When Would One Use "sleep Mode" (Balboa Control Panel)

[jasongreenberg]

I'm trying to learn about a spa that exists at a house I recently bought and I'm trying to understand when one would use the Sleep Mode.

It's a Balboa topside control panel and I read that it will heat to 20 degrees F of the set temperature during filter cycles. So I generally keep it at 104 degrees F, so if I put it in sleep, it would heat to a maximum of 84 degrees? What would be the practical use of this? For when I go on vacation? Why not just set the spa to the desired lower temperature when I go on vacation? Also, I would think that if one used the sleep mode somewhat often, they would use more energy heating the spa back to the set temperature by 20 degrees, rather than maintaining the set temperature. Am I missing something? Any real point to using this mode?

[Dr. Spa]

" Also, I would think that if one used the sleep mode somewhat often, they would use more energy heating the spa back to the set temperature by 20 degrees, rather than maintaining the set temperature. Am I missing something? "

Not at all true. The cooler the water is, the less heat (energy) will be lost to the atmosphere (Newtons Law of Cooling). The amount of energy needed to heat the spa back up will be less than the amount of energy lost.

[PreservedSwine]

" Why not just set the spa to the desired lower temperature when I go on vacation"

In an era of circuit-boards and inexpensive features to make life simpler (or more complicated in an effort to make life simpler), putting it in sleep mode saves you from pressing the temp button 20x down, and then 20x back up upon your return.

Is it really necessary?

No.

But it does save some button time.