chadwick02

Ahhhhh my frustration is at its max here!! I put a deposit down last week on a hot springs vista. I cant wait to get the tub!! More on that tub later in another thread. I put my current Artesian Piper Glen on craigslist for sale, and have spent much of the past week completely rebuilding my deck for the new tub (was in tough shape to begin with). I’ve gotten several calls on my tub for sale, and I opened it up yesterday to find the top side controller did not want to cooperate with me. On the LCD display is “LOCF” meaning the tub is locked. No response from the controller at all, no matter what buttons I push, hold the light button for 10 seconds (supposed to unlock it…) etc. When disconnect then reconnect power to the tub the lights immediately come on, then 10 seconds later the display shows LOCF. The lights coming on when I reconnect it to power lead me to believe that maybe the light button is stuck on the controller. According to the manual holding the light button 10 seconds locks the tub. The spa pack is a Gecko MSPA. The top side controller is a 10 button K-4. I’ve included more details at the bottom of this post. If I pound on the shell firmly with my fist right near the controller sometimes it will display ULOC, BUT after that all the buttons are semi-messed up. Pump 1 actually turns the temp up, program turns the temp up …etc. If I give a slight touch to the light button the light comes on and the tub locks 10 seconds later. I have disconnected the auxiliary controller and have eliminated that as a problem. I removed the controller and took it apart hoping to find a jammed micro switch or something like that. All I found was a ton of clear water-proof goop – all the micro switches seem to pop up ok. Anyone have any advice here? All the controllers I’ve found seem to be 250-300 bucks, and It’s killin me to think about spending that kind of money on this tub knowing that I’ve got a new tub on the way and that I’m trying to sell it now for maybe $1500 or 2000 if I’m lucky… Everything else on the tub works great so I don’t want to give it away as a “sort of functioning tub” because of this darn controller. Does anyone have a pin-out diagram for the cable that connects this controller to the spa pack? I’d be interested in finding out which one of the 8 wires controls the lights. I’d like to try to disconnect that wire from the control board, maybe disconnecting that will eliminate the problem? Even if the lights cant be controlled from the main controller they still could be from the auxiliary panel. If Im going to have to pitch that controller and and buy a new one I might as well try everything on it. Where to go from here?? What else can I try or look for? Are these controllers prone to problems? If anyone has one for sale, or something I can scab together to make the basic functions of the tub work please let me know! Thanks! Chad 2001 Artesian Piper Glen hot tub. The Spa pack is a Gecko. Written on it is: MSPA-MP-P122-P312-01-CP1-L1-HVS-FB1-RTL-LS-JJM-MA1 9338-01A The top side controller has written on it: Model: K4 options: SL-10K-PR-NO serial: 042161982

Help! Ive been away on vacation for 3 weeks. I got back yesterday and checked on my spa – the waters reading 34 degrees!!! On top of that we are in for a real cold streak for the next few days. Here’s what I know: - It’s a 2001 artesian piper glen 505 gallon tub. - It has a dedicated circulation circuit with a filter and pump that constantly run water through the heater core. That pump is still running, and water is flowing (but slower than normal now), I imagine the hoses are beginning to freeze up. - The spa pack has written on it: Gecko and MSPA - Outside air temp is about 20 during the day, about zero at night for the past few days. - I had a friend check my house and tub while I was away. 4 days ago it was where I set it – 60 degrees, so it has failed in the last few days. - I put a multi-meter on the 2 black leads coming out of the heater coil (one at the top of the coil and one at the bottom of the coil). Reading 240 volts AC. - If I connect the multi meter to ground and then to only one of the black wires, I read about 120v on each black wire. - With power disconnected, I’m reading a resistance through the heater coil of about 10 ohms. - I dropped a 1500 watt animal stock tank HEATER into the middle of the tub. The heater is thermostatically controlled to be on when the water temp is below 80, and turn off at 100 degrees. It is rated for 300 gallons, but I’d imagine it should be enough to keep this from turning into a large ice cube. From what I can tell the heater is getting voltage, correct? What should I do from here?? Thanks everyone, Chad

Thanks for the replies guys. I do not have any accurate electrical info for the house a year ago. I bought it less than a year ago (my first house!!), and it was uninhabited for over a year before that while it was renovated. So the best comparative info I have is from the few months before I installed the tub. I realize that the months got colder and darker (meaning more electricity use) as the winter progresses, which could explain some of the increase, but no where near 900 kwh!! haha, and no, i do not heat with electricity. THAT could explain a 900kwh increase. I heat primarily with an oil boiler and also have a wood pellet stove. During december, january and febuary daily temps probably averaged somewhere between 30 and 40 with night temps somewhere around 20 give or take 10. The tub is on a sheltered side of my house which does not receive much sunlight in the afternoon. I live in Mass. Can anyone give more input on the weight of my cover? Could a water logged cover explain the inefficiency here?

Got tub running a few months ago and love it!! But I HATE my electric bill that SKYROCKETED since I hooked up my tub. Here is a quick summary of my electricity usage: MONTH......AVE USE PER DAY.....MONTHLY USE Sept..............10.......................... 328 November..... 14............................390 December......38...........................1280 Feb............... 37.......................... 1190 Can you guess when I finally got the tub hooked up and working? Yep, you got it, it was the beginning of December. My electricity usage over tripled when I hooked up the tub. My bills went from somewhere around $50/month to $211 last month. The tub probably gets used on average 2 hours a week (I’ll estimate (2) 1-hour sessions per week). I tried turning the temp down to 90 and then up 102 when we want to use it, but that did not show any improvement in electricity usage last month. Obviously I expected my bill to increase with a new hot tub, especially during the winter when the temps here in new england average 20 or 30 degrees, but $150+ per month to operate the spa is a lot!! The tub is a 2002 Artesian Piper Glen (it is big, 500 gallon). It has a small circulation pump that operates constantly (heater core is plumbed through this). It is full foamed on 3 sides (the 4th side with pumps and controls only has a few inches of foam sprayed on the tub), and I was under the assumption that artesian was a fairly efficient brand of tub. What can I do to help my electricity consumption? Could a floating blanket or a new cover help? My existing cover is 3” thick, appears to be in pretty good condition but is heavier than the new covers at the spa shops (but it is bigger and thicker than those). I think it is the original cover that came with the tub, so I’d guess its about 6 years old. What can you guys recommend? Thanks, Chad

Here are a few pictures of what I'm talking about. The guy at the artesian plant said its a standard wall fitting with a lint screen in it, and a reducer screwed into the back end. The first picture is the front of the fitting, where the filter screws into. The 2nd picture is the back end, where you can see the reducer screwed into it. The third picture is just that of the filter that screws into the front, just for reference. Thanks, Chad

Does anyone know of a good place to find artesian parts? Either a mail order company, or just a local dealer who’d be willing to ship me parts. In the true nature of Chad, while trying to fix what was not broken, I broke something that did not need fixing. I called up my “local” Artesian dealer who said they had the part I needed. I drove 50 miles one way to pick it up only to find they didn’t have it in stock. After waiting 20 minutes for the spa guy to finish doing other paper work, he grabbed my info and said he’d try to get the part in. I am skeptical weather he will ever actually get it, and I feel like I was totally blown off. I’ve never been in there before then, and I’d rather not go back ever if possible. Pretty frustrated with the whole situation! What Im looking for is the threaded pvc part that the filter screws into. The part screws into the tub, and (in this case) a hose going to the circulation pump connects to the back side of it. I’ve got pictures and measurements if needed. The guy made it sound like a commonly used part by artesian, what’s used in most of the artesian tubs for the filters to screw into. I did check a local spa dealer (not artesian). The guy there was awesome. He tested my water and hooked me up with some chemicals (and even advised me how to use the chemicals I’ve got). He tried to find something that would work for the part that I need, but had no success. Knowing the history of my repairs (fix one thing and break two others), it will be in my best interest to develop a good relationship with someone who can get me artesian parts. My pillows are pretty grubby and faded, so I’ll probably be ordering some of those too. Who can I call to get parts? Do any of the dealers who are on this board carry (or can get) artesian parts? Thanks, Chad

Thanks everyone, I think i've got it going. In the process, I broke a pipe fitting, so now I need that... Anyone know of any good artesian parts dealers? My local dealer (50 miles away) was not much help.

Circulation pump wont move any water, a priming issue maybe? I checked all the connections and they are all tight. The drain plug is tight. I’m thinking it must be a problem with it priming, but I cant seem to get it to pump. I took the pump out, and disassembled the wet end. The impeller looks to be in good shape (don’t really have any experience with pumps…), and the inside of it is clean. The impeller spins up quickly when I apply power to the pump, and it sounds good. The instruction manual says nothing about priming the circ pump. A few more details: The tub is a 2001 Artesian Piper Glen The pump is a grundfos ultra-jet, 110volt This is a “new-to-me” tub, and I just got it in place and wired and ready to go last week, and started to fill it today. Having never run the tub before, I was afraid that something would not be working properly, and have been having nightmares of filling the thing then having it freeze due to bad pumps or heater. Its cold here, 15-20 degrees today! I wanted to make sure the circulation pump and heater were working fine before I put 500+ gallons in the tub. So, instead of filling the entire tub I sealed off the filter compartment from the rest of the tub (except for the inlet that goes to the circulation pump) and filled that compartment with roughly 10 gallons of water (mostly full). When I connected power to the tub, the circ pump was running, but would not move any water. I pulled the intake hose of the tub and blew through it and it appears to be a clear path through the whole system and back into the tub. I drained all the water out of the filter compartment, and blew a little pink anti-freeze through the pipes just to be safe. The pump still sits on my bench in the garage.. Anyone got any ideas as how to get this circ pump to move some water? Was my method of filling the filter compartment somehow goofing it up? Thanks, Chad

Thats strange, i just checked the picture from another computer and it loaded fine (it is big though, 56k beware!!). Anyone else having trouble with the picture? I have not called artesian. I suppose i could do that, good idea! I did find the manual.

ok, thanks everyone! Now, how about the insulation on this tub (or lack there of)? It appears as if the underside of the entire tub is coated with a yellow insulation, but it does not seem very think. Its hard to tell, but I'd guess its under an inch thick. I realize there are lots of ways I can insulate the tub more my self, ive been reading about a few of you that have done the projects. Is the Piper Glen considered a "fully insulated" tub as it sits right now, with just this coat of of insulation, or would this be considered an poorly insulated tub? I've attached a picture of the inside of the tub. Thanks for the good info so far!

Hey everyone, Trying to decide between 2 tubs that are for sale locally: 2001 Artesian Piper Glen and 2003 Hot Springs Sovereign. A few questions, especially about the piper glen, which I like the most (I think): 1) The piper glen sure seems HUGE. I estimate that 50% of my hot tub time will be with a large crowd (we entertain a lot), so big is good then. However, the other 50% of the time it will be me and that special someone. I am afraid that the tub is so big that the “intimacy” in small groups (even 4 people) will be lost. Like having dinner for 2 at a giant table. Is this a valid concern, or am I crazy? 1a) the piper glen also seems deep. Is it too deep? Do smaller people (not children, but specifically smaller women) have problems in all the seats? 2) all the reviews I have read state the piper has 5 motors. This one only has 3. Is this because it is an older model? 3) Does anyone have any info on actual power consumption of the piper glen? The owners claim that it only costs them $40 a month in electricity, but there is a good chance that electricity in my town is a lot more expensive than in theirs. Anyone have a good idea of the increase in actual kilowatts per month? 4) the insulation on the piper seems thin. It’s a yellow foam that is molded to the outside of the tub, I’d guess its only half an inch thick or so. Does this sound right? 5) are parts easy to get for this tub? 6) any major reason why someone would not get the piper glen (especially reliability, comfort or size)? Some more details: - Both sellers are asking around $1500. Both tubs appear in good cosmetic condition. The Piper is missing 3 jets, that are “easily replaceable” Do these prices sound fair? Any good online stores to buy the jets, and maybe some of the foam pillows? - I cannot wet test either tub. Both have been drained and “winterized” for the winter. I trust both sellers, so I am not worried about getting a dead spa to start with. My primary use will be generally lounging around and relaxing. I do not have any special injuries, however I do have a fair amount of tension in the upper back\shoulder\neck area that would be nice to work on a little. Looking for any more info, tips, or pointers on either of these tubs before I make the purchase. Anything else I should be aware of or cautious of? Thanks in advance, Chad