JerimiahR

If it heats at all, the heater is fine. Those either work or don't work. If the temperature is not regulated properly, it has to be a thermostat issue, as that is what regulates when the heater turns on and off.

Depending on your climate, and whether the spa was "drained" and stored, or whether it was "winterized" and stored... you may experience issues. Nobody here can tell you for sure, but having the spa fully operational is a HUGE plus when considering a used hot tub. It's sort of like buying a car. You want to start it, drive it around, feel the cold air coming out of the A/C, roll the windows up and down, etc. If the car were chained down on a trailer and the guy said, "It worked great before we trailer-ed it last year" would you spend the money? Pump seals and things can indeed break down if a spa is left empty in storage over time. So you could have minor leaks with shaft seals and such. Or, if your climate is cold and the spa was not properly winterized, you could have major plumbing damage. Or, if all is well, you may just have biofilm/mold growth in the plumbing because it's sat 'empty' for a year or more, and the plumbing has trace moisture/humidity in it. The Sundance Maxxis is quite the hot tub, and $6k is probably a good price for a 2year old unit. But as everyone else has stated, you do indeed accept some level of risk buying used (especially with a spa in storage that you can't see running).

If the $500 is only a cover lifter, you might want to find out what exact lifter that is. We most commonly use the Cover Cradle (not Cover Cradle II) on our Vanguard models. It works very well for us, as we've got hundreds of customers using that lifter. All said and done, a 2010 Vanguard with a cover lifter, delivery and setup, at $10k is what we usually see them go for in our market. I'm sure you'll have a few folks come on the forum shortly after me telling you to haggle more, and that you're being over charged. But folks don't seem to understand that prices vary all over the country. If you feel comfortable with the asking price, and all the items included, based on your comparative shopping then go for it. Hopefully they're offering a Cover Cradle, as that would be my first choice. It's a good product, and made for the Hot Spring spas.

Before you order a hot tub cover online, determine whether you're using one of the Hot Spring branded cover lifters (The lifter mechanism actually screws into the cover). If you do, you either need find someone who can install the specialty brackets inside the cover, or order it directly through a Hot Spring dealer.

If your only choices are a Costco tub, versus a 3 year old Hot Spring Vanguard for $3,000.... it's a no-brainer. The Hot Spring is a completely different item compared to the Costco products. Much better hot tub - performance, reliability, construction, parts quality, tech support, parts availability, long term peace of mind, energy consumption, etc... it's all a major difference. You might also stop by your local Hot Spring dealer and look at some of their new products as well. Most comparable would be the new Hot Spot Relay and Tempo models which are extremely popular for us here in Montana right now. We've had several people opt for the new Hot Spot spas over Costco spas that have already owned Costco sold hot tubs before. They're all very happy with their new Hot Spots. There's an inherent quality difference between the Costco tubs and anything you can buy through a local dealer.

I would guess -- and this is a guess -- October. One of the Jacuzzi dealers in the area had a big sale when the Topsfield Fair was going on (same deals in the store that you'd get at the Fairgrounds). Likewise, the "traveling road show" hit at the same time. Mid-October, it's getting on toward the end of the warm-weather season. Yeah but be careful of the "traveling road show". Some of the hot tub companies that only sell through home shows are pretty sneaky with how they 'price' things.

II'm not a fan of Cal and don't know Coast well. My personal short list of spa makers I'd recommend would be Caldera, D1, Hot Spring, Jacuzzi, Marquis and Sundance. You can go to their websites and use their delaer locators to see who may be local to you. I agree, with an emphasis on Hot Spring (Caldera) and Sundance.

If only this were the first posting on these forums about these folks. Are they really conning this many people, or are folks coming back here repeatedly to report these guys? Either way, folks should always buy a hot tub from a known, reputable local hot tub dealer that sells a well known and established brand.

Okay, so it is indeed the "Power" Light on the hot tub. Try the things Peteyboy recommended first. At this point, there could either be a problem with the high-limit thermostat or an issue with the heater relay. But since it's causing a power light to flash, I'm guessing a thermostat issue.

Be VERY cautious buying any hot tub in Ebay. There have been quite a few horror stories on these forums about it already. I've seen pictures of this hot tub online before. 171 jets? That's a record for me. Last record was one that claimed 144 jets. LOL

Have you shopped other dealers in your area? Would be a great idea to compare other brands. See if you have a Hot Spring or Sundance dealer to compare with (if you haven't already). Size wise, it would be a great idea to compare with the Limelight Pulse (Hot Spring made), Hot Spot Tempo, or Tiger River Caspian models. Each of those will seat 6 adults (I can't see putting 6 or 7 people in that Lotus). With the Hot Spring model line, the Grandee is a great 6 adult size without a lounge seat to compare with.

Contact your Marquis dealer for sure (or Marquis directly if needed). A 2 year old hot tub should more than likely have a current shell warranty in effect. Don't try any do it yourself fixes before you contact Marquis or your dealer. This should likely be a warrant able issue (unless it was physically caused damage, or spa was improperly installed, etc).

Are we talking the HTR ON LED on the circuit board inside? Or are we talking about the "Green" or "Red" LED lights on the outside of the hot tub? Have you tried removing the filter on the main circulation stand pipe? (This is the dirtiest filter, that sits on the hollow tube). If this filter is restricting water flow it will cause the Red & Green lights on the hot tub to flash and shut the spa down. Also, have you consulted your local dealer for tech support? Or did you perhaps order replacement parts online? Just curious as to what your next step should be depending.

Is your dealer providing a warranty to you? If not, I don't see how another brand/manufacturer is going to provide a free replacement as a warranty deal. Did this dealer talk numbers with you at all? (i.e. cost to you) If the Four Winds Spa is under warranty, it should be replaced by Four Winds with another Four Winds spa. I'm not a fan of LA Spas, and I'm not familiar with IST.

What year Sovereign is it? And what part of the tub is the check valve in? Unless someone here was able to provide you with a diagram, you might also contact Tech Support @ Hot Spring directly: 1-800-999-4688

The fact that you loved the Sovereign is proof that the 1 vs 2 jet pump is not an issue. The only reason 2 jet pumps would be needed is if 1 jet pump does not supply enough overall jet pressure based on the number of jets in the hot tub. If you felt that the jet performance was good, then you won't miss having a second jet pump. The reason the Flair has two jet pumps is simply because the hot tub has many more jets (and therefore requires 2 jet pumps). It's sort of like saying you absolutely must buy a ceiling fan with 6 blades on it. It's not the number of blades, but the shape, size, tilt, etc that creates the air movement. There are a few factors involved is my point.

The jet pump could either be frozen, or could be air-locked (i.e. there's no water in it). The simple answer would be to contact your local Hot Spring dealer for support. They can come out and bleed air out of the pump so it fills with water, and thereby get you running. Be it frozen, air locked, or in disrepair, the pump not running is a problem. How is the weather? If it's been sunny and warm for a long period you can rule out the pump being frozen.

pgp, Sorry folks have called you "Newbie". When you first register on a forum like this you are given a "rank" which in this case is "Newbie" since you've made very few posts. Anyhow, as you can see there's much debate over Master Spas. I would tend to agree with the spa professionals on this site that by comparing Master Spa and Hot Spring you're comparing two very different things. Hot Spring is well respected as an industry leader, where as Master Spas... well you've seen the banter. If you've test soaked three of the Hot Spring models and have liked them, I'd say you're on the right track. They're a quality, efficient hot tub made by a manufacturer who's been in business over 30 years. They are owned by Masco Corporation (think Behr Paints, Delta Faucets, Kraftmaid Cabinetry, etc). The nice thing with this, is not only do they have a very solid backing, but because they are part of a Fortune 500 company they are subject to much more public scrutiny (and therefore have to run a tighter ship). Anyhow, good luck in your hot tub shopping! I hope all works out for the best, and you find the hot tub which is best for you and your family.

Actually I was trying to stay neutral . It's okay. There is a lot lost in a text only conversation. So much of human conversation is done through body language and tone of voice, neither of which can be conveyed by text very easily.

Much like checking the Kelly Blue Book value of a car, there are a lot of determining factors. Value changes from market to market (a Grandee in Alaska is probably worth more than Arizona where folks don't need more heat). The over all condition of the spa (functions or not, leaks or not, new cover, old heavy tattered cover, etc) will play into this. Any accessory items (cover lifter system, ozone, steps, etc) can change the over all value as well. The other thing to consider is: Are you selling? Or buying? If you're buying, make sure you can see it filled with water, heated, and play with the jets. Make sure there are no wet areas around the hot tub.

Just to pick up on spatech(tuo)'s skeptical take for a moment... I'd sure like to understand a bit more about the "new diamond technology" and its relation to salt water chlorine generation. Testimonials are fine, but what (specifically) makes this particular SWG different? Diamonds actually intensify the output of the electrode, thereby creating a stronger chemical reaction. Also as part of the difference made by the diamonds, the ACE System outputs more than "chlorine". It is also capable of outputting Ozone, Active Oxygen, MPS (when pH Decreaser is added), and Hydrogen Peroxide (commonly used in Soft Soak and BaquaSpa products). Because the system has a stronger intensity, you can effectively sanitize the hot tub with less salt (ppm) than a typical salt system used in pools. Anymore than that and I can't really say to be honest. The diamond technology used here is not something you'll likely learn about in a collegiate chemistry course as I understand it is fairly new. Quote from Hot Spring's Website:

If you're in a cold climate, converting to 220V can help with heat up times, and keep water warmer longer while you're sitting in it for long periods. You will not see any difference with jet pressure or anything else as pumps in that spa are 110V only. As mentioned above, the only item being converted is the heater from 110V to 220V. If the spa doesn't heat fast enough for you, or you want to sit in it for longer periods than you're able (due to temp drop) then 220V may be worth doing. That's all you'll get from converting.

It sounds like you need a custom insert, as opposed to a traditional "Portable Spa". You might look into whether you have a local Bradford dealer. We have a Bradford Stainless Steel dealer here and they do a fantastic job with custom spa installs. With a company like that you can essentially custom order the whole thing to suit your size and style. It can be finished inside with tile or other materials. Bradford Products

Duplicate Post

Congrats on your purchase Theojt! The Grandee is an awesome spa model. They're pretty popular in my market. I just like having all the leg room, and two moto-massage jets personally. The ACE Salt System is performing well for us. So I wouldn't have any reservations there. Should be great for you since you travel. You won't have to worry about coming home to a green monster in your spa.