awitowsk Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 Last year I picked up a used LB spa which I love and use daily, but that hasn't been without issue. To make it more efficient I used 2 layers of 1/2" insulation board inside the cabinet walls and filled the cabinet with several cases of polyfill. I mounted a wireless thermometer in the cabinet above the electronics to keep an eye on temps. Last winter the air inside the cabinet stayed a steady 5-8 deg cooler than the water (right around 97 depending on tub temp) even when the temps were well below freezing. This summer I had some leaks so I pulled out the polyfill and left one side open for the summer while I monitored the connections. I just recently put the insulation back in and sealed it up, but the problem is when the outside temp is around 60 the cabinet will stay around 105 deg from the heat thrown off the circ pump and give a false reading on my temp sensor. I switched out my electronics to a Gecko s pack when they went bad which required me to put in a temp sensor through the tub shell. Not knowing any better I mounted it on the same side as the pumps which generate all the heat. So now I need to open the cabinet and flush cool air over the back of the sensor to get an accurate reading. so the heater will kick on. I am thinking if I spray a about 2" of expanding foam over the temp sensor this will insulate it from the cabinet temps. If the water is 97 and the cabinet is 105 will this balance out, or will the reading still be way off and not allow the heater to come on? I don't want to encase the sensor for no reason and have it give me headaches down the road. Once the weather cools down the issue will go away, but I don't want to have to open it up every time the weather warms back up again. So my options I see: 1. Cut a vent and route air to just the sensor area, 2. Insulate the sensor from the cabinet, 3. Uninsulate the tub and loose efficiency, 4. Something else and entirely better I know there are a lot of techs that read the board, what do you guys suggest? Thanks, Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n1oty Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 Last year I picked up a used LB spa which I love and use daily, but that hasn't been without issue. To make it more efficient I used 2 layers of 1/2" insulation board inside the cabinet walls and filled the cabinet with several cases of polyfill. I mounted a wireless thermometer in the cabinet above the electronics to keep an eye on temps. Last winter the air inside the cabinet stayed a steady 5-8 deg cooler than the water (right around 97 depending on tub temp) even when the temps were well below freezing. This summer I had some leaks so I pulled out the polyfill and left one side open for the summer while I monitored the connections. I just recently put the insulation back in and sealed it up, but the problem is when the outside temp is around 60 the cabinet will stay around 105 deg from the heat thrown off the circ pump and give a false reading on my temp sensor. I switched out my electronics to a Gecko s pack when they went bad which required me to put in a temp sensor through the tub shell. Not knowing any better I mounted it on the same side as the pumps which generate all the heat. So now I need to open the cabinet and flush cool air over the back of the sensor to get an accurate reading. so the heater will kick on. I am thinking if I spray a about 2" of expanding foam over the temp sensor this will insulate it from the cabinet temps. If the water is 97 and the cabinet is 105 will this balance out, or will the reading still be way off and not allow the heater to come on? I don't want to encase the sensor for no reason and have it give me headaches down the road. Once the weather cools down the issue will go away, but I don't want to have to open it up every time the weather warms back up again. So my options I see: 1. Cut a vent and route air to just the sensor area, 2. Insulate the sensor from the cabinet, 3. Uninsulate the tub and loose efficiency, 4. Something else and entirely better I know there are a lot of techs that read the board, what do you guys suggest? Thanks, Alex Most tub mounted sensors on most brands do insulate around the rear of the sensor. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awitowsk Posted October 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 Most tub mounted sensors on most brands do insulate around the rear of the sensor. John Thanks. The original sensor was part of the heater and the replacement that went in the wall of the spa just goes through a rubber boot and into a bulkhead. The first day I opened the tub walls up this spring it was cool outside and the sensor was reading about 10 deg cool resulting in a very hot hottub I will give some insulation on the sensor a try. Is basic closed cell spray foam my best bet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ps558 Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 Most tub mounted sensors on most brands do insulate around the rear of the sensor. John Thanks. The original sensor was part of the heater and the replacement that went in the wall of the spa just goes through a rubber boot and into a bulkhead. The first day I opened the tub walls up this spring it was cool outside and the sensor was reading about 10 deg cool resulting in a very hot hottub I will give some insulation on the sensor a try. Is basic closed cell spray foam my best bet? the easy to isulate around the back of the sensor is to place a stryofoam cup around it and duct tape it in. Then spray a little foam around that. insulates it and keeps it clean incase of service Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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