Help With New Spa Purchase Please

[Caldera Spas]

 

 

......................................

 

Did you mean to post something?

I've been looking for a price on the Caldera Cantabria but I can't seem to locate any dealers that carry it. Most say that they can carry Hot Springs OR Caldera but not both

Hi 3nickles,

Unfortunately there was an error in posting, and the forum does not have a "delete" function. Have you contacted your local Caldera dealer (http://www.calderaspas.com/shopping-tools/find-dealer)? They are your first stop. They may not carry Hot Spring AND Caldera, but they should be able to provide you with additional information on the Cantabria.

Thank you,

Erica

The Caldera Spas Team

[Bullfrog Spas Support]

3nickles,

You will want to consider a Bullfrog Spas A8 or A8L in this search. They seem to fit into that same size range in terms of gallons and features. The A8 is actually extremely roomy inside and the A8L provides a lot of space with a lounger. The JetPak Therapy System gives you more massage options by far and great energy stats as well.

We would love to answer any questions you might have about these models.

Jake

Bullfrog Spas

[Tman1645]

I recommend running from Great escapes! I put down a deposit on a Jacuzzi 365 and they sold it underneath me and told me when I arrived to pay for it (5days after placing the deposits).

I went to SanJuan in Pekin, Ill and bought an awesome A7L for just a few hundred more but well worth it to deal with a good dealer plus more bells and whistles on the tub.

If Great escape had any class at all they could have sold me a 470 but they failed to take blame for doing us wrong. A simple gesture from them and we would have bought the 470 but after seeing the bullfrog I'm glad we didn't. I'll post pics soon!

[Venams]

Well I was leaning toward the Hot Springs Gleam based on the layout which I really like and the pricing (11,200 for Gleam versus 12,200 for Aspen).

Right now Hot Springs has a promotion where they are throwing in the bluetooth stereo system (around $1400 option I'm told) for free. That is an ADDED BONUS for me. So very close to purchase but one MINOR snag.

POWER! I had 2 30 amp breakers feeding my Sundance Optima at 60amp/230v. Opted for 60A upgrade from the standard 50A because heater cuts out when using all jets and in the cold climes of Chicago could not put up with that during Winter.

SOOOOO... my dilemma: Hot Springs offers 50 or optional 70A service. From what I can tell if you opt for the standard 50A service and panel (provided by Hot Springs which mounts on the outside of house) the heater kicks off when the Moto-Massage therapy seat kicks on and only when that 3rd pump is on. So if that's the case I could just avoid using the Therapy seat when it's extremely cold outside so heater can stay on. I can't run 70A option as that would allow you to use all jets and heat with no interruption but I'm out of breakers on my 100A panel in basement. Even using the 50A service I have to remove the Square D 60 GFCI on my basement panel and use the included HOT SPRINGS 20A/30A panel on the outside as well as run a few more wires for the Hot Springs (they require 6 wires: 2 hots each for 20a/30a breaker + Neutral lead for 30a breaker and 1 for ground wire / Sundance only requires 2 hots directly to panel in tub + 1 for ground wire).

SO basically have to take the Square D 60A breaker out of the circuit and pay to have 3 more wires run if go for the Hot Springs Gleam (50A version). I don't have to do any rewiring to go for the Sundance Aspen as it's ready to go with the 60A already there.

Advice Opinions? Go for the H.S. Gleam + free bluetooth stereo deal at 11,200 (and provide wiring changes) or no wiring changes and go for the Sundance Aspen?

[Venams]

friendly bump for last question?

[technituber29]

Hands down the gleam is a better tub. Ace is only problematic if you neglect it. Most people who suffer from what I call new toy syndrome are the ones who have problems with it. If you read all the posts about it they all say it worked great for the first few months then died. That because they used the tub for the first few months and stopped. They figure I'm not using it why should I have to balance the water or clean the filters or turn the system output down. And the entire time it just sits there making chlorine with nothing or Noone to keep it in check. This will be your 4th spa so you do not have the "toy syndrome". My only gripe about the gleam is that it uses the now old physical buttons on the control panel and not the new touch screen panel that the high life series has now.but if you have luck like me the day you get it installed is the day they announce that it is coming out next Friday. The wiring aspect is annoying but you should be replacing breakers with a new spa anyways. If I won the power ball I would have a gleam in the backyard of my new house before they were done pouring the concrete for the basement. However the maxxus is very good but I have found them to be prone to have annoying issue rather then mechanical. For some reason the extra seam for that third section of the cover is another entry point for bees to make a nest literally over night. And quite honestly it just does not look as nice. But mechanically and reliability they are just about the same. Which is at the top tier of all hot tubs.

[Venams]

UPDATE.

My hot springs dealer did not stock the filters for my Gleam (hard to believe). I found and ordered a C-8300 Unicel online for 64 including shipping. I plan to pick up some TSP to clean and might even try running in the dishwasher cycle like someone suggested.

Second Impressions:

Still enjoying the tub immensely. It's even large enough that I bought my wife a raft and she floats in it while sunning on the deck (short story; she wanted a pool, I wanted a hot tub. SOLUTION: bought a big enough hot tub that she could use it and float in it like a mini pool :-) ).

Tub has a minor leak since delivery. Took a few days for me to notice the water coming out from the front panel. I'm still waiting on the store come out and repair it. It will be 2 weeks this Tuesday. Seems that one of the hard plumbed PVC T connectors cracked,most likely during transit or delivery? Never had a brand new tub leak that's for sure. Will report back when and if it gets repaired.

Couple other other small complaints:

1) The small jet rings seem to dislodge easily which leave them dancing on the bottom of the hot tub. It barely takes 5 degree of rotation counter clockwise and the jets come off! I can't believe they didn't engineer them to require at least a quarter turn (90 degrees) until them come off. Maybe they will re-engineer and replace them?

2) The control panel operation is HORRIBLE. I wish they would have put the new BMW engineered removable interfaces on the Limelight models. You have to do mutiple keys presses on the panel to do normal operation like turning on jets, lights etc. and it is not very intuitive. MAYBE they will come out with an enhancement to convert the old (terrible) topside with the new ones like on the Highlight series? Hot Springs you listening

3) The heater is definitely undersized or under-powered. I went in on a 50 degree night and the heat kicked on at 97 (set point). The heater kicked on because I could feel the heat coming out of the circ pump/ozone outlet. The tub then proceeded to slowly cool. 96.... then 95 with about 10 minute intervals. That's a bummer because I like to go in during the winter on call nights (no wind) around 20-30 degrees. Hot Springs... any fixes?

[Hot Spring Official]

Hi Spa Savant

Glad to hear that youre enjoying your new Gleam but have a few concerns regarding the heating and control systems. I noticed in an earlier post that you were installing the spa on a 50 amp service which as you noted, does not allow the heater to operate when the third jet pump is engaged. Otherwise, the heater should be operating and cycling as designed to overcome the effects of the water cooling from aeration during jet use and wind chill on the water surface. The wireless remote control panel is currently an exclusive feature on the Highlife series Hot Spring Spa models and unfortunately, cannot retrofit to the Limelight series spa models. Please contact me at Watkins Customer Service 800-999-4688 x8432 if I can be of assistance. Regards, Keith