How long to heat?

[cajun1]

Just wondering about how long it takes to heat a tub to 100-102 degrees?  Is 6-7 degrees an hour slow, or is that about right?  I haven't gotten a spa yet, but I'm just thinking (dreaming) ahead!

[Spatech_tuo]

Just wondering about how long it takes to heat a tub to 100-102 degrees?  Is 6-7 degrees an hour slow, or is that about right?  I haven't gotten a spa yet, but I'm just thinking (dreaming) ahead!

There are a few factors such as size of spa, starting temp, heater specs, etc. but I always say about 5 or 6º/hr for 220V (longer if you watch).

[cajun1]

Okay, thanks!

[neocacher]

its only 1 degree per hour if you get 115 volt.

Neo

[BigK75]

I would say that is perfect.  My Optima heated around 5-6 degrees per hour.

Claude

[bwbski22]

5-7 an hour.  dont be silly and keep opening the cover to check the temp.  just let it heat up!

[bwbski22]

and if you want it to heat faster i recomend boiling water on your stove, and then carefully carring it out to your tub with oven gloves on and making sure you pour the super hot water into the middle of the tub, making sure the super hot water doesnt hit any of the shell directly.  each two gallons of boiling water should bring you up 1 degree.  best of luck.  or do like me, and have your plumber run a hot water hose hookup right next to your tub, so you can fill it with half cold and half hot.  it brings my start up temp during the winter from 45 to 75.  that really cuts the heatup time down.

[cajun1]

Thanks for all the good info.  I just need to make a decision now and get the spa!

[Brewman]

It doesn't hurt to leave the cover open unless the ambient temperature is less than the water temperature.  If the air is at 80 degrees and the water is at 70, no heat will be lost from the water.  In fact heat will move into the water from the air, but at such a small rate as to be not helpful.

[bwbski22]

brewman, great information, but i, and i feel most people, love to hit the tub during the winter, and i love it when its snowing out.  when its 16 degrees outside, thats when cajun1 is asking about how long it will take to heat up.  obviously its not an problem when the air is warmer then the water you put in your tub.  and obviously if the air is warmer then the water in your tub, keeping the cover off will only speed up the heating process.  lol.  

[windsurfdog]

when its 16 degrees outside, thats when cajun1 is asking about how long it will take to heat up.

I live in FL so I have absolutely zero experience with cold weather.  With that said, if one is on a 4 month water change cycle, isn't is easy enough to schedule water changes around 16 degree weather?  Obviously this would not work if you needed to do a water change outside of your normal cycle (like when that nasty brother-in-law brings his whole fam over for an uninvited week... 8-))

[thearm]

I live in FL so I have absolutely zero experience with cold weather.  With that said, if one is on a 4 month water change cycle, isn't is easy enough to schedule water changes around 16 degree weather?  Obviously this would not work if you needed to do a water change outside of your normal cycle (like when that nasty brother-in-law brings his whole fam over for an uninvited week... 8-))

Good plan Windsurfdog. However here in Ny you could see below freezing anytime from mid to late October through mid to late April. Usually with a little luck I can find a day in the middle of winter that the sun is out and it is above freezing to change the water. Only change it once per winter by scheduling a change in early October.