phillipe Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 So.. My wife and I picked up a Coast Spas Cascade II (Vanishing edge model) and have been THRILLED with it thus far. When we purchased it though, the salesman said most people find their electricity bills go up roughly $18-26 depending on the size of the hot tub, the temp you keep it at, and the going rate per kwh in your area. We live in a big home and typically have our electricity bill range from $100-120 a month. Since installing the spa in August our electricity bill has climbed immediately to $170-200 a month. So.. instead of that $20 or so increase, we're seeing more like $70. We keep our spa at 103, and have even cut the warming/circulating hours back by half (was running twice a day for 6 and 8 hours, now running twice a day at 4 hours each cycle) with no real reduction in our bill. What type of increase in electricity usage did you find when you installed your spa and were they as dramatic as ours? We had our electrician run a new 220W line solely for the spa and are going to contact him this week as well to see if he has any ideas.. Any help would be fantastic - Can't keep having electricity bils like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spatech (the unreal one) Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 I would lower your filter cycles even further down to two 3-hr filter cycles per day and in fact you'll probably be fine with two 2-hr filter cyeles per day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillipe Posted January 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 Seriously? Wonder why Coast had it set so high upon purchase (factory defaults)? If the spa is the ONLY thing that's changed in my home in terms of electricty usage could it be possible that my electrician wired it in a way that is inefficient? Seems so odd... I even looked at last year's bills for the same time frame to make sure it wasn't something funky with time of year... Also checked kwh pricing and it's almost identical to last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spatech (the unreal one) Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 Seriously? Wonder why Coast had it set so high upon purchase (factory defaults)? If the spa is the ONLY thing that's changed in my home in terms of electricty usage could it be possible that my electrician wired it in a way that is inefficient? Seems so odd... I even looked at last year's bills for the same time frame to make sure it wasn't something funky with time of year... Also checked kwh pricing and it's almost identical to last year. Because they have to assume you might be that family with 6 people going in so they set it on the high end, pretty normal for manufacturers to do so, just reset it as needed. Go ahead and try two 2-hr settings, if the water stays clear stick with it, jump it up to 3-hr cycles later if you think its needed I'm not sure how well insulated Coast spas are. The best spas out there will be down at that $30 end but if its adding $70 I'm not too shocked and thats not at the really bad end, there are some people who see triple digit adds due to very poorly insulated spas. Its also the first month so its a fresh fill that had to come to temp, its winter, it probably got a lot of use since its new... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicatt Posted January 9, 2013 Report Share Posted January 9, 2013 I turned my Coast Radiance filter cycle down to run 6 hours during the cheapest hydro time (at night) and just run it one hour during the expensive hydro time. My water has been perfect (since I got my Taylor test kit & could balance it properly!) but my tub has been used heavily lately. Now with the holidays over and usage dropping off, I am going to turn the cycle back to 4 hours at night and leave the one during the day to see how that works. I don't know if you are in Canada - but my dealer explained that the $20/month was an average - almost nothing in May - August and much more expensive in the winter. She also was good enough to give me the heads up about the filter cycle default right away as even she said the 12 hours it was programmed for was way more than is normally needed. Good luck with getting your hydro down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo217 Posted January 10, 2013 Report Share Posted January 10, 2013 At night do you see steam coming up from under the cover? I always thought those negative edge spas they made looked rally nice but I also figured them to be energy hogs as I don't see how a cover could get a good seal around that area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spa_Guru Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 Keep in mind electricity price estimates are averaged over 12 months, and you also bought a low end tub - even if the same brand in the showroom is well insulated, don't bet on a "Big box store" model to have identical features. Why is it people think spas are the only exception to the rule of "You get what you pay for"? There is no exception to that rule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo217 Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 I wouldn't consider coast low end. Nowhere does it say he bought it at a big box store. Coast actually makes a very solid tub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spa_Guru Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 I wouldn't consider coast low end. Nowhere does it say he bought it at a big box store. Coast actually makes a very solid tub He asked for an opinion, mine is honed by 29 years as a tub repairman. Well, and then there is that whole bankruptcy thing. http://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=19949 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo217 Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 I've worked on many a coast and have found that they are right up there in quality with any of the big boys. Difference of opinion I guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spa_Guru Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 I was chatting with one of the gentlemen from Leisure Concepts last week, and he mentioned that the covers for the vanishing edge shells are a bit problematic on their fit. Yep, perhaps you could get this guy some help; http://www.ripoffreport.com/pools-saunas/coast-spas/coast-spas-coast-refused-to-ho-p586p.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo217 Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 Spa guru apparently you didn't read the whole review. Read the responses below the complaint. I stand by what I said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo217 Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 You do realize that gulf coast spas and coast spas are two different companies? The bk link wasn't even for coast spas. Talk about spreading rumors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowdog Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 Spa guru apparently you didn't read the whole review. Read the responses below the complaint. I stand by what I said i did read all of that complaint and all I can say is Coast did a heck of a nice thing replacing the persons hot tub. i will put money on the problem was caused by the owner of the tub wiring it wrong but we will never know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrecisionPoolJay Posted March 17, 2013 Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 Coast Spas when I used to sell them used huge Franklin motors that were originally designed for gas pumps. It looked impressive and made their vanishing edge tubs run awesome, but ya the vanishing edge models are energy hogs. You can turn the filter cycles down to 2 2hr cycles and be fine I am sure which will help a lot. I wonder if they still use those big 7hp franklins like they did when Coast Spas first came out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spa_Guru Posted March 18, 2013 Report Share Posted March 18, 2013 Nobody put a real 7 HP pump in as spa ever, it was marketing B.S. 1 watt = 0.00134102209 horsepower You would have a 22 amp draw for 7HP to be possible, and nobody builds a circuit board for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo217 Posted March 18, 2013 Report Share Posted March 18, 2013 Nobody put a real 7 HP pump in as spa ever, it was marketing B.S. 1 watt = 0.00134102209 horsepower You would have a 22 amp draw for 7HP to be possible, and nobody builds a circuit board for that. They draw 20 amps. These are not the same tub as gulf coast which you are confusing them with. These are te biggest spa pumps I've ever seen they are huge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spa_Guru Posted March 18, 2013 Report Share Posted March 18, 2013 Right, let's suppose they did draw 20 amps, that is still less than 6.5 BHP. BS is still BS no matter what brand. A real 7 HP motor is the size of a 5 gallon bucket, I know, I used to build custom fountains and waterfalls. This is a real 5 HP motor, only $3,911.65 http://www.walkeremd.com/D2005P-Baldor-5HP-1750RPM-240V-DKPG-L186AT-Motor-D-p/D2005P.htm?gclid=CPK_4JG2hbYCFYFxQgodsFAA9g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spa_Guru Posted March 18, 2013 Report Share Posted March 18, 2013 Here is a Franklin pump, 7.5 HP, weighs 125 lbs and costs over $2500. http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/FRANKLIN-Submersible-Pump-Motor-1CXD9 Full Load Amps 36.5, 60 Hz Spa pumps, at best are about 2.5 HP continuous. Manufacturers pay about $75- $200 max for their pumps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
castletonia Posted March 18, 2013 Report Share Posted March 18, 2013 Regardless of what Coast claimed, those Franklin motors have not been used since sometime prior to 2009. I never sold one with those motors as I didn't care for proprietary 3" plumbing so I don't know the real hp, nor do I care. Spa_Guru, Coast is a 100% different company than Gulf Coast and never filed bankruptcy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Spa Posted March 18, 2013 Report Share Posted March 18, 2013 Yep, perhaps you could get this guy some help; http://www.ripoffreport.com/pools-saunas/coast-spas/coast-spas-coast-refused-to-ho-p586p.htm You should actually read the link you posted. Use your mouse to scrol down the page..Coast Spas (notice there's no "Gulf" preceding) appears to have done an outstanding job on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicatt Posted April 7, 2013 Report Share Posted April 7, 2013 I love my Coast spa & my most expensive electricity bill was February when it was really cold this year here in Ontario. It added $150 to my usual February bill but that was maintaining the heat at 102 for 24 hours as well as filtering for 10 hours out of 24. My other bills have been far lower maintaining the spa at those same settings when the outside temperature was warmer. It is not a vanishing edge but rather a curve spa. I could set it for economy mode but I like the convenience of knowing it is ready whatever time of day I choose to use it and I am willing to pay for that. Spa Guru - at $10,000+ for many of their spas I do not consider Coast Spas to be a low-end, big box manufacturer! My local dealer sells exclusively Coast and has serviced me well - the way I expect to be treated by a long-time family business dealing in spas & pools! BTW - I looked at Hot Springs and Sundance as well as Coast at the time and after the wet tests I knew that the Coast was the one for me! The other dealers in my area also didn't impress me either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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