wylekioti

Just because you need a breaker rated for 60 amps does not mean your load is 60 amps.. if it were you would be tripping the breaker all the time. Actual amperage use of hot tub depends on motor starting/running amps, heater amps, control pack and extras. Not knowing what the specifics of each component are or what settings you use. Example.. no heater with all pumps running... Doubt your actual amp draw will excede 35 amps. So your 55 amp 6 guage is adequate. Most likely the reason for a 60 amp breaker is to prevent false trips from spikes during motor starts. But even these should not reach 55 amps. If your tub uses over 55 amps constantly.. you will be better off to sell it and buy one that is efficient because you would be able to save thousands in electric costs!

I thought this was about spas. If you want to compare manufacturing of spas to automobiles, I dont think you can. Having worked in the automotive industry for 25 years, I would not use a name brand of a car as an example of GOOD or BAD.. Most manufacturers of cars have had good and bad cars. I have seen people who would concider nothing but one brand even though they may be buying a lower quality for more money. And Just because it has a name on it, does not mean that is who made it. Mazda builds Fords and visa versa. Mitsubishi builds for Chrysler. etc. Ford and GM use parts built by Chrysler. GM has engines built in Korea just like the Hyundia. We bought a Hyundia and have had better luck with it than friends have had with Toyota, Honda, Subaru, Ford and others. I have a 1990 Chev truck with a V-8 that gets better mileage than a new Toyota PU. Lets stick to spa information.. Compairing to the mess created with peoples views on cars just creates confusion. PS. After owning one Ford... NEVER AGAIN! Had for 3 years, managed to put 5k miles on it when it was not broke down, sold with 60,000 miles on it for $200.. and ran. But some people will own nothing but Ford...

Sorry.. it was just that you did not say where you were.. male or female... price range... Kinda hard to help... and I have the same problem.. but not convinced that clothes or robes even should be bought over internet.. hard enough to get things that fit when you can try them on in stores. added thought.. I have posted before.. I use a fluffy jacket with a hood.. extra long seems to be less breeze for me than a robe running for the house.

Which part are you talking about... that they show a $1000 solar heater on a $500 hot tub, or that you could go to a hardware store and buy what you need for under $200 to do the same thing? Or that it will not do a thing if you need the heat and will overheat the spa when you dont want the heat?

I don't think an electric blanket and wet mix well.. sounds like potential shock and major problem. No suit helps. Crocs easy and quick to put on, get indoors, dry off and put on whatever keeps you warm to close tub. Thing about keeping towel or robe in something to keep warm.. seems like you would spend more time getting it out and messing around in the cold than if you just went inside... I have seen propane patio heaters which if you have an area for near tub might help keep towels and robes warm and would be safer than electric blankets and hair dryers by the spa. Thought.... Get a bike horn, mount to spa, when your ready to get out.. Honk it.. Then the designated towel person runs out with the warm towels....

Ummm. Go shopping?

I wish all of you luck in dealing with this issue. However, recovering money from VISA may be just as much a hastle. After following VISA guidelines for returning a product which was not as advertised, VISA refunded the money for 8 months, then without warning, reinstalled the charges and closed the file and would not reconcider on a purchase made for several thousand dollars. So we do not have the product or the money. I would never trust VISA for backing thier policys on consumer protection.

I found this: http://www.spadepot.com/shop/Spa-GFCI-Load...-P9279C193.aspx Artic dealer told me the Box Store spa GFCI may or may not work with Artic spas because of the 110-220v usage. Don't know what brand GFCI you have or what its rated for.

I was told by the Coleman dealer that the Maxx spa line which were named Coleman would still be made by Maxx without change, they would not have the name of Coleman on them. The company which bought the name, only bought the name, not the line of spas. Maxx would be continuing to sell and service the line of tubs which they built as Coleman but will now have Maxx name on them. I have heard good and bad about this line of spa, but it seems to be a better quality spa than many. I think it is funny that a name like Coleman would be worth anything to put on a product like this. After all, Coleman has nothing to do with the company using the name. The Coleman name used to mean something for quality 20 years ago, but now they just outsource or have the name put on products made by other companies. As long as Coleman is not taking interest or having control of quality of the product the name is put on, the name has no value. It is companies like Coleman that contribute to the failure of the ecconomic stability of the USA. I wrote Coleman over a year ago when I found out about their manufacturing and brand name practices and told them I would not buy any product labeled Coleman. To me it is fraud putting a name on a product because someone paid to be able to without any association to the company. Going to shut up now.

Assuming there is a cover on it.... Or are the squirles and birds going to use it while your away?

Have had this discussion on here before. Turning off the air helps keep cost down for heating while your not in spa. Adding cool air during pump cycles causes the heater to work longer. Because Marquis uses the main pump for heating and this water is returned through the jets, turning the air off should help alot with heating costs and reduce evaporation. Also if you are using a blanket, the air could cause problems with that.

The other knob is the cold water

Depending on outside temp and spa temp. Usually if it is hot outside and the spa temp is 99-100 then 45min. to an hour. However if it is hot outside and the temp creeps up to 103-104 then 15-20 mins. If it is cold outside then 99-100 is too cool. 101-102 seems to be good for a hour of soaking any time. My Doctor recomends for my condition the 102-103 temp range so time spent in tub really has alot to do with the temp of the water by one or two degrees and the outside temp for your body to regulate its own temp from exposed skin to the ambiant air. This also depends on how far down in the water your body is in the spa. Water up to your neck gives your body less to control its internal temp than if the water is up to your chest. So how deep you sit in the tub will determine how long you can stay in. Some spas have a "cool down seat" to give your body a chance to manage its temp by exposing more body to the air. Alternating from neck deep to a cool down possition will increase the time you can spend in the spa. I am not a doctor or an expert on the body of other people but I know my body tells me to get out.. so I listen.

Ok, not an expert on outdoor speaker construction. I would not spray anything on them. I do not know if it would react with materials used.. but coating the speaker will increase the weight of the membrain which has to vibrate (move) very quickly making the sound turn to pooo. But this might improve some of the music out there.. so.. well there is my 2 pennys.

When I get one it will be a 15 foot run. But I have used one where it is at least 25 feet. Get out, towel off and throw on a Jacket (big fluffy one with a hood) that zips up. My robe would not be as warm. Between buildings and location, wind has never been bad getting out when it is cold.. not sure if I would take time to dry if it was windy.. just wrap towel and run...

I suggest you read some of the forums here on this subject. From what I have read, getting the tub after you pay for it is iffy. If you get the tub, how much is the set up going to cost? (forklift or crane) Many ppl have had problems with missing parts, leaks, damaged, etc. Then the biggy, will it be comfortable and do what you want? Really hard to wet test before you buy. After the sale... what support will you have, how long will you have to wait for parts or repairs. Will the company be around in a year or two? And just because it says it has name brand parts does NOT insure they are good quality, many manufacturers make econo line or have units with quality issues that are sold for much less that the quality parts they make. 6hp motor says nothing.. a good 3hp motor will do more work and last longer and use less electricity than a cheep 6hp. (hp ratings can be whatever they say and unless your dealing with a professional manufacturer then you might get the true hp ratings) Foot note: How hp is measured or calculated can change hp of any motor or engine, there are different hps for any motor depending on what you want to know about the motor and what that number needs to represent. What I am saying is without getting into a bunch of math and calculation, hp is nothing more than a selling point and has little to do with power of jets. Think of it like a stereo, if you have a 50w or 200w, for normal listening, your speakers will make more difference in the sound and volume that what the power of the amp has. So in the hot tub, your plumbing and jets are more important than the hp of a motor.

I wet tested this model but a new one. For me it was over priced, not comfortable and not good for therapy. I would keep looking. That price sounds high for a used one. I would think you could find a new one of better quality for that amount or so with a 5 year or better warrenty. I was not impressed with Jaccuzi brand with some of the answers I got to questions. Sounded like they are relying on name to make sales. Cost of running was a major concern.. Wonder why they have a 2-3 year old used one? Not like you can upgrade from that one in their line of tubs.... But you are right. The dealer and your comfort with a wet test are the 2 top priorities. If the price doesnt make you run... but I would look at any other options before spending that much on anything.

It's too bad that Quality Brands do not = Quality Dealers. My impression from the local dealer here if he had an Epic in stock would be he would want extra for a 2008 because it was a limited run and they are getting hard to find..... He had lower level spas for $2k more than what you are paying for your Epic; on "sale" and that did not include the cover, chem kit or anything, just the spa as it sat. Install and delivery was extra.... I think Andrew Zimmern would get a bad taste in his mouth from this Marquis dealer.

Maybe a better annalogy: Car hood (or for the English: the Bonnet), would you rather have a hinged hood with assist shocks to get to the engine or have a pinned hood that you would have to lift off and put back on. To me, after soaking and being relaxed is not the time I want to have to fuss with putting a cover back... esp. if you are alone with a wet swimsuit in the cold or if you are with someone...

I am not a spa owner as of yet, but do use a friends spa. He has an eight foot spa with a very thin cover (2 inch max thickness) and the longer he has had the spa, the heavier the cover has gotten (getting saturated with water). For one person to remove the cover, it is all I can do with the lifter (I have a bad back). I can not imagine one person trying to remove or install the cover without a lifter. I would think that sliding it off, over time, would destroy the bottom, especially if you were dragging it onto a shelf. Using the lifter to remove or install the cover takes less than a minute to do by oneself. If a person had a 4-6 inch cover, I would say having a lifter would be a must. Just from the aspect of reducing damage to the cover over time from manhandling, the lifter will save money. Also with the lifter holding the cover up at one side while you are using the spa, this provides a wind block and some privacy if oriented in a favorable way.

QUOTE(AUNTIE B @ Aug 31 2008, 11:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Getting ready to purchase a new spa. Confused as to what to spend the $$$ on. Originally looked at Jacuzzi J 375, friend took me to see a Cal Spa Victory Extreme LX 860. While online I ran across the Master Spa line. I know the Cal Spa is cheaper - but in the long run will Jacuzzi be the one to pay off? HELP...... Thanks for any & all input. Beez I would like to add to what pathfinder said. I too am shopping for a spa. Do a search on this forum for the brands you are looking at to see what others have said. Search the internet for other brands and see what other brands are being sold in your area. Put together a priority list of what features you feel are important and see what best suits your needs. I found this for a quick link to many of the manufacturers sites: Links to Spas and click on the "listings" in the left column.

For peace of mind, that might be the best way to go. If the amp draw and the rpm are at spec the motor should be ok. The only thing that will not be known for sure is if the start switch was sticking like ps558 suggested. (you might have unstuck it when you dropped the motor on your work bench or something) Or, let it run and if it acts up again, then don't mess with it, just replace it. Enjoy your tub and don't stress over the pump!

ROFLMAO What direction? Nice to know about the filters and chems. I am shopping for a spa and some of the costs to change filters and manage the water scare the heck out of me. I do not want to have to spend $300 on filters every year. Nor do I want to end up sitting by the spa playing chemist for 4 hours a day.

The Tubs I have seen where I can see the Full Foam, it is just that, the compartment is full foam except where the equipment compartment is. The statement from Jacuzzi is almost comical. So like if my spa does not have a shell, I don't get the insulation I need..... I would not think this to be a FF tub. It is a foam insulated tub. But I still wish I had a tub and hope you enjoy yours, still shopping.

There is a mechanical switch triggered by low rpm which connects the capacitor. Normal operation, simply stated this jump starts the motor, once the motor is up to speed the cap. is out of the circuit. If the motor is stalled or is running below this switch speed, the cap. stays connected and can overheat causing damage. On this type motor the cap. does not emulate 3 phase while running. Once the motor speed is up (this does not take long) the cap. is out of the circuit. Depending on the quality of cap., I have seen a motor slowed for less that 15 sec due to excess load (you could hear the switch kick) and it damaged the capacitor. I am sure a cheep cap. is used in a pump motor due to the fact normally sees no major loading on start up. I am not familiar with what if any differences there are in motors here in the US vs where you live with the change of voltage and frequency. But I would think that they compensate for that in how it is wound more than changing cap use. Hope this helps. How hot is this thing running? Can you put your hand on it (kind of a rule of thumb thing for about 150 degrees F(oh you are C so that would be like around 70C off the top of my head))? If not. I would say that is too hot and there is other problems. Now that you replaced the cap. it may be better quality and not burn out if overloaded as easy. Even though it is running, if it is running hot, it is costing you extra in electricity. Say a good motor is 90% efficient so only 10% of the power turns to heat, but if your motor is running hot then the energy turning to heat may be more like 30% or more so to run the motor is going to cost extra to do the same job. Just had a thought, there are a few places here that repair motors. I wonder if you found someplace there that could bench test it and what it would cost just to make sure you are good to go. I know you don't want to have to keep messing with it.