Private Shrink Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 I've had a traditional cover for the past year and a half, and of course it has gotten heavier. Our hot tub is indoors. I wonder about an air filled cover such as spacap. Anyone have experience with it? We don't have the room for a traditional cover lifter, so it has become a bit of a weight lifting experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 I've had a traditional cover for the past year and a half, and of course it has gotten heavier. Our hot tub is indoors. I wonder about an air filled cover such as spacap. Anyone have experience with it? We don't have the room for a traditional cover lifter, so it has become a bit of a weight lifting experience. I only have one thing to say. Air is absolutly the worst insulator in the world! Do a search on this site and the other hot tub boards for some experiences with this product, not good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cplarsen Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 I only have one thing to say. Air is absolutly the worst insulator in the world! Um, air is a very good insulator. It's how most insulation works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Spa Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 Most insulation WORKS by trapping air in very small pockets. Air is only an insulator when it's contained in very small volumes.... like 1/4" or smaller. then it's a good insulator. Any larger and it simply convects heat from the warmer side to the cooler side...At which point it is a terrible insulator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cplarsen Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 Well, I suppose I should have said "dead" air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Spa Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 And that's the problem. The chambers in that cover are too big to maintain a "dead air space". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cplarsen Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 Now I had to go google it and look. I'd agree. Wonder where you store the thing when you're using the spa? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spatech (the unreal one) Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 Now I had to go google it and look. I'd agree. Wonder where you store the thing when you're using the spa? You simply fill it with helium and tether it to the spa. When you want to use it you unbuckle it and it floats above the spa, hovering and providing shade. When you're done with it you simply reel it in and buckle each corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cplarsen Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 Scary, that almost sounds like a good idea... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Spa Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 Anyone know the R value of helium ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 Anyone know the R value of helium ? They put Argon in between glass to slow convection, but I don't think it will float the cover above the spa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 Anyone know the R value of helium ? R is the inverse of thermal conductivity; Wikipedia gives the thermal conductivity of Helium as 0.1513 which gives R = 6.6 TC varies with temperature and I didn't bother to read the wiki that carefully but this is probably at STP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Spa Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 R-6.6? per inch? If so, hmmmmmmmmmmm, we could be onto something here Tom, I need a roll of the mylar you guys use to seal the foam cores of your covers. 40 or 50 layers seamed together (with the inner layers perferated), we might just have something! Can I heat seal that stuff, or does it need to be done with RF? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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