Grandeehot Tub Fire Hazard?

[GRANDEEOWNER]

I just saw that there is a recall on the heater that I am pretty sure is installed in my 2002 Grandee Hot tub.

The recall seems to be a few years old and it appears that some fires have been associated with this hot tub. It also looks like the spa was 're-evaluated" and is no longer considered to meet UL standards. Is this correct????

I turned off the spa heater and I will contact the Mfg tomorrow. To those in the industryor those who own this spa as well - is this problem AS BAD as it sounds n the article I read (sounded unsafe to even own one of these)?? I have twin infants in the house and there is no way I want to risk a fire - I'll rip the thing out of my deck if that is the case. Does the "repair" really fix this issue (appears to be an insulation kit?)?? Also, the place that sold us the tub is still in operation and always sends up promotional materials, but they never notified us of this - weren't they supposed to??

Thanks for any insight into this - I could not believe that I missed this issue over the past 2 years...

[Pathfinder]

Sounds a little fishy to me when the UL Standards are mentioned. UL is not a governing body the only test products. There are other companies like ETL that test as well Hot Spring is ETL tested. Im sure if it was really an issue you would be on the phone with your dealer and Watkins finding all of this out since Watkins offices are still open. My first act would not be to post on this board.

Sorry Im just a little supsect of this post.

[GRANDEEOWNER]

Actually, I posted here b/c it was a forum like this that I found this subject on originally and I am pretty sure that at 6pm the Watkins offices are closed. I did not want to wait until the morning to find out more about this and I am PISSED b/c I was never notified of the recall (which I verified on the CPSC website) even though I sent in all of the registration forms for the spa. I am exactly what I seem - a CLUELESS consumer who is worried about this as I feed my 14mo old twins dinner (I have a laptop in the kitchen). I orginally saw info on this on a forum (which now appears defunct) while I was researching ways to "childproof" the spa - other than just locking it - and found that nasty surprise. I posted here HOPING someone has more info and can fill me in - and hopefully can reassure me on this......also I want input from someone ELSE than the mfg who of course will tell me that the repair kit will make it totally safe - give me a break - just give me info if you have it . I am not 100% sure ours is involved but I can't get out there to take off the front panel until my husband gets home.

Here is the text from CPSC:

CPSC and TruHeat Corp. Announce Recall of Spa Heaters

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), TruHeat Corp., of Allegan, Mich., is voluntarily recalling about 142,000 spa heaters sold with Hot Spring® and Tiger River® spas. The spa heaters have an internal electrical connection that can overheat and ignite the heater and spa, posing a fire hazard.

CPSC and TruHeat have received 192 reports of the heaters on these spas failing, and 22 reports of these incidents resulting in fire damage outside the heater or spa. No injuries have been reported.

These are No-Fault® 6000 model spa heaters sold with Hot Spring® and Tiger River® spas. The spa brand name is written on the control panel. The spa heater brand name and model number are on a label on the side of the heater. The spa heater is located behind a removable panel on the front of the spa. Read the owner's manual for instructions on turning off power to the spa before accessing the spa heater. This recall only includes spas installed in 220-volt applications.

Independent spa dealers nationwide sold spas with these heaters from January 1997 through January 2001. The price for these spas is between $4,000 and $9,000.

TruHeat is contacting its customers about this recall and providing them with a free insulation kit. Consumers who have not been contacted should immediately call Watkins, the firm now responsible for TruHeat and this recall, at (800) 999-4688 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET, any day of the week, to determine if their spa heater is part of this recall. To avoid all risk of an incident pending receipt of an insulation kit, consumers are advised to shut off their heaters until a kit is installed. If the spa is in a location where it is exposed to freezing temperatures and the heater is shut off (pending receipt of a kit), the spa should be drained according to the owner's manual to prevent damage to the spa by freezing water.

[Pathfinder]

Watkins is on the west coast so the are open call them with your paper work and serial # If your tub was an 02 then I think you are fine. There are many HS dealers on here that can probably help you.

Vista Ca 1(760) 598-0949

[GRANDEEOWNER]

Hey - wait - you are right - Watkins is in CA, right??

I'll be calling them as soon as I am done feeding the twins.

Really though - if anyone has the real story on this -please pass along the info. Also to the prior poster - are you saying UL approvals are not important/relevant? I don't know the other testing body - can you fill me in on it b/c I would like to contact them as well on this. Truthfully, I don't even KNOW if it is EVEN TRUE that they are no longer UL approved - it is just what was written on the other site. Does anyone know if that is true? Guess I will be calling them too.... I hope this was a lot of hype over nothing - but I would like to hear from someone who knows the actual scoop on this..

[GRANDEEOWNER]

Yeah - I bought it in '02 - but I can't remember if it was the prior year's model!!!!!

I can't wait to get at the paperwork/open the panel to verify.

Thanks so much!

[Pathfinder]

The aforementioned forum you speak of comes from a man who has an axe to grind against spa companies. He's a little delusional but its a sales ploy to buy his online rebranded spas. If you look at the poster Jim the Jim under members and view some of his posts you will see what I mean.

You definitely have every right to be concerned with an issue like that it just hit a red flag when you mentioned they lost their UL rating Since that statement only comes from one person.

[GRANDEEOWNER]

Ok - understandable then why you wondered.

Amazing how having kids this little makes you absolutely nutso over things that could pose a hazard. So, do you know what the issue was on the heaters through 2001 and

1. If the kits to repair it are working well

and

2. If the problem was really fixed for 2002 forward?

I am paranoid enough having a spa so close to the house with these guys running around (we keep it locked ALL OF THE TIME) . I was actually looking into those intake safety devices ??(not sure what they are really called) for the spa when I stumbled across the other info, but I always thought the GRANDEE suction intake seemed very safe. Any opinion on that issue?

I hope I can find that paperwork tonight - or do you know if that year of Mfg/serial number is printed inside the panel?? Hopefully my husband will get home b/f dark so I can check this out!!!!!!

Also, really, what is that other testing organization??

[Dr. Spa]

1. If the kits to repair it are working well

Perfectly!

2. If the problem was really fixed for 2002 forward?

Absolutely

but I always thought the GRANDEE suction intake seemed very safe. Any opinion on that issue?

It can't get any safer than what you have (other than an electronic suction detection system)

Also, really, what is that other testing organization??

ETL

[queenwench]

Excuse me....but, if another member knowingly posted false information about this persons concerns, can not something be done about this? That is NOT a good thing to possibly have false information being knowingly posted........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

People come here to learn, and, gain knowledge regarding the hot tub/ spa's and the industry area they are interested in....

Geez, this is a scary thing, not to mention little tikes involved.......Many folks come here for truthful information.....is the information posted about the recall correct???? (I have a good friend that has a Gandee, in Ohio) Is there any way, other than a company check, to see if it is all accurate?

Could one of the admin post a link that has recalls posted or documented areas of problems? I think this would be a great help to many hot tub/spa owners; newbies and seasoned alike. In my humble opinion.

Regards,

Queenwench

[Dr. Spa]

Excuse me....but, if another member knowingly posted false information about this persons concerns, can not something be done about this? That is NOT a good thing to possibly have false information being knowingly posted........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ummmmmmm, not sure what you're talking about. Possibly you're referring to something posted on another message board... something we moderators have no control over

is the information posted about the recall correct????

yup. though it's almost 6 years old

Could one of the admin post a link that has recalls posted or documented areas of problems?

Whos paying for our time to do all this research?

http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/PRHTML02/02068.html

[Newbie4Now]

[Excuse me....but...]

I see that Dr. Spa ( you may notice that he's member # 5 ) already beat me to this, but I still want to offer a

BIG WELCOME to QueenWench.

If you're new to forums, you may be equally amazed or appalled by people's actions here.

NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER PLACE ON THE PLANET.

Simply a different type of discourse.

1. Spend a good amount of time "searching" through the forum's past [ the software is really great... ]

2. Recognize a pattern or two (or three or four) and you'll soon get a feel for "who you can trust..."

3. Don't be discouraged by the "monsters that lurk..." We (and I'm speaking as a relative newcomer who is still a SHOPPER for hot tubs) need everyone's enthusiastic participation :: that's how we ALL benefit.

Welcome aboard !

[thestallion]

hummm, This is really old news, YES there was a recall regarding heaters but Hot Springs stepped up and fixed the problem, I thought it was prior to the 2002 models I may be mistaken. The best answer will be answered by a call into Watkins and again YES if you got this off another board that is run by a gentleman who has an ax to grind with Hot Springs than I would still call but also disregard pretty much all you read on his forum and staying away from it would serve you best.

[Chas]

If you are the registered owner of the spa, and if you did not get a notice - along with a check - then your spa was built after the heater had been fixed. The heter had some connections which overheated - they were not in the actual heater but were attached to it. The upgrade kit works fine and takes ten minutes to install. You could go look and see if there are large white socks on each end of your heater. If so, then you got the upgrade kit and installed it already, or it was done for you by a service tech on a service call for something else. (We do take care of this if we spot it and the factory pays us to do so).

Write down your serial number and call the factory if you want the very best confirmation. They will let you know. If you would like, you could simply post your serial number or put it in a PM to me and I will veryify that your spa is a 2002 and not a prior year.

In fact - here's the 'code.' Your spa has a serial number which begins with a G or a GG. If you look at the serial number, it has this format: G-2D1234. The G is grandee (Some have GG) then the first number is going to be a 1 through a 4 and simply tells what quarter of the year the tub was built. The letter D means it was built in 2002. If it was a C, then you have a 2001 spa, but it still could be fine because they redesigned the heater connectors midway through the year, and they know exactly what serial number started with the fixed heaters.

[cplarsen]

Er,

"This recall only includes spas installed in 220-volt applications."

I'd check to see what voltage you're running. You may have never been notified because it doesn't affect you.

[djs]

Er,

"This recall only includes spas installed in 220-volt applications."

I'd check to see what voltage you're running. You may have never been notified because it doesn't affect you.

I owned a 93 Grandee, and the only configuration was 220v. Didn't think you could run the tub any other way and still utilize all it's features.

djs

[cplarsen]

Website says 230v heater.

But you're probably right. Most people in US would call that 220v as the motor would still run.

And now that I think about it, power at the panel is 240v. Been along time since I did electrical.

[GRANDEEOWNER]

I finally had a chance to open up the spa last night and it is a "GD4", so it was built in 4th QTR 2002 - after the problem was fixed. (THANK YOU CHAS!!). Still going to call Watkins anyway to cover all bases be sure that is nothing else I should know...but later the night I 1st posted here I did find the paperwork - which said Nov-2002 - and I already had it switched off at the main panel so I felt like I was most likely ok until I got this figured out....and with two sick kids (and now a sick spouse!!) and did not even have a chance to call Watkins until after they were closed- it has been a really fun week!

So, can I just turn it back on at the main panel now to start it back up??

Thanks to all who responded - sorry about the pancked tone of my 1st message - I was really hoping this would be a non-issue (which it is). After having been effected by quite a few recalls lately - from tainted peanut butter to lead painted toys - I am getting PARANOID.

FYI - to the person who wanted to know more about recalls - I have now signed up for a daily e-mail notification from the CPSC - it is easy to do at thier website - and the way things are going lately (in general) I think it is worth doing.

Thanks again - it is so nice to have access to knowledgable people who are so willing to share that knowledge!

[Pathfinder]

Good to hear now enjoy your tub to relieve the built up stress you just went through.

[queenwench]

Gandee,

Thanks for the email info...I have passed it on to my friends in Ohio....As far as they knew there had been no notice of a recall to them.

I wasn't sure about the year of their spa....They logged in here, found the info, and have done the email sign-up.

Thanks for your help.

[TravelingSpaGuy]

Newbiefornow, I think it is unacceptable you are still a hot tub shopper...I might be traveling to your area sometimes this year and should be given the chance to tell you why the hot tub I will be selling at the current moment is the best you can find : )