Tyler

Good idea Chas. Sign me up for your program once you get your equipment. I'm sure Paint and some others would be up for it also.

Chas, does the Envoy and Vista really use more energy? Don't they use 2.0 HP and 2.5 HP pumps respectively? Most other manufacturers like Sundance and Caldera also use 2.5 HP pumps. Have you ever hooked up a meter to your Grandee for kicks?

Very nice Roger. Do type of spa did you retrofit?

Robyn, that is strange. If you have a new spa I would call the dealer to take a look.

Dean, how do you know the spa used 56 kWh? Do you have a meter connected?

If you use dichlor, I would shock the spa and scrub the cover with the highly chlorinated water. How long has been since you cleaned the inside of your cover?

There are lots of Platinum users on this board that should be able to help with electric bills. Paint, did you notice a huge spike in your electric bill this winter so far?

I would like to see a electrical comparison between the Costco spa versus the name brand lines such as Sundance, Caldera, Hot Spring, Marquis, Atesian, D1, Arctic and the rest. Isn't there bench top testing data comparing the different brands out there? Does a little more insualation really make that much of a difference?

That seems very high. How much was your electric bill last year for the same period? How much do you pay for electricity in your area per kwh? Most manufactures claim about $1 per day or so but it depends on usage and the cost of electricity. I can't imagine any spa costing $8-10/day. You might be able to get some information from Hydrospa about typical consumption ranges. If it continues, you can call the power company and have them put a meter on the spa.

Why won't he fill a Cameo for a wet test? That's crazy. My dealer has a wet Cameo on his floor. I wouldn't buy without wet testing first. The Cameo may not fit you unless you are around 6' or taller.

Never heard of them.

Welcome back Paint. This board hasn't been the same without you. Don't be a stranger.

Good luck with the purchase. Let us know how it turns out. Post some pictures for us.

halfshell, Congrats on the new spa purchase. Post some pictures for us when you have time.

Here you go. Sundance

What models are you looking at? Both are good brands. Have you wet tested yet? That should be your deciding factor. Each spa will fit people differently so there is no "Best Spa" for everyone. Dealer support should also be considered.

I didn't think using bleach was recommended for spas? What do you think about using bleach waterbear?

I hope it works out for you. I guess this is why I like my dealer backed spa. One phone call and the technician's over in a day or two to fix the problem. I'm sure you will get the problem solved eventually. Good luck.

Roger, I would like to hear your top 5 list. Mine is: 1. HotSpring 2. Sundance 3. Caldera 4. Marquis 5. D1

I would like to know the answer to this question also. My water has metals present and I always use a Metal Gone with a mineral cartridge. I never knew it would be a problem.

waterbear, can you describe what chemical routine you follow for your personal spa? I think we could all benefit from your real life experiences. Thanks in advance.

Thanks for the informative post Waterbear. My MPS is labeled "Potassium Perxoymonsulfate". Is this the same as Potassium Monopersulfate? I believe Renew and other buffered MPS brands are labeled Potassium Perxoymonsulfate. Can you explain what the differences are between the two chemicals?

Club, what a life. What do you do for a living?

Wow, that is awesome. Is this for real? How about some more of the installation? What did it cost to get it up there?

Paint next time mark it as a "quote". Otherwise it's very confusing.