Cusser

Wow - I've had my CalSpa since 1988, and I never have cleaned my spa filter more than 3 or 4 times a year. The original design of the filter cartridge made it touch to remove the housing even after the giant plastic nut was loosened, and I'd typically have leaks even with new and lubed O-ring. I even cut out some of the internal cover to provide additional clearance to remove the housing, see photo. Maybe 1 dozen years ago my daughter and I installed PVC elbows to move the housing OUT of the spa cabinet so I could use an easier-to-seal filter unit, but I still would get leaks there and would need to re-seat its rubber gasket. But it's still way easier than the original design.

Not what you asked, Kate Snow, but I enjoyed watching you at NBC.

I can do that on my 15 ft above ground pool without draining. You may need a helper or two though.

Crikey !!! Winter is best time to USE a spa !!!

I like Vise Grips 12LC for stuff like this. https://www.amazon.com/Irwin-Vise-Grip-Capacity-Locking-Pliers/dp/B007I9UHBS

I agree - I wouldn't use an extension cord. Myself have a 15 foot above-ground pool, and know many would run an extension cord out to it, maybe even over a lawn area. I ran a separate 120 VAC circuit (through conduit) with its own GFCI to it.

If the water level is too low, it could allow air to get into the plumbing system. And that air will need to get purged out to get a flow switch or pressure switch to activate the heater element.

I decided to drain and re-fill. Chlorine neutralizer at Leslie's was 3X the price I paid over a decade ago, didn't want to risk damaging some grass. I dragged out my 20-year-old $61 FloTec submersible pump from Home Depot, and it did its job draining. However, pump motor gave its life in the process, could only get it to spin occasionally. So I tried to take it apart to investigate, turns out that the motor section is bathed in oil, got all over me. Anyway, pool is refilling now, and if I need such pump again, still available at HomeDepot.com for $64 !!!! It's refilled now (Sunday morning), need to vacuum it this morning and add cyanuric acid and buffering chemicals, and chlorine

Sodium carbonate (soda ash) - sodium bicarbonate (common baking soda) mixture is generally used to pH buffer spas. Sodium carbonate is used to raise pH, sodium bicarbonate added to bring pH down to appropriate level. Unbuffered water near pH 7 is very susceptible to a smidge or a tad of added acidity or base.

Water without buffering chemicals is very susceptible to pH changes !!!

No users, covered all that time, all the cartridges dissolved over time, could happen.

I've got a 3600 gallon above-ground pool. I took a water sample in to Leslie's for free water test and got a reading for high phosphates, like 5000 ppb. Of course Leslie's tried to push No Phos chemical on me, but I feel that maybe it's just time to drain the pool and add fresh water. Anyone agree??? By the way: Leslie's is quite expensive for everything, and there are about 5 Leslie's within a 2 mile radius of me, they bought out almost every other place !!!

I bought my CalSpa brand-new in 1988, had professional electrician wire up 240 VAC/40 amp through the attic and to the spa. The only GFCI then was on the little electric light circuit. This was Phoenix Arizona. Years later, I read an article about spas in Popular Mechanics magazine about GFCI, and I went out and installed an electrical box and 40 amp GCFI and accessible shut-off for it, was apparently real dangerous as per the code didn't require GFCI then. Since then, I've had the GFCI trip a few times, all because of corrosion/leak with the heater element. Fortunately, heating elements for my 1988 CalSpa are the same type as used in a home electric water heater so not expensive.

I've been using bromine tablets in a floater in my 1988 CalSpa since - wait for it - 1988 !!!!

Can you just slit the old hoses to remove them and get new hoses???

Should work; but will do better if you use heat gun and take apart to add PVC cement.

I'm in Phoenix, and my spa is set at 104F, so pump/heater come on when the water drops below setting. My spa (a 240-volt, 40-amp 1988 CalSpa) doesn't even run 30 minutes each day. Of course I have a cover on it. I can also set up on a "timer" setting, but only sometimes use that in summer, as water temperature can get over 104F on its own !!!

To me: looks like a plug that just unscrewed. Look for open threaded "hole" that it fits, likely in the spa walls itself or you'd have water gushing out externally???

There's a technique to "complaining". I just got a coupon for replacement toothpaste after purchasing a 3-pack of the same product I'd been using for years - the viscosity was too high, tough to get out of the tube. So manufacturer sent me a coupon good for up to $9. Yes, I have noticed the "shrinkflation" on that product: went from 8.2 oz. tube to 6.5 oz. to 5.7 oz.....

I've used bromine tablets in a floater in my spa since getting it in 1988. I suspect that your container actually has chlorine tablets in it, not bromine tablets - no matter what the label actually states. Bromine tablets simply do not dissolve that fast, and especially at 99F. I've purchased products where wrong stuff was inside the container, like mesquite BBQ sauce instead of regular. And I worked 4 decades in the consumer products industry, and mislabeling or stuff getting into incorrect containers does happen sometimes. I'd call the manufacturer, you'll likely get a refund. and buy/try a different brand of bromine tablets.

My 1988 CalSpa pre-dates temperature read-outs !!

It's been over 45 years since I last had physics and calculus, but I tend to agree with Scotty the Scot from Scotland. As to my spa, it's a 1988 model so the temperature setting is by a dial that one turns, then repeats over a period of time by trial and error to reach temperature, so no way would I turn the temperature down periodically, as I'd never readily get back to my desired temperature. Plus, my spa is always at temperature when I want to use it. Sure, I'm in Arizona, but lows here can reach 35F, and my spa/heater (240 VAC) doesn't run that many minutes per day. Everywhere: a decent cover is a must.

Yes, it will.

Would this help? See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FyRwsxFf9E

Glad you folks all believe that 104F reading is actually 104.00F. There are specification ranges for everything, and a spa could easily be 102F or something and read 104F, then owner is out of luck. Even with a separate thermometer like I use, unless such thermometer has been certified calibrated (and checked/recalibrated routinely), it's just a good approximation. My own spa is a 1988 CalSpa, well before government decided what temperature is safe; I use a $10 floating thermometer and just rotate a rotary dial, I have never had it cranked up all the way but know it can reach 110F without an issue, even though I typically do target 104F on the floating thermometer (which has never been calibrated). I'm also fortunate as my old spa uses regular water heater heating elements from Home Depot or Ace.