MikeVB Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 I recently purchased a 15-year old Hot Springs Prodigy spa. I've had to add a part or two but otherwise I would say it is in very good shape and am quite enjoying it. The other day I noticed some water on the outside of the spa -- just a very small amount, but it told me there had to be a leak. Sure enough, after I opened the mechanical compartment I saw there was a slow dripping (maybe a drop a second) coming from the rear of the compartment and above where the light went into the pull, but in some type of padding or caulking-type material. I couldn't identify the actual source of the leak and put the lid back on the compartment. The next day I saw there was again fresh water on the ground, but less than the day before, all of perhaps 2 or 3 inches. You might even call it a trace amount. I don't suppose this will go away by itself and I'm loathe to have the repair people come out to the tune of $150 minimum cost to apply some "band-aids." So my question is basically to what extent should I be concerned with this leak? Will it turn into a dike-buster or is it akin to say, a Harley-Davidson that is predisposed to leaking oil just because it's the nature of the beast and I should just live with it? Any thoughts? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shovelhd Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 I recently purchased a 15-year old Hot Springs Prodigy spa. I've had to add a part or two but otherwise I would say it is in very good shape and am quite enjoying it. The other day I noticed some water on the outside of the spa -- just a very small amount, but it told me there had to be a leak. Sure enough, after I opened the mechanical compartment I saw there was a slow dripping (maybe a drop a second) coming from the rear of the compartment and above where the light went into the pull, but in some type of padding or caulking-type material. I couldn't identify the actual source of the leak and put the lid back on the compartment. The next day I saw there was again fresh water on the ground, but less than the day before, all of perhaps 2 or 3 inches. You might even call it a trace amount. I don't suppose this will go away by itself and I'm loathe to have the repair people come out to the tune of $150 minimum cost to apply some "band-aids." So my question is basically to what extent should I be concerned with this leak? Will it turn into a dike-buster or is it akin to say, a Harley-Davidson that is predisposed to leaking oil just because it's the nature of the beast and I should just live with it? Any thoughts? Thanks! No leaks are good leaks. I would find it and fix it asap. You probably got a great deal on your used spa. If you don't want to try fixing it yourself, consider the fix as part of the cost of a used tub. Real service people don't apply band-aids, they fix it right the first time. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d1dennis2009 Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 I would definitely fix the leak, leaks never get smaller..! I would have someone repair the leak and run it for a week before they invoice you for the repair, this will make the service person spend a little extra time to be sure that the job is done right the first time. Even a small leak can cause damage to electronics, wood and other internal components that can be more extensive over time. Just my opinion..! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peteyboy Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 If you see dripping in the equipment area it should be easy to find. You can rip out the fiberglass insulation to find where it is. You also might look up high in the equip area and look for 3/8" hoses with air check valves on the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imnay Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 If the leak is in the mechanical compartment and visible coming around the light lens you are in very fortunate territory!! Plenty of DIY folk would say do it yourself - just me, I would pay the Hot Springs techs or a after market spa company that you can trust and verify to come out and reseal or replace the light lens - apparently they can develop small cracks that can leak. If your leak is NOT coming from an obvious location you could be in for a rough ride. A very small leak - I personally would define that as so slow that it would take a week for you to see a lower water depth inside the shell - I wouldn't be terribly concerned and you can afford the time to research and find best solution for you. If you can see daily lower depth inside the spa then it need s more immediate fix. As posted - leaks won't magically go away and over time will only get worse. Our 13 year old prodigy is leaking from a mysterious source inside all the blown in insulation - the Hot Springs dealer wouldn't attempt to locate it and neither would either of two after market spa businesses - we were losing about three inches a day so my bride said to give up and toss the spa. Right now it's on its' side and I have decided to just have some DIY fun so I am slowing removing all the insulation and am confident that I will locate the leak source before she makes me haul it away. Anywho, be happy your leak source is clearly visible in the motor compartment and Best of Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerimiahR Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 If it's leaking above/near the light, it could be a light lens that's cracked, the seal around the light lens is bad, or the shell of the spa (worst case) could be cracked along where the light lens is sealed. Although I don't do these repairs, my warehouse manager has repaired several of these over the years. So I've heard of it happening a few times. Ultimately, you may have to drain the spa to make the repair. If you just need to reseal the lens, or even replace the light lens, you can probably pick up the parts from your local Hot Spring dealer and do it yourself relatively inexpensively. Though I'm not sure how much labor is involved as I haven't done this repair myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peteyboy Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 If it's leaking above/near the light, it could be a light lens that's cracked, the seal around the light lens is bad, or the shell of the spa (worst case) could be cracked along where the light lens is sealed. Although I don't do these repairs, my warehouse manager has repaired several of these over the years. So I've heard of it happening a few times. Ultimately, you may have to drain the spa to make the repair. If you just need to reseal the lens, or even replace the light lens, you can probably pick up the parts from your local Hot Spring dealer and do it yourself relatively inexpensively. Though I'm not sure how much labor is involved as I haven't done this repair myself. It's very easy to replace. Pry off the old one, scrape the extra glue and glue the new one on. Nothing to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.thumb.jpg.dc5a6170fa916412670749ff27e20047.jpg)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.