Electricity Costs... To Lower Temp Or Not?

[belome]

So, I'm new to all of this. I have a Sundance Montego and I like to use it at around 106 degrees. I live in Michigan and it gets down in 15-20's at night. Lately I've been turning it down to around 98 during the week when I don't plan to use it then kick it up to 106 on the weekends.

Is doing this stupid or saving me money? It usually comes up to temp in a few hours and occasionally during the week I'll bump it up and use it one night then turn it back down. [although I usually only go up to 104 or so.]

Would it makes sense to keep it high all the time, take it way lower than 98 when I don't plan to use it for a few days or just keep doing what I'm doing?

Thanks

[Dr. Spa]

If you don't mind the inconvenience, it'll save you $ (how much is questionable though).

Newtons Law of Cooling - The greater the temperature difference, the faster the exchange of heat. e.g, the lower the temperature difference (spa water vs. ambient air), the slower the heat (energy) loss

[belome]

If you don't mind the inconvenience, it'll save you $ (how much is questionable though).

Newtons Law of Cooling - The greater the temperature difference, the faster the exchange of heat. e.g, the lower the temperature difference (spa water vs. ambient air), the slower the heat (energy) loss

Yeah, I've been reading through a bunch of other threads. Many say it doesn't save a whole heck of a lot. If its $15 a month I'd pay to keep it high. If its $50 a month I'd certainly think it would be worth it to keep it lower.

This is my first tub and honestly, I haven't gotten the first electric bill yet... but I'm scared.

[PoolSpaGuy30]

If you don't mind the inconvenience, it'll save you $ (how much is questionable though).

Newtons Law of Cooling - The greater the temperature difference, the faster the exchange of heat. e.g, the lower the temperature difference (spa water vs. ambient air), the slower the heat (energy) loss

Yeah, I've been reading through a bunch of other threads. Many say it doesn't save a whole heck of a lot. If its $15 a month I'd pay to keep it high. If its $50 a month I'd certainly think it would be worth it to keep it lower.

This is my first tub and honestly, I haven't gotten the first electric bill yet... but I'm scared.

if this is the case then just keep it at your normal set temp, I would hope the spa itself would not cost more than $50 for the entire month to run. Our Hot Spring spas even in MN and WI winters average $15-$24 per month depending on the model, use, etc.

[belome]

That's good to know. I've asked several people about the electical costs of theirs and the only common answer I get is 'a lot'. I was expecting at least $100 a month. I honestly had no clue.

I think mine has a 4-2 cover. Its about 4" thick in the center then tapers down to 2 or 3 inches. There is some foam sprayed around the tub area but its certainly not 'full of foam' like I've read some tubs are.

If my total bill goes up less than $50 I'd be exctatic.

[hd2000]

If my spa cost me $50 per month, I'd wonder what was wrong with it. We have had a spa for about 30 years now, and I don't think it's ever cost me more than about $20 a month ever. I'm in NE Ohio and we get some pretty cold weather here to. Today we are having a high of 22 and this is just the beginning of the winter. My spas have all been either Sundance or Hot Spring, so you have something to compare to. We just got rid of a Sundance Marin and it ran me about $18 in the winter to keep it as hot as we could. In the summer we dial it down a couple degrees. I suspect all those people that gave you a answer of "a lot" have had some pretty crappy tubs. I doubt you would save more than just a few dollars to turn it down through the week. How old is that spa anyway?

[belome]

It is a 1998 model. I got it for free from a friend.

Like I said, I had no clue what the actual costs would be, but I certainly expected the worst after talking to some local owners.

If my bill isn't crazy high I'll be real happy. [Heck, I figured heating it from the first fill was gonna cost me at last $30 bucks.]

[hd2000]

1998? Well, we just ditched a 1994 and it was running perfectly. In all the time we had it, I had to replace 1 pump and refinish the cabinet. That's it. Oops. I forgot about the flow switch. I replaced one of those to, but it's pretty cheap and easy to do. Sundance makes a nice spa. I really think you'll be surprised with your electricity bill. I doubt it will be anywhere near what you thought it would be. If it were me, I'd probably just set it and forget it till spring. We turn ours down a bit during the warmer months. It probably cost just as much to reheat it as it does to maintain the higher temp. Dropping it down to 98 probably isn't saving you more than a couple of dollars per month if it's saving anything at all.

[njmurvin]

1998? Well, we just ditched a 1994 and it was running perfectly. In all the time we had it, I had to replace 1 pump and refinish the cabinet. That's it. Oops. I forgot about the flow switch. I replaced one of those to, but it's pretty cheap and easy to do. Sundance makes a nice spa. I really think you'll be surprised with your electricity bill. I doubt it will be anywhere near what you thought it would be. If it were me, I'd probably just set it and forget it till spring. We turn ours down a bit during the warmer months. It probably cost just as much to reheat it as it does to maintain the higher temp. Dropping it down to 98 probably isn't saving you more than a couple of dollars per month if it's saving anything at all.

You might be losing as much by opening the cover to make the adjustment as you gain by lowering the temp - LOL. I doubt if it will make much difference - but try for a month both ways and see. I had a 20-yr old Sundance and I swear my brand new Marquis is costing me more to run.

[arnspa]

belome,

First, 106 degrees? My spa has a Warning label not to exceed 104 degrees. Excessive heat can be dangerous. 100 suits me though my wife likes 102. De gustibus...?

But you should be aware that 106 is above recommended levels.

To your query: Please Note that it has been well established that turning down your house thermostat at night or if you are away during the day will save money (and energy). Isn't this exactly the situation for a spa?

[PFC5]

belome,

First, 106 degrees? My spa has a Warning label not to exceed 104 degrees. Excessive heat can be dangerous. 100 suits me though my wife likes 102. De gustibus...?

But you should be aware that 106 is above recommended levels.

To your query: Please Note that it has been well established that turning down your house thermostat at night or if you are away during the day will save money (and energy). Isn't this exactly the situation for a spa?

Heating water takes probably 30x the energy and time than heating air, so they would NOT be the same. Just look at how fast the air in your home heats up versus a refill of ice cold water, and we are taking about 100x times the volume of air compared to the volume of water in a tub.

[Dr. Spa]

More than 30. Water is 784 times as dense as air..but the thermostat principle still applies (density is completely irrelevant with regards to Newton theory of cooling)..