amityeric

Ugh. Well, OK. I obviously made a few errors but hopefully it'll last. The guys who installed it said the base is 10 times better than what they would have done for $400. They would have thrown it on the grass with 2x4s and filled it up with gravel right when they came out to deliver! Anyway, thanks for the comments. Always learning. I'm also hoping that there won't be standing water there . . . I thought the water would drain through the gravel. Now that you mention it, I was wondering about the wood underneath possibly rotting over the years but the guys who delivered it said it was all pressure treated wood. Didn't look like it when I saw the underside of the spa. I could probably improve it a couple ways. I could put a gazebo over it to keep it mostly dry. I could add cross-beams when I change out the water. Thanks again.

Finally got my hot tub! Here's a video of the entire process I went through. Enjoy Everyone and thanks for the help.

This makes sense. Thank you for explaining the different variables that affect the strength of the spa jets. Very helpful.

I think I found both pumps I'm trying to compare: This one: Waterway Plastics 3722021-1D Waterway Executive 5HP - 2 speed - looks like 16amp draw and this one: Balboa 1016020 - 5BHP - 2.5HP / 10 amp draw The first pump is on the West Coast spa I'm looking at & the Balboa is on the Artesian. Looks like the Balboa is much weaker if I'm looking at everything correctly. But you're also saying that the plumbing design was engineered.

Yes, I think someone said that before. Finding out that information is nearly impossible though when even the dealer can't give you the model # of the pumps in the spas they sell.

This seems to be really hard but I'm trying to figure it out. I'm comparing two spa pumps. The Artesian 5.0 BHP pump (2.5HP continuous) and the Waterway Executive 5HP pump. The Artesian Captiva spa has two 5.0 BHP pumps. The other spa I'm looking at has two 5.0 Waterworks pumps but they don't specify BHP. So which pumps are better? Which are more powerful? I've already decided on the Artesian spa because I like the Balboa parts and the dealer, but as a consumer who doesn't know much, it seems that pump power is an important aspect to look at. How can I possibly know and compare? Any thoughts on this?

Hmm. So you don't have the spa sitting directly on the gravel? It's actually supported by the wood? I was thinking of placing mine directly on the gravel. Bad idea?

Great advice and great pictures. Thank you very much for the good advice. What's that right under the spa? Is that another pad? Like an EZ Pad or something?

Hm. Well, my side patio is not level enough, I'd say. I read somewhere that there shouldn't be more than a 1" slope per 8 feet. My side patio is more than that. My back patio is large pavers and I'm afraid they'd crack & break. So I'm still thinking I'm going to build a pad out in the yard. I'll keep your advice in mind though and try to keep it as close to the house as possible. Nice pro tip! That's a really smart idea. Any thoughts on this pad I found on YouTube?

Hey Folks, Thank you for your help. I bought the Artesian Captiva 46 today. It will be delivered after December 1. I have acquired the services of an electrician (OUCH on the $$). I'm now considering what sort of pad I want to put the hot tub on. I have a concrete pad on the side of my house (big) but it's not totally level. Also, it's not lush and pretty over there. So I want to put the pad more out in my back yard. I've been looking around for DIY pads and I came across this video and I really like what I see. I wanted my landscaper to pour a concrete pad but with the price of the electrician I think I want to try this to save $1k. Can I get any feedback on an install like this? I have plans to make the pad and later I will make a path to it and possibly extend it in order to put some natural flagstone around the edges. I plan on video documenting every stage of the project, from the pad, to the electrical (what the electrician will let me record), to the delivery, to the drinking of the IPA with friends on the first winter night.

I'm leaning toward the Artesian. They're throwing in a cover lifter to make it a little more comparable. I'm close to pulling the trigger. The only thing stopping me now is the pumps are 5.0 HP (according to the brochure) -- 2.5 continuous. I don't know what that means. I just hope it's powerful enough for me. I can't do a wet test unfortunately. So I'm wondering . . . does anyone have an Artesian with similar pumps? How's the pressure? THANK YOU!

Lol, great response. Thank you VERY much!

Hey there CanadianSpaTech . . . Thank you SO MUCH for your response. WCS has been in business for . . . I don't know how long! I'll have to call and talk to them tomorrow. They have almost all 5 star reviews on Google (23 reviews) and Yelp going back about 6 years. They have been accredited on the BBB since 2013. So . . . at least 9 years. Haven Spa (the dealer for the Artesian) has been in business for 45 years (according to the BBB website). I think they said they were in business before doing hot tubs since the mid-seventies but that they changed their name and focus. They have 80+ Google reviews going back about 4 years. It would be interesting to me to compare the innards a bit more closely but I'm not sure how to do that. I spent some time looking for the exact pump used in each model I'm interested in (Artesian Captiva 42 and West Coast Spa Deschutes). I can't find the amp draw ratings on the pumps. I have no idea how to find that information. The Artesian has two 1-speed 4.8HP pumps (brake HP). The Deschutes has two 5.0HP pumps (not sure if 1-speed or 2-speed or if it's brake HP). I'd love to know EXACTLY which pumps they are so I can compare a bit more easily. All said, the Artesian is $8,820 and the Deschutes is $7900. Artesian Captiva, 2 4.8HP pumps, 46 jets, 84x84, 3 year warranty on plumbing/electrical, 5 LED lights, Frog SmartChlor, Ozone, 24hr circ pump WCS Deschutes, 2 5.0HP pumps, 50 jets, 86x86, 3 year warranty on electrical/5 year on plumbing, 20+ LED lights, ozone, 24hr circ pump, cover lift & steps included I definitely want the most powerful tub I can get. I want the best insulated tub I can get. I want the best service I can get. I'm suffering from buyer's paralysis at the moment. The Artesian has better name recognition and a dealer that's been around longer, so I'm leaning that way, but I can get more spa for $1K less. I could have a nice 8x8 concrete paver pad installed for that price. I don't know. Anyway, I appreciate ANY and ALL responses. Thank you CanadianSpaTech for giving me some time.

No thoughts? Maybe nobody is familiar with West Coast spas. Anyone able to tell me anything about Balboa vs Waterway pumps? Any help appreciated. Sorry to bump this thread, but hoping to make a decision soon and hoping for as much information as I can find. Any help appreciated.

First-time spa purchaser! 22 yr anniversary present. I’ve narrowed it down to: 1. Artesian Captiva 46 2. West Coast Spas Deschutes Both spas with similar options are fairly close in price. The Deschutes is about $600 less overall (and that includes a $300 delivery charge since they’re in Oregon about 30 minutes south of us). If not for that delivery charge, it would be about $900 less. Both have 2 5-HP motors. Artesian uses Balboa pumps, WCS uses Waterway pumps. Both have similar # of jets. WCS has more bells/whistles with LEDs, etc. (not that important to me; I want longevity). The Deschutes has a better overall warranty (5 yrs on the plumbing; 3 on the pumps, etc.). The Artesian has 3 years on plumbing/electrical. The Deschutes comes with a cover lifter as well. Artesian has a dealer here in town (Vancouver, WA) that’s been around since the seventies. Well regarded for after-sale service. WCS is in Milwaukee (30 minutes south of us in Oregon). They have rebranded a couple times over the years from what I’ve been told. They make the spas themselves. Any thoughts on which way to go? Thank you in advance.