mtbarr64

I have a SLP heat mode on my Marquis. In this setting the system will keep the temperature 20 degrees less than the set point temp. My spa will only allow me to go to 85 degrees on the setting. Based on this the SLP mode keeps the water at 65 degrees. This will reduce the overall electrical consumption, but the majority will still be for the filtration cycle. If not being used you could drop it to a few hours a day instead of say the normal 6 hours (2 cycles at 3 hours). The lowest I could keep my spa when not in use for extended periods was 2 cycles at 1 hour a day, so 2 hours total. These two settings combined saved about 40% of the electricity cost. You may want to superchlorinate if you do this reduced filtration cycle and monitor the levels and water quality carefully. Water chemistry will be critical in this case, but at 60 degrees you should not have many bacterial/algae issues.

A lot of the units set the "start" times based on when you first powered on the unit. There is usually a reset button to change this to when you choose it. The new time is when you reset it. The number you are setting is probably the number of hours to run during these filter times. You may be getting the 104 overheat temperature since this is considered the maximum temperature for spa safety. I don't know why anyone would ever want 115 degrees!

Neglible compared to the 2 - 1 HP motors and the 5 Kilowatt electric heater. It is really a small amount of electrical consumption compared to the overall package. Besides the Ozonator is one of the best sanitization methods.

No issues that I have ever had in 5 years. I use the "solar cover" blue plastic bubble spa cover and have not had to replace it yet. Are they talking about the built in ozonator? Or maybe an add on unit?

I recommend the Marquis spa. I have had mine for 5 years now without issue in the cold. I have the standard cover that came with it (4" hard insulation). I have it located near Cle Elum, WA. Last year we had 6 feet of snow on the ground and -20 temps without issue. The Marquis have the automatic freeze detection that will heat and circulate water as needed to keep the unit from freezing. The unit is under a roof. I keep it at 95 degrees and then heat it to 101 when ready to use it. It takes about 1 hour to bring it up. The electrical consumption is about 230-300 Kwh per month in the dead of winter (January - March). That includes running it 2 times per day at 7:00 am and 7:00 pm for 3 hours at a time with the heat setting at Economy, which only brings the water up to the set temperature of 95 degrees during the normal filtration cycle times. As well I use it every weekend during this time and set the temperature to 101 during this time period (Friday evening through sunday afternoon). I change the temperature setting to keep it at 101 all the time during this time period. The Marquis are very efficient and the controller is very intelligent and logical.

I love the ozone system with the Nature2. I use the MPS shock after each use. I run the system 2 times a day for 3 hours each time. Weekly, I add 1 tablespoon of Enhanced shock which is di-chlor. I run that one hour and then add 2 tablespoons of MPS. Do NOT use tri-clor in a spa. The only problem encountered so far is that the di-clor raises the Cyranuric acid level eventually requiring an early draining. You will notice with Chlorine and Bromine the smell. Shocking it regularly will help keep the odor down, but these two just seem to always be noticable. With the way I do it, there is just a hint of chlorine.

Thanks in advance. I have had inground pools my whole life in PA and CA. Now that I live in WA, I cannot justify the cost of an inground, so I have been looking at AGPs. I want to install the pool in an area that gets heavy winter snow (Cle Elum, WA). The snow load for the roofs is 135 pounds per square foot. The snow can get about 5 feet deep. I am planning on winterizing the pool. This usually involved lowering the water below the skimmer and blowing the lines for ingrounds and installing a winter cover with floating supports, is it the same for AGPs? Or Should I drain the pool completely? I wanted to know if this snow is an issue for AGPs. I know that AGPs are everywhere on the east coast, so cold and snow should not be an issue. What type is going to be best for this type of weather. I am leaning to extruded aluminum (Esther Williams) for the strength. As well I like the idea of being able to bring the dirt right up to one side since this works nicely in saving me to build a snow bearing deck next to the pool. The issue is what Brand too? I see the Esther Williams are about $8,000 with the lowest I saw at $5,500 for the millenium 15 by 30. I was hoping to find a good $2,000 pool to fill this immediate need, but from what I read it is a headache to keep repairing/replacing the pools every 3-5 years. Also, what about the base. I prefer a permanent base. I have seen the gunite type recommended, but that requires the blowing equipment to install. Will a concrete slab work too? I really don't want any settling issues and figure the solid slab is the best way to ensure this. I am definitely planning on going with a pad under the liner with coping material versus sand. Relatives had this in the past and it was just problematic. I see geotechnical and assume it is the industrial grade landscape frabric used for such things as roads. The foam sounds like it will not be as resilient. Kind of like the pad under your carpet getting compressed over time. I also plan on doing the DE filter system. Having used it in the past with inground it really is the best. I have not found any stainless steel tanks though. They seem to all be plastic/resin now. Stainless Steel ones last forever. What about the HP? Is 1 HP sufficient for a 15x30? Which automatic cleaner type is better on AGPs, suction or pressurized? I plan on using a SWC system. I like Ozone/Nature2 for my spa, but not sure about for an AGP. Also looking at the solar heating. Had FAFCO panels back in 78 on our inground. It really WORKED and extending the swimming season. We could keep the water at 82 automatically and even cool it down at night if it got too warm. Sorry to ask so much as a newbie, but I wanted to get real feedback. Reading all this stuff on the web can be overwhelming. I am a spa/pool novice so I will try to contribute in those areas. I just discovered the BBB method. If you read the ingredients on the spa/pool chemicals you will see they are the same as those in the common products used in that system. Never thought to look there. Although the concentrations may differ, it sounds more economical.