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1997 Artesian Dove Canyon Platinum


Guest Jerry

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I have owned an Artesian Dove Canyon Platinum Spa for over 8 years now (3/1997) and have been fairly satisfied with it up until now. I have noticed some wood rot on the support pieces under the electrical control unit. When I contacted Artesian they assured me that they only used pressure treated wood in this part of the spa but I can assure you this was not pressure treated. I have since reinforced this area with pressure treated wood. I have seen the newer Artesian Spas and their design appears to have been improved. The spa has been exposed to the elements in central New York during this time because it sits on an unprotected deck attached to my house. It has operated 24/7 since we bought it. Until recently I have experienced only one leak and that one was at a hose/jet connection. Within the last year I have experienced at least 2 more such leaks and they do not appear to be easy to repair. I repaired the first leak myself by scraping the hose material (PVC?) out of the jet connection and splicing in another piece of hose. Removing the hose from inside the jet connection was time consuming.

My question is this, has anyone else had similar problems with this 8 year old model Artesian spa? I know that most questions in forums are from people who want to know what kind of spa to purchase but I’m more interested in the longevity of spas. By exposing the spa to the elements am I significantly decreasing its lifetime? How long can one expect an outside spa to last without significant problems?

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  • 1 month later...

Jerry,

Been servicing spas since 1985 and I get to work on every brand. There are brands that hold up better than others, no question. One example that comes to mind, is the Classic Model by Hot Springs, we have so many of them here in New Jersey, dating back to the mid to late 1980's. They are still going strong. Sure, the pump, circ pump and heater have been replaced in most cases, but that is to be expected. The key is the spas are still fairing very well. Specifically, the shell structure, plumbing, jets and top side controls. On the flip side many of the Mass Merchant Spas and Internet Spas are correctly labeled 3 Year Throw away Spas. In some cases, calling them 3 Year Spas is too kind. I've seen spruce frames rotting, same for the cheap cabinets, spas with trap air containing little or no insualtion to conserve energy and protect the plumbing, causing leaks due to lack of support to plumbing with no insualtion Pumps that are second class, burning up in 15 months. The lowest price jets are used, underperforming and popping out. Add into the mix cracked shells too.

In reference to, how a older Artesian Spas will hold up. Personally, the first Artesian Spas delivered in Southern New Jersey, date back to 1994. All of the 1994 Artesians are holding up fairly well. Of all of the Artesians that I work on, none of them have been traded in yet. I did just have a '94 Artesian Dove Canyon owner stop in this past week, he was checking out the 2005 Dove Canyon Platinum. His '94 had 2 pumps, the '05 has 5 pumps. He was ready to buy a '05 , but his wife was not budging yet, the spa is working great she said, why replace it.You were correct to say, that they have greatly improved since the early years. Two areas that come to mind are the cabinets and bottom frame, which you mentioned, as a concern for your 8 year old tub. The new frame and structure is super strong and the cabinets are 10 times better than back then. The older cabinets were redwood, but like many manufacturers, were not that thick. With any Rewdood cabinet, regular maintenance is required. Here on the East Coast, we sell 98% resin cabinets. I can't even give a wood cabinet away. the new Resin Cabinents are superb. Have a local dealer take a panel off and take a look.As for the acrylic shells, plumbing, pumps, heaters and controls have been very relibable through the years. Only some problems with '94-97 Models with Hydro Air Jets that popped out or bearing assemblies breaking down, come to mind. But, then again many manufacturers used the same jets and worked through these.

As the company grew, they gradually hired a super engineer and plant manager, along with a great manufacturing staff. Their greatest strides have really been in the last 4 years. The development of the direct flow controller has been a huge boost. With the addition of the direct flow controller, it allowed the manufacturer to give each seat its own pump, giving each individual user, total control, of their therapy needs.The recent additon of switchless motors, producing a quieter operating spa, with less parts to fail.

Thank goodness, they took away air blowers, which are one of the most common failures in the spa industry.

They tooled some really nice comfortable shells, to please the many shapes and sizes of Americans. With a top notch staff, quality control has been excellent. They are presently in their next phase of growth, with the opening of their huge new manufacturing plant in Las Vegas, which I am looking forward to touring in 3 weeks, while attending the Aqua Show Nov. 15-17th.

Sorry, for straying a bit from your question about life expectancy for your 8 year old Arteisan Spa, in the harsh winters of New York State. From my experience with this brand, I think you can expect to have an additional 5-7+ years of enjoyment, putting the life at about 15 years. Try to stay out of the showroom though, as you may get tempted by all of the advances since then, as my customer did, earlier this week. With any brand 8 years old, expect the heater and or pumps, to require repairs or replacemnet, within the next few years. With good water chemistry, pumps could surpise you and last longer, but not heaters. In your climate, your spa will last longer, using it 12 months a year. So enjoy the hot water.

Feel free to contact me anytime with questions about your Dove Canyon. Goodluck. Dave.

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