Rank beginner

[Glennp]

I have been given a used Royal 6-person hot tub.  The writing inside is impossible to read so I'm not sure what the model it is.  All I know is the neighbor who gave it to us said it was running last month.  But he moved and I don't have contact info.  None of the manuals mention a model.

First of all, there are lots of stuff in the manual about the electric but there's nothing about the plumbing.  There are several gate valves and I have no idea what they are for and which should be open and which should be closed.  In the startup instructions it says to open any shutoff valves onsuction and return lines but I don't have a clue which is which.  Can someone help me understand the plumbing?

So, I've been working on the electrical this weekend and decided to fill the tub up and check for leaks.  I didn't put the filter in.  I checked it out a while ago and there is water streaming out from under the tub.  (It's on concrete)  The water had filled up to the intake to the filter.  Water was pouring down in the intake but not filling up.  My assumption is there is a leak in the plumbing between the filter and the pump.  But could there be a gate valve open that I'm not aware of?

I have a lot to learn about hot tubs but I'm sort of lost at the moment.

[Tman122]

Are you sure the drain valve isn't open? All gate valves should be open also. The pump is the place where you determine the suction side versus the return. From the filter to the pump is suction. From the pump to the jets is return.

[JacuzziJack]

The pump suction side is the center (end) and fluid ouput is the top. This video might be helpful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaEHVpKc-1Q
The gate valves can be closed in the event of replacing a pump, but should be open during operation. The plumbing is generally pretty logical: A bunch of hoses on the discharge sides which go to the jets (yours probably has diverter valves to turn some jets on and others off), and the water return comes through the filter. Look or large hoses on the return side. Problem is, it's hard to see all these things if the H/T has been sprayed with foam and the lines are all covered. It's helpful to look at hot tub plumbing that doesn't have any foam on it. Check out some of the hot tub manufacturer's videos on youtube that show the construction process of their hot tubs. There are quite a few good hot tub repair videos out there.

Like Tman said, the drain may be open since the neighbor's last actions were to empty it out. If not, you may need to put yours up on blocks or something to determine where any leaks are. There are gaskets at the pumps and heaters too. Also, if it's really old, you may consider disassembling the pumps and installing new seals. Cheaper to do ahead of time. There are parts on Craigslist from time to time if you live in an urban area.

[wmccall]

Are you sure the drain valve isn't open? All gate valves should be open also. The pump is the place where you determine the suction side versus the return. From the filter to the pump is suction. From the pump to the jets is return.

From his description he says the water doesn't come out until it reaches the filter compartment. I've only seen a few Royal tubs, but I assume the drain is much lower.

BTW, welcome to the forum.

[JacuzziJack]

What you probably ought to do, if you haven't already, is drain it to the point where it's not leaking, remove all the panels, then start looking for water. It still might be a drain hose if it's tied up somewhere. But it could be any number of things so you're just going to have to see. Here's a video that gives you an idea how to get started ...there are others out there too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ4sYOO1Cko

Might need this link too:
http://hottubpartsofamerica.com/

[Glennp]

I found the leak.  The flex pipe that comes out of the filter looks like it had been repaired but someone didn't put glue on one of the joints.  So it had come apart.  Hard to believe.  But there it was.  I have fixed that joint, however I didn't have any help and could only do it one handed, so it's a lousy connection.  I'm planning to get my son over to help fix it right as soon as I can.  I have one gate valve that is absolutely frozen in the open position.  It looks like it is just before the intake for the pump that pumps water through the heater.

I have had a major advancement forward.  I was able to fill the tub up to the fill line and it is now running with just a small leak from that joint.  I am impressed with the strength of both the jet pump and the air pump.  I plan to start sanitizing the tub today. 

I have been taking my time and doing a lot of research before moving to the next step.  It is sitting on concrete under the deck but the concrete is not level.  Before I finalize the position and setup I have to figure out how I can level it a bit.  When I empty the tub the last time before setting it up for use I will need to turn it around and move it about 8 inches.  At that point i will remove the temporary pig tail and bury the wiring.  I didn't want to go to the effort of burying the wiring until I knew the tub was going to work.

Right now I have one new complication.  It is impossible to get the lock ring on the filter to screw down.  It is almost impossible just to get it to seat in the threads properly, then it won't turn an eighth of a turn.  I finally got it to turn just enough to hold the filter top on when the pump is on but water is pouring out.  I'm on my way to a local dealer for some suggestions regarding that.

All in all I am happy with the progress on the installation.  Given that this hot tub was free and in pretty good shape I have no problem going to lots of pains to get it working.  This will give me the opportunity to learn how to operate a spa before I pull the trigger on a new one.

This is a total DIY project.  The last step will be building a new spa cover.