why not switch.  does your tub allow 240???

[bwbski22]

my tub is 240, but looking for ways to speed up the water change time.

[bosco0633]

I thought you said it was 115.  What about aquarium heater.  You can get some powerful ones. they probably have industrial size ones for larger commercial tanks.  

[bwbski22]

i wasnt the one who started the tread, i just have something in common with him

[hot tub Frank]

i would replace the hole pack including te pumps.

[Chas]

Depends upon your budget. I had a small propane powered gas heater which I used to take to shows. I hooked it up with a small pump and just put hoses over the side of the spa I wanted to heat. It cut the heating time dramatically, but emptied one or two tanks of propane to do so.

Or, a trick I learned from a former Softub dealer for his home show rig: he used a king size waterbed mattress with two regular waterbed heaters. Just plug them in and set the things on max. Took overnight or longer, but the thing got toasy warm. He had it built into the bed of his truck, under a layer of plywood. Once he got to the show, he just set up the spa and transfered the water from the waterbed to the tub. Since the bed of his truck was higher than the spa, I think he just syphoned it.

A tankless water heater for you home would be another way to do this: you will have the benefits of more hot water and less energy consumption year 'round, and when you go to fill the tub you could fill it with warm water and just let the tub bring it the rest of the way.

 8-)

[PotomacG]

I'd try one of these http://www.plumbersurplus.com/Prod/Eemax-EX75T-Thermostatic-Electric-Tankless-Water-Heater/10369/Cat/477 for starters.

For a few hundred more, you could get one that would give you very hot water.

It's cheaper than buying a new tub.

That said, if your tub takes 40 hours to heat, I would think your energy costs are much higher than the energy costs of any newer 220V tub.