Spanky
-
Posts
232 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by Spanky
-
-
L1 & L2 are for the "Live" lines and it doesn't make a difference which one is Red or Black. Hot tub motors are 240v "single" phase, you may be getting confused with industrial 3 Phase where the order of L1,L2 & L3 dictate motor rotation direction. Just make sure the neutral is connected properly. Don't forget to verify the CGFI is functioning properly by using the "Test" button.
-
I've added CYA to my pool by using a small fine mesh bag tied to the return (sort of like a "Tea Bag") and it was completely dissolved within 2 days. If I ever decide to switch my Hot Tub from 3 step bromine I'd certainly use the same technique by placing the "Tea Bag" in the filter box.
-
Your question is very difficult to answer. Yes hot tubs can be installed on a raised deck however the instalation is subject to local code requirements.
You mentioned that you installed additional support columns. How did you attach them to the concrete pad? Even if they are properly attached, if you live in a "Frost" area code normally requires that support columns be attached to concrete footings which extend below the frost line in my area that's 48"
You really will have to find out what your local code requires
-
I assure you that if we find a buyer for it, that thing will be gone from our home!
Before you give up on your spa, I'd like to offer a "Suggestion"
It is not uncommon that new tubs can be difficult to keep the water in "Balance". The reason for this is that in a new spa there is a multitude of contaminants left over from the manufacturing process and can even have biofilm ( Many spas sit in a warehouse for several months with a few gallons of contaminated water still inside). This is why we recommend that you "Flush" and "Decontaminate " a new spa prior to use. I know it's hard to get you head around this since it's a common misconception that the spa is "New" it should be pristine clean. The fact is they're NOT!!
Start by using Seaklear Spa System Flush then follow with the "Decontamination"
http://www.poolspafo...showtopic=19115
Yes this is a PIA involving 2 water changes but I strongly believe that it may solve your problem
UPDATE ; Sorry just re-read your posts and realized that you have done this. I'd give it one more try. Let the 'Seaklear' sit in the tub overnight
-
The most common sources of the "oily" film are things like Body Lotions, Make-up, Sweat..etc.. These are very difficult for your sanitizer (Chlorine or Bromine) to oxidize.
Scumbugs or similar products, while NOT perfect, are extremly helpful in absorbing the oils from the water surface. Well worth the money IMHO
-
If you're talking about schedule 40 pipe this may work.
http://www.plumbingsupply.com/pvc.html#extender
If it's schedule 80 then you have to use the reamer
-
If there is a need to get the tub back in service quickly, Hot tubs do have an advantage over pools. You can dump the water, decontaminate and start over.
Yes this involves 2 water changes (Simply dumping the water without doing the decontamination will NOT work) but this can be done in as little as 1 day, 2 at the most.
-
That all depends on what has happened to your tub. Certainly looks like something has taken hold. Green tint is a sure sign of algae but I agree with Chem Geek that Biofilm is is a very real possibility.
Try, as Chem Geek mentioned, shocking with about 2 cups of fresh bleach. (Try several times) If your bromine consumption doesn't return to normal then you will have to "Decontaminate" http://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=19115
-
I love my gas stove and it's not because of eletrical service issues. I just find it great for cooking!
Also have a gas dryer..yup the're great but do require more careful maintenance DON'T let the lint build up in the exhaust vent Then again you should clean the vents of an electric dryer too. With a pool and Hot tub we end up drying a lot of towels Gas is the most econimical way IMHO
All said and done it all boils down to demand load if everything in the house is electric then adding a 60A hot tub to the mix sounds like trouble to me. If the gas option is available, it's obviously better than $2K+ for a service upgrade.
-
Dichlor/Bleach and 3 step Bromine are excellent (and economical) methods of maintaining a tub
Dichlor/Bleach is hands down the lowest cost but requires regular attention
3 step Bromine is slightly more expensive but is very forgiving and can be left for extended periods without problems.
With either one, when done correctly, there is absolutely NO need for expensive Clarifiers or Enzimes
BTW the average annual cost of 3 step Bromine is less than what you paid for your "Starter" kit.
-
Wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole!!!!
About the only thing it will "Clean" is your wallet !!!
I don't believe that this is in any way an "Approved" sanitizer .
I'm suspicious about the disclaimer on their website which states "Health Canada recommends that you follow local guidelines"
I take that to mean that their product (on it's own) does NOT meet Health Canada guidleines and adding the "Disclaimer" keeps them "Legal" but in very "Grey" teritorry.
-
GFI is in the Spa Panel
If the CGFI is NOT tripping then that basically rules out the possibility of a ground fault.. Just to make sure, this may seem like a dumb suggestion but verify that the GFI is working properly by pressing the "Test" button and make sure it does disconnect.
If both breakers are 60A and the same one keeps tripping it may be defective. But there is also a problem in that you say the tub is drawing 53A so by the 125% rule the breaker needs to be capable of 67A
I recommend that you talk to your electrician and have him double check everything. It may be as simple as a loose connection at the breaker but could be as serious as a problem within the wire run
-
Just to clarify, by "main breaker" I meant the 60amp breaker in the main panel that feeds the spa panel, not the whole house. Everything was done by a "Qualified" licensed electrician to code.
OK Thats a different "Kettle of Fish". So the Main Breaker is NOT tripping but the "Sub" breaker for the tub IS
Is that breaker a GFI? or is the GFI in the Spa Panel?
-
The only person that can properly address this question is a "Qualified" electrician who is "On Site". The fact that the main breaker has tripped twice clearly indicates that there IS a problem with the service.
Correct me if i'm wrong, but a service upgrade requires a permit!
This mandates that EVERYTHING has to be brought up to present code regardless of when the house was built. With a newer house it may be as simple as replacing the pannel and changing a few feet of wire to the meter. The incomming feed on older houses usually requires substantial more work to meet code for 200A. Only a qualified "On Site" accessment can determine the work involved and therefore the cost, but I'd be willing to bet that it won't be cheep
-
Most of the heat loss of a Hot Tub is from the top. This is where a quality cover pays for itself. In addition to a cover you can also install a "Blanket" which reduces the heat loss even further The cost of using a tub in cold weather will depend on several factors including usage patterns, quality of tub insulation and local hydro rates.
During the day our tub is closed up with the cover and blanket, while I wouldn't say the heater doesn't come on, it's use would be minimal. We use the tub at night and obviously that's when the heater demand is high. In our area we have "Smart Meters" which track both hydro usage and time of day. There is a substantial cost difference in $/kWhr between "Peak" (daytime) hours and "Off Peak" (nightime) so in our case just using the tub at night takes advantage of very low hydro rates.
All said and done I find winter to be the best time to use the tub but it's also the time when people find out that the "Bargan" price they got for a poor quality cover turns out to be "Penny Wise and Pound Foolish"
-
Do NOT use the 3" Chlorine (TriChlor) tabs in a hot tub, they are for a swimming pool!!! Use 1" BROMINE tabs.
In my honest opinion "Scumbugs" are indeed a worthwhile investment.
As per my list, there are a couple of items that may be worth your while to order "online" (Balancing the shipping cost vs. the cost of driving 1Hr.+)
These are the Items I suggest
http://www.hottubchemicals.ca/chemicals/spaboss-bromine-booster/ - This will establish your Bromine "Reserve"
http://www.hottubchemicals.ca/chemicals/spaboss-bromine-tabs/
http://www.hottubchemicals.ca/chemicals/spaboss-cal-rise/ - Use this if your CH (Calcium Hardness) is below 150ppm but I suspect that because you're in a rural area your water will be from a well therefore you most likely will NOT need this
http://www.hottubchemicals.ca/chemicals/spaboss-prevent-2/ If you're using well water you may need this to deal with dissolved metals (Copper,Iron) It may be wise to have your water tested first
I'd be willing to bet that your local Hardware store will have Muriatic acid and TSP (Tri Sodium Phosphate). Your local Grocery store will certainly have Baking Soda, Bleach (Chlorox Ultra is preferred Just make certain it's plain bleach NOT any kind of "Specialty" product like splashless) and 20 Mule Team Borax.
I don't have a Beachcmber (I have a Sunrise manufactured in Grimsby Ontario) but I do have friends that own a Beachcomber and are quite happy with it. It's a common Tub so replacement parts shouldn't be much of a problem.
I actually have a water thermometer (Use it in my swimming pool) and have on occasion droped it in the tub but I've always found the topside readout to be accurate
-
What chemicals are you looking for? If you're using 3-step Bromine you can find most of what you need at any grocery store
Here is bacically what you need
1) Sodium Bromide to start your bromine "Bank" - This can sometimes be a PIA to find in Canada but I've had success using part "A" of the 2 part bromine system sold by RONA. This is basically sodium Bromide and water.
http://www.rona.ca/en/bromine-solution-for-spas
2) Bromine Tablets Available just about everywhere including RONA, Canadian Tire, Home Depot and even Wal-Mart
3) Calcium Increase Again available just about everywhere (RONA, CT, Home Depot and Wal-Mart)
4) Alkalinity Plus This is just Sodium Bicarbonate yup "Baking Soda"!!! Any grocery store... I buy mine at the local "Bulk Barn" for about $2.50/Kg
5) Acid For this one you have 2 choices Dry Acid (Ph -) found at all of the above sources and the second choice is Muriatic - Found at RONA and Canadian Tire.
6) Shock or Oxidizer Use plain old Chlorox Ultra available at any Grocery store If you want "Non Chlorine" shock (MPS) you can find it at RONA, CT Wal-Mart
7) Borax 20 Mule Team Borax is available at most grocery stores. I wouldn't bother with Ph+, Borax works better and with a bromine tub you rarely need to increase Ph. If you feel you need some, buy Arm&Hammer Washing Soda at the grocery store it's the same thing.
8) TSP for cleaning your filters Available in the paint department of most hardware stores (CT, Home Depot, etc...)
There are a few "Specialty" products that you may need - SeaKlear Spa System Flush for example. I haven't yet found a Canadian source so I order it from the US. "Swril-A-Way" is available in Canada http://www.thehottubsuperstore.com/swirl-away-hot-tub-pipe-cleaner-p-887.html
There is very little need for anything else. Don't waste your money on things like "enzimes and Clarifiers. If you're looking for something in particulat let us know and we'll try to point you to a Canadian source
-
The number 1 cause of premature seal failure is Water Balance!! A good quality pump (such as a Waterway) will last many years provided the spa water is properly maintained and balanced.
If the seal begins to leak, the shaft will begin to corrode. Your only defense is regular inspection for any signs of water leakage. If any signs of leakage, no mater how slight, is detected then the seal MUST be replaced. Failure to take action at the first sign of leakage will result in the entire Pump/Motor having to be replaced.
-
Forgot to mention, the circ pump is seized, I can barely turn it if I put effort into it.
Cheapest Canadian retailer I found is here:
http://www.poolandho...-230-volt-pump/
I have the heater tube/sheath removed but I can't remove the element unless I bend it slightly (which I'm not sure if I want to try...)
I duct taped one end of the tube and filled it with a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water, after some bubbling I found some calcium was removed.
Is it safe to use 100% vinegar for a short amount of time then rinse thoroughly with water?
More than likely you'll be OK but I wouldn't try anything stronger than vinegar (Don't put Muriatic Acid anywhere near it)
$199.99 is about as good as it gets for a Tiny Might in Canada. There are some U.S. sources but by the time you pay shipping & brokerage it's not wotht it
-
What make is the Circ Pump? I'm taking a guess that it's a "Tiny Might"?
If it is, and the motor is still OK you can replace the "Wet End" (Canadian Source) for a reasonable price.
http://www.thehottubsuperstore.com/tiny-might-waterway-wet-end-p-194.html
As for the heater.. Since you already have it out, and again I'm guessing that this one will fit
You can try cleaning it with CLR (or even vinegar) but be careful!! If you damage the outer coating (usually Teflon) you could end up with a ton of grief. If I'm right and the above link is the correct part I'd replace it
-
Excellent question and I'll try my best to answer it. Even though your floater might keep up with your lower "Bather Demand" (and I strongly suggest that you carefully monitor your Br level for a while to confrrm), regular shocking is required.
There are a variety of "By-products" left over from the sanitation process, includung such things as bromaimines and stubborn organics. The process of "Shocking" is to oxidize (or "Burn Off") these undesirable compounds. Normal Chlorine or Bromine levels will not do this.
There are 2 reasons we advised you not to shock
1) your Bromine was definitely higher than normal
2) you wern't using the tub so the build up of by-products in your case was negligible
With your low use you may only need to shock every other week but I wouldn't go much past that. Hope this answered your question
-
Waterbear's suggestion of 4-9ppm is perfectly fine and may not require "supplimental" addition of bleach. It all depends on your particular usage pattern. I use a "Background level of about 3.5-4ppm but as ChemGeek noted this is supplimented by addition of liquid chlorine (Bleach)after each soak. The objective is to prevent the sanitizer from reaching '0'.
Let's look at both scenarios
1) let's say your bromine is at 7ppm when you start your soak. If 1 or 2 adults use the tub for 20mins. the Bromine may drop to 4ppm. This is quite fine and the floater should recover back to 7 by the next couple of days. (You indicated that your usage is only twice/week)
2) In my case the "background" is 3.5-4ppm and we use the tub 2 adults 40mins 3-4 times /week. At the end of the soak the bromine will be approaching "0" so I add about 4oz. of bleach. This will spike the Bromine to about 12ppm which will quickly handle the immediate demand of the bather load. By the next soak the bromine will be back to normal. (between 3-6ppm). If the level is still high I may skip or reduce the bleach addition (This doesn't happen very often BTW)
Like everything else you have to monitor and track your particular situation so that you know exactly how your tub is reacting to your usage pattern. The main reason I lowered my "Background" level was because I found with my usage the bromine level was climbing. Yes I could have adjusted my chlorine dosage but I stole a very handy 4oz measuring cup from the laundry room. Let's face it when you get out of the tub @ -10deg C the last thing you need is to be playing around trying to carefully measure chlorine. I just fill it to the indent and add to the tub.
-
It's not only wise but in many cases (like mine) the patio is at the back of the house therefore it's CODE!! My tub has about 3/4" difference in water hight. Fortunately I took this into consideration when we were looking at tubs. When layed out the way we wanted, the filter was on the correct sideMost patios have a slope to them, it is so water will not collect and drain off when it rains. I recently poured a slab, my friend, who has 35 years of concrete experience and was advising me on my project, told me to be sure to put at least a 1/2" difference from side to side in the form, to make sure the surface drains. Dave -
Thanks all. I will skip shocking this week.
Yes, the tabs are definitely bromine. My floater doesn't look like that, but it does look more "basic" than the Pentair. I adjusted it so that the opening is as small a I can get it, and I will check the levels again today and report back.
Do yourself a big favour and pick up a Pentair. Some floater designs allow the entire chamber to flood with water thus allowing all tabs inside to dissolve simultaneously. The slot adjustments are basically useless. The pentair stacks the tabs in a center tube which is "air tight" allowing only the lower "exposed" tabs to come in contact with the water. Basically the same principal as inserting a plastic straw into the water with your thumb over the top. The water cannot enter the straw.
Cement Pad Questions
in Portable Hot Tubs & Spas
Posted
Depending on your local code, the metal reinforcing may need to "Ground Bonded" This is a common requirement for pools and depending on your local code it may also apply to a hot tub. It's actually very easy to do and since you're starting from scratch it's not a bad idea to do it even if your local code doesn't demand it.