Porter

double post sorry

Unfortunatly Sundance changed the chip logic of Std/Ecmy to be very confusing. I think what you now need to do is go in and program the circ pump to 00 duration. The circ pump programming is accessed immediatly after the 4th filter cycle programming and before the filter reminder programming. Hope it helps. That's a great idea. I'll give it a go and see what happens. The only problem with it is that sometimes I do like to raise the temperature setting before we enter the tub and if this is during an off-cycle time under the economy setting, I will temporarily switch it to standard in order for the heater to come on. But since we usually soak late evening, I am thinking to reset cycle number 4 to run for the 2-3 hours prior to our usual soak time. That way it will be nice and hot.

this is a brand new 2008 Cameo, Sundance 880 series, delivered in April. We have been using for about 1 month. BTW, the electrician put a jumper on the ciruit board for the 60A hookup which allows the heater to operate while both jet pumps are on - doubt that is affecting the circ pump issue, but you never know.

I have set the tub's circ filter pump cycle on the "economy" setting and programmed it to come on four times a day for 2.5 hours each time. I prefer not to have the pump and ozonator running 24/7 which is what the factory setting is under the "standard" setting. The problem is that the circ pump keeps coming on at other times when it shouldn't be on. You can get the circ pump to go off by lowering the temperature setting and cause the controls to go into "summer logic" mode, but I want to leave the temp at the same setting. Does anyone know how to limit the circ pump operation to only those set times for which I have programmed for under "economy"? Am I missing something?

I am using Bromine in my new spa and the level spiked up a few days ago so I removed the floater and tablet in the Brominator located in the weir gate to the filter. Still the level is reading at 10+ using a Taylor 2005 test kit. This is new water (4 weeks) in a new 450 gal spa. First of all, is this reading real? How can there still be bromine in the water after adding none for 4 days? I do love the Taylor kit by the way. Much less guess work. Secondly, if it is real, what can I do to get it down? My spa has ozone, and TA=100, CH=200, pH=7.5 I have been shocking with MPS after each use. I have tried running jets and air pump for 20-30 minutes a couple times, plus have continued using the jets during soaks. Thank you!

Congrats! What a relief that must be. That first soak will be the best ever. Definitely post some pics when you get a chance. I have really been needing a soak after all the manual labor I have been doing to prep the site for our spa (the dreaded sloped patio thing). Our tub gets delivered this Friday after beginning our search about 2 months ago. What an experience this has been. Still have the elect. hookup and other minor stuff to complete. I plan to be soaking no later than Wednesday!! I will post a post-mortem after first soak. Enjoy!

For 6 gauge copper wire - is stranded TWHN copper OK? Or is it necessary to use a solid single-core style of wire?

For that kind of money you can get a top of the line spa from a top of the line manufacturer. Calspas was the first brand I looked at too, but the more that I researched, read and talked to people, the more I looked at other brands like those mentioned by the other poster above. One thing I did near the beginning of my search was to call a spa technician who's business card I picked up from one of the local spa stores. He has repaired spas for 15-20 years and was more than happy to give me his thoughts. They provided the most compelling reasons for what to avoid and what to consider - they know what breaks and what doesn't. They know what brands require the most attention. Tke your time, wet test, and good luck. This was more work for me than buying a car.

Stereo too? That seems to be a pretty good price! No- No stereo or other frills just the optional ozone It does include the usual cover, lifter, steps, delivery, and chem starter kit.

We just ordered an 08 Cameo. I am 6'2" and long in the torso and quickly found out that fit was going to be one of the biggest selling points for us. We tried lots of different brands and models and I preferred the fit of the Cameo the best. The lounge and seats fit me better than the rest. The neck jets may require slight slouching but not much. Definitely try it wet first and see what you think. The final price was just over $9K with everything including ozone (ozone is an extra item). Good luck.

The dealer is offering a Covermate I or III cover with the spa but not a Covermate II. I prefer the II because when it's open it has a much lower profile and does not obstruct the view like the I and III. Can I put a Covermate II on a Sundance Cameo? Maybe there are issues with access to the equipment cabinet or something, but I am just curious if it's possible or not - and if not why. Does the II cost more? Going for final wet test this week and if OK and good price $$, will pull the trigger...

I have the same issue but with a drop of 4"!!! I was considering pouring a leveling concrete cap over the area but am now starting to lean in the direction of Spatech's method. I feel this will work fine but will discuss with dealer - warranty concerns... For my 4" drop however, a outer frame of 2x4's standing on end won't even be tall enough (since 2x4's are really 1.5" x 3.5"), so I will have to rip 2x6's. Rather than bolting to the concrete through the lumber standing on end, I am considering bolting down some 2x4's (laying them flat) and then bolting or screwing the 2x6's to the 2x4's. This should be rock solid. Seems like a good deal on the Caldera. I really liked the Caldera we wet tested except I couldn't fit in the lounge or under the neck jets in the other seat - so I had to go elsewhere. We are ordering this week~!! Good luck!!

Is it possible to get the temp up over 104 in the newer tubs? Sometimes I like it a little hotter. I see they all pretty much max out at 104. When they get over 104, they will shut off the heater. Not that I would want to toy around with the electronics or anything, especially all this newfangled computer-contolled stuff - but are people able to bypass this?

Try searching the internet for the owner's manual. Hopefully you can find a different version in American english.

This weekend I plan to check out some Artersian and Marquis spas. Today I am looking at Marquis tubs and I see they do not have a circ pump like many of the other brands. How does this affect energy usage and water cleanliness? Marquis says the larger pump runs cooler and more efficiently than than the smaller circ pumps. Plus it only runs for a short period of time. Is the filtering adquate with this method? Marquis says the larger pump filters the same amount of water in a much shorter time. Seems to me that the chemical treatment and sanitizing is more important than filtering anyway. Almost all of the spas I've seen appear to have more than adequate filtering. Clearly some are better than others. Maybe managing this sort of system is a little more hassle with setting the times and such. Marquis seems to be a well regarded brand, so I am still interested in checking them out. Fit and comfort are still the most important things for me right now.

I looked at LA Spa in the beginning of my search but have not seriously considered them because I perceive them to be "a cut below".

I wet tested the Caldera and was disappointed to find it didn't fit me at 6'2". I couldn't get under the collar seat and the jets on the lounge hit the bottom of my neck. The lounge neck jets are not recessed, forcing me to lean forward (bad design). They could recess these and still have them aimed downward a little bit. Too bad because we really liked everything else about this spa. We were quoted $6,700 for the C45.

Can I get more spa for my money with a Jacuzzi when compared against a Sundance? I understand these companies are related and I am evaluating the differences between them, including price. Is one any better quality than the other? A better value? Does Sundance have better jets? Are the pumps and heater equal? Construction? I like Sundance but am curious if I can get an "equivalent" Jacuzzi at a lower price? Any insight on such things would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

h2oski- Sounds like a great price! Where are you located? We are in L.A., Calif. area and are considering a Cameo also. Thanks!

Hi All! This forum is great! I really need some help here. I will gladly answer any Q's I can for others down the road as I learn more and continue on this crazy endeavor of buying a spa. At my height of 6’2”, the models we’ve looked at in our price range ($6K) so far, Sundance (Hamilton et al) and Hotspring (Envoy), did not have enough leg room for me – based on dry testing. Looking in SoCal for 5-6 person tub w/lounger. Brands considered: Sundance, Hotspring, Caldera, maybe Marquis, Jacuzzi. So today we wet-tested the Caldera Geneva (in lieu of the C45, same mold), but my torso did not fit under the collar neck jets that stick out and when in the lounge seat the top two neck jets were hitting the top of my back forcing me to lean forward to avoid having them jam me in the back/neck. Too bad they are not recessed. BTW - this seemed like a great tub otherwise, we would have bought it if I had fit in it better. The leg room was fantastic. So now we checking the next level up models and see if we can get something close to our price range that I can fit comfortably in. I also want to check out the Marquis, maybe Jacuzzi? Based on recommendations rec’d from others and my own research, plus info on this board, I’d rather not go with the lower end companies not named. We've looked at nearly all brands that are readily available in the area. We are getting super frustrated that we can’t find a spa that has what we want, fits my height, and is within our price range. Maybe we just need to up the ante? Any suggestions on particular Makes/Models in SoCal area with lots of leg room? Deeper tubs or tubs with some deep seats are also preferred. Wife is 5'7".Thanks in advance for your response!!