Ian
I recently purchased a used 120v 20amp hot tub. Its plug has 3 prongs, two of them perpendicular to each-other. My house has 2 20amp circuits, one for the furnace, the other for the upstairs bedrooms. The hot tub has a GFCI on the plug. I was wondering if I could set it up by putting the appropriate outlet on the 20a circuit upstairs and running an extension cord (I am having trouble finding one with the proper male/female ends)? Is there a better/cheap way to set it up?
Answer
Better yes! Cheaper no!
Go here and find your plug (NEMA 5-20P most likely)
run a new 20 amp circuit to the hot tub with a NEMA 5-20R (if plug is NEMA 5-20P if not use appropriate receptacle)
Do NOT use an extension cord. Do NOT increase the circuit size.
a NEMA 5-20P is on the hot tub because it is designed to run on it's own 20 amp circuit. If you increase the circuit amperage you can no longer use that specific plug.
Better yes! Cheaper no!
Go here and find your plug (NEMA 5-20P most likely)
run a new 20 amp circuit to the hot tub with a NEMA 5-20R (if plug is NEMA 5-20P if not use appropriate receptacle)
Do NOT use an extension cord. Do NOT increase the circuit size.
a NEMA 5-20P is on the hot tub because it is designed to run on it's own 20 amp circuit. If you increase the circuit amperage you can no longer use that specific plug.
Can I use a heavy duty extension cord on a 120v hot tub?
andy
I'm purchasing a 120V plug in hot tub with GFCI on the end of the plug with breaker rating of 15A. I might be a few feet short distance from where the tub will sit to the outdoor plug. Could I use a heavy duty extension cord to get connected? I saw one used for RV's that is 25 feet long and is a 30A 10 gauge. The owners manual is saying to not use extension cords due to low voltage could damage the motor. Would this type of connection be ok? Or could I use it short term until I got another plug located closer to the tub?
Answer
You can do what you want, but be aware of the pitfalls. If you are buying a new tub and ever need warranty work, your warranty will, in all likelihood, be void. You could also short out the circuit if rain gets into the connection which would, in all likelihood, blow the circuit board on the tub. In addition, depending on where you live, a 120V plug in tub may not be very practical. Why? When the jets are on, the heater kicks off. There is not enough power to use both at the same time. If you are using the tub on a cold night, which is the best time to use a hot tub, the water will get cold rather quickly, depending on the ambient temperature.
The good news is that almost every tub is 120V/240V convertible. If you buy this thing, I would STRONGLY suggest you have an electrician wire a 240V 50A circuit before winter. It should be done according to the national electrical code to be safe. You need a shut off at the unit as well as a 240V GFCI breaker in the box and #6 wire which isn't cheap. It will cost you several hundred dollars (or more), but in the long run, it will be worth it. If money is an issue, find an electrician and see if he would do it a bit at a time. You have several months.
If you do this, you will be much happier with the performance of the tub. AND, it will cost you considerably less money on your electric bill every month.
You can do what you want, but be aware of the pitfalls. If you are buying a new tub and ever need warranty work, your warranty will, in all likelihood, be void. You could also short out the circuit if rain gets into the connection which would, in all likelihood, blow the circuit board on the tub. In addition, depending on where you live, a 120V plug in tub may not be very practical. Why? When the jets are on, the heater kicks off. There is not enough power to use both at the same time. If you are using the tub on a cold night, which is the best time to use a hot tub, the water will get cold rather quickly, depending on the ambient temperature.
The good news is that almost every tub is 120V/240V convertible. If you buy this thing, I would STRONGLY suggest you have an electrician wire a 240V 50A circuit before winter. It should be done according to the national electrical code to be safe. You need a shut off at the unit as well as a 240V GFCI breaker in the box and #6 wire which isn't cheap. It will cost you several hundred dollars (or more), but in the long run, it will be worth it. If money is an issue, find an electrician and see if he would do it a bit at a time. You have several months.
If you do this, you will be much happier with the performance of the tub. AND, it will cost you considerably less money on your electric bill every month.
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Title Post: Setting up 120v hot tub?
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Rating: 92% based on 9172 ratings. 4,3 user reviews.
Author: Unknown
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