HOT SPRINGS

[bvd]

Can anyone clarify this? I was told that hot spring does not have a spa bottom.(plastic) I was also told that they don't allow the customer to be able to see the actual temp of the tub just what you set it for. Does it have a temp reading  

[East_TX_Spa]

It will also devour your children and take your car out joyriding without your permission.

Terminator

[East_TX_Spa]

I'm just kidding, it won't take your car.

Seriously, though, who told you these terrible things?  Was it someone who is trying to compete with HotSpring in the spa market?  If so, it's much ado about nothing.

The spa has a 60# layer of closed cell high density foam that is hard as a rock on the bottom.  The LED display will tell you the actual water temperature of the spa within 2 degrees.

Hope this helps.

Terminator

[luigi311]

A dealer in St Louis said to never buy a tub unless it was ISO 9001 certified.  If it wasn't then it does not have a good manufacturing process.

[spaman--]

A dealer in St Louis said to never buy a tub unless it was ISO 9001 certified. šIf it wasn't then it does not have a good manufacturing process.

*coughs* Bull$#it!

[salesdvl]

Can anyone clarify this? I was told that hot spring does not have a spa bottom.(plastic) I was also told that they don't allow the customer to be able to see the actual temp of the tub just what you set it for. Does it have a temp reading  

What that saleperson told you is technically true but not a big deal.  The bottom is as Terminator said.  The foam dries very hard so moisture and critters are kept out.  Once the spa gets to within 2 degrees of what its set at a little "Ready" light will come on.  So it is true that you do not know the actual temp, but you will know when it gets close to what you want it to be.

[Steve]

A dealer in St Louis said to never buy a tub unless it was ISO 9001 certified.  If it wasn't then it does not have a good manufacturing process.

That dealer would be incorrect. It just means they are building them the same way based on a proccess they've determined is best for them. Show me a manufacturer that doesn't...

Steve

[Mendocino101]

That dealer would be incorrect. It just means they are building them the same way based on a proccess they've determined is best for them. Show me a manufacturer that doesn't...

Steve

Exactly ...it does not make them good (ISO 9001) ...it just means they build them repetitively. Simple fact is it is a marketing tool, make no mistake that in the end is its sole purpose, it is what pays for the program. Hot Spring does build a good spa and I am sure would do so with or with out ISO 9001.

[bob5820]

ISO is to a large degree a quality standard that assures that your processes and procedures are documented and being conformed with. The company I work for is involved in the aviation industry, ISO audits us to ensure that we work to procedures that have been set in place by ourselves and the FAA, but ISO itself is not involved in creating those procedures. Being ISO 9001 basically means you keep good paper work, and has nothing what so ever to do with how well the tub is built. I'd be more concerned with the hot tubs manufacturers BB rating then if they were ISO certified or not.

[Spatech_tuo]

Exactly ...it does not make them good (ISO 9001) ...it just means they build them repetitively. Simple fact is it is a marketing tool, make no mistake that in the end is its sole purpose,

1) It is definitely a Marketing tool, no doubt!!!!!!

2) That is not the sole purpose. The other half of the equation is that building a spa repetitively is SOOOOO important. Yes, I know, building it in a quality manner is most important but having said that, you want the spa built in May to be the same as the one in June. When I see the serial number of a spa and it says it's made in 2002 I should be able to know how it was built and not have to guess. Too many spas that aren't even very old are a crapshoot to figure exactly how they were built and with exactly what parts. I see too many people looking for parts for spas that aren't too old and they call the manufacturers that sometimes have trouble figuring out exactly what was used on teh spa at that time (I guess some of that is documentation but I think that's part of ISO). Do you need ISO to assure this? No, but it's good to see that a company has certified themselves to this. Maybe not a deal maker or breaker at the point of sale but a good way to run a production plant.

[wmccall]

A dealer in St Louis said to never buy a tub unless it was ISO 9001 certified.  If it wasn't then it does not have a good manufacturing process.

Never ever   buy a hot tob that is not Bill McCall certified!!!!

Manufacturers, submit your certification forms and $3000 fee by 12/21/05


But seriously, those certifications have thier place, but in determining whether one product is worth buying over another is not that place.   If all hot tubs have to had widgets and the spec on widgets says that a .030 minimum thickness (barely acceptable) to a .050 thickness (desirable)     A ISO 9001 company can document that every single product they sell was checked. They might all have the the miniumum tolerances, but its documented.

[Mendocino101]

spatech ....

Agreed about the fact you know what you are building is the same thing and that is always good.  But the reality is if you are ETL or UL approved than you will accomplish the very same thing. You can not make a change without resubmitting for approval. ISO 9001 is a good thing but its purpose was take a company and I will promise that they come to a company say like Watkins and present their program and tell them about the marketing benefits of it. If you are a reputable company and you are maintaining records and building repetitively already as most efficiently minded company's are, it might makes sense for you to join since you can use it your marketing as will ISO 9001 but you pay a fee and the fee is all for marketing and that is how they make their money and surprise surprise it is not different than what JD POWERS does, they are not far from Chas I have been to their offices and it for most part again is a large marketing program.....but ISO 9001 in and of its self does very little to assure you a good product, they are are not about build quality just the repetitive steps during the build process.

[stl-rex]

spatech ....

Agreed about the fact you know what you are building is the same thing and that is always good.  But the reality is if you are ETL or UL approved than you will accomplish the very same thing. You can not make a change without resubmitting for approval. ISO 9001 is a good thing but its purpose was take a company and I will promise that they come to a company say like Watkins and present their program and tell them about the marketing benefits of it. If you are a reputable company and you are maintaining records and building repetitively already as most efficiently minded company's are, it might makes sense for you to join since you can use it your marketing as will ISO 9001 but you pay a fee and the fee is all for marketing and that is how they make their money and surprise surprise it is not different than what JD POWERS does, they are not far from Chas I have been to their offices and it for most part again is a large marketing program.....but ISO 9001 in and of its self does very little to assure you a good product, they are are not about build quality just the repetitive steps during the build process.

Well stated.  

Does it make it better if you build it wrong every time?  Once in, it's difficult to lose because they have a financial incentive to keep you in.

[drewstar]

Too answer the question, (I have a tiger river caspian which is made by Hot Spring)

Yes, the LED reaout display does not show the actual temp. It shows the temp you set, and want it  to be at, and when it reaches that temp,  the temp indicator tells you it's reached that temp.

I'm wish the display would show "set" and "actual" but to be honest, it's not an issue at all. This shouldn't carry much weight on your decision.

The bottom of the tub is wood, not plastic and once again it's fine.  

If a saleman pointed these things out to you, as reason not to buy a HS and why you should buy his tub, well, I'd be wary of him. These 2 things have no bearing on the quality of the tub, and if this is all he has on why his tubs are better, then, honestly, his tubs really are not.

[wmccall]

I'm wish the display would show "set" and "actual" but to be honest, it's not an issue at all. This shouldn't carry much weight on your decision.

The bottom of the tub is wood, not plastic and once again it's fine.  

I disagree, and I thought it was a standard feature on most tubs when I bought mine.  On really cold nights you can see a big difference in the set and actual if you are in the tub for a long time.  After a refill, I like to be able to check the actual temp and set temp.  Also after a power failure, its nice to see what they both are.