GRANDEEOWNER

I finally had a chance to open up the spa last night and it is a "GD4", so it was built in 4th QTR 2002 - after the problem was fixed. (THANK YOU CHAS!!). Still going to call Watkins anyway to cover all bases be sure that is nothing else I should know...but later the night I 1st posted here I did find the paperwork - which said Nov-2002 - and I already had it switched off at the main panel so I felt like I was most likely ok until I got this figured out....and with two sick kids (and now a sick spouse!!) and did not even have a chance to call Watkins until after they were closed- it has been a really fun week! So, can I just turn it back on at the main panel now to start it back up?? Thanks to all who responded - sorry about the pancked tone of my 1st message - I was really hoping this would be a non-issue (which it is). After having been effected by quite a few recalls lately - from tainted peanut butter to lead painted toys - I am getting PARANOID. FYI - to the person who wanted to know more about recalls - I have now signed up for a daily e-mail notification from the CPSC - it is easy to do at thier website - and the way things are going lately (in general) I think it is worth doing. Thanks again - it is so nice to have access to knowledgable people who are so willing to share that knowledge!

Ok - understandable then why you wondered. Amazing how having kids this little makes you absolutely nutso over things that could pose a hazard. So, do you know what the issue was on the heaters through 2001 and 1. If the kits to repair it are working well and 2. If the problem was really fixed for 2002 forward? I am paranoid enough having a spa so close to the house with these guys running around (we keep it locked ALL OF THE TIME) . I was actually looking into those intake safety devices ??(not sure what they are really called) for the spa when I stumbled across the other info, but I always thought the GRANDEE suction intake seemed very safe. Any opinion on that issue? I hope I can find that paperwork tonight - or do you know if that year of Mfg/serial number is printed inside the panel?? Hopefully my husband will get home b/f dark so I can check this out!!!!!! Also, really, what is that other testing organization??

Yeah - I bought it in '02 - but I can't remember if it was the prior year's model!!!!! I can't wait to get at the paperwork/open the panel to verify. Thanks so much!

Hey - wait - you are right - Watkins is in CA, right?? I'll be calling them as soon as I am done feeding the twins. Really though - if anyone has the real story on this -please pass along the info. Also to the prior poster - are you saying UL approvals are not important/relevant? I don't know the other testing body - can you fill me in on it b/c I would like to contact them as well on this. Truthfully, I don't even KNOW if it is EVEN TRUE that they are no longer UL approved - it is just what was written on the other site. Does anyone know if that is true? Guess I will be calling them too.... I hope this was a lot of hype over nothing - but I would like to hear from someone who knows the actual scoop on this..

Actually, I posted here b/c it was a forum like this that I found this subject on originally and I am pretty sure that at 6pm the Watkins offices are closed. I did not want to wait until the morning to find out more about this and I am PISSED b/c I was never notified of the recall (which I verified on the CPSC website) even though I sent in all of the registration forms for the spa. I am exactly what I seem - a CLUELESS consumer who is worried about this as I feed my 14mo old twins dinner (I have a laptop in the kitchen). I orginally saw info on this on a forum (which now appears defunct) while I was researching ways to "childproof" the spa - other than just locking it - and found that nasty surprise. I posted here HOPING someone has more info and can fill me in - and hopefully can reassure me on this......also I want input from someone ELSE than the mfg who of course will tell me that the repair kit will make it totally safe - give me a break - just give me info if you have it . I am not 100% sure ours is involved but I can't get out there to take off the front panel until my husband gets home. Here is the text from CPSC: CPSC and TruHeat Corp. Announce Recall of Spa Heaters WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), TruHeat Corp., of Allegan, Mich., is voluntarily recalling about 142,000 spa heaters sold with Hot Spring® and Tiger River® spas. The spa heaters have an internal electrical connection that can overheat and ignite the heater and spa, posing a fire hazard. CPSC and TruHeat have received 192 reports of the heaters on these spas failing, and 22 reports of these incidents resulting in fire damage outside the heater or spa. No injuries have been reported. These are No-Fault® 6000 model spa heaters sold with Hot Spring® and Tiger River® spas. The spa brand name is written on the control panel. The spa heater brand name and model number are on a label on the side of the heater. The spa heater is located behind a removable panel on the front of the spa. Read the owner's manual for instructions on turning off power to the spa before accessing the spa heater. This recall only includes spas installed in 220-volt applications. Independent spa dealers nationwide sold spas with these heaters from January 1997 through January 2001. The price for these spas is between $4,000 and $9,000. TruHeat is contacting its customers about this recall and providing them with a free insulation kit. Consumers who have not been contacted should immediately call Watkins, the firm now responsible for TruHeat and this recall, at (800) 999-4688 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET, any day of the week, to determine if their spa heater is part of this recall. To avoid all risk of an incident pending receipt of an insulation kit, consumers are advised to shut off their heaters until a kit is installed. If the spa is in a location where it is exposed to freezing temperatures and the heater is shut off (pending receipt of a kit), the spa should be drained according to the owner's manual to prevent damage to the spa by freezing water.

I just saw that there is a recall on the heater that I am pretty sure is installed in my 2002 Grandee Hot tub. The recall seems to be a few years old and it appears that some fires have been associated with this hot tub. It also looks like the spa was 're-evaluated" and is no longer considered to meet UL standards. Is this correct???? I turned off the spa heater and I will contact the Mfg tomorrow. To those in the industryor those who own this spa as well - is this problem AS BAD as it sounds n the article I read (sounded unsafe to even own one of these)?? I have twin infants in the house and there is no way I want to risk a fire - I'll rip the thing out of my deck if that is the case. Does the "repair" really fix this issue (appears to be an insulation kit?)?? Also, the place that sold us the tub is still in operation and always sends up promotional materials, but they never notified us of this - weren't they supposed to?? Thanks for any insight into this - I could not believe that I missed this issue over the past 2 years...