Setting up 120v hot tub?

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.

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.

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what house hold item can be used to clean a hot tub?

hunter3197

please i need a answer

Answer
The cheapest by far household item you can use is Distilled Vinegar, around $1.79 a gallon. When you are getting ready to change your water pour it into it and run for 20 minutes before draining the tub. Make sure you drain is promptly. You can use a concentration of it on a soft towel to attack any buildup on the sides. I never carried spa cleaner in my tub nor alkalinty increaser (Sodium bicarbonate(baking soda)) in my store.

What is concidered cheap for a hot tub?

Lea

7 or 8 person hot tub.
What is concidered cheap?
what is concidered expensive?
thanks!

Answer
Depends on your tastes...they could run as high as $11K from what I've seen and new ones are regulated at 100deg. Too cold for some people. Look around for a used thats in good condition or a recon'd one...you will be happier price and quality wise.

Check Ebay for one close to your location that you could haul yourself. Sounds stupid but you could land a decent deal even if minor repaires are needed

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Any cheap ideas to make my hot tub smell good?

cheap hot tubs used image

noone2day

I have been purchasing the hot tub fragrance from the store but wondered if there is something cheaper that is in my household? Thanks

Answer
The Pool repair guy is very correct in not adding household products to your spa, even though not for his stated phosphate reason since the type of phospate that will be used will not be anything that could be used for energy by algae, especially if your sanitizer level is good. I am not interested in selling you anything ...BUT!.... if you do like vanillia, you can use vanillia extract that you would use for baking. The only two fragrance manufactures on the market I like that do not change your water's chemistry is Spazzaz and Being from Baquaspa. Both should last months and really are not very expensive. If you find you like Spazzaz's fragrances like their popular Honey Mango you can always look at Ebay compared to your local pool and spa store if they are expensive. We use to sell 6 brands and by far Spazzaz out sold all of them.

Laughing!!! Critic the others and get a bad rate Imagine that! Sorry buddy I am not hear to pitch a sale. Neither should you over and over.....

Can you use chlorine in a hot tub or spa?

Don't Spoo

My friends have a hot tub. I'm not sure what they put in the water, but it always dries out my skin and makes it itchy. I have an in ground pool that I swim in all the time and have none of these skin issues. Can you use the same chlorine that you would use in a pool in a hot tub?

Answer
The chlorine would be the same but its form would probably be different. They may be just throwing a bunch of chlorine in without checking the level. There are 2 things that need to be checked OFTEN with a hot tub: chlorine or bromine (3-5 ppm) and pH level (7.4 to 7.6 is ideal). Either one can cause your skin to do strange things. Hot tub water will often become acidic and needs to be adjusted down (baking soda is a cheap solution) or alkaline and needs to be adjusted up using a mild acid. It's also good practice to shock the tub about once a month (10 ppm chlorine/bromine) to kill off any really resistant nasties and help sanitize the piping, pump and jets.

If they don't have a test kit they need one or they can borrow yours assuming you check your pool regularly. They also need an adjustable dispenser for chlorine/bromine sticks and with a little trial and error can get it set to dispense the right amount consistently. I've installed and maintained pools and tubs and there's nothing worse than feeling worse getting out of one than getting in.

Good Luck!

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