Did I set a record for water change?

[jcmsrv]

I have not been in my tub for a couple of nights. When I checked it the other night my water had turned into a slimy green alien. Oh well, water was just about 90 days old and had suffered thru four parties, spilled drinks and two many people with foam-filled suits.
I just happened to have a new fluid transfer pump in my truck (for work), still in box. Hooked up for garden hoses both sides, primed, started and this pump empty my 500 gal tub in forty mins. while I scrubbed the inside, hooked up hose and tub was filled in about 45 mins. quickes change I have made yet. As anyone beat this? Also, none of my pumps got airbound!!!!, talk about luckey. Now I wait until heater finishes it work....... no tubby for tonight!

john

[Brookenstein]

After my 4 hour plus drain job yesterday, that was really depressing.  Thanks.    

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

Pull the top of a remote pressure filter, turn on a 2 hp pool pump... total drain on 500 gallons under 4 minutes. Refill from a water truck through a 2" fire hose. total time, about 10 minutes

[jcmsrv]

thanks Doc., where's the water truck went I need it, but you gave me idea. I take care of all the heating/cooling for local fire department, maybe they can return my good deeds with a water delivery
john

[Brewman]

I must have a pretty good drain on my spa, then.
Using just the built in drain and a 3/4" garden hose, the spa is drained in about 45 minutes or so.  The hose is about 75' long and drops maybe 6' along the way.  
Not sure if that helps the drain out.  
Takes about 45 minutes or so to refill.  
Spa capacity is just under 500 gallons.

[Chas]

Gotcha beat. Edit: I didn't see the Doc's reply. Ok ok. So other than HIM....

I have a Sta-Rite 3/4HP 'Pool Drainer' pump which I used for doing acid washes on pools when I owned a pool service company.

I have it connected to a 2" backwash hose - the blue type which stores flat and really moves the water!

The other day somebody wanted to try a different spa than the one we had running. I set the pump up with a ten-foot length of the bw hose, eased it into the bottom of the spa with water, plugged it in to a GFI-protected outlet, made sure an employee was holding the end of the hose, and blew the hot water into the tub next to it in under 10 minutes. My service guy hadn't even finished opening the two spas up to swap power before I had hot water in the second spa.

So hah!  

[Chas]

Here's a more helpful post:

I recently purchased a "Little Giant" brand pump. I think it was the "water wizard" model - it came with a long cord, and a garden hose adapter.

It is rated at 1200 GPH, and if I hook it to a large (3/4") garden hose which is just long enough to do the job, it will drain a 500 gallon tub in under a half hour. If I am just doing a water change, I don't bother getting every last drop out of the tub - and it can do that in about 15 minutes or so.

This is much smaller than my big "pool drainer" pump, much easier to handle - both the pump itself and the waterflow it produces.

If you want to go to the expense of a pump to speed the draining, or if a pump would help you put the water where you can use it on landscaping or whatever, this would be the pump I would recommend.

[SerjicalStrike]

Those pumps are great.  It is what we use at our shop and out in the field.  If you can get the flat 1.5" hose, you can drain your tub very quickly and won't have a huge hose to mess with.

[Bill_Stevenson]

Pumps are not on my agenda.  I like to keep things simple.  When it is time to drain, I hook a hose onto the drain connection, turn off the power, and open the valve.  Doing this just before bed time results in an empty tub in the morning.  Clean, and refill via normal methods, turn on the  power, treat the water, and I be soakin' again the very same day.  

My feeling is that for the average spa owner, pumps are for chumps.

Bill

[Chas]

My feeling is that for the average spa owner, pumps are for chumps.

Bill

 

Oh yeah? Well Gravity gets me down. I think slow drainers are no brainers.

[ssbraun]

Pumps are not on my agenda.  I like to keep things simple.  When it is time to drain, I hook a hose onto the drain connection, turn off the power, and open the valve.  Doing this just before bed time results in an empty tub in the morning. Bill

 

That might work great in Florida.  Those who need to do a water change in sub-zero temps would likely have troubles with your method...I prefer to keep things simple too, but while I am avoiding the low-temp water change, if I need to do so a pump will make it safer / quicker.