castletonia

I'm guessing 20-25% of that is for the service call and labor to come out and do it. The remote should run you $600-$700 and if it wasn't for needing a software update you could just buy the remote and pair it yourself.

Technically no. What you need to make sure is that whatever ozone you choose is the same voltage and has the same type of connecters to connect to the circuit board. I have seen some mfg's void the warranty on ozone's if you have to alter the plug in any way.

PM me your email address and I can email it over to you

I'll see if I can come up with anything but anything pre-1995 is hard to come by.

Reach out to Maax Spas in Arizona. They bought L.A. Spas back in 2012-2013 so if anyone can get you or make a part it’s them. If they can’t help, then you would need to measure the radius and DIY something.

Not wanting to start a debate, but staying away from full foam to me is just ignorant. Making a purchase decision based on the potential of a leak is crazy. In 20 years i've sold non-full foam hot tubs and full foam. Non-full foam are louder to operate, cost more to operate and tend to have more leaks as the product ages. But, to each their own. Labor is whatever the manufacturer's warranty is. Highlife/Limelight 5 years parts/labor and Hot Spot is 2 years part/labor. Regardless of what the issue is, my dealership charges a travel fee after the first year for warranty work and if there is an actual in-foam leak we do have a fee for bringing the hot tub back to our shop if necessary. Over the last 4 years having been a dealer for Hot Spring, Caldera, and Marquis and having sold over 500 full foam hot tubs I have only had 2 in foam leaks. One was a new Caldera that Watkins replaced and the other was a Marquis that had a few leaking jets. No cost to my customer with the Caldera since they covered all costs since it was a new hot tub and with the Marquis they covered parts/labor and customer paid the travel fee.

Both are quality brands. I sell Hot Spring and Caldera, just an FYI. Both will be energy efficient hot tubs. I personally doubt the plumbing design on a Bullfrog will translate to much if any energy savings vs an equally well insulated hot tub, but that is a topic that deserves its own thread. Even though both models are "open concept" they have distinctly different seating arrangements. I'm a huge fan of having a large cool down seat / step which is why I really like the Flash, but that is my preference only and YMMV. Also, does the Bullfrog in question come with a 24/7 circulation pump? What is included with each and what are the prices? You also have to consider the dealer, they are the ones taking care of you after the sale. My general opinion is that the products are comparable and price is comparable then you should buy from the more reputable dealer.

I don’t think this is a Great Lakes. Shell mold does not look familiar and I never knew of Great Lakes to offer circulation pumps.

It's more useful to start a new thread than revive one that is 12 years old. That being said...... It sounds like you don't have a great dealer. If they do not properly understand how the salt system works, or water chemistry in general, I would seek out someone else. Do you have a local Hot Spring dealer? Same salt system so maybe they can be of more assistance. What do you mean when saying the salt system didn't work? Was it not producing chlorine? Was the cartridge failing prematurely? As for the stereo. I'm not personally a fan of music on hot tubs due to longevity issues with the speakers, but of the Hot Spring and Caldera models I have sold with music I have had zero issues with bluetooth connectivity and only a handful of bad speakers. Have you gone through the pairing process? Foam is not the hot tubs fault. Foam is a result of something being introduced to the hot tub and in many scenarios it is laundry soap residue on swim suits. Otherwise it is usually personal hygiene products coming off the body of bathers. Watkins (Caldera) customer service is really good. If you are not getting the help you need from your dealer reach out to them and let them know your issues. At the very least they can get involved and work with your dealer to resolve the situation.

Yes. The main pump will no longer run through the heater, instead the circulation pump will.

Seems a bit high but given the lack if hot tub inventory it’s not out of line either. Is the cover new? Does it come with any warranty from the seller?

Sounds like a bunch of b.s. I’m not a tech, but a board causing a breaker to trip seems odd. And yes, Watkins tech support would never suggest making it work by bypassing the board. A complete IQ2020 control box would cost $600-$700.

Yes, Hot Spring makes a kit, part # 76230 which is a circulation pump kit for the SX and TX.

Hotspot Jumper Settings.pdf Hotspot Conversion.pdf

What year SX?

Is that looking up from one of the front corners? If so, its not a drain. A leak from there likely means that one of the two check valves in the Hartford loop in the equipment area is either stuck or has failed.

Demand is high and inventory is limited. This scenario probably won’t change for a year or two at least. I wouldn’t expect to ever see a Grandee under $13-$14k, or a Pulse under $11k. I was higher priced pre-Covid, fwiw.

Those prices were insanely low to begin with. Since then there have been cost increases and Covid. Depending on what’s included, I would expect a Grandee to be in $16,000+ and the Pulse to be $13,000+.

I just saw the video, looks like a pretty good leak and it appears you are either close to or have found it. I applaud your willingness as most customers will not even remove a door panel. If you don't mind me asking, why share it to Hot Spring's Facebook page though? I get you are frustrated and I would be too, but other than an unfortunate situation, I don't understand the desire, or expectation of "goodwill". Correct me if I am wrong, and I hope I am, but I see doing that as an attempt to either shame them into some type of compensation for the repair costs or to just deter others from their product because of your current feelings toward the company and your situation? I know the saying "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" and while that can be true, more often that not it also permanently ruins the relationship and likely would prevent any future goodwill gestures. Having been in sales and customer service for 20 years I strive to help all of my customers, though it is inevitable that there will be situation where a customer is dissatisfied. The customer that complains the loudest will be taken care of but the customer that is the most respectful is the one that I will go the extra mile for to make sure they are satisfied in the future. With that being said, MyHotSpringLeaks, I really do hope your situation gets resolved to your satisfaction and that you do not have to wait another 6 months for a working hot tub.

KKNE2V1084 is a 2017 and KKNE1W1072 is a 2018.

What kind of hot tub?

I agree with RDspaguy. If you are already this far, might as well finish the job and avoid the downtime and expense associated with your local dealer since it appears you are already not a fan of them. Regarding your opinions about Hot Spring, you are entitled to those. I will say this though. Having sold hot tubs for 20 years, Watkins has been by far the best manufacturer I have dealt with in terms of dealer support and customer service and it’s not even close. just to make sure that the correct facts are presented. Only Highlife Hot Spring uses the multi density spray foam. Everything else from Hot Spring and Caldera has been FiberCor, which is a loose fill insulation since either 2010 or 2011. You also mentioned Watkins not doing anything for you being 8 months out of warranty but you stated you are the second owner which means the original warranty did not transfer to you. This is written in their warranty. Additionally, regarding the ACE salt system. The lifespan you are getting from your cells is about what they should be lasting so I’m confused why you have “accepted” this? Did someone tell you they last longer? And, if you were not ok with the cost, why not just disconnect ACE and do something else like Frog @ease or Nature2 with MPS and chlorine?

Hot Spring does make a plug that can be inserted into the drain nipple from inside the moto-massage. This is intended to still keep the drain functional but reinforce the part that may have cracked. You will need to epoxy this in so it will require a empty hot tub to do so. In my experience, this only works about 20% of the time and there is a decent chance that if it doesn't it will further disturb the cracked nipple and make the leak worse. Part number on the plug is 1299901 and it is called a Niche Nipple Repair Plug and there is also a tool to help insert the plug, part number 1481101 called Niche Nipple Repair Tool Blank.

I personally cannot tolerate the smell of bromine so that would be a no go for me. I use the Frog @ease system in my hot tub and I am generally happy with it. Frog @ease doesn’t add cyanuric acid which is nice. Having sold the system for 4 years and using it personally in my hot tub I have noticed that pH and Alkalinity tend to drift downward. I usually have to add alkalinity increased every 2-3 weeks in my hot tub. I do treat for phosphates when I fill my hot tub and I do add a weekly enzyme. Otherwise I shock once a month with MPS. I have a 230 gallon hot tub that typically gets used daily by myself and 2-3 times a week by the rest of my family. Outside of the monthly partial drain you have been doing, everything else is just basic water care and if you’re hot tub is getting used regularly I’m not sure how much less maintenance you can have.