fabio_22 Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 Heading to Mexico for a couple of weeks and was planning on draining my 3 week old Jacuzzi J-355 before leaving. I was planning to also drain the pumps. BUT... rather than do that... what do you all think about just leaving it running for 2 weeks. No one will be around for checking the water quality while I'm gone. So what do you think: 1) Drain it? 2) Let it run while I'm gone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r5ran Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 Heading to Mexico for a couple of weeks and was planning on draining my 3 week old Jacuzzi J-355 before leaving. I was planning to also drain the pumps. BUT... rather than do that... what do you all think about just leaving it running for 2 weeks. No one will be around for checking the water quality while I'm gone. So what do you think: 1) Drain it? 2) Let it run while I'm gone? A key factor is, where do you live? Will it get down to freezing temps while you are gone? Randy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fabio_22 Posted November 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 A key factor is, where do you live? Will it get down to freezing temps while you are gone? Randy Sorry... I thought my location was shown. I live in Portland, OR area... and it has been known to freeze in November. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d1dennis2009 Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 Heading to Mexico for a couple of weeks and was planning on draining my 3 week old Jacuzzi J-355 before leaving. I was planning to also drain the pumps. BUT... rather than do that... what do you all think about just leaving it running for 2 weeks. No one will be around for checking the water quality while I'm gone. So what do you think: 1) Drain it? 2) Let it run while I'm gone? My personal opinion would be let it run, unless you are expecting freezing weather in the 2 weeks that you will be gone. I would bet it should be fairly easy to get the water straight upon return, but freeze damage is a major concern if that is an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spatech (the unreal one) Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 Heading to Mexico for a couple of weeks and was planning on draining my 3 week old Jacuzzi J-355 before leaving. I was planning to also drain the pumps. BUT... rather than do that... what do you all think about just leaving it running for 2 weeks. No one will be around for checking the water quality while I'm gone. So what do you think: 1) Drain it? 2) Let it run while I'm gone? I'd rather have my spa running with water than drained for that two week period. If the water is ready for a change anyway I'd say do it when you return. I'd add a couple tablespoons of chlorine with the pumps running for 15 minutes and the cover open, drop the temp to 85º, close/lock down the cover and head on out on vacation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r5ran Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 Heading to Mexico for a couple of weeks and was planning on draining my 3 week old Jacuzzi J-355 before leaving. I was planning to also drain the pumps. BUT... rather than do that... what do you all think about just leaving it running for 2 weeks. No one will be around for checking the water quality while I'm gone. So what do you think: 1) Drain it? 2) Let it run while I'm gone? I'd rather have my spa running with water than drained for that two week period. If the water is ready for a change anyway I'd say do it when you return. I'd add a couple tablespoons of chlorine with the pumps running for 15 minutes and the cover open, drop the temp to 85º, close/lock down the cover and head on out on vacation. I agree with Spatech, he speaks words of wisdom.... Randy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fabio_22 Posted November 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 I'd rather have my spa running with water than drained for that two week period. If the water is ready for a change anyway I'd say do it when you return. I'd add a couple tablespoons of chlorine with the pumps running for 15 minutes and the cover open, drop the temp to 85º, close/lock down the cover and head on out on vacation. You know... I didn't even think of lowering the temp. GREAT IDEA. I just got the tub about 2-3 weeks ago so it's not ready for a water change. Your idea of the chlorine sounds good. Would you suggest a fresh shock before going too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r5ran Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 Heading to Mexico for a couple of weeks and was planning on draining my 3 week old Jacuzzi J-355 before leaving. I was planning to also drain the pumps. BUT... rather than do that... what do you all think about just leaving it running for 2 weeks. No one will be around for checking the water quality while I'm gone. So what do you think: 1) Drain it? 2) Let it run while I'm gone? I'd rather have my spa running with water than drained for that two week period. If the water is ready for a change anyway I'd say do it when you return. I'd add a couple tablespoons of chlorine with the pumps running for 15 minutes and the cover open, drop the temp to 85º, close/lock down the cover and head on out on vacation. I agree with Spatech, he speaks words of wisdom.... Randy Just adding one thought. If you have a circulation pump, (that keeps the water moving), I would lower it to 80 degrees (as low as it mine goes). Every little bit helps. Actually takes mine 2-3 days in the winter to drop that low. Ran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulR Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 You know... I didn't even think of lowering the temp. GREAT IDEA. I just got the tub about 2-3 weeks ago so it's not ready for a water change. Your idea of the chlorine sounds good. Would you suggest a fresh shock before going too? I bring up the FC to 10 or so, and drop the temp, if I'm gone a week or more. With a brand-new tub, usually you would want to do the first water change after a month or so, sooner than the usual interval. Just to clean out any manufacturing residue. --paulr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peteyboy Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 I would also bump up the pH a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulR Posted November 7, 2009 Report Share Posted November 7, 2009 I would also bump up the pH a little. If your pH drifts that much in a week, sure. With 50ppm borates, my pH moves very slowly. --paulr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recoil Rob Posted November 7, 2009 Report Share Posted November 7, 2009 I would also bump up the pH a little. If your pH drifts that much in a week, sure. With 50ppm borates, my pH moves very slowly. --paulr Water chemistry should be the least of your worries. If there is any possibility of freezing temps, unless someone is going to check your spa every day for you to make sure it's still running, it would be foolish to leave it filled. GFI's can trip for a multitude of reasons and if your tub shuts down while you're gone and no one is there to reset it you are leaving yourself open to freeze damage. In fact, here in NY, I tell my customers who want to use the spa year round that during the colder months they must check it everyday to see if it's still running. After 21 years I can't begin to tell you how many times I get a call from someone in Feb. saying they hadn't used the spa for 2 weeks and now it's frozen solid. Or a call in April saying they thought the tub was running all winter but now it's empty. Freeze damage because no one was watching, the GFI tripped or something else went wrong and the spa froze. Your spa, your money, your call, but unless you have someone to monitor it, winterize it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE SPA GUY Posted November 7, 2009 Report Share Posted November 7, 2009 I would also bump up the pH a little. If your pH drifts that much in a week, sure. With 50ppm borates, my pH moves very slowly. --paulr Water chemistry should be the least of your worries. If there is any possibility of freezing temps, unless someone is going to check your spa every day for you to make sure it's still running, it would be foolish to leave it filled. GFI's can trip for a multitude of reasons and if your tub shuts down while you're gone and no one is there to reset it you are leaving yourself open to freeze damage. In fact, here in NY, I tell my customers who want to use the spa year round that during the colder months they must check it everyday to see if it's still running. After 21 years I can't begin to tell you how many times I get a call from someone in Feb. saying they hadn't used the spa for 2 weeks and now it's frozen solid. Or a call in April saying they thought the tub was running all winter but now it's empty. Freeze damage because no one was watching, the GFI tripped or something else went wrong and the spa froze. Your spa, your money, your call, but unless you have someone to monitor it, winterize it. I would keep it running i am in Spokane, we get colder than you guys on the coast , there would be no question , when i go on vacation in December i leave my D1 running , never had a problem, even when we lost power last year for a week still no issue, good advice to put some chlorine in there, have a great vacation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poolandspadude Posted November 7, 2009 Report Share Posted November 7, 2009 Geez guys...let's not over think this!! How about leaveing it alone...shock it..balance it...go on vaca...and enjoy it when you get back. Chemistry shouldnt change....turning down the temp for two weeeks to save ,what, $1.00.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake the dog man Posted November 7, 2009 Report Share Posted November 7, 2009 Just leave it running. Honestly, I don't think I'd bother turning the temp down, but to each their own. When someone gets a new tub, they often are slightly over cautious. If nobody will be there to use the tub, the levels of stuff matter very little. It matters very little after a few months or a year. Actually, I like having the hot tub ready and waiting when I return home from a trip. We need to remember that the primary reason we own tubs is to RELAX, not to have one more thing to monitor or take care of around the house. Good Luck & let us know what you decide! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hot_water Posted November 9, 2009 Report Share Posted November 9, 2009 Geez guys...let's not over think this!! How about leaveing it alone...shock it..balance it...go on vaca...and enjoy it when you get back. Chemistry shouldnt change....turning down the temp for two weeeks to save ,what, $1.00.... I would turn it down. Nasty stuff grows slower if the water is cooler. It's a bit of insurance and is easy to do. Getting back up to temp will only take about two or three hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fabio_22 Posted November 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2009 Well... got just got back last night from 2 GREAT weeks in Puerto Vallarta....... checked the spa this morning: CL=5.1 PH=7.0 ALK=080 Cranked it back up to 102 (from 80) and shocked it! CL may be a little high... but can't wait to hit it tonight.... although it may be raining a bit. ;-( Really miss that 90+ weather in PV. Anyway... thanks for the suggestions...... much better than draining and refilling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart A Posted November 22, 2009 Report Share Posted November 22, 2009 Just noticed this and voted to lower temp. What a great idea as long as the spa temperature is above freezing point it will not freeze. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Beluga Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 I would also bump up the pH a little. If your pH drifts that much in a week, sure. With 50ppm borates, my pH moves very slowly. --paulr Water chemistry should be the least of your worries. If there is any possibility of freezing temps, unless someone is going to check your spa every day for you to make sure it's still running, it would be foolish to leave it filled. GFI's can trip for a multitude of reasons and if your tub shuts down while you're gone and no one is there to reset it you are leaving yourself open to freeze damage. In fact, here in NY, I tell my customers who want to use the spa year round that during the colder months they must check it everyday to see if it's still running. After 21 years I can't begin to tell you how many times I get a call from someone in Feb. saying they hadn't used the spa for 2 weeks and now it's frozen solid. Or a call in April saying they thought the tub was running all winter but now it's empty. Freeze damage because no one was watching, the GFI tripped or something else went wrong and the spa froze. Your spa, your money, your call, but unless you have someone to monitor it, winterize it. I would keep it running i am in Spokane, we get colder than you guys on the coast , there would be no question , when i go on vacation in December i leave my D1 running , never had a problem, even when we lost power last year for a week still no issue, good advice to put some chlorine in there, have a great vacation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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