Cusser

I don't see why you couldn't adapt. I plumbed up a Hayward filter external to my spa redwood cabinet, added shut-off valves too. This was about 2 years ago, works way better than original "in-box" filter. Much easier to remove filter to clean or replace, and no leaks like the original design filter.

My 1988 CalSpa still has its original Hayward Power Flo motor; once I had to replace the seal on the pump part.

Understand. Last night I was in the spa, and for 28 years there has been a patio light on the block wall that is theoretically accessible from someone standing inside the spa. So that might be against code as well, definitely not 5 feet away. So maybe the electricians I had back then weren't so versed on code even though they were partners with Arizona Public Service..... So note to self: never change out such patio bulb while standing in spa water !!! As if that would ever occur to anyone...

Actually, I have a padlock on the circuit breaker box 24/7, so I lock the cover with the desired circuit breaker off if I have to do such electrical work. At work, such stuff is called "Lock out, Tag out". And I do that faithfully. There are no live wires in the spa before that inside breaker box, the conduit goes directly into it. I did a decent job.

All I know is that I bought the CalSpa from a legitimate CalSpa dealer in fall 1988. Utility company's partner company installed the new breaker in the circuit box, ran 100 feet of heavy wires up through conduit into the attic, across the house, down (enclosed in conduit) and wired up the CalSpa. If there was a code provision then, I'd hope they would've known about that. Let's just say that I believe I have more protection in that Spa than in fall 1988. If there was a big leak, water would run out the cabinet doors to the yard, they don't seal well. I do understand what you're saying though; when we had a bathtub installed a decade ago, the light fixture that had been on the wall above it (and theoretically accessible while standing in the tub) had to be removed and the wall repaired.

Yes, I attached it to the control panel. It's about 12 inches above the bottom, no chance of it getting wet, and it's inside a metal electrical box. The electricity also shuts off completely when either of the two spa doors are open. The circuit breaker on the other side of the house for this is a 40 amp traditional breaker, know the spa is 40-amp, not 50 amp. The GCFI that I installed was 40-amp, somewhat tough to find. When I bought the spa new in 1988, only the spa light was under GFCI, its own; the pump, heater, basin, etc., had none.

Have you contacted CalSpa directly and asked them if they can supply, or who their supplier is?

Wednesday my own 1988 CalSpa was colder than normal; I tried breaker switch, kept tripping the GFCI breaker I had installed inside the cabinet about 20 years ago, didn't originally have one (apparently code did not require that back then, read about adding that in Popular Mechanics). Thursday I flipped the breaker, disconnected the two leads to the heating element, and then spa stayed running. I measured about ohms resistance across the heating element which is int "OK" range, but figured that the GFCI was doing its job, and installed new heating element. All fixed.

I observed similar about a year ago on my '88 CalSpa; low pressure caused pressure switch to do its job, and removing the filter boosted up the pressure where everything worked. Cleaning that filter didn't help, I ordered two new ones online (so I'd always have a new spare) and have had no issues since.

Thought about CALLING Hot Springs???

My spa is from 1988 and I live in Arizona. It's 220 volts and I think that was overkill, might be important in Minnesota if one was in long enough to have heat boost in winter that exceeded capability of 110 volts. Since changing electric rates to low demand at 9pm to 9am, I changed my spa to "constant temperature" instead of timer, and I'm amazed how FEW minutes per day it actually is in the heat cycle, even in our winters, which do go down to 40F. Of course it's covered when not in use.

Very nice.

I think I might leave it be. I think to remove it you'd have to rig up a garden hose or water supply somehow to flush it out backwards.

" please bare with me " - not going there !!! Assuming that there is enough heating capacity to "go topless", your energy costs would be substantially higher. I think that the photos you've seen are after the owner takes off the top for entertaining or for the photo. The cover also keeps dirt out.

Checking, and adding new bromine tablets to the floater should be fine for a 2 week interval, I do that all the time, should not need a regular shocking. Also, if you do shock and feel bromine level is too high, that free bromine can be neutralized with sodium thiosulfate powder which is cheap and safe, available at pool supply places.

One can lower pH by adding sodium bisulfate powder, available at pool stores or Home Depot, etc. This is sometimes called "pH Minus". Do in small increments, mix, then re-check pH. See https://www.google.com/search?q=sodium+bisulfate&biw=1049&bih=724&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiSiKnV3aPRAhUG0WMKHVf5AxEQ_AUIBSgA&dpr=1.2#q=sodium+bisulfate+pool

My spa is 28 years old and developed a small leak somewhere. If I could find the leak source I could fix it. A leak can be from the basin, where the fittings protrude through the basin, or in the high pressure plumbing circuit. Look for leaks in those areas if you can. I've searched through the equipment area doors, can't see a drop, or feel any moisture even reaching up into the nether regions with my hands and a paper towel. I've taken off the two other sides that are not against a wall and broken out molded foam, still can't find a leak. I might get flogged here for this: I admit that I add liquid leak sealer about 3 times a year while filter is out, then a day later do a water change and reinstall the filter. I've done this for about 5 years now, works for me. I use http://www.spadepot.com/Seal-a-Leak-Spa-Leak-Sealer-16-oz-P754C57.aspx?zmam=55673001&zmas=1&zmac=1&zmap=MT1018&gclid=CMK-oY3co9ECFYRofgodYoME8Q

I'm in Phoenix, my spa is 28 years old, a CalSpa with a 5.5KW element on 220 volts. My spa will heat from 65F to 104F well under 2 hours in these temperatures, definitely NOT working correctly. Yes, always keep it thermal-covered when not in use. Ditch the first repair guy, he doesn't know spas. Your spa should reach the 104F even if it drops below 35F here. I think your pump was running continuously but the heater element itself was NOT energized, because if it was, and heater element was OK, it HAS to heat, that's just physics !!! Over the past 28 years I've learned to be my own "spa mechanic" after a horrible experience with one while the spa was still under warranty (same with an undercounter ice machine; repair guys might know refrigerators, but this is way different). I'm actually surprised how few minutes per day of heating is actually required to keep my spa at 104F.

I used to run my spa on a timer and whole-house demand-type controller to keep my costs down. But when the controller died after 2 decades, it made sense to switch to a different "time-of-day" 9-9 electric rate rather than keep my grandfathered rate. So I also changed at that time to keeping my CalSpa on the temperature setting 24/7, and am still totally surprised by how few minutes per day its heater is actually on (at 104F). Sure, it's Phoenix but our winter highs are 65F, and lows 40F. My CalSpa is 240 volts, 40 amps capacity.

Did you pay by credit card? Dispute with credit card provider.

Susan - no one else has responded, so I'll put in my 2-cents worth. I'm assuming that this is an electrically-heated spa, so question is whether it has heat on 24/7 or that the user turns on a few hours before use. Because in the first instance the bromine tablets will dissolve faster. So going from my experience with my own 7-foot CalSpa over the last 28 years, with heat on 24/7 I'd say every two weeks to have the water level, water chemistry, bromine tablet level, and the water temperature (to make sure heater element not burned out). That's about as often as I need to add bromine to mine. If not heated 24/7, I'd say 3 weeks.

Try a 1/2" drive deep socket to remove that element. Don't worry if you break the tabs, the element is broken already, and you already have a photo of it intact. On my spa and water heater, the size is 1.5 inches; the cheapie 1.5 inch sockets at hardware stores are not as strong as one might think, why I advise the correct size deep socket for these, under $10 at places like auto parts stores; I recommend 6-point socket for this, not 12-point.

If that white hex won't unscrew, and the element itself won't unscrew, and a new assembly is not available, I think I'd make my own assembly myself (or have a repairman/plumber make one). What fitting is on the end not shown in the photo? The black fitting is readily available, so is the white PVC stuff. I'd make a new fitting where the element could be R&R'd readily if mine. Or cut off the hex plug and fit something onto there with a place for the element to screw into. There's ALWAYS a way.

Is the motor bad, or is the issue with the pump part (wet end) ? Motors can be replaced or repaired, and so can the seal or impeller in the wet end. Trying to retrofit with something else might be more involved than the trouble....

I have a 1988 CalSpa. Mine uses a screw in element (screws into a stainless steel housing), very much like one in a home water heater, but doesn't look that much different from yours. If mine - figuring nothing to lose - I would try unscrewing the plastic plug on the end, the big white hex. To me, it looks like the element is simply epoxied into a plastic cap that was drilled out to fit. Then improvise from there with a new element and new hex plug (likely Home Depot stocks both). These manufacturers typically used readily-available stuff back then. On mine, my daughter recommended I cut (with a hole saw) into the inner plastic lining of the spa so I could unscrew the element, shove it sideways into that hole, then pull it out without taking apart the whole stainless steel assembly and potential leaks. I removed the safety electrical box as that was simply epoxied on, and was leak-prone.