Temperature Differential In Spa Read Out

[Quickbeam]

We have our spa set for 99 degrees and this past while it has felt much warmer. Today I stuck a thermometer in the tub. The temperature read out on the spa panel showed 98 degrees and the thermometer we put in the tub showed 105 degrees. We soaked in the tub for about 20 minutes. After our 20 minute soak the spa panel showed 100 degrees and our thermometer showed 107 degrees. So it is consistently showing a 7 degree difference. I’m going to buy a second thermometer just to double check, but the real reason for my post is to ask what I could reasonably expect as a differential between what the spa panel says and what the actual temperature is. I can understand one or two degrees, but seven degrees seems quite a large differential to me.

[wmccall]

Reasonably you should expect no more than a degree.  The only problem I had in my warranty period was a very similar problem and it came right after some neighbor kids dumped something into my tub.   The easiest way to tell if it is off is set the tub to 98 or 99. The temp should feel neutral in heat. If it feels hot or cool its off and worth checking.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

  Question would be did it feel like 107? 

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

+ or -   1-2 degrees is normal

[Kev B]

 I once compared an entire case of cheap floating thermometers and found that only a few had the proper temperature.

[Quickbeam]

  Question would be did it feel like 107?

Yes, it felt really hot. When we first got the tub I could stay in quite a while, but I find now it is hot when we first get in, and I can't stay in near as long. At first I put it down to colder weather, and it was just taking longer to get used to it, but in the back of my mind I kept thinking it was just too hot. That's why I finally tried the thermometer.

Last night I dropped the temperature setting down to 94 degrees. I'll wait until the read out on the tub shows 94 degrees and then go in the tub. I figure that given this is below body temperature, if the tub read out is correct we won't be able to stay in very long at that low temperature and it must be our thermometer that is out. If however it is comfortable in the tub, then our thermometer must be correct and it must the read out that is incorrect.

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

I once compared an entire case of cheap floating thermometers and found that only a few had the proper temperature.

I concur with this...if your thermometer is the standard $9.99-$14.99 special from the hot tub or pool store they are definitely NOT the best way to get an accurate temperature.  Even if you do get one that is accurate it probably won't last a year before its shot, we stopped carrying them because 50% of them came back in the first month broken

[Quickbeam]

I once compared an entire case of cheap floating thermometers and found that only a few had the proper temperature.

I concur with this...if your thermometer is the standard $9.99-$14.99 special from the hot tub or pool store they are definitely NOT the best way to get an accurate temperature.  Even if you do get one that is accurate it probably won't last a year before its shot, we stopped carrying them because 50% of them came back in the first month broken

The thermometer we used is a meat thermometer with a digital read out. It has a probe that attaches to the read out portion, which is powered by a couple of batteries. My wife doesn't remember what she paid for it, but said it was definitely over $20. Again, I'm not sure that it is accurate, but I'm thinking that if we are comfortable in the tub when the tub display shows a temperature of 94 degrees, then the tub display has to be off. I just can't see how it would be at all comfortable to sit in a tub that much below body temperature.

[Quickbeam]

Just to follow up on this. We went in the tub this afternoon with the temperature set at 94 degrees. Felt very comfortable. I called my dealer and he is having someone come out in the next couple of days. Thanks for all the help.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 Bad sensor.

[Quickbeam]

Bad sensor.

Yeah, that's what the dealer thought when I called. For now we will just leave the temperature turned down and hopefully they will be out here in the next couple of days.