Infinity Owners

[airwebber]

So I want to buy a hot tub, I want many jets, lots of pumps and want one that will last. can I get something like that for around $4000? I have been looking at the Infinity Oceanside hot tub on ebay. This whole thread though is kind if making me rethink this.

[IL Parrothead]

Airwebber, let me give you just MY honest opinion. I spent the better part of 6 months researching and wet testing to come to the point I am now -- and my tub just came in! Should have my patio done next week and I'll be soaking!!!

The reason that Infinity/Keys, etc. offer just what you mentioned points to one obvious point. A lot of uninformed consumers THINK they want a lot of jets and a lot of pumps. But look at the best made tubs. MOST do not have a zillion jets and a bunch of pumps. Why do you want that? Do you believe it will improve your therapeutic experience? In most cases, it won't. Many manufacturers will put out 70-90 jet tubs, claiming they're better than the major tub manufacturers who barely give you half that. But they're little air injectors or small jets that do little, if anything, for therapy. Look at the tubs that are conceded by most "in the know" as among the best:

Hot Spring -- 14 to 47 jets, depending on model.

Marquis -- 12 to 57...

Dimension 1 -- 16 to 57, unless you go to their monster tub w/ 87

Jacuzzi -- 13 to 48

Sundance -- 12 to 55, etc., etc.

They use jets that they've done research on -- that give you the best therapy.

They use the best pumps and give you the best warranty and service as a result.

So, to answer your question, you probably can't get a lot of jets & pumps & something that will last for $4000. But you can get a quality made tub that will give you great therapy at that price. Go to some dealers and wet test and find out for yourself.

[Roger]

So I want to buy a hot tub, I want many jets, lots of pumps and want one that will last. can I get something like that for around $4000? I have been looking at the Infinity Oceanside hot tub on ebay. This whole thread though is kind if making me rethink this.

Your going to have to fins something a couple years old. Or spend a bit more money. If you want a throw away 5-8 year tub then yes you can. If you want a 15-20 year tub your going to need to spend about 8 grand.

[airwebber]

Good day Roger & IL Parrothead,

Thank you for the reply,

I have a chance to buy a D1 Californian, which is about 4 to 5 years old for $1300. This hot tub is in pretty good shape. The thing is I am not sure about the foam filled spa’s, it sounds like a nightmare if it develops a leak. What is your opinion in regards to getting the Californian? Do you think $1300 is a good deal?

I have done a lot of research and the D1’s are a top of the line hot tub, so I would think a 4 year old D1 will give me more life then a new Infinity.

Any advice would be great.

[Roger]

Good day Roger & IL Parrothead,

Thank you for the reply,

I have a chance to buy a D1 Californian, which is about 4 to 5 years old for $1300. This hot tub is in pretty good shape. The thing is I am not sure about the foam filled spa’s, it sounds like a nightmare if it develops a leak. What is your opinion in regards to getting the Californian? Do you think $1300 is a good deal?

I have done a lot of research and the D1’s are a top of the line hot tub, so I would think a 4 year old D1 will give me more life then a new Infinity.

Any advice would be great.

Depending on how it was cared for because this can be a big curve I personaly think that is a great price. And that tub should have another 10 years in it easy. A qualified tech can evaluate and repair leaks in full foam in slightly more time than in a non full foam tub. 99 percent of all my repairs are in the equipment area. I have done 19 repairs to date in 2008 and none in the foam. In 2007 I did 61 repairs with 1 in foam. You tell me. I do this part time so a full time repair guy will have 10 times the repairs 600, and about ten times the repairs in foam. That makes 10 foam repairs in a year. It's very rare for a quality tub to leak in the foam unless it has been frozen or abused.

As far as the Californian...I'm not a lounger fan. Nautilis....LOL But for 1300 your going to need a new cover soon.

[airwebber]

The owners seem to have it taken care of by the local pool and spa dealer so I think it in great shape. This decision has been really hard, go with a eBay hot tub or the Californian.. Thank you for all the advise.

[Hillbilly Hot Tub]

Hyundai was #9 and Kia wasn't in the top 10 -- so not exactly "close in quality".

Hey, Don't knock Hyundai! I own a Tiburon and it has been great, no issues with warrenty stuff ect. BUT I HAVE A DEALER WHO IS THERE FOR ME, DID NOT PURCHASE FROM INTERNET SALES COMPANY! I also reasearched quality, customer comments online and unlike these tubs, see very few complaints.

Not to get of subject with cars.....Infinity has not been around very long, they bought their molds from a manfacturer that went out of buisness partly because of shell failures do to mold design and process used to make shells (spray foam was curing improperly causeing blisters and cracks). Manufactures that have been around for a long time...IE the higher quaility ones have figured out how to do this process without issues. Infinity has not been around that long.....Buyer beware!

[Hillbilly Hot Tub]

Hyundai was #9 and Kia wasn't in the top 10 -- so not exactly "close in quality".

Hey, Don't knock Hyundai! I own a Tiburon and it has been great, no issues with warrenty stuff ect. BUT I HAVE A DEALER WHO IS THERE FOR ME, DID NOT PURCHASE FROM INTERNET SALES COMPANY! I also reasearched quality, customer comments online and unlike these tubs, see very few complaints.

Not to get of subject with cars.....Infinity has not been around very long, they bought their molds from a manfacturer that went out of buisness partly because of shell failures do to mold design and process used to make shells (spray foam was curing improperly causeing blisters and cracks). Manufactures that have been around for a long time...IE the higher quaility ones have figured out how to do this process without issues. Infinity has not been around that long.....Buyer beware!

[IL Parrothead]

I'm not knocking Hyundai -- just stating that they're not the same as Honda,Toyota.

Airwebber, depending on where you live (i.e. colder climate), full foam is the preferred way to go. As Roger said, leaks in the foam area aren't that common and aren't that big of a deal to fix if they do exist. And the savings in electrical consumption with full foam over most (emphasis on "most") thermal pane tubs make them the better choice.

D1 is a good tub. If it's been taken care of, I think it's the no-brainer choice for you.

[spatech (the unreal one)]

I'm not knocking Hyundai -- just stating that they're not the same as Honda,Toyota.

Airwebber, depending on where you live (i.e. colder climate), full foam is the preferred way to go. As Roger said, leaks in the foam area aren't that common and aren't that big of a deal to fix if they do exist. And the savings in electrical consumption with full foam over most (emphasis on "most") thermal pane tubs make them the better choice.

D1 is a good tub. If it's been taken care of, I think it's the no-brainer choice for you.

I'll third Roger's points as well and think that used D1 spa may be the way to go (though I'd want to see it first ).

[asharerin]

And as to the car analogy -- Honda and Toyota were ranked #1 and #2 in quality for 2008 by Consumer Reports -- AGAIN. Hyundai was #9 and Kia wasn't in the top 10 -- so not exactly "close in quality". Yet again, you're reminding me of a previous soaker/poster. But, as to the stiff drink idea -- Cheers! To each his own.

I have to disagree on your point concerning the cars. My family has been in the car business for 3 generations and I assure you Honda peaked 89-99. These years are legendary and are why they hold there value so well and are sought after so much by tuner enthusiasts. Unfortunately they stopped importing the cars from Japan in 2000 and like Toyota their current crop is plagued with problems and recalls are plenty. But image is everything no? Who wants to be seen in a Kia? A dealer wont give you much as they know they will rot on the lot....straight to the wholesaler baby. But if Kia offered a lifetime satisfaction guarantee........

So any links to a reliable website that lists values for used tubs?

I have done a lot of research and it seems the only brand name manufacturer that offers transferable warranties for hot tubs is Marquis. Any reason why the other so called quality manufacturers with a history of longevity wont stand behind their product?

[Mikeee]

Just an update re the power consumption for our Infinity Sunpeak for the months of February and March here in the middle of the Canadian prairies (after having turned the spa to 'ec' instead of 'st') is right around 250 kilowatt hours per month. I realize not too many people on this thread any longer, but I thought I'd answer anyway.

[kengorman]

Hi Mikeee,

the power consumption for our Infinity Sunpeak [snip] right around 250 kilowatt hours per month.

That's pretty good. I live in suburban Philadelphia ( a bit milder than those Canadian winters) and my 3 month average for Dec, Jan, Feb was about 360 kWH. I have my tub on EC, 2 hour filtration cycle twice a day, temp set to 101 degrees. I have a slightly larger tub, an Infinity Santa Cruz (450 gallons versus 350 for the SunPeak). I'd imagine that all Infinity tubs use similar construction methods and similar covers.

I admit it's hard to get a valid comparison because our electric usage fluctuates year to year based upon various lifestyle changes, climate changes, etc. That being said, the data we collect still has some value and it does show that these Infinity tubs are not the energy pigs as some on this board would make them out to be.

Any new shopper coming to this board for advice who even mentions Costco or the Infinity Sun Peak is met with a barrage of comments that usually contains the phrases, "cookie cutter", "big box store", "energy hog", "you get what you pay for", etc.

I'll just as I count the thou$ands I saved over not going with a name-brand dealer spa.

Regards,

Ken

[IL Parrothead]

asharerin, sorry I didn't respond earlier. Just saw your post now. You're completely off the reservation on your car facts. Honda and Toyota -- IN 2008 -- are still ranked #1 & #2 in last month's Consumer Reports Annual Auto guide. They're NOT plagued with problems and recalls AREN'T plenty! I don't know where you're getting that from. Go to Consumerreports.org and check it out.

As for Marquis, for 2008 they no longer transfer their warranty past the original owner. They extended the warranty on some of their components, but cancelled the transferability.

[asharerin]

asharerin, sorry I didn't respond earlier. Just saw your post now. You're completely off the reservation on your car facts. Honda and Toyota -- IN 2008 -- are still ranked #1 & #2 in last month's Consumer Reports Annual Auto guide. They're NOT plagued with problems and recalls AREN'T plenty! I don't know where you're getting that from. Go to Consumerreports.org and check it out.

As for Marquis, for 2008 they no longer transfer their warranty past the original owner. They extended the warranty on some of their components, but cancelled the transferability.

Maybe they print multiple versions of Consumer Reports????:

" Consumer Reports magazine says that "bug-ridden redesigns" caused Toyota Motor of Japan to drop unexpectedly to third, from first, in its annual vehicle reliability rankings.

Consumer Reports removed high-end versions of three Toyota models - the Camry and Lexus GS sedans and the Tundra pickup - from its list of recommended vehicles, released Tuesday, and said it would stop recommending new or redesigned Toyota vehicles without data showing that past years' versions were reliable.

It is the first time since the current format of the ratings began in 1996 that a version of the Camry, which is the best-selling car in the United States, has not been recommended.

The survey, published in the magazine's "Best & Worst New Cars 2008" issue that goes on sale in November, is the latest bump in the road for Toyota, whose sterling reputation for vehicle quality helped it surpass General Motors this year to become the world's largest automaker. The number of vehicle recalls by Toyota has surged, and several top executives have left its American operation in recent months for positions with the Detroit automakers."

Hondas now rattle and roll just like their US counterparts as well. Our 1993 Civic owns the 2008 Civic without any major mods.....they don't make em like they used to.

Anyway back to hot tubs......it's unfortunate Marquis is lowering their level of service for 2008. Luckily working on hot tubs seems very simple for the average Joe who is willing to do some reading and follow some rules. After a few hours on the net I was able to install an ozone sytem on my folks freeflow tub. It cost me $79 and the dealer wanted $399 for the same job! I don't know why everyone makes a huge deal over insulation it looks like a quick and cheap job to add your own or am I wrong?

[IL Parrothead]

Okay, I promise -- my last comment on cars. They don't print multiple versions of Consumer Reports. You're just very selective in your quotes -- failing to include the rest of the paragraph around what you quoted....including: "Toyota continues to build some very impressive vehicles.", and "Still, the company builds very reliable vehicles overall and ranks third in reliability among auto manufacturers." I can't even figure out how they're saying third, because their overall score was higher than Subaru, so by score they're in 2nd. And Honda is still #1.

Anyway, you're right about people who are handy -- they can do a lot of work themselves. And that's what many of us have said on this and other forums -- If you're buying a Costco or eBay tub, that's okay. But you're going to have to do work on them, to get them up to snuff, by yourself.

[Mikeee]

This is to thank KENGORMAN for your comments. I too am so surprised by some of the pure distainment put forward by some for the Infinity brand.

[Biz]

Just an update re the power consumption for our Infinity Sunpeak for the months of February and March here in the middle of the Canadian prairies (after having turned the spa to 'ec' instead of 'st') is right around 250 kilowatt hours per month. I realize not too many people on this thread any longer, but I thought I'd answer anyway.

Just saw your posting. It was encouraging to read. We live in the Northeast in Vermont, where our winters will average around 20s in the days and near 0 degrees at night. We just got our Sun Peak Thursday. What mode did you have it in during those months?

I am confused though with the pumps. We have 2 pumps. I can shut off pump # 2, and the light on the console goes off. When I try to shut off pump # 1 though, the pump light stays on. do you have this problem or am I missing something?

Thanks for any help you can provide

[spatech (the unreal one)]

I am confused though with the pumps. We have 2 pumps. I can shut off pump # 2, and the light on the console goes off. When I try to shut off pump # 1 though, the pump light stays on. do you have this problem or am I missing something?

Thanks for any help you can provide

That should not work that way without question. Contact the manufacturer. They'll probably try to walk you through the process to verify the problem with the controls. Let us know where it leads. I always advice that these spas are best in the hands of DIYers and this may be your first shot at being a spa tech.

[Roger]

I am confused though with the pumps. We have 2 pumps. I can shut off pump # 2, and the light on the console goes off. When I try to shut off pump # 1 though, the pump light stays on. do you have this problem or am I missing something?

Thanks for any help you can provide

That should not work that way without question. Contact the manufacturer. They'll probably try to walk you through the process to verify the problem with the controls. Let us know where it leads. I always advice that these spas are best in the hands of DIYers and this may be your first shot at being a spa tech.

Unless it is still getting up to temp then it may be just fine untill it reaches the set temp. At that time it should shut down for a few minutes until the water looses enough temp to make it start again. Or if it is in a filter cycle.

[kengorman]

That should not work that way without question. Contact the manufacturer.

Without additional information, any claim that the spa isn't working is debatable at best and flat out wrong at worst. From the description - the spa could very well be working as intended.

On Balboa equipped spas, pump 1 stays on low speed during filtration cycles and also during heating cycles. The "light" on on the top-side control indicates it is heating. In "EC"onomy mode, the spa will heat the water to the set temperature during filtration cycles and in "ST"andard mode, the spa will heat the water whenever it drops below the set point.

Your tub is either in a filtration cycle or is heating the water - hence pump 1 will stay on low speed until the filtration cycle is over and/or the water is heated to the set temperature.

This is the intended operation and at this time, I doubt there is anything wrong with your spa.

Let us know where it leads.

Please do.

I always advice that these spas are best in the hands of DIYers and this may be your first shot at being a spa tech.

I'm not quite sure if this is another case of "Fear, uncertainty, and doubt". A new spa owner has a question about the proper operation of the spa - a scenario that happens with frequency with many spas - and Spatech jumps to the conclusion that the new owner now has to be his own spa technician.

Biz - if you do happen to call Infinity, I'm sure they'll patiently walk you through the instructions on how to change the filtration cycle and how to change the mode of the spa. This is a common question most new spa owners have.

A nice handy quick reference card that explains how to change modes and settings can be found at the link here.

I'll quote from the Balboa quick reference card:

Preset Filter Cycles: The low speed of the pump runs during filtration. When the low speed turns on automatically, it cannot be deactivated from the panel;

Good luck,

Ken

[spatech (the unreal one)]

I'm not quite sure if this is another case of "Fear, uncertainty, and doubt". A new spa owner has a question about the proper operation of the spa - a scenario that happens with frequency with many spas - and Spatech jumps to the conclusion that the new owner now has to be his own spa technician.

Biz - if you do happen to call Infinity, I'm sure they'll patiently walk you through the instructions on how to change the filtration cycle and how to change the mode of the spa. This is a common question most new spa owners have.

I do believe I advised that he "Contact the manufacturer". I may have interpreted his statement differently than you when he talks about what happens when the turns off the pumps. Either way, without being there I'd advise someone to contact their dealer (or manufacturer in this case). Their customer service should easily be able to walk/talk him through the problem to determine if there is an ongoing issue.

[fiveofakind]

Ordered Infinity Sun Peak Spa on 5/5/08 & it is being delivered tomorrow.....

Tennessee to San Diego in 2 weeks.....that is service........not bad....will be setting up over long weekend.....

I will let everyone know how it goes....I will take pics of the brains & pumps inside & post them here if anyone is interested......

Looking forward to getting it up & running......Just spent a bunch of money on remodeling an old 30 year old Anthony's Pool to today's standard.......so I cheaped out on the spa purchase.....

Could not see paying $ 9k for a Sundance Chelsea 2007 model.....however I must admit...it was a beautiful spa.......Sundance definitely has the looks......they are first in my book but I settled for this Infinity Sun Peak......I will see how it holds up here in Sunny Southern California......

Plan on putting a gazebo around it to keep all the sunshine off of it.....

[Biz]

That should not work that way without question. Contact the manufacturer.

Without additional information, any claim that the spa isn't working is debatable at best and flat out wrong at worst. From the description - the spa could very well be working as intended.

On Balboa equipped spas, pump 1 stays on low speed during filtration cycles and also during heating cycles. The "light" on on the top-side control indicates it is heating. In "EC"onomy mode, the spa will heat the water to the set temperature during filtration cycles and in "ST"andard mode, the spa will heat the water whenever it drops below the set point.

Your tub is either in a filtration cycle or is heating the water - hence pump 1 will stay on low speed until the filtration cycle is over and/or the water is heated to the set temperature.

This is the intended operation and at this time, I doubt there is anything wrong with your spa.

Let us know where it leads.

Please do.

I always advice that these spas are best in the hands of DIYers and this may be your first shot at being a spa tech.

I'm not quite sure if this is another case of "Fear, uncertainty, and doubt". A new spa owner has a question about the proper operation of the spa - a scenario that happens with frequency with many spas - and Spatech jumps to the conclusion that the new owner now has to be his own spa technician.

Biz - if you do happen to call Infinity, I'm sure they'll patiently walk you through the instructions on how to change the filtration cycle and how to change the mode of the spa. This is a common question most new spa owners have.

A nice handy quick reference card that explains how to change modes and settings can be found at the link here.

I'll quote from the Balboa quick reference card:

Preset Filter Cycles: The low speed of the pump runs during filtration. When the low speed turns on automatically, it cannot be deactivated from the panel;

Good luck,

Ken

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Hello Ken:

Thanks to your help and others, I have corrected the problem. It appears that we had in tub set to continous filteration. We have corrected that problem, and it now only filters once every 12 hours for a duration of 2 hours. We have it set to filter at 10:00AM and 10:00PM. It now seems to be working fine.

Another question I have though is we went to our local spa dealer to get chemicals. They recommended using chlorine instead of the Bromine Tablets.

They told us that Bromine has chlorine in it anyways, and they feel that chlorine works better. What have you been using?

[kengorman]

Thanks to your help and others, I have corrected the problem.

You're welcome. Great to hear! Glad it was just a simple case of setting the filtration cycle and not a problem with the spa.

They told us that Bromine has chlorine in it anyways, and they feel that chlorine works better. What have you been using?

Depending on who you ask, you'll get different responses in the chlorine vs. bromine debate.

I use bromine in conjunction with a non-chlorine shock weekly and after heavy bather use i.e. potassium monopersulfate. I haven't had any problems and actually find keeping my tub crystal clear and sanitized has been pretty easy.

Chlroine's advantages include price and resists breakdown by sunlight's uv rays. Bromine works with a wider range of pH and is less odorous.

Either one, if used correctly, is an effective sanitizer.

Regards,

Ken