Hot Tub Energy Saving Tips

Hot tubs have a key thing in common, the heating of water up to a set temperature and maintaining this temperature with a flow-through heater. A spa heater consumes the most electricity of all the items on a hot tub, and is comparable to a kettle in electricity consumption. Therefore, in order to keep costs down, we must focus on conserving as much heat as possible.

Hot Tub Covers

We repeat this time and time again, a good condition hot tub cover is vital to conserve maximum heat and any slight damage can reduce energy conservation massively. Insulation foam that has snapped can cause a huge loss of heat as the sealed unit of insulation has been broken, to prevent this it is recommended that a hot tub cover lifter is used and it is important to ensure no individuals (specifically children) treat the hot tub cover as a bed! Torn vinyl can also lead to a loss of vital heat, as once again, the sealed unit of the hot tub cover has been perforated. The two above problems cause the biggest issue with hot tub covers, water-logging, see our previous post on this problem (Click Here). A damaged/waterlogged hot tub cover results in no R-value of the hot tub cover, so to conserve pounds, a new hot tub cover is recommended, See the cover section of our website to order a a high quality replacement (Click Here).

Windbreaks

Simple, yet very effective. The panels of a hot tub do not lose as much heat as a damaged hot tub cover however, if the hot tub is in an open area and at constant battle with the elements, windbreaks can help conserve some heat and energy. Specific hot tub gazebos help conserve heat effectively but a simple fence can also do this just as effectively without the high cost.

Hot Tub Control Settings

We get regular calls from customers asking why their hot tub hasn't heater, when we find out that is has simple been put onto an Economy mode without intention. Although this is a regular mistake, users are finding that this can actually become helpful in conserving energy and saving money. In economy mode you can program the hot tub to heat for a certain time, and when the hot tub is not heating for a specific time, it is held at a lower temperature like 21 degree Celsius. Instead of holding the temperature at between 38deg-40deg in standard mode, the lower temperature will help conserve energy.

Air Jets, LED Lights & Air Blowers

All those listed above are great accessories for your hot tub are spa, whether its wowing friends with your LED lights, adding power to jets with air or cooling off with the air blower, these features make your hot tub special. The problem comes when features are left on whilst the hot tub is not in use. LED lights consume unnecessary electricity when left on and by simply turning them off you can save £'s! Air jets allow a slight air intake into the water system, this obviously cools the water, lowering the water temperature over time, all you need to do is ensure that you turn the air jet controllers off when the hot tub is not in use to prevent this cooling from happening. This is the same with air blowers, they cool the water quite rapidly if on unnecessarily, so ensuring the blower is off and not used unnecessarily can also help save energy.

Cartridge Filters

Clogged or worn out filters can reduce circulation to such an extent that pumps can be damaged by dry running. Heater element efficiency is also reduced as water flow is affected on such a scale. Luckily most systems, such as Balboa control systems have "DR" and "LF" warnings to prevent heaters from burning out if water is reduced to such an extent. However the fact is you must ensure that filters are regularly checked, cleaned and if necessary, replaced, and by doing this strain on the pumps and heater will be reduced, making your hot tub much more efficient. For information on our high quality Pleatco filters......Click Here. To see our full range of stocked filters....Click Here.

Floating Thermal Blankets

When these products were simply transferred from the pool cover market into the hot tub industry, people asked...Why did we not sell these before? And rightly so, by placing a thermal blanket on the surface of your hot tub water, you can make a high return for such little investment. Not only does the cover prevent steam from leaving the hot tub surface, saving you money, it also increases your spa cover life by preventing chlorinated moisture from attacking your hot tub cover underside. A highly recommended investment. To see the thermal blankets we offer..Click Here

I hope this post will help save you money whilst being able to fully enjoy your hot tub!

For any questions or information e-mail (eddie@happyhottubs.co.uk)

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Some of this content was based on ideas from SpaDepot.com (link - http://www.spadepot.com/spacyclopedia/energy-conservation.htm)

Hot Tub Myths...

Chlorine causes my eyes to sting in the hot tub...

MYTH - Chlorine does not cause your eyes to sting in a hot tub or swimming pool. An incorrect PH level can contribute towards over-acidic or alkali water stinging your eyes. Another contributor towards eye sting is bacteria from other people, which is not being killed by chlorine, this suggests a low chlorine level and poor sanitisation rather than chlorine itself causing eyes to sting. Evidence of this is at public swimming pools, where eye sting is usually most severe due to the number of bathers using the pool compared and an inability to chlorinate sufficiently with so many users.

Hot Tubs are best in summer...

MYTH - Whilst it is a matter of opinion whether hot tubs are best in summer or winter, a general consensus within the hot tub industry suggests you cannot beat hot tubbing in the snow, wind or rain. The popularity of hot tubs in Northern Europe & Scandinavia reinforces the popularity of bathing in arctic conditions, whats better than relaxing in a hot tub at 40 degrees, whilst the snow falls around you. The winter/summer debate lives on!

The More Jets, the Better...

MYTH - Its the top sales feature of most hot tubs, the amount of jets, yet usually this does not affect the quality of massage. When a salesmen hits you with jet figures of 100-150, your initial reaction is "wow", but when you realise that the same amount of pumps power an 100 jet hot tub as a 40 jet spa, you should realise that power in a spa with a large amount of jets is simply spread more and power is less in each jet. Also, remember the saying..."Quality, not Quantity", well this is key, our Astro Spas are produced to give your muscles a precision massage rather than a weaker, less directed massage, which simply wastes pump power.

I need to run plumbing lines to my backyard hot tub...

MYTH - In all portable spas, the equipment & plumbing is built into the cabinet and shell, meaning you simply have to fill the hot tub using your hose pipe and no external plumbing is required. For draining, you can simply use a built in gravity drain (if your spa has one) or use a submersible pump to drain the water.

I need to empty my hot tub after each use...

MYTH - All portable hot tubs have built in flow-thru filtration systems to ensure the water is constantly filtered and by adding chemicals, you will not need to empty your hot tub regularly, just like a swimming pool. However, we do recommend emptying your hot tub about once every three months, as the water becomes over-saturdated with chemicals.

I need to turn my hot tub off after use...

MYTH - Although this is possible, it is a common myth that hot tubs should be turned off every time after use, as the filtration cycles keep the water fresh and in order to maintain temperature to save costs, the flow-thru heater must be on. Most hot tubs have various modes, such as Economy, to save energy.

Myths....Busted !

Eddie.

HHT.

eddie@happyhottubs.co.uk

Hot Tub Headrest Problems

Damaged hot tub pillows, Its probably the biggest warranty issue for

hot tub manufacturers and the most bugging thing for hot tub owners.

The truth is, its inevitable that a soft, rubber/vinyl item, in a warm, damp & chlorinated environment will eventually deplete. The main problem being the chlorination of hot tub water in affecting the condition of the spa pillows. As you may know, Chlorine attacks everything, whether its skin, lungs, eyes or even rusting metals. So, when a soft vinyl spa headrest is enclosed in a chlorinated environment, the laminate on the pillows breaks up and eventually the internal rubber will start to flake off. So what can you do ?

Well, we sometimes recommend removing headrests from the hot tub when it is not in use, this obviously removes them from the damp, chlorinated environment, prolonging their life. The one issue that arises from constantly removing headrests is the lugs on the back ripping off upon removal, this means the pillow cannot be secured properly, so if removing headrests, you must be careful and ensure the lugs do not rip. If this is too much of a hassle then we try to reinforce the idea of leaving the spa cover off for 10-15 minutes after chlorination, this gives time for the nasty chlorine gases to disperse in the air, not directly onto the hot tub cover or headrests.

So, your hot tub pillows are totally unusable and are flaking into the water, what now ? Well, you really need to remove them totally, or purchase new ones. Headrests have always been a high-cost spare on hot tubs, due to their specialist moulds and variation, meaning manufacturers can charge astronomical prices. So, it would be sensible to look after the pillows whilst they are still usable, saving money in the long-term.

We are happy to help over the phone (Tel:0845 366 1122) or e-mail us with any questions about headrest care (admin@happyhottubs.co.uk). We stock a variety of headrests, from Master Spa to Spaform, so if you require a quote, e-mail us a picture and we will get back to you with a price.

Happy Hot Tubbing !

Hot Tub Flow Problems

As mentioned in the last post, flow problems are one of the most
common issues with portable spas. Most people panic when they see that a safety system such as "LF - Low Flow" is flashing on their spa touch pad screen, yet usually flow issues are easily resolvable.

The best way to understand flow is to, firstly, understand the flow cycle of spa water. The water which is heated by the spa, is firstly taken in through the filters then passed through the heater element, which is then pumped back through the spa water jets. If the sensors on the spa heater are not getting sufficient water, it will send a signal through the control board to cut off the heater and present a safety message such as "LF" or "FLO", these are simple measures to prevent the heater burning out.

So, the main cause of flow problems in hot tubs is dirty, old, or clogged filter cartridges (As pictured, top right). As the water cannot pass through the filter cartridge quick enough to allow sufficient water in the heater, flow protection modes are initiated. So, firstly, ensure your filters are clean, use your garden hose to see how easily water can be passed through the filter media, if the media is over-clogged, new replacement filters may be required. After cleaning or replacing your filters, turn the spa off and on again, running it with NO filters for a maximum of 5 minutes, this will allow the flow protection mode to be cleared and identify the filters as the issue. Then simply place your filters back in the spa and all should be back to normal.

In some cases, customers have experienced flow problems even with squeaky clean or brand new filters. This has been put down to sensor issues. In extreme cases, scale has actually layered the sensors, preventing an accurate reading and enforcing them to signal flow error messages. This problem is easily resolved by removing the heater, cleaning it thoroughly and ensuring PH levels are correct in the future, as well as using "No Scale" to break up any other existing scale in spa water.

In very rare cases, the control system has been the result of flow issues, with a faulty PCB board incorrectly reading signals from the sensors and being unable to clear any error messages, such as "Low Flow". This however is rare and any flow issues are usually simple to address and resolve. If a spa repair company simply claims, within 5 minutes, that a PCB board is the result of flow issues, you can ensure they have not checked thoroughly enough.

At Hot Tub Care Ltd. we receive calls from customers regarding flow problems on a regular basis. Our two-step policy is Step 1, tell the customer to check/test their filters and any potential blockages in the filter housing (e.g. leaves). If this has no luck. Step 2, organise an engineer to come and resolve the problem. We NEVER book an engineer at a customers' cost for flow problems before we can confirm it is nothing simple.

If you are still experiencing flow-problems after "Step 1". Feel free to contact us on
0845 366 1122. or Visit our website www.happyhottubs.co.uk

Happy Hot Tubbing !

Hot Tub not heating ?

Whether you have a Balboa, Gecko or any other brand of control system, a spa, which is not heating can be diagnosed easily.

Step 1. Are there any errors ? Check the control pad of your spa to ensure it is set to whichever mode you prefer (usually STD, Standard, or ECN Economy), if a mode such as SLP is flashing on screen, the temperature will be kept at the lowest possible temperature before the spa freezes, therefore the heater will not appear to be working. Check for error messages such as LF or FLO, these are issues with the flow of spa water getting to the heater and this as a safety feature, most spas will cut off the heater, when insufficient water is flowing through it. To overcome flow issues, check your spa filters are clean and nothing is blocking the pipework within the filter housing. To overcome a flow issues, remove the spa filters, turn the hot tub off, then turn it back on again and run without filters, to diagnose the issue, if the spa runs fine without filters for 5 minutes, it is a problem with your filters, if it doesn't.....

Step 2. If all the above steps are OK and the spa is still not heating, it could now be an issues either with the control board not getting power to the heater element (rare) or the heater element itself damaged by scale and not operating (more likely). The best way to test a heater element is using an electrical tester. Turn off and remove all power to the spa, then remove the heater, you can then test hot tub heating elements for integrity, use an ohm meter on its lowest setting. With the meter's test leads, measure the resistance between the two terminals. The acceptable resistance range for heaters used in most hot tubs is between 9 - 12 ohms (a few may be as high as 25 ohms, depending upon kilowatt rating).A reading which is too low indicates a bad unit: short circuit. A very high (or infinite) reading indicates a bad unit: open circuit or limited conductivity. You will see either a burnt out element or scale damage which is limiting the heaters capability.

Step 3. If, after checking for any control errors, and inspecting the heater element, the error is still not visible, it is more than likely that it is a control board issue. By removing the faceplate to the control board you will see the layout on the back, you can then check the power source to the heater and see if any issues are present on the board itself.

These steps are more than likely to diagnose heater issues on a portable hot tub.

For any other queries, questions or advice, Contact us on (+44) 0845 336 1122 or follow us on twitter/facebook. @HappyHotTubs.

Happy Hot Tubbin' !

Welcome to the Happy Hot Tub blog !

Welcome to the best of all Hot Tub blogs.

Our aim is to build a blog, which will give you Hot Tub news, chemical advice, repair tips and more.

The blog will be closely linked to our twitter page, as well as our Facebook, and this will enable us to keep communication with you at a maximum.

Our company, Hot Tub Care Ltd. have been working with hot tubs for 25 years, so there is nothing we don't know about hot tubs !