DK117
-
Posts
239 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by DK117
-
-
Alex, what did you decide?
Rather than responding individually (I was out all weekend) I'll just add my personal opinion. I'll be thrilled if I get 5, 6, or 7 years out of my Strong Spa (although I have no reason to belive it won't last longer, that's all I ever thought I'd get out of it.) I really don't want to own a 15 year old tub of any make or model. And after looking at several used options I got scared and decided to go new. I'll decide in another 5 years or so how serious I am about tubbing, and do some wet tests and will certainly see what Costco is offering. I've always understood what it is that I'm doing. I'm hedging my bets on innovation. There might be some really nice new features that only come with new tubs. That being said, I don't need the BMW when the Kia gets the job done. It's just a difference of opinion. And I could concievably have two strong spas, at $5k a piece that would give me a lifespan of a single hotsprings at $10k. Who knows? And Alex, from the little I know, Hotsprings makes a solid spa. They also seem to have a large marketing department, I can't get off their mailing list ... LOL.
Good luck.
DK117
-
just for clarification is this "pretty good" per the OP or "really good" per SpaTech? And is this from an individual or a dealership? re-reading this, and we're all jumping to conclusions.
DK117
-
In my continued search for a 6-7 person spa in the $4-to-$5k price range, I recently came across a used 2003 Hot Spring Grandee in a pretty good shape. The asking price is $3,500; delivery will likely be $500 extra. I have also been contemplating buying a new spa from Costco (e.g. Key West or Elements, when they are back on sale, they will also be around $4k). How do I go about choosing between a 2003 Grandee and 2010 Strong Spa? I am not looking for a gazillion jets, so Strong’s advantage in jet count is not that important for me. But how would these spas compare in other features, reliability, insulation, etc? What else should I take into account before pulling a plug on either? Opinions from folks who faced a similar choice (e.g. higher-end used vs. lower-end new) would be greatly appreciated.
The 7 YO Grande should have 10 more years in it. You'll never get that out of any brand sold through Costco. But 3500 is to high, more like 2 grand. Plus what your calling an advantage in jet count is truely no advantage. The feel of the tub is the only way to tell which has an advantage. No matter how many jets.
If the Grandee is in really good shape as you state (including you seeing it fully operational not just that it "looks" good) then I think 2500 is a good price though I'd counter with $2k to leave myself some room if they recounter. Don't be afraid to counter offer because they obviously haven't gotten anyone to pay their full price yet and people ussually ask for more than they expect to get. I'd definteily take that spa (for the right price if working well) over the Costco spa.
Costco is currently offering 9 spas. Evolution (Strong's value line) are 6 of them. I'm just wondering which of those you guys are referring too, and which of them you have "felt" per Roger's suggestion. For $1500 the Hot Spring sounds interesting, for $4800, the Strong CSXi80 can't be beat. Way to many unknowns on a used spa, Costco has the return policy ... I didn't start the Costco bashing in this thread
DK117
-
If you are a dealer or manufacturer, please do not reply to this thread.
This is a question for those out there that actually own the CSXi80. YES, this is sold at Costco. I know I cant "wet test".
Growing up my dad had a sundance spa, and the jets were very powerful as I remember. It had what they called a "therapy seat", which had a ton of jets. As an early teenager weighing 125 pounds, the water pressure would almost push me out of the seat...
I am looking at the CSXi80, and I want to be sure that the water pressure from the jets is substantial... So, if there is anybody out there that owns this spa, and has owned or been in other spas, I would appreciate feedback...
I looked at a Dynasty spa today that would cost me a couple thousand more... the pressure seemed really high... But its more expensive.
I have read all the posts about the "costco spa" and dynasty... I know they are not one of the BIG 5 or 10. BUT, I can't afford a $10K spa.
So the two I mentioned here are in my budget. I look forward to your responses...
I'm not sure if the EVO has air mixing controls or not? I know the jet faces with turn to adjust flow. If the tubs you look at have air mixing control you can at the least adjust that along with water flow at the jet face. It's kinda a pain but it's a start.
Roger, if I understand you correctly then yes, I can control air flow (4 valves.) My experience I've previously posted was all jets turned off except for one seat, and air controlls turned fully on (open.) That is what resulted in what I called itchy. I could have turned down the air or opened more jets to reduce that factor, but then I get less power, which is what started the question on this thread.
DK117
Are the jet faces a single nozzle? You need some bigger multi nozzle or rotating or split stream.
Itchy ones are single nozzel. Chad provided me with a bunch of three nozzle rotating massage jets. They do the trick, but aren't powerful.
I will go back to reiterate, good discussion, but I think we're making a huge deal out of a personal preference thing. OP hasn't come back and I was just providing my personal experience with this tub and the jet power.
DK117
-
If you are a dealer or manufacturer, please do not reply to this thread.
This is a question for those out there that actually own the CSXi80. YES, this is sold at Costco. I know I cant "wet test".
Growing up my dad had a sundance spa, and the jets were very powerful as I remember. It had what they called a "therapy seat", which had a ton of jets. As an early teenager weighing 125 pounds, the water pressure would almost push me out of the seat...
I am looking at the CSXi80, and I want to be sure that the water pressure from the jets is substantial... So, if there is anybody out there that owns this spa, and has owned or been in other spas, I would appreciate feedback...
I looked at a Dynasty spa today that would cost me a couple thousand more... the pressure seemed really high... But its more expensive.
I have read all the posts about the "costco spa" and dynasty... I know they are not one of the BIG 5 or 10. BUT, I can't afford a $10K spa.
So the two I mentioned here are in my budget. I look forward to your responses...
I'm not sure if the EVO has air mixing controls or not? I know the jet faces with turn to adjust flow. If the tubs you look at have air mixing control you can at the least adjust that along with water flow at the jet face. It's kinda a pain but it's a start.
Roger, if I understand you correctly then yes, I can control air flow (4 valves.) My experience I've previously posted was all jets turned off except for one seat, and air controlls turned fully on (open.) That is what resulted in what I called itchy. I could have turned down the air or opened more jets to reduce that factor, but then I get less power, which is what started the question on this thread.
DK117
-
thanks guys.
bgrizzle, is this helping any? Are you any closer to making a decision?
DK117
-
Itchy skin because of jet power is directly related to the quality and style of the jets, not the water coming out of them. Good high quality jets that spread water pressure (there's several styles and sizes) will push you from the seat without making your skin itchy. You should try some of the HK jets in a Marquis.
Thanks Roger, I might just have to try that, can I purchase those after market? We are now using some massage jets from Strong that don't make it itchy, but are less powerful. But yes, my experiment with trying to make the regular jets powerful did just that, made my skin itchy.
Dk117
-
the average Costco supplier of spas is about 8-12 months
I'd argue that Strong is not the average Costco supplier of spas. Only time will tell.
Wanna knowhow bad you are going to be screwed?
Try and call the warranty claim line for the spa before you buy it.
Go ahead, I dare you
e-mail anytime at support@strong9.com or call us M-F from 8AM-6PM Eastern Time for any questions or concerns 800.787.6649
That's from Chad, or you could just take your tub back to Costco any time. You can say a lot about a big box spa, but it's difficult to argue with the return policy.
Now back on topic. I own a CSXi80. I like all my jets open and it results in modest jet power for the entire tub. When I wanted more power I would simply turn off most jets and leave one seat to be the power seat. That actually made my skin itchy aka what I felt was too powerful. So my personal opinion is that I don't like terribly powerful jets. I enjoy all jets open on the low setting most of the time. And all jets on high is plenty powerful for me. I hope that helps a bit, there has been discussion of this item before, some have expressed disappointment with the power, most are satisfied. Unfortuantely I do not have experience with the Dynasty, but $1600 difference is considerable. I think you could get an Arctic Cub for something in that neighborhood, we have friends very happy with theirs.
Good luck
DK117
-
Magic Erasers, great idea. I love those things!
Just wanted to pass along a note of thanks, the Magic Erasers did the trick. I just tried them in the tub for the first time. It now looks just like new again.
DK117
-
I use a robe, so does the wife, the kids use towels. We have wrought iron hooks that we installed directly on the siding of our house, they are actually a bit decorative and look nice even when not in use. They are maybe 5 feet from the steps to the tub. Works fine, but in colder weather I'm usually the first one out so I can hand the robe to the wife and towels to the kids. That 10 seconds it takes me to go from steps to robe isn't a big deal after a warm soak.
DK117
-
Having done hot tub repair for over 20 years, I can tell you for a certainty pavers are NOT a good long term choice, the center of a hot tub typically weighs more, and puts more weight on the pavers than the edges, so the center sinks, the edges do not, and this causes the edge of the spa shell to bear down on the cabinet, the cabinet or the shell, whichever is stronger, gives way to the two tons of weight.......
thanks for posting this. I wonder though ... opinion statements here guys ... if you installed a proper base and have your pavers ringed in concrete I don't see how it would be much different than a slab. Further, the pictures maybe look like a failure of the cabinet? Remember I'm the guy with a Strong cabinet and a beautiful paver patio. Only one year old so I can't say that it's going to last a lifetime, but I think you're posting one extreme example to make a rule for all. I'm glad you shared it, but I'm not sure you can say that all paver installations are bad for all tubs.
thanks
DK117
-
this is kind of obvious to post that you should have gotten a Strong Spa for half the price that keeps temps. I do wish you the best with your Hot Springs, but what happened in the "11th hour" to change your mind?
DK117
-
I said that I change the water every 2 or 3 uses, not every 2 or 3 weeks.
What I did not state is that we don't use the spa very much. Maybe on average we use the spa once per month.
If we used it more frequently, then I might consider chemicals, but right now I prefer very little chemical.
The cost to drain and refill my spa is about $7 in water.
ok, call me dense, but I'm still lost. You use your spa once a month. You then change water every two to three months. How do you keep your water fresh with little or no chemicals for three months even with just three uses? I'm not judging, just questioning how this is done.
DK117
-
Been coming to this site for over a year - learned alot and finally decided on purchasing a Hot Spring Tub. I was set on the sovereign, but did not want to ever have buyers remorse. After many conversations and many nights reading forums - I decided that I can not go wrong with a Vanguard. Been dealing with my dealer for over a year and went in today to tell him my thoughts. He had previously gave me prices on the Vanguard - so I went into to work him on the price.
I walk through the door BOOM BAM POW - he tells me if I buy today - he will meet my price - I wrote a check on spot!
I guess the Hot Tubs are like Cars - They have them interest free from the dealer for 60 or 90 days - after that - they write a check. Think the 90 days were close to being up on this baby!
So..I am the new owner of a Hot Springs Vanguard - Espresso/Pearl - upgraded steps - upgraded lift assist - ACE salt water system - Free delivery - start up chemicals!
Nervous, but excited as these things are not cheap! Thanks to all the dedicated people on the site - without your help - I'd be sitting in a $3500 plastic tub from Sams's Club.
Delivery is one week from today - can't wait! Anyone know where I can find "NO TOPS ALLOWED" sign!
Congratulations Tubber,
Good luck with your new spa. And be sure to take some pictures (feel free to interpret that however you like, just make sure you post them here.)
DK117
-
Last night I cleaned up the rust stains on the pillows as best as possible, and I squeezed the pillows and also used compressed air to blow out as much water as possible. I accidentally burst one of the pillows using too much compressed air. Then I used the goop I was talking about and sealed around each of the pegs. I'll post a pic soon.
I use tap water when I fill my spa. I change the water every 2 or 3 uses. I don't use chemicals except after it has been used I throw a little powdered oxidizer in there. Our water here is pretty "good". I run the spa an hour or two once each week when not being used.
I did clean up 99% of the rust chips in the spa this weekend. A magnet really helped. Unfortunately it was near the end of my cleanup job that I thought to use a magnet, lol.
I believe that the cause of this is that I may have had to water level higher than it should have been, and water creaped up to some of the pillows and rusted the internals. Nonetheless, it is still unbelievable how these pillows have rustable metal in them yet they are not sealed!!!
SpaMon,
I'm confused, you've been here since 2006, so you've got vastly more experience than I do. But changing out the water every few weeks? That sounds like a lot of effort. For example it takes me one hour to drain, one hour to fill. Given your use, that would be one hour of tub time for one hour of water maintenance. Wouldn't it be more efficient to use dichlor? I'm getting 4 months per fill, I think that's pretty standard, maybe even 6, but I too like clean water and it's not all that hard to change out and refill, but your solution seems like overkill. Just wondering if you could enlighten me on your process.
DK117
-
Here we go again... how many posts are there arguing the differences between full foam vs non... too many to count
but they are so entertaining
DK117
-
I've got two girls 4 and 7. They've been in the tub with me for a year now. To be honest they can't sit still and see it more as a small swimming pool. When I do get them to sit still it's on the steps which provide them a perfect depth. I don't see the need for a boster seat. But I suppose the real answer is to wet test, the kids will be fine in whatever. The wife will however need to find a comfortable spot.
DK117
If you let kids in the spa be sure the temperature is not set high and limit there time to no more than about10 minutes. Children cannot handle the high temps in a spa and there have been cases where brain damage and death have occurred. If you don't believe me consult your pediatrician.Here is a link you might find interesting and you can find many more by searching the internet for hot tub safety for children
Thank you for the post. I've not seen that specific link before. It's good for all parents to see this. However I run my tub at 100, and my girls have never been in the tub without me. We do however regularly go beyond 10 minutes, I'd say 20 is more typical for them. I feel it can be done safely.
DK117
-
Hi everyone,
I am on the market for my first spa and am mostly looking in the 6-person low-to-mid-range $3-5K budget category. Almost decided to purchase QCA Salerno Spa for $3,750 (after rebate) from Home Depot, when I found this site and read so many good reviews about the Strong spas sold at Costco. Would anyone be able to comment on QCA vs. Strong? Both QCA and Strong spas get pretty good reviews on HomeDepot.com and Costco.com. QCA seems to be slightly cheaper. But which one is considered better quality? What about features, insulation, maintenance? I would be particularly interested in comparing the Evolution Key West and QCA Salerno as they seem to be similar in features.
Thanks a ton!
Alex
I'm bumping this for you Alex, I have no experience with Qca (never heard of them) but 11 months in I'm very happy with my Strong Spa.
DK117
-
Anyone have any knowledge on booster seats for hottubs. I am 6' 3", but I have a short wife 5'2" and 3 small children. Torn between the HS Sovereign and Vanguard. Was going to purchase the Sovereign as it fit the family better, but I just heard about these booster seats! If it works - really leaning towards the Vanguard
Any advice - hate to see me comfortable and the rest of the family underwater!
Thks
Any dealer should have booster seats.
My wife is 5' 1 15/16" and we had a spa for about 5 years before I brought home a booster seat one day. It was a mistake because then she was not happy with me because she didn't know they existed and wondered why I waited so long to get one (truth was no one had given me one for free until then). Next time I'm just going to marry a taller woman.
Nice Spatech! Maybe she should wear heels ?!?
I've got two girls 4 and 7. They've been in the tub with me for a year now. To be honest they can't sit still and see it more as a small swimming pool. When I do get them to sit still it's on the steps which provide them a perfect depth. I don't see the need for a boster seat. But I suppose the real answer is to wet test, the kids will be fine in whatever. The wife will however need to find a comfortable spot.
DK117
-
I'll let you answer your questions for yourself, here's a good place to start just a little further down on the page.
http://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=25099
http://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=21666
DK117
-
6" x 4" tapered foam for an insulating value of R-21 plus double wrapped 6mil polyethiline cores (extra protection from the chlorine), $384.90
I'm new here and after reading some threads would also like to get a new cover. How do i get ahold of Doc or his website? Thanks
let me know how it goes. I'm a year or more away from getting a new cover. I am leery of doing my own measurements, the site would be better if we could choose a tub make and model that has already been professionally measured for Doc's covers.
good luck.
DK117
As one of those sites that do offer the measurements for various makes and models, please please please measure your spa. We have "professionally measured" about 35% of the database. The rest are pulled from spa manufacturer literature, websites, etc. We make a point of telling people that physical measurements are required and to only use our database as a guide. We don't guarantee that we will have all the size changes and we don't guarantee that you will always remember which model you have and what year it was made. All of us that sell spa covers are more than happy to coach you up on measuring for the new cover. Please don't skip this very important step no matter what the website says about you not needing to measure.
when the need arises, I'll call for help. I'm pretty handy, but when it comes to measurements, I cut twice measure once.
DK117
-
6" x 4" tapered foam for an insulating value of R-21 plus double wrapped 6mil polyethiline cores (extra protection from the chlorine), $384.90
I'm new here and after reading some threads would also like to get a new cover. How do i get ahold of Doc or his website? Thanks
let me know how it goes. I'm a year or more away from getting a new cover. I am leery of doing my own measurements, the site would be better if we could choose a tub make and model that has already been professionally measured for Doc's covers.
good luck.
DK117
-
I'm not sure what you mean by "mitigate the excessive chemicals." Like anything else in this work, if it's abused, or not cared for properly, it's not going to last as long as it should.
One of the issues here is price. No, THE, issue here is price!
With the OEM's, they'll FIGHT tooth and nail over 50 cents. Where there's only a couple of bucks of profits, that 50 cents can add up to 25% of the profits. The SPA MANUFACTURERS spec the covers for their spas and there are lot of ways to cut 50 cents from the costs. BUT, it reduces the quality. You can go thinner support steel, thinner vapor barrier, lessor foam density, thinner vinyl, less reinforcement, blah blah blah. The vast majority of ways costs can be cut, the consumer will NEVER notice, visually. I would venture an educated guess that most OEM covers have a 3 year lifespan (that's "most", there have been some that will just barely make it past the one year warranty).
With consumer purchased aftermarket covers (buying a replacement)...again, most people are so interested in saving money, initially, they don't really compare features to determin quality. So many website say they have the best this, and the best that, but don't list the actual specifications. People get so excited about saving $20 over another site (that lists all the specs, and offers a true high quality cover), that they jump on it without fully understanding what they're getting.
How long should the average cover last??? Average? Probably 3 to 4 years is "average". For a good quality cover, I'd expect 6 to 8. My last cover was 8 or 9 years old...the only reason I replaced it was I repainted my house and wanted a new color to match the trim.
Another option for a cover, you asked for higher quality", would be the aluminum ones. I've seen them go 15+ years...... $1200
I can also vouch for Doc's covers. I have had a couple on my own tubs and ordered several for customers. The first one I had lasted for 6 years before I sold the tub, the cover was fine. The second one was of just as good a quality even though I only owned it for 2 years. The current owners are friends, they have had the tub for 3 years, the cover is fine. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!
OK, I concede all points made. So what are we talking here, just ballpark this thing for me please. I know I can buy a crappy cover for $320 bucks. That's over $100 a year. So if I spend $420 will my cover last 6 to 8? If so your total cost of ownership is much lower. Finally my other question, if I chronically have high dichlor, does your quality cover compensate for that fact, or will the lifespan of even quality covers degrade under such conditions.
thanks
DK117
-
"Fix" the cover? If in fact the vapor barrier has been compromised from excessive chemicals, the only "repair" would be to replace it. Excessive chemicals cause the barrier to become porous, allowing steam and evaporation to penetrate through. In a quality cover the barrier is a polyethylene, 4mil - 6mil thick, vacuumed and heat sealed around the foam...not to mention you would need weeks or months of time to dry out the foam.
I'm guessing if I don't replace this before the winter my energy bills will be through the roof. Who makes a reliable cover these days that won't fall apart on me? How many years can I expect it to last?
Dr. Spa, do you make a cover that will mitigate the excessive chemicals? I'm still learning here and this is a genuine question. By blaming the excessive chemicals we're blaming the customer. Maybe we need a higher quality cover? Regardless of the answer to that question, I am curious as to how long an average cover should last? I've heard three years and that sounds low but maybe true.
DK117
Merry Christmas
in Portable Hot Tubs & Spas
Posted
Merry Christmas Guys!
DK117