petertheplumber

we are in the savoie region 73

pulling my hair out trying to find a hot springs parts supplier. spoke to their salesman at the pool and spa exhibition who confidently told me hot springs don't leak yet i have 3 separate spas leaking. another with a keypad that has failed. I can find the parts online in the USA less than half price the local dealer is offering, and he has to order them from the USA. How crazy is that. anyone have any good contacts?

Yes solar tubes heat the water in a 1000L tank. Liquid is then pumped from the tank ( around 60 degrees c ) to a heat exchanger rated at 30KW. using a standrard central heating pump. New seperate holes in the shell would be ideal, but the spa has loads of stuff in the way, maybe next time during the manufacturing they could install this for us. I plan to install a "T" just after the filter, before the pump then pass through a small LAING circulation pump, the exchanger and return to the main spa circuit after spa pump. The electrician on site seems to think it is possible to switch between the pumps so they don't act against each other. I will report back once i have spoken to him Peter

Hi Everyone, I have just installed a new spa that the customer wants to heat using his solar panels. The installation of a heat exchanger is simple. The solar company who suggested this have now turned around and said, "oh yes in principle but we have never installed one" So i am left to make it work. So far i have installed the exchanger inline with the 2 speed pump 1. Now i need to install an additional small 24hr circ pump but i am unsure on the electrical side, how i set the spa as the main pump so when the filtration cycle comes on the new circ pump turns off. Has anyone introduced a system like this before? i can't be the first? Any advice and help would be very much appreciated. Thanks Peter

I have a 2006 sundance Marin spa, Changed the water a couple of days ago, turned it back on and now there is no power to the circulation pump. Resulting in the FLO error. The circulation pump works fine if connected direct to the mains so i am thinking there is a problem with the circuit board. There is no power at the circulation pump terminals. has anyone come across this before?

I have a coyote spa that has a blocked fountain with pine needles. Does anyone know if you can take this apart easily for cleaning or is there a special way to unblock it?

Hi, I always try and fill the spa with water around 14 degrees celcius. I have a mixer valve installed before the tap and this allows me to adjust the output temperature. Putting water into the spa at this temperature stops the spa going into anti freeze mode, which enables the spa to heat up slightly quicker

Just check with your sales guys where all of the workings are housed. Some spas have lounger seats that you may want to face outwards (downhill) and this may not be posible if all the pumps are at the oposite side. I have installed a few spas similar to what you have described and have never needed to get to the back of them. Although i do tend to build in a tunnel 1 meter wide for me to crawl around if needed. http://www.chaletcraft.com/Gallery/Spas.html This also acts as a great space for sunbathing ! If you live in a really cold place and don't use it in the winter remember to suck all the water out of the pipes so they don't freeze around the back. Remeber to put a drain in your concrete base to take away any rain water. Good luck Peter

Hi Andrew, We install and service lots of spas and all have their good and bad points. My advice would be to look at the aftersales service. Do they keep the parts in stock, how long until they can come out and fix any problems. I find it really easy to gets parts from arctic and long winded from hydropool. I still don't understand the salt systems fully and find it difficult to explain to customers. The more options the more that can go wrong. Look for things that will break once the warrenty has run out. Covers, cabinet panels, head rests etc, and how easy they are to replace or restore. Good luck with your choice.

Does anyone know where a good place is to get replacement covers from? Every winter I need to find multiple covers of varying sizes. I need to find something robust that is not going to break when you lift it up, or colapse when it snows.

Hi, Have you thought about taking off your drain plug, install a ball valve tap and connecting it straight to you house waste? This can be done if your decking is raised enough to create a fall on the pipes. You could also include a pump in this line to pump the water out faster. I have used many different submersible pumps off the shelf and not noticed too much difference, I would suggest you go for the biggest diameter hose you can get, this does make a difference to the draining speed.

I have used spa flush on many occasions, It is very good at clearing the pipes out. It leaves all the biofilm around the edge of the spa.

Hi, I have installed a few spas in the ground, And I have not had any problems. A few things to take into consideration are drainage, servicing and access. Remember also that warm and wet areas are nice places for rats who chew the insulation. For drainaige i normally install 100mm diameter pipe into the concrete base and then out of the sides and enclosed area, this collects rain water and any spillage. I would recomend 75cm - 100cm access on all sides of the spa should you need to get in and change any pumps or parts. Here are a couple of examples, I have loads more ideas if you need some inspiration http://www.chaletcraft.com/Gallery/Spas.html Good luck