New Forum Member Reporting Leak In Solana Tx

[valvestem]

Hello everyone, I just joined to day looking for guidance. A few days ago after opening my 4 year old Solana TX, I saw that the water level was dropping about 1/2" a day, this is about 2 gallons for this size tub that holds about 130 gallons.

I made a call to the store where I bought the tub, and was scheduled for a tech to come on Monday, yes I know it was Memorial Day. I told the appointment setter that it was a holiday, but she said I know but we are open and working and will be there. I got up early, and waited. At about noon, the appointment setter called and said that their tech had not bothered to tell them that he had a prior family obligation and they would not be coming that day. She said how does Wednesday work for you, like I had a choice. I said OK. Now it's Wednesday, the tech came and went, left a note found later in my mailbox to the efffect that he could not pinpoint the leak, but did see where the water was pooling up. I already knew that. I called the store again, and they said they will get back to me as to what to do next. He mentioned having to bring the tub back to their shop and dig into the foam to locate the leak.

This is where I stand now with a Solana TX, 4 years old, shut down and blown out at the onset of colder (October) weather, and filled and started in the spring(usually in late April or May).

What really is bothering me is that the leak seems to be of the "hiddden" type, and is needless to say an expensive disappointment.

I am posting this saga to vent, and to help any potential buyers make an informed decision.

Updates will be forthcoming as they unwind.

Thanks

6-1-07 Update I am still waiting for the service people to get "back in touch", as they said they would.

[Spamaster101]

Do not draw conclusions before the problem is found, I would not be surprised if the problem is freeze damage.

[valvestem]

You may be right, but I did "blow it out" every year after the season's use was over. You think enough water stayed in there anyway to cause damage maybe? I even sopped up the water in the footwell with a sponge. There was no water in the footwell either this spring when I took off the protective over cover I use to keep the weight of the snow off the insulating cover.

[Aric]

Does your warranty cover leaks for 5 years? If so you're fine. If you're out of warranty....

[valvestem]

One year parts & labor, typical at the time of purchase.

[Chas]

If you can find the leak yourself, you will save money.

Look very closely at the drain fittings. They are often the cause of 'leaks' which can be fixed by simply removing the cap, fitting a new rubber o ring, and tightening securely. These are simply garden hose fittings, and new o rings can be purchased at any home center or garden center. If your drain line if fitted with one of those garden-hose valves, take it off and put the cap right on the line with a new gasket/o ring. Then go check that valve on your garden hose under pressure to see if it is cracked or simply leaking.

But - save yourself some grief - Get out there with a flashlight and a mirror and check every inch of the motor compartment - with the jets running. Look very carefully at things like the pump seal, the pump housing gaskets, pump unions, joints in the PVC plumbing, and air tubing.

Then do it again with the jets NOT running - look especially close at the air tubing this time.

Also look closely at the light lens.

Hope for the best - you may just have an easily-repaired minor problem. I do get leakers from time to time, but most turn out to be one of the things I described above.

[valvestem]

June 4th end of day, still no word from the service/dealer on my Solana TX leak.

[Richs100]

Valvestem said:

June 4th end of day, still no word from the service/dealer on my Solana TX leak.

When they don't call me, I call them. Squeeky Wheel and all that.

Just out of curiosity, why do you drain your tub over the winter?

Is it at a summer house or something?

I find I use my tub more in the winter than I do in the summer.

[hottublady]

It should say somewhere in your manuel that they don't reccomend draining during the winter. Even if you have fully drained your spa there is still 2-10 gallons of water sitting in the pipes. Which in the winter can freeze and create cracks in your pipes and thus leaks. Did they fix it yet?

[valvestem]

No fix, and they have not called. I will wait another few days and then release their name, I figured I would give them the benefit of the doubt seeing as many people up here in Maine are probably opening their tubs.

[valvestem]

Ongoing saga concerning MAINE-LY TUBS SCARBOROUGH, MAINE:

Well, I got an invoice in the mail today from the service people. It says for a "Service Call, Diagnostic Call". $125.00 dollars.

Needless to say I am upset, as I already knew I had a leak, and they were supposed to come and diagnose where the leak was, and tell me what was wrong and go from there as to cost etc.

The note left by the serviceman said he could not pinpoint the leak and they would be back in touch, that was May 30th. I have not heard a peep since, now I get the invoice. I already knew I had a leak, so what does everyone think of the validity of a service charge for telling me I had a leak, and they would be in touch and have not been.

I think now is a good time to tell the name of the business as I am pretty upset about their way of doing business. After all, about $3000.00 dollars for 4 years use, and no service is pretty poor.

The name of the business is MAINE-LY TUBS in SCARBOROUGH MAINE.

Be aware of you are considering purchasing a spa in this area that the above named business's after sales service is severely lacking, and in my case non existant.

Uh, duh! what about a repair???? Or are you going to be in touch with me.

Kinda like going to a tire shop with a flat tire, and having the serviceman say yup, you've got a flat! That's forty dollars, and then walk away.

Footnote: This explains somewhat why MAINE-LY TUBS does not belong to the Better Business Bureau, (BBB).

[hottublady]

You should get in contact with the manufactuer watkins.

[soakerman]

I would go over you warranty in detail and see if they can asses a " reasonable" service call fee when they service your spa. Alot of the so called great warranties are not so great when you read they have things like a diagnostics fee, travel charge and a flat out "service fee" before any warranty work is done. As for the response of the dealer, that sounds verry frustrating and needs to be worked out, perhaps talking with the owner of the spa store might get things straight with you and the service/lack off.

good luck!

[valvestem]

>"You should get in contact with the manufactuer watkins."<

We are going to take up the issue with anyone that will listen.

They are not a member of the Better Business Bureau, so that route is out.

We will try to contact the maunufacturer Monday. Failing that, maybe a call to my state's attorney general's office, then the local media which I believe has a consumer advocate available to speak with.

I am posting alll this information so that if anyone else local is considering a purchase from this dealer, they will have data to help make an informed decision, as to how they might be treated after the sale.

[valvestem]

>"I would go over you warranty in detail"<

The hotub purchased from MAINE-LY TUBS in SCARBOROUGH MAINE is long out of warrantee.

The issue is I called for a leak, the man came and said yes you have a leak, we will "Be in touch", I have not seen or heard from them since, until today when I received a bill for $125.00.

Please read carefully all the previous posts on the issue.

[hottublady]

Here is the manufactuter's contact info. Even if they aren't a member of bbb the manufacturer can still contact the dealer to get a resolution. You get 2 warrenties, 1 through the dealer, and a second by manufacturer.

Watkins Manufacturing Corporation

1280 Park Center Drive

Vista, CA. 92081

1.800.999.4688

[Chas]

This is not a warranty item, and I'm very sorry this has gotten to this point. I just got off the phone with Michelle, and I think this will move forward soon. It' Sunday, so don't expect anything today, but I would imagine early this week.

This is not typical for HotSpring dealers, nor is it at all typical for that particular dealer.

[valvestem]

Chas wrote:

"This is not a warranty item, and I'm very sorry this has gotten to this point. I just got off the phone with Michelle, and I think this will move forward soon. It' Sunday, so don't expect anything today, but I would imagine early this week."

I appreciate what you are doing Chas, I was dumbfounded to have recieved an invoice, apparently during this busy time of year perhaps there is not enough internal communication between departments.

[valvestem]

>Chas wrote:

"This is not a warranty item, and I'm very sorry this has gotten to this point. I just got off the phone with Michelle, and I think this will move forward soon. It' Sunday, so don't expect anythingtoday, but I would imagine early this week."<

I received a phone call today from the dealer, they are going to rescind the invoice for telling me what I already knew, and send a different tech to look at the leaking tub again.

She said she was calling in respose to a voicemail I left on the day I received the invoice.

Apparently the tech told her in a note something different, than that what was in his note he left me.

She also said she is going to follow through personally on the issue.

[valvestem]

6-14-07, the saga continues.

The repairman who was supposed to come Monday, came Tuesday. He replaced the air jet control valve because he said it was cracked, he thinks that was the leak although no water runs through the air jet lines to the control knob. Today I had a chance to go in the tub, and when I used the air jet control knob...nothing. I turned it to minimum and it caused the air jets to go on "High". I turned it to Maximum and it shuts the jets almost off. This was with the ciculation pump on low. With the circulation pump on High the jet control does the same thing except there is a loud sound of air hissing under the control panel. I called and spoke to the service co-ordinator again and explained I am still losing about 6 gallons of water a day, and the jet control issue which was replaced yesterday. Now tomorrow they will send another repairman to diagnose the 2 issues. Remember I only had one to begin with.

I know some of you are probably tiring of reading my problems, but I am getting tired of not being able to get the issues corrected with this dealer. I figure I'd let this run it's course with this dealer and then try to seek out an independent repair person.

[soakerman]

perhaps hold on a bit longer before blowing a "gasket". It sounds like the dealer is trying to get this resolved and not charging you so that is a good thing. It would be nice to have them explain a game plan and get this resolved quickly for you.

[valvestem]

>"perhaps hold on a bit longer before blowing a "gasket". It sounds like the dealer is trying to get this resolved and not charging you so that is a good thing. It would be nice to have them explain a game plan and get this resolved quickly for you.<"

I am not going to blow a gasket over this, although I did start with one issue and now have two. I believe that their "best" tech is just not as good as they believe he is, after all he left the tub in condition I found it yesterday, he did not check his work.

If you read back through all the threads, at what point would a sane person just say I give up, and see if an independent repair man could do better than an authorized dealer/repairman. Or just give up completely and turn a 4 year old $3000.00 dollar (including electrical etc.) hot tub into a planter.

[soakerman]

yeah, on second thought, I'd be upset as well!

[valvestem]

Hi soakerman,

It appears as though my issues may have been taken care of at this time. They sent a different repairman as I might have mentioned before, he came this morning. He apparently found a leak in the "Moto-Massage" area and said he repaired it. He also replaced the jet control valve that the other fellow installed the day before yesterday. So right now it appears as if the ordeal is over. I have yet to receive any invoice, but I don't expext to pay for any work the first man performed, (installing a bad jet control valve).

I have filled the tub to it's recommended depth and will monitor the level until tomorrow, if it is the same, then I'll know he found it.

I want to thank everybody here who tried to help with suggestions, and those who so went to far as to make phone calls on my behalf.

I am not one to go down without a fight, so that is why I used this forum to vent, get suggestions, and for general support, again thanks to everone. JF in Southern Maine.

PS I will post any futher issues or compliments due as soon as the invoice matter is settled, and I know for sure the leak was found.

[soakerman]

That's cool!