warren

Thanks again. This is very helpful. So to sum it up, it sounds like I could expect to run an gas heater for 1/2 hour to bring the tub up 10 degrees to full temperature, and that would cost about $0.89/day. To do the same with an electric heater would take 6x longer or 3 hours @ 5.5kwh * $0.4 = $6.60/day. Maybe it's time to reconsider gas.

Well, one of the tubs I was looking at was your 5' diameter 48" high (cedar or teak -- haven't decided yet). Thanks. That really gives me a good idea of what to expect cost wise. Any thoughts on the reliability of the 2 manufacturers? I'm really leaning towards the Balboa equipment due to my 50 amp circuit limitation.

Thanks for the info on BTUs vs KWs. So in terms of heat up time, can I conclude that a 5.5kW electric heater will take 6 times longer to heat up the water than the gas heater? And let's say that I want to use the tub each night for an hour, and let it sit / circulate during the day with an R21 cover? How much heat can I expect to lose in a 40-60 degree climate, and how long will it take to bring the tub up to operating temperature? Or another way to ask is how many BTUs can I expect to use per month? I'd also like to estimate the operating cost for each heater based on my gas/electric rates. Looks like my max gas cost has been about $1.46/therm and electric has been $0.40/KWh, so for gas, 1 therm == 100,000 BTU == $1.46 for electric, 1 therm == 29.31KWh * $0.40 = $11.72 Can this be correct? That's 8 times as much.

I'm investigating what spa pack I should use for a new cedar tub installation. I'll be the owner, and have no experience with pool or spa heaters. My primary concerns are reliability and operating cost. I've been pointed at 2 different spa packs, but would be very interested to hear anyone's feedback or experience with them: Balboa VS501 Hydroquip ES6000 series I'm in northern California (chilly but not cold) and we are thinking that we'll keep the spa idling for daily use rather than shutting it completely down. We've had to rule out gas heaters due to space and installation considerations (although I understand that the operating cost is less for gas), but we're not sure on whether to go with a 5.5kW vs 11kW electric heater. Our deck is wired for 220v 50amp operation. (Some 11kW systems need 60 amps, and I'm told that would need a whole new wiring run from the street). Thanks!

Doc - Thanks again. I'd be very interested to hear more about your new digital timer/controller when it's available. I'm thinking I may have to go with an electric heating system due to space considerations (our deck is small). Any idea what the time-till-hot would be for a 5.5 or 11kW heater if run on a daily timer? Thanks,

Dr Spa - Thanks for the excellent info. I am very concerned about noise and vibration since the deck is above our bedroom. So having a system that works on a timer is an absolute must. I don't need the water to be hot at a moment's notice, but if it takes 3-4 hours to get up to temperature, that probably won't fly either. One question about the Balboa systems. I was under the impression that it could be run on a timer since it had an electronic control panel, but now looking through the docs, I don't see anything about that. Can anyone confirm? (http://www.balboainstruments.com/page147.html) Same questions about the Raypak SpaPak system -- is there a spa control system with timer? Thanks,

I'm in a moderate climate - northern CA.

My wife and I are working with a landscape designer/contractor to redo our roof deck and would like to install a small spa or hot tub. We've done the structural analysis -- got the green light to go ahead with this project -- but now it comes down to the choice of tub and heating system. We've tried to do our homework and research them online, but I really could use some advice from experienced owners about some of our choices: 1. Go with a Hot Spring Jetsetter -- small, self-contained, electric, quiet... although choosing this one really means just us... no guests. Also our designer isn't thrilled with it since, relatively speaking, it's on the large size for our deck. Also, its plastic siding won't fit in with the rest of the woodwork we're doing. 2. Go with a traditional wood hot tub (probably cedar) -- approx 5' in diameter. This would give us more room on the deck for other things, and would be aesthetically more pleasing (and hopefully as comfortable). However, there are several heater options, and this is where things get complicated: 2a. Go with a MiniMax 100 (100k BTU) gas heater. This seems to be highly recommended for minimizing energy costs. However, it's somewhat large, and must sit away from the tub (our deck is 13x15' so there are limited options here). I also have some concerns about the quality of this heater after seeing the reviews here: http://www1.epinions.com/reviews/PacFab_Po...ter_MiniMax_100 2b. Go with a Balboa VS501 5.5kW electric heating system. It small, and can fit under some of the benches we're building. I'm told that the energy costs could be triple going this route though, not to mention that the water heating time is far greater (although if on a timer, maybe this is a non-issue?). 2c. Go with a Raypak SpaPak electric heating system. These are available in either 5.5kW or 11kW. They look slightly larger than the Balboa, but seem roughly equivalent. I'm not sure whether the 11kW would raise or lower the energy costs though. 2d. Other? I'd be very interested in any advice or input that anyone here can offer on these options. I'd love to hear others thoughts on the various heating systems and their efficiency, reliability (and noise -- that's a concern for us too)... or if there are other options we should consider. I don't want to make a decision that later turns into a maintenance nightmare. Thanks! Warren