amcdonald307

For those of us who live where you can still see the stars while you're out in the tub and have wondered what the name of a particularly bright star you see is called... I propose you can check out http://www.stellarium.org/ I use this (about once a month) with the kids before we head out at night, and look for stars and constellations we want to find ahead of time. Educational, and free! You're out there looking up anyway, might as well know what you're looking at!

Electric box must be more than 5 feet from any part of tub, but must be within line of site from tub. That's pretty universal. Many places also do not allow a 110v socket within 10' of tub. I would think regs on distance between house and tub vary (I had no restriction)

Don't forget, the lifter not only lifts the cover - it stores and protects it when it's off the tub. You don't want to set your cover on the ground (grass,concrete,gravel) where it WILL get dirty and/or torn.

I can't see a lifter being optional. The real question is mounting high or mounting low (Covermate II style). Mine is used to block a gawd-awful yard light (from my neighbors 600 ft away), but I do worry about the wind whipping it around when it gets to blowing more than 15mph. Anyone have any horror stories of the wind taking their cover and lifter away?

Here's my Bullfrog in the backyard. I poured the concrete (12' wide) and built the redwood decking - there's a step off on the other end you can't see. The deck wraps around the 2 sides, and makes walking around the tub to unclip the cover easy. The tub sits 22 inches from the door, and is also stratigically placed so we can see the tub from the kitchen window. Some cheap tiki torches makes it feel like a party on a cold night.

http://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=13151

You know what, I don't really want to see pictures of peoples kids when they offer, but I think we all like to see new tubs! Congrats - and at what temp are you going to wait until you make that first jump in? 54 degrees isn't as cold as it sounds, and you don't need electricity except for bubbles...

My money is on Roger for this one. Not condoning self wiring, but here is an article: http://www.spadepot.com/spacyclopedia/wiring-hot-tub-spa.htm with pictures! The article suggests: GFCI Tripping Due to Miswired Neutral The most common wiring mistake occurs with 4-wire systems. Unfortunately, we've found that even a few professional electricians sometimes get a flunking grade on this one: The white neutral wire to the spa's control box must be attached (as shown in our 4-wire diagrams above) directly to the neutral terminal of the GFCI breaker, NOT TO THE SUB-PANEL GROUNDING BAR. Mis-wiring it to ground instantly trips the GFCI when energized, cutting power to the hot tub.

This was from a while back, a different model, but the same Ottawa dealer I think. http://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=12432

Single pump, some jets work, some don't. This has to be one of the following: 1) Diverter valve issue, may be just turned off - these would be "dials" located around the top of the tub, out of the water. They basically turn on and off jets at various seats (making the jets still "on" stringer). Give some of these knobs a twist, especially those near the non-working seats, see if it does anything. 2) Suction valve closed/blocked - suction valves are inside the tub near the floor in the center (on the wall of the foot well), and will probably have something that looks like a screen over it. They send water from the tub back to the pump. The online manual implies that these may be in an "off" position (don't know why you would have an option to shut it off, but...). Try giving it a twist (lefty loosey, or righty tighty, I don't know which).

HS Limelight series had some neat looking lighting I thought. (Though I confess I never saw one in person, only pictures). And "lighting" for having lights sake... I bought something called a "Chimnea" at Walmart to set on the porch next to my tub, looks like a BIG piece of pottery with a chimney, and burns logs like a fire place. That, with some well placed Tiki torches, and I have quite a moving light show.

Ah, the diverter valve issue. I've been out of shopping mode so long, I forgot about this. For me, this became a big deal. Some of my early favorites were "diverted" and that seemed fine. In reality I figured I would spend half the time (or more) with the jets off just soaking any way. But during wet testing I became aware there were times I wanted everything running at once with 5 of us in the tub. Not saying bullfrog was the only option or that they did it any way better. But for me it did cut down 75% of what I was looking at when I decided I couldn't live without it (basically anything with 2+ pumps). Supidly, I did NOT spring the extra $78 to have an aux control button (to turn on/off jets away from main control). I left it out as part of my give/take deal negotiation. How lazy do you have to be not to get out of your chair to turn on/off the jets? Well, I forgot being lazy was the whole point! So my retro-sage advise - don't shop with price in mind, especially in the early feeling out stage. Start out just finding the things you like and don't like (for me yes to a lounger, definately no to anything that had a seat shaped like the inside of an egg shell). When you get more serious it will help you eliminate some choices without feeling like you had to give something up. In the end I did spent about a 1/3 more than my initial "budget", but I don't feel I gave up much not spending $5g more than I did. You mentioned a price above and is it a good price? Way too early for that. Get a list short list of 3 or 4 real possibilities, then you can side-by-side compare them. And it gives you an honest bargining chip if the dealers know you have alternatives and are not in a I-must-have-this-tub mode (even if that really IS the case!)

This seems like the right place for me to jump in and make my first post... I got a Bullfrog 552, a month ago today. For me (and it will be one of your first questions too), the question came down to having a lounger(s). I did my share of wet and dry testing of various tubs and listening to different sales pitches. I didn't go with the Bullfrog line because of the sales pitch - I went for it because of the comfort I felt sitting in it (or more properly laid back in it). One of the biggest complaints I have seen against Bullfrog (on this et al boards) is the "gimmickeness" of the jetpacks. I will stand by my statement that it was the most comfortable tub for my body as the leading criteria, but I will admit I do actually like idea of moving my jets around. I do have a definate favorite seat, the ugly bench lounger (way more comfortable to me than it looks!), but I have a couple different favorite jetpacks, and I do like to swap them out in my space. Plus, the kids do seem to like swapping them all about weekly. You never know what configuration we might end up with on any given day (but they know to only put those 2 in MY bench). Plus, my dealer will let me "borrow" any of the packs in stock to take home and try out (I may have a 3rd favorite shortly!). So, more to your point... I own a Bullfrog. I am impressed with the quality, comfort and "solidness" of it, which were it's selling points to me. The gimmicks were just bonuses (and I approve of them now more than when I was listening to them as sales speeches). I will say I did try and was interested in other tubs, and probably the tie breaker for me was I personally liked the dealer (didn't feel like a used car salesman). So, don't be afraid of Bullfrog, I think they are good quality. But do try as many different types as you possibly can - some will grab you and some won't.