Platinum Costco Hottub

[jerwin]

why does my hotub keep saying hfl or dr i have enough water and my slide valves are open(pulled all the way up)it was hooked up by a qualified electrician ,also the manual says to make sure the circulation pump has been primed and has power,i am assuming it has power,as for priming it goes through it`s own cycle at start up.

could something be wrong with the circulation pump(where is it and how would i know)

thanks.

[TravelingSpaGuy]

part of reason I hate costco spas is I have service teched for 3 years before sales and have no idea what hfl or dr means. Check your owners manual. Call whoever is supose to service the spa even though it will probably cost you money just for the service tech to show up at your home

[soakerman]

part of reason I hate costco spas is I have service teched for 3 years before sales and have no idea what hfl or dr means. Check your owners manual. Call whoever is supose to service the spa even though it will probably cost you money just for the service tech to show up at your home

So then you hate Balboa controlls?

[Stevie]

The great thing about buying wisely is that you can call or go into your "dealer" and they can help you answer any questions at all.

[Dr. Spa]

dr = Heater dry - insufficient water fault

hfl = High limit sensor reading 113-118f, or above - check flow

[spatech (the unreal one)]

why does my hotub keep saying hfl or dr i have enough water and my slide valves are open(pulled all the way up)it was hooked up by a qualified electrician ,also the manual says to make sure the circulation pump has been primed and has power,i am assuming it has power,as for priming it goes through it`s own cycle at start up.

could something be wrong with the circulation pump(where is it and how would i know)

thanks.

You may know it is cycling on but you may have an air lock in that circ pump so having power isn't always enough. An air lock would account for your error though it could be other things as well but this is the first line of response. Loosen the fitting to the circ pump (the higher one, inlet or outlet) and make sure you see some water come out (and hopefully some air will escape thus being the issue.). If that doesn't do it call for service, or even better, call for service first and ask if that is what they'd like you to do.

[Roger]

part of reason I hate costco spas is I have service teched for 3 years before sales and have no idea what hfl or dr means. Check your owners manual. Call whoever is supose to service the spa even though it will probably cost you money just for the service tech to show up at your home

So then you hate Balboa controlls?

Balboa makes some nice controlers, but they make some cheap ones also.

[soakerman]

part of reason I hate costco spas is I have service teched for 3 years before sales and have no idea what hfl or dr means. Check your owners manual. Call whoever is supose to service the spa even though it will probably cost you money just for the service tech to show up at your home

So then you hate Balboa controlls?

Balboa makes some nice controlers, but they make some cheap ones also.

so which one is it? Here we go again!

[Roger]

part of reason I hate costco spas is I have service teched for 3 years before sales and have no idea what hfl or dr means. Check your owners manual. Call whoever is supose to service the spa even though it will probably cost you money just for the service tech to show up at your home

So then you hate Balboa controlls?

Balboa makes some nice controlers, but they make some cheap ones also.

so which one is it? Here we go again!

Which one is what?

Go to Balboa dot com and take a look at all the different levels of controlers. Then go price them out. They make a 200 ecomony controler and an 800 dollar top of the line controler. They even have controlers for 1200-1600 bucks that are made to withstand the rigors of commercial spa/swimming pool combination applications.

What's up Soaker...you don't understand this why?

[Pathfinder]

He doesnt understand much Especially for a thread on a tub he owns doesnt even try to help the poster but instead takes pot shots. According to him all Balboa controls are the same when I discussed it about a month ago.

[soakerman]

He doesnt understand much Especially for a thread on a tub he owns doesnt even try to help the poster but instead takes pot shots. According to him all Balboa controls are the same when I discussed it about a month ago.

No your wrong. The controll you said was in a platinum spa was incorect. You don't know but purport to be a expert. I know because I own one and havent had a issue with it.

You desire to downgrade any spa Costco sells as it is direct competition to your spa store.

The poster simply asked for what the error codes ment not for a jab of call your dealer!!!!

Or the controlls are cheap!

Stop useing this forum as a soap box for your spa dealer support group please.

[TravelingSpaGuy]

Yes I do hate Balboa controls on cheap hot tubs.

[Roger]

Yes I do hate Balboa controls on cheap hot tubs.

I don't hate them I think they have there place. There higher end controllers are good. I like Gecko better on the inexpensive controllers but they are a bit more money.

[tubostuff]

part of reason I hate costco spas is I have service teched for 3 years before sales and have no idea what hfl or dr means. Check your owners manual. Call whoever is supose to service the spa even though it will probably cost you money just for the service tech to show up at your home

So then you hate Balboa controlls?

Balboa makes some nice controlers, but they make some cheap ones also.

Any controller that shows 'hfl' and 'dr' when the circ pump's not pumping must be one of the cheap ones.

[tubostuff]

why does my hotub keep saying hfl or dr i have enough water and my slide valves are open(pulled all the way up)it was hooked up by a qualified electrician ,also the manual says to make sure the circulation pump has been primed and has power,i am assuming it has power,as for priming it goes through it`s own cycle at start up.

could something be wrong with the circulation pump(where is it and how would i know)

thanks.

Probably you should take the tub back and get your money back. Go down to the store of one of the spa companies posting in this forum and get a GOOD tub.

[TravelingSpaGuy]

its funny everyone who defends costco thinks that the people in the business are trying to earn business for themselves instead of trying to let customers know your saving maybe a few hundred dollars on profit margin and just buying a cheap tub for a cheap price. Its funny, if Walmart started carrying Kia's and selling them online, and the people who worked at car dealerships told people its not that they are getting a great deal they are just buying a cheaper car you would defend walmart to the death saying the other carlots are just charging way too much. And then when I get my Kia but have to unload it off the truck myself, they give it to me with no gas or anyone to teach me how to use it, and it usually seems to have minor problems from day one...it still will drive and I like the fact it gets me from point a to point b in almost the same ammount of time as another car would.

[Spamaster101]

dry= a 4 degrees rise on either sensor within 60-seconds for the 4-second heater firing.

HFL= a 6 degree rise between to tow sensors during heating.

Both come from little to no flow they just check for them at different times.

[jwillard]

I think the people who own tubs purchased from Costco get tired of hearing they purchased a pos tub. This board is full of people who hide and act like they are something they are not.

Example...go look at the post of Tubostuff....his post on two different costco threads tell the poster to take their tub back and go to a dealer.. Tubostuff is supposedly a newbie and has 7 post and in several of them he is telling the poster to take their tub back and get a dealer tub.

Makes me wonder how many people on here have more than one alias??? Things that make you go hmmmmmm....

I wouldnt buy chewing gum from Wal-mart....but thats my opinion.

[spatech (the unreal one)]

I think the people who own tubs purchased from Costco get tired of hearing they purchased a pos tub.

...and the people with spa expereince get tired of a few Costco owners like yourself trying to say they saved $5000 and got just as good of a tub (as you've specifically said). It's a so-so spa with no service BUT sold at a good price.

It may not be high in quality but it is low on price.

[Saskman]

Here we go with again...The guy had a simple question. If we are buying service then we should never need it because the tub will never break or it should always be free. right?

[jwillard]

I think the people who own tubs purchased from Costco get tired of hearing they purchased a pos tub.

...and the people with spa expereince get tired of a few Costco owners like yourself trying to say they saved $5000 and got just as good of a tub (as you've specifically said). It's a so-so spa with no service BUT sold at a good price.

It may not be high in quality but it is low on price.

Spa experience?? With all of your spa experience you cant take away from the fact I did indeed save money going with the my spa instead of a dealer sold spa. As far as it being just as good...I have to say...no complaints here. In rush the spa experienced people who say I have to have it for 15 years in order to know if I got a good deal....only time will tell. Guess we will just have to wait and see if I am still around in 15 years to answer that one.

Its a so-so spa.....your opinion again....oh but you have experience. Have you worked on any of the platinum legends? Have you even seen one? you stated you have experience...where is it coming from? You threw it out so I have to ask. As far as me posting on this site I actually am just sharing my experience. Nothing to prove, no agenda other than share.

As far as being not high in quality but low on price. Wasn't very low to me...$5200 isn't low in my opinion...but 9k or 10k is pretty darn high in price if you ask me. What do you get for the extra money,.....a dealer to help? Didn't need it! Design difference yes...but none that would keep me from enjoying my purchase. Insulation...works for me....maybe not for people in colder climates...don't know since I live in Florida. Yes, there are other tubs out there that are worth more than mine...never said there weren't. The object of my post is to let people who are thinking of going this route know this is a great tub for the money...imo.

My point of the post was in walks a so called newbie to spas and he jumps right in the costco threads and starts telling the poster to take it back...and in one instance the original poster was happy with his tub but had a couple issues and a response was to take it back to costco????

[spatech (the unreal one)]

I think the people who own tubs purchased from Costco get tired of hearing they purchased a pos tub.

...and the people with spa expereince get tired of a few Costco owners like yourself trying to say they saved $5000 and got just as good of a tub (as you've specifically said). It's a so-so spa with no service BUT sold at a good price.

It may not be high in quality but it is low on price.

1) Spa experience?? With all of your spa experience you cant take away from the fact I did indeed save money going with the my spa instead of a dealer sold spa.

2) As far as it being just as good...I have to say...no complaints here. In rush the spa experienced people who say I have to have it for 15 years in order to know if I got a good deal....only time will tell. Guess we will just have to wait and see if I am still around in 15 years to answer that one.

3) As far as being not high in quality but low on price. Wasn't very low to me...$5200 isn't low in my opinion...but 9k or 10k is pretty darn high in price if you ask me.

I'll respond to just a couple of your points to be brief.

1) You spent less for sure but that's how it is with most any product, there are multiple purchasing levels. I just counter claims you've made many times that you spent less on an equivalent item. I don't see it as equivalent but that’s fine because you certainly spent less.

2) You have a sample of one so statistically its tough to conclude much from yours alone but your experience counts for sure. Time will tell but it certainly won't take 15 years to draw a conclusion of how well its worked out for you. If you make it 6 or 7 years with few issues then you'll certainly be able to say you got good value. If your spa is advertised on craigslist in 5 years from now as a "you move it you can have it" spa then it wasn't a good value spa.

3) Its all relative; $5200 is toward the mid to lower end of pricing for spas. I didn't say it was "petty cash fund" money that you have in the cookie jar.

[spatech (the unreal one)]

My point of the post was in walks a so called newbie to spas and he jumps right in the costco threads and starts telling the poster to take it back...and in one instance the original poster was happy with his tub but had a couple issues and a response was to take it back to costco????

I agree, that was over the top. First you work with the manufacturer to set things straight. You only think about returning it if it shows repetitive problems that lead you to believe you're in for trouble or if they simply aren't responding to your needs.

[jwillard]

I'll respond to just a couple of your points to be brief.

1) You spent less for sure but that's how it is with most any product, there are multiple purchasing levels. I just counter claims you've made many times that you spent less on an equivalent item. I don't see it as equivalent but that’s fine because you certainly spent less.

2) You have a sample of one so statistically its tough to conclude much from yours alone but your experience counts for sure. Time will tell but it certainly won't take 15 years to draw a conclusion of how well its worked out for you. If you make it 6 or 7 years with few issues then you'll certainly be able to say you got good value. If your spa is advertised on craigslist in 5 years from now as a "you move it you can have it" spa then it wasn't a good value spa.

3) I should have said lower.

Yes, agreed...there are different levels on products. As far as going to a dealer, and looking at the legend offered through Costco the dealer surely didn't give me any solid facts that there was indeed a level of difference,at least quality wise between the compared products. If that explanation isn't given where can one assume their extra money spent is going.....salesman commission or dealership profit or so called dealer support?? None of the visited dealers I went to would even compare their product to the legend...maybe lack of knowledge about the one offered through Costco...no idea...just know they didn't.

When I decided to buy my tub, many concerns went through my head.... What if I buy it and end up not using it as much as I thought? What if I get stuck with a crappy tub/dealer? When I decided to buy my tub the price, plus the fact I could return it with no questions, the options available and the immediate savings between it and a dealer tub secured the sale for me.

Since my purchase I have had nothing but a good experience with it. No matter how many experienced people claim this is a cheap tub I guess it really all depends on who is the one making that decision and the one paying for it. I never said it was better than a dealer purchased spa...I said its just as good for a lot less money! Lower, less, no as much however you want to say it...

[spatech (the unreal one)]

Yes, agreed...there are different levels on products. As far as going to a dealer, and looking at the legend offered through Costco the dealer surely didn't give me any solid facts that there was indeed a level of difference,at least quality wise between the compared products. If that explanation isn't given where can one assume their extra money spent is going.....salesman commission or dealership profit or so called dealer support?? None of the visited dealers I went to would even compare their product to the legend...maybe lack of knowledge about the one offered through Costco...no idea...just know they didn't.

When I decided to buy my tub, many concerns went through my head.... What if I buy it and end up not using it as much as I thought? What if I get stuck with a crappy tub/dealer? When I decided to buy my tub the price, plus the fact I could return it with no questions, the options available and the immediate savings between it and a dealer tub secured the sale for me.

Since my purchase I have had nothing but a good experience with it. No matter how many experienced people claim this is a cheap tub I guess it really all depends on who is the one making that decision and the one paying for it. I never said it was better than a dealer purchased spa...I said its just as good for a lot less money! Lower, less, no as much however you want to say it...

Good post explaining yor methodology in looking for your spa though I definteily don't agree with the one part at teh end where you say "I said its just as good for a lot less money! ". Its definteily not as good as most of the premium spas out there IMO but as you noted, it is less money so its a matter of weighing those two against each other.