NFT: outdoor hot tub/spa question

I will cost you more, but I would 100% get it hard wired.

Also, 4-6 is pretty small. We have one that advertises 7 and if there are ever 7 people in there, I hope most of females. Even just 4 people gets crowded in there.

Thanks for responding. May I ask why the hard wiring is worthwhile? Is it regarding the force of the jet’s?

Ive had both. The 110 takes forever to heat up when you refill. Especially if you live in a cold winter area. Also dont focus on number of jets. Whats important is the amount of horsepower. The more the better.

licensed electrician and a permit.

The 120v ones will cost less and be cheaper to install but will have real difficulty coming to and maintaining temperature.

We've always had hot tubs, bigger is usually better as they are a little easier to maintain. If you're going to splurge, then do it right. Put it on a concrete pad and if you can get a roof over it and shield it from the wind then it's that much better.

As I got older, I found it more difficult to use once the weather dropped below 30 but that's just me. Some people love the shock of the temp difference.

If you decide to drain it in the wintertime you will need to winterize it. I used to leave mine on year round and would hate the sound of hearing the pump and heater kick on in the middle of the night knowing it was heating a tub I wouldn't use.

Will probably cost you $30-$50 a month to run and depending on how often you use it it should just be a couple of minutes of weekly maintenance. I'm planning on getting on at my new house once I'm all set up and ready.

I had a 3-person Jacuzzi brand in CT. It was great.

Hard-wired is the way to go. With plug in, you can have the heater or you can have the jets, but you can't run both at the same time. You can also have a larger pump which is what drives the jets.

Whatever the number of "attendees" the manufacture states, knock it down by at least one, and right size the tub. Keep in mind that cleanliness is next to Godliness with hot tubs. You need to empty the tub, clean the tub and change the water at least quarterly. So, make sure you can drain the tub easily both in terms of getting to the drain and a place to drain it, and of course a larger hot tub is going to take longer to clean (I would wash mine down with a weak bleach-water mixture, re-fill, shock), longer to fill and more chemicals to maintain.

Enjoy.

I have bromide. I wish I could convert.

I was really wrestling with the plug-and-play versus 220 V so appreciate the universal preference for 220v hardwire option. We will definitely go that route.

I’ll take any other advice added to this thread, but this is already been hugely helpful.

Great bang for the buck. We're in VT and it's a pretty popular unit in a cold weather area where tubs get ridden pretty hard year round.

We're hardwired with a breaker.

I have one and can never keep it clean. My schedule is something like:

1.) 2-3 bromide tablets weekly (they erode after a week)
2.) Some baking soda once a week to level pH
3.) Spa shock as necessary (usually every 2-3 weeks)

I still find that after 3-4 weeks my water is hard and we go through coughing fits while in it, so I end up draining it probably every 4-6 weeks. It's a pain in the ass.

In comment 16127914 aimrocky said:

Quote:

I have one and can never keep it clean. My schedule is something like: 1.) 2-3 bromide tablets weekly (they erode after a week) 2.) Some baking soda once a week to level pH 3.) Spa shock as necessary (usually every 2-3 weeks) I still find that after 3-4 weeks my water is hard and we go through coughing fits while in it, so I end up draining it probably every 4-6 weeks. It's a pain in the ass.

Are you using test strips to monitor PH, Alkalinity and Hardness? My regular routine is to shock weekly and adjust the PK ALK & Calcium as dictated by the strip. I also have the floating dispenser for Bromide. Helps not to have kids around so nobody is pissing in the water.

In comment 16127963 flapjack said:

Quote:

In comment 16127914 aimrocky said: Quote: I have one and can never keep it clean. My schedule is something like: 1.) 2-3 bromide tablets weekly (they erode after a week) 2.) Some baking soda once a week to level pH 3.) Spa shock as necessary (usually every 2-3 weeks) I still find that after 3-4 weeks my water is hard and we go through coughing fits while in it, so I end up draining it probably every 4-6 weeks. It's a pain in the ass. Are you using test strips to monitor PH, Alkalinity and Hardness? My regular routine is to shock weekly and adjust the PK ALK & Calcium as dictated by the strip. I also have the floating dispenser for Bromide. Helps not to have kids around so nobody is pissing in the water.

No, I haven't been testing (I know, I should do so). I don't test my pool, but use backing soda every 2-3 weeks and shock every 2-3 weeks and the pool looks phenomenal. I thought the same process would work for the hot tub. I guess I'm wrong.

a hot tub is an essential amenity, and recommend a few things:

- hardwired 220, professionally installed with disconnect. Plug-and-play just won't cut it in most climates for all but the smallest tubs, especially during times of year where you want the water hot
- concrete pad or gravel. If you do it on a deck, make sure it's sufficiently reinforced and boards/joists/footings are in good shape.
- whatever surface you put it on, make sure it is LEVEL
- cast acrylic better than fiberglass (not sure whether they make them in fiberglass anymore)
- make sure you have easy access to the service panel. I've seen installs where you need to crawl under the deck to get to it... not recommended

IMO, no need for bells and whistles like sound system, TV, elaborate waterfall, etc. Just more things that can and will fail. Be sure to use it, or at least run it, frequently.

the chemical aspect is a little different. A full hot tub is the equivalent bathing load of like 300 people in a typical residential pool, so maintenance needs are little more intensive.

hardwired. You will be sorely disappointed otherwise.

we are putting it on a recently constructed paver patio in which the area the hot tub will go was reinforced with additional crushed gravel/filler. i assume that is sufficient...

Had one in several different climates and a few things to think about whenbgetting one put in. First make sure you have easy access to it outside nothing is worse then climbing out of it when it's-10 outside and trying to rush back inside up icy stairs or across snow cover lawn or deck.

Second I recommend a wind break it makes it more enjoyable. It's personal preference but I don't like roofs I like the snow in winter time coming down and watching the steam billow out. Keep some anti freeze handy should you ever lose power it does not take the pipes long from freezing up and they will burst usually around the pump its happen to me.

As others have said the water falls and sounds system are cool but break first and you don't even notice the anymore after the first month. I would also throw in the beds in some models as you will tend to float off them with just mild jets going they almost need a seat belt to be usable for

Costco was selling Bullfrog spas for quite a discount. We use it very often -- not quite daily but probably 5 times a week. I'm just shocked by how often I'm adding small amounts of chlorine. It pretty much always tests a bit low.