Mike J1

The same thing happens to me about 3 weeks after I change water. Water chemistry typically looks good. I figured this was typical? Alkalinity to low! I will check...thanks

I have the Master Spa LSX 700. If I had to do it all over again, I probably would go with something else. Jets are nice. seats are comfortable and fit me well. I get great support from my local dealer. The problem is my electric bill is just too high, and I had to add insulation. I think other spas offer similiar performance at a lower energy cost. I base this on reading posts from others that have bought different brands. Read lots of posts on this site and make sure you wet test before you buy. Also, make sure you trust the dealer because this will be a big investment both recurring and non recurring.

If you buy that masterspa LSX1000 and live in a cold region like New England, with high electric rates ($.18 per KWHR) I would expect between $80 and $100 in the winter. They aren't very well insulated and they have powerful pumps.

The same thing happens to me about 3 weeks after I change water. Water chemistry typically looks good. I figured this was typical?

I have a question regarding the Leisure Time product. I use the Renew/Reserve Bromine system. The reserve is a liquid sodium bromide solution that is activated when Renew is added. The chemicals are relitively expensive. I found a site online that I have found to be the cheapest, but the problem is that they don't carry the Reserve. They do carry a sodium bromide salt that is used with bromine tablets. I figured that I could use the sodium bromide salt to establish a reserve in place of the Reserve solution. I did this after I replaced the water in my spa. The problem is, that when I added the Renew, my bromine levels did not rise. I am not sure why? I subsequently added reserve, but now I have twice the amount of chemicals.. Is this ok? I tried to e-mail Leisure Time with this question, but did not get an answer. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Mike

There is a point where it is to cold though. 20 above is awesome. 10 above isn't bad either and at those temps frozen hair won't be an issue as the rising steam and warmth will prevent that. Once 0 and below 0 is reached it can get uncomfortable. and at -20 it is not pleasent for me but some still enjoy it. About 0 to -5 is the bottom end for me with 10-30 absolutly beautiful tubbing temp. Crystal clear skys, northern lights, that dead winter silence, light fluffy snow flakes and soaking at 102....ahhhhhhhhhhh Be mindfull of ice build up outside your tub. Put a rug down to soak up the water from your feet and bring it in to dry for the next time. No suits if possible and store your towels in a cooler after you nuke them for 5 minutes. Use a robe, and a hat if it is real cold. Get yourself a snow broom to remove snow from your cover to prevent ice under the snow. And be diligent with removing snow from your cover as once it gets built up you will be bummed you didn't remove it. I have found on those real cold and windy days (0 to -5), one of those knit hats takes the chill away. On warmer days (32F +) it will actually make me too warm. Sounds obvious, but took me a few soaks in real cold weather to figure it out.

I think it is a poor method because the "dead air" space is not totally contained. In the winter, if you put your hand under the lip of the spa between the spa and the skirt you will feel heat comming out. The reason this happens is that there isn't a barrier in place to stop it. To me, this is a big design flaw. Especially since heat rises. I am not sure why Master Spa would have designed in such an obvious flaw unless they are concerned that the pumps will overheat without that air gap. Just speculation on my part. I own a Master Spa LSX700 and like everything else except the method they chose to insulate. You will find that this is a big deal if you live in a cold climate and you will most likely add insulation. Also, if you live in an area that has a high electricity rate, energy efficiency is all the more important.

I have the Master Spa LX700 and like it. The only negative is that I don't like the method they use for insulation and had to spend a substantial amount of time adding insulation. Also, I don't think you should ever buy a spa without wet testing. You should only buy from a dealer that has a good reputation for providing customer service. If you do a quick search on this site you will find that there are a number of spas that are recommended by the majority of people here and have a good track record. I would get that list first, and then figure out which are provided locally by a good dealer. If you live in an area where electricity is expensive, and you have cold winters, you should spend some extra time researching a brand that is well insulated. Sorry to add more questions than answers, but this is a big decision that warrants spending a few days doing homework. Once you narrow to two or three, then you should wet test. Hope this helps...

Jimmy, Where was the show and who is the local dealer? I agree that the price seems high for a mid rage spa. I have a Master Spa LSX700 and like it alot, but I don't think they are as well insulated as full foam tubs. Next time you look at one, notice that there is a lip running all the way around the spa that is not insulated. I had to add insulation to keep my bills under $75 per month. I am in NE also.

My Master Spa has cost me an average of $75 per month in the coldest months of the winter. I have an LSX700 which is approximately 400 gallons. I live in New England where it gets cold in the winter. Master Spas aren't known for being the most energy efficient Spas, but I have taken some measures to insulate. We pay a flat rate of about $0.15/KWh. Your costs don't seem that high to me, but I am not sure how cold it gets in the winter where you are.

You should try and get a part number. I found this link: http://www.uspartscenter.com/index.asp?Pag...amp;ProdID=6691

Guys, thanks for your help. As always, I learn alot on this site. I am glad that I don't have to empty my tub and can keep using the Spa 56 until it is gone. Thanks again..

I never saw this problem comming. I use Leisure Time Renew/Reserve which is a bromine sanitizing system. When I ran out of the renew granules, I went to my local spa guy to get another container. The problem was that he sold me Spa 56 Chlorinating Granules instead of Renew. I never noticed the mistake until after I used the Spa 56 in the tub.... My question is...do I need to drain the tub, or can I stay with the chlorine granules until I refil? Hope you can help..I really don't feel like draining since it is below freezing today.

You are correct and good idea spending a little more to be safe for a future upgrade! Like I said before, it would be a good idea to buy a 6/4 so you have a spare #6 conductor to use as the ground which is required for grounding(in any hot tub I've hooked up anyway) Or you can just run a #6 separate.... Would be a lot more work getting it into the house though.... Most electricians would overlook that and just use the regular ground run with the wire.. If you want it done right I would mention that to them. #6 is the way to go for the red, black and white wire... for the ground I believe #10 is sufficient... for the outdoor part of the wiring, all 4 wires should be insulated type THHN... the indoor part depends on whether you are using conduit inside... in conduit the the ground wire should be insulated... The ground needs to be #6 also. If you skimp on this you risk voiding your warrenty for many tubs.

I've got an air blower on my spa. It gets most use during summer when cooling is not an issue. It does get quite a bit of use...more than I would have expected. The air gets drawn from the equipment compartment which is generally warm at the start. I would make a heater for the air blower a low priority as far a features go. I own a Master Spa LSX700..it doesn't have an air blower, but has air intakes that do the same thing. The air is drown from the warm compartment, and cooling hasn't been an issue even during the cold months. The "heater for the air" feature that you mentioned sounds a bit like a sales gimic. I don't believe that a good quality spa will have any issues. I recommend that you go through previous posts to determine for yourself which spas are good quality. You will see the same 5 to 7 mentioned. If I were you, I would pick one of those and make sure that you buy from a local guy that is known to provide good service.