What is the real electrical cost of owning a hot tub per month during winter in alberta climate (average minus 10-15C) if it is used about 4 times a week for 45 minutes to an hour each time?

[Josh231]

I have an 8 person arctic spa and I live in alberta. I use my hot tub 3 to 4 times a week for about 45 minutes to an hour each time. I keep it at 102 degrees. I was told it would raise my electric bill by about 30 a month during winter, but I have seen it raise my electric bill by closer to 80 per month. I am trying to figure out if this is normal. Thank you for any help.

[CanadianSpaTech]

How long of filter cycles are you running? 

Turn off any air injection when not using the spa

The $30/mth might be cost averaged out over a year

Are you spending more time at home with other factors coming into play on your overall electrical usage

[Josh231]

12 minutes ago, CanadianSpaTech said:

How long of filter cycles are you running? 

Turn off any air injection when not using the spa

The $30/mth might be cost averaged out over a year

Are you spending more time at home with other factors coming into play on your overall electrical usage

I run the filters 4 times a day for 2 hours per cycle, so 8 hours per day. 

I'm not sure if my tub has air injection. It does have a dial that determines the power of the jets from pump 1. Would this be air injection? 

I am not spending any more time at home than usual. 

Thanks for your reply!

[CanadianSpaTech]

2 hours 2x per day is enough for most users and factory setting on a lot of spas ...that will cut 4 hours of running time per day and equal big savings IMO

If you have an economy mode try that as well and see if it is to your liking. In Economy it will only turn the heater on during the filter cycles. The other 10 hours between filter cycles if there has been heat loss it will not heat to set temp until the next cycle starts. If you turn the "dial" one way the water should run clear if you turn it the other it should add the air into the stream of water and run white and bubbly. Usually the small bear claw on an arctic spa. It takes air from inside the cabinet to inject into the spa. That air from inside the cabinet might be cooler than the water and have a cooling effect on your set temp. Even during heat and filter cycles when you are not using it with the cover closed

[Josh231]

14 minutes ago, CanadianSpaTech said:

2 hours 2x per day is enough for most users and factory setting on a lot of spas ...that will cut 4 hours of running time per day and equal big savings IMO

If you have an economy mode try that as well and see if it is to your liking. In Economy it will only turn the heater on during the filter cycles. The other 10 hours between filter cycles if there has been heat loss it will not heat to set temp until the next cycle starts. If you turn the "dial" one way the water should run clear if you turn it the other it should add the air into the stream of water and run white and bubbly. Usually the small bear claw on an arctic spa. It takes air from inside the cabinet to inject into the spa. That air from inside the cabinet might be cooler than the water and have a cooling effect on your set temp. Even during heat and filter cycles when you are not using it with the cover closed

I believe I do have an economy mode. Perhaps during winter I will do as you say and decrease the amount of filtering, and turn on the economy mode. 

The jets that are powered by pump one can be controlled with a bear paw shaped dial, but I don't think its an air control it just turns the power of the jets up or down. 

Thank you for your advice I will put it to practice. At $80 a month electricity I will do anything I can to bring that number down. 

[CanadianSpaTech]

3 minutes ago, Josh231 said:

I believe I do have an economy mode. Perhaps during winter I will do as you say and decrease the amount of filtering, and turn on the economy mode. 

The jets that are powered by pump one can be controlled with a bear paw shaped dial, but I don't think its an air control it just turns the power of the jets up or down. 

Thank you for your advice I will put it to practice. At $80 a month electricity I will do anything I can to bring that number down. 

Try it for a month and you will know. I use economy year round and have it set to run a filter cycle from 6 pm to 8 pm. Usually get home and go in tub around 9 so it has had a 2 hour filter cycle and a heat and spa is always at the set temp when I go in. No waiting if there has been heat loss during the day.