StevenD
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Posts posted by StevenD
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1 hour ago, CanadianSpaTech said:
Is the plumbing 1.5" or 2"? If you have to buy new perhaps buy a Waterway Tiny might ($170 US) Or Laing E14...or... Might have to do some plumbing changes but might run better for your intended use. @RDspaguy thoughts
IDK what name this is but it's off a dirty water pump. Shaft is the same diameter and has the threads that match the original pump. To mount I'm just blocking it with scrap 2x4 and cut a peice of sheet metal to adapt the pump to that motor as the mounting legs are further out. Yes completely rigged but all safety features of the original are intact. Figure it'll run maybe 20 minutes every 12 hours just to circulate the water a bit.
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@RDspaguy lol trust me when it comes to mixing water and electricity I've learned the hard way many times over. My test outlet is GFCI. As it goes back together for final use I'm using the original cord and guts. Only change is swapping out the motors. Pretty sure the fish don't need the full pressure of the 1 hp motor.
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@RDspaguy @CanadianSpaTech
Keep in mind I'm just doing this for fun and learning a bit more. Now that the youngest now has a tub my fun is over.
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5 minutes ago, RDspaguy said:
I think he means he direct wired the pump wires to the circuit board pump connection, eliminating the cord end plug and I'm guessing sticking the wires in the holes of the amp plug on the board. So, bad terminal in the plug or bad solder joint that made a connection when he pushed the wire in.
@StevenD, am I right?
Yes. Kind of. Direct wired the pump to an extension cord. Only to test it. Definitely wouldn't run it like that for any length of time
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51 minutes ago, RDspaguy said:
O-rings.
Yep. For what it's being used for, a pond no big deal. The motor sounds like a diesel engine lol. That coming out and I'm plumb a 1/2 hp pump on a timer just to circulate the water for the koi and keep it from going stagnant. .
Figured out why it wouldn't run through the board. Too high Amp draw from the bad motor. The 1/2 hp works fine.
Checked out the Hot Springs jetsetter for the daughter. The 2 directional jets are just missing the center section. Controls all work and nice and hot. Cover is usable but a little waterlogged. Got it for $250
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19 hours ago, RDspaguy said:
👍
Got the motor running. Had to direct wire it for some reason. Getting power from the control panel plug but for some odd reason it won't run it. Then I can direct wire it from the motor plug and it works. ????? Motor is definitely on it's last leg. I can hear it running in the house. Kinda knew that already.. Anyway one small leak at the top of the diverter valve but it goes back into the tub.
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7 minutes ago, RDspaguy said:
No. Spas don't not work because of a bad ground wire. That's in a car. Neutral or hot wire, sure. But not a ground.
Glad it worked out for you.👍
Sorry ground in the GFCI plug. It wouldn't allow it to reset
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49 minutes ago, CanadianSpaTech said:
Just don't break the number 1 rule or you will be right back where you started less $$$.
Rule #1 Never buy a used spa you don't see running and up to temp or it's buyer beware.
#2... Free spas are rarely Free
Definitely. I actually picked up a twin to my Solana a while back thinking I would strip it for usable spare parts and make my wife's pond from that shell. It was free other than the 6 hour round trip to get it. Got it home and started messing with it, and amazingly the reason it wasn't working was a bad ground wire. My oldest daughter now owns that one.
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5 hours ago, cranbiz said:
With the current demand and parts shortages, finding a better used tub may not be easy and if you do, people think they are made of gold.
If that one just needs a pump, I would go ahead and replace the pump. This way, she has a tub to soak in for now. While heating the water with residual heat isn't the best way, it does work. Just takes a long time.
There's a nice Hot Springs going for $300 and as described only needs a cover and 2 jets. And the jets work just missing the covers
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5 hours ago, RDspaguy said:
You can always drop a balboa pack with heater in it. Under $500. Plus a little minor plumbing and a pump.
Hey now, I resemble that remark.😉
Yea I was thinking of doing that. Actually it's just the motor locked up. I'm going to see if I have a similar one in the "pile o' junk" tomorrow. And definitely clean up the guts. All lit up and functioning except the frozen motor.
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2 hours ago, cranbiz said:
It most likely doesn't have a heater. It gets it's heat from the pump motor by using the residual heat to heat the water.
Thanks. After a while of internet searching I figured that was the case. So for now she'll wait for me to "find" a better quality tub. This one will get my spare dirty water pump and become a koi pond.
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Just picked this thing up and want to get it up and running for my daughter. I know I need a new pump but while checking it out I couldn't find a heater. At least nothing resembling a heater as I'm used to. Anyone know where it could be hiding. Here are some pics.
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BThis stuff is indestructible. While I've never used it on my hot tub I have on everything else exposed to water. Including the seams of my RV roof and windows. 18 years and still holding up. Doesn't shrink or harden and is mold/mildew resistant. Only drawback is you can't smooth it out with a finger like regular caulk.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/OSI-GS121-10-fl-oz-Clear-Synthetic-Polymer-Gutter-Sealant/50314839
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10 minutes ago, RDspaguy said:
Where on earth did you hear THAT? Thermistors operate in thousands of ohms. 5 ohms would be a mouse chewed shorted wire. 5k ohms (5000) is in the ballpark for 104*.
Typing too quick. Yes 5000
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Thanks. Yeah that's the chart I was looking at. Will be checking both. I know there's a 2 degree give/take between actual water temp and what the control panel uses to turn on the heater so wasn't too concerned at first. But now set at 104 water temp is only 100. Checked several times throughout the day and evening.
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Hot Springs/Watkins Solana TX. Can anyone tell me if I'm on the right track. The thermistor is part number 72493, if that makes a difference. Best I can find is at 104 degrees the resistance should be somewhere between 5-6 ohms. Yes/no? Is the a more specific reading?
Temp difference has gone from 2 degrees to 4 now.
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There are a few things to address on your situation. As noted by Castletonia it's very likely a different box setup with 2 breakers. In theory everything from the main or sub panel should be good. Now the old spa breaker box may be able to run 2 breakers. Just depends on which box you have.
Personally I would have the new box installed since there could potentially be a reason for not covering a warranty issue. No matter what there will have to be another set of wires run from the box to the tub.
As for cost that's a moving target. Some electricians won't use wire runs done by someone else and will want to rewire from the main all the way to the tub. Pretty significant $$$. Some will just replace the box and run the new set of wires from the breaker to the tub. Your bet bet is to talk to friends and neighbors that have had electrical work done and ask about the electrician that did their work. Get a minimum of 3 quotes
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Pine would be a horrible choice. As a woodworker I find pine to be terrible for any outdoor project. The only way to even get it close in durability to cedar is heavy and continuous chemical treatment. Any lack of maintenance can result in twisting, grain rise as well as any number of rot, mold and mildew problems. Then add the harsh environment of a hot tub and it's a recipe for problems. Can it be done? Yes. Will it last any reasonable time? No.
No experience with spruce.
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No problem at all. BTW the people at Ahh-some are very responsive to email questions. Answered mine almost immediately.
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I'll give it a stab although my experience is barely related. My workshop could only be placed in one spot in my yard. Between 2 very large oak trees with a mess of roots and pretty significant slope. The only solution we came up with was building a retaining wall of railroad ties and filling with crushed rocks. Worked out fine till a hurricane decided to lay one of the trees onto the workshop. Don't know if the same would work on a hot tub to give full support
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1 hour ago, ratchett said:
Have you tried calling your local Hotspring dealer? Pretty sure if you give them your serial number you can order a new cover for your tub.
Not the cover I'm good on that, but a cover lift. Looked through every site I could think of including Watkins and Hot Springs. Local Hot Springs dealer has not seen one either
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Here is the literature I got with my order.
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Looking to see if anyone knows of a source for a Solana cover lift. Or has anyone made their own. I have no problems but the wife and daughters struggle getting it off and on.
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I just used the Ahh-some for the first time yesterday and wound up doing 3 doses. Not sure if you got all the associated literature with your order, but it says it may take a few purges to loosen it up enough to fully purge. Three things to note. Full strength on each purge. Make sure it has sanitizer on each purge. And the reply I got from them was you don't have to wait for it to heat up between purges, just use a half a coffee mug of water heated in the microwave for 90 seconds and dissolve the product first then post into the tub
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Lifesmart Simplicity heater????
in Portable Hot Tubs & Spas
Posted
I'll keep this info to myself. If the wife get wind of it I'll have yet another project. Lol. That setup sounds awesome. Wife's garden is about 500 soft and the water bill is ridiculous