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Posts Tagged ‘Spa Parts’

How to Buy Spa & Hot Tub Parts

April 22nd, 2013 by

 

Hot Tub parts for DIY spa repair
If you are a Do It Yourself type of spa owner, (and most of our customers are) – you’ve probably seen our huge selection of parts for spa and hot tubs.

Spa Parts are my favorite category of spa stuff that we sell, probably because it’s a bit more challenging to know the intricacies of spa parts. We found out early that to sell spa parts, you have to have people in the call center that understand such things. Our tech support staff actually know how to repair spas and hot tubs.

Spa and Hot Tub parts are something we understand very well at Hot Tub Works. Our staff is trained to help you select the proper spa part, and our inventory investment means that we likely have the part you need, when you need it – often shipping the same day.

 

How to Order Spa Parts

Spa and Hot Tub replacement parts

On Hottubworks.com, we have designed a logical spa parts storefront. We don’t ask you to search by sku, or p/n. Instead, we have broken down our spa parts into 12 logical categories, shown right. These spa part categories represent different systems of interconnected equipment or parts – so you can find what you need fast.

Another way we made parts buying simpler was to throw out the schematic! They can’t be displayed clearly anyway, and with thousands of parts to list, it gets real confusing, real fast.

Instead, what we have are pages of similar parts, with thumbnail images – to quickly spot the correct replacement part for your spa or hot tub. We have 37 pressure switches for instance, all listed on one simple page, with detailed descriptions, measurements and an image that you can enlarge to see more clearly.

Most web users are very visual, and using high quality images in our parts department helps our visitors to feel confident that they’ve chosen the right part. This saves us both money and hassle, in shipping parts back and forth.

Other spa parts websites have black and white parts images that look like they were taken in the 19th century! Instead, we decided to do something different, and 5 years ago, launched a parts image improvement program; completed in early 2012.

Some of the other guys have out of date parts databases, selling items that have been obsolete for 10 years. They can’t get the part, but yet they take the order as though they can. A week later, you find out that the part is no longer made, and without a substitute available.

Instead, We continue to add to our spa parts selection every year, as new spas and new spa products are introduced and clean up the database of NLA (No Longer Available) and OBS (Obsolete) spa and hot tub parts. And, when there is a generic replacement, or a similar substitute, we code that into the database, so you know what the options are. And, our website never displays obsolete or unavailable spa parts.

Spa Parts Technical Support

tech-support for spa and hot tub repairOur spa and hot tub technical support staff can often help you identify the correct spa part, or verify that your troubleshooting process was logical and correct. We can’t guarantee that the spa or hot tub part you are ordering is the one that you need – we’d have to come to your house and perform a spa diagnostic to be sure!

We don’t make house calls, but you can call us anytime to speak with one of our spa techs about your symptoms, diagnosis, and the parts or supplies needed to make a successful spa repair.

I hope you like our Spa Parts Department – we’ve spent a lot of time designing the most user-friendly and complete online spa parts catalog.

- Jack

 

Hot Tubs Are Thriving In Branson, Mo

April 11th, 2012 by

Hello again;

I like positive stories about people or companies achieving some level of success.

In the past 5 years many hot tub dealers have had a tough time, so when one does well it’s newsworthy.

- Jack

Hot Tub near Branson, Missouri

Hot Tub near Branson, Missouri

 

Branson Tri Lake News

Posted: Tuesday, April 10, 2012 1:33 pm

By Stephen Herzog |

A down economy doesn’t appear to be hurting Branson Hot Tubs & Pools.

The business, which opened in 2002, recently expanded its showroom after acquiring 1,500 square feet of the building next door.

The expanded showroom includes 12-16 hot tubs and two additional above ground pools.

 

“By the grace of God, I guess,” David Foraker said of his business’s ability to thrive in the current economy. “We’ve got a good crew — decent people, as honest as can be.”

He said he thinks word of mouth and reliable service has helped them remain strong in an industry that might not normally be considered “recession proof.”

“We have a lot of local customers and we have a lot of people from Arkansas,” he said. “Our reputation has grown and we just work on taking care of customers.”

He said the company has developed relationships with many people in the community through “pool schools” in which he coordinates several experts to provide information at local resorts, camps or hotels about maintenance and efficiency.

He said information includes things like the best use of chemicals, motor maintenance, energy efficiency and current and upcoming regulations.

“We’re not trying to sell them anything,” Foraker said. “We’re just trying to educate them. It’s not a sales pitch.”

The added showroom space takes the business to about 4,500 square feet all together, and Foraker said he believes it’s an investment that should pay for itself.

But he also doesn’t expect this growth to be the start of something new.

“I’d like to stay where I’m at,” he said. “This space was made available because we worked out a good deal with the landlord, but I’m not looking to keep expanding.”

The business will be celebrating its 10th anniversary Saturday with an open house from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. The event includes hot dogs and cupcakes, with hourly door prizes and a water care class at 1 p.m.

Branson Hot Tubs & Pools is located at 800 Missouri 248 in Branson, Missouri.

Our Hats are off to Branson Hot Tubs and Pools. Their approach at providing free spa and hot tub education for their surrounding community has resulted in a loyal customer base. It’s not a new strategy, but may be the best one in a down economy. It’s also a core belief at Hot Tub Works. Through this blog, our Hot Tub Toolbox, our Videos and Spa Repair Forum, our mission is to answer all of our customers spa care and repair questions.

If you are looking for spa parts, spa filters, or spa covers please visit Hottubworks.com

- Jack

Wind Powered Hot Tubs

June 13th, 2011 by

Wind Powered Hot Tub Makes Us Ponder.

A wind powered hot tub causes me to think that a future of hot tubs could be more than it’s now. We have been stuck for years trying make the current method of operation less costly, but this approach is a whole new angle.

Ross Stevens writes that his “general approach to design is to find materials/objects that have concluded their first lives.” He combines his environmental sensibilities with his epicurean love of a long hot shower by building what he calls “Sustainable Decadence”- a wind-powered hot tub and spa made out of scrap.

Ross writes: “I wanted to challenge the assumption that sustainable means having less. (I really love long showers). I believe we should try to keep many of the pleasures of life but just reconnect them to local sustainable energy sources. I designed this primarily to change my associations with our very windy weather which can be rather oppressive (psychology experiment). By harnessing the wind I now think of the pool getting warmer when I hear and see the trees bend, which creates a positive feeling. This sense of reconnection with our site also creates more interest in the prevailing weather conditions and life outside the home”.

My general approach to design is to find materials/objects that have concluded there first lives. This takes some of the financial and ecological responsibility away leaving me more open to play with ideas and try things I am unsure of. The hard part is cohesively combining the diverse pieces into an overall design. In some ways this creates a more difficult design process than buying the obvious and correct new components but the reward is often a more distinct and less obvious answer. The wind turbine blades are made out of one piece of redundant water pipe (obtained for 12 bottles of beer) cut to make two blades with a helical edge that tapers to the top giving it great strength.

The technical description of the blade design is a savonious rotor which is a very old wind gathering mechanism often made out of a cut in half 44 gallon drum. The blades then drive an ancient (1940′s at least) reused tractor gearbox that increases the rotation speed (4:1 ratio) that in turn drives a reused washing machine motor (brushless DC ‘smart drive) .

“In a previous life, I was the industrial designer of this washing machine”. In theory this can produce up to 600watts of energy.  The spa is made from reused 8 inch thick insulated panels (polystyrene and steel ) from a cool storage [a walk-in fridge]. An insulated door left over from the container house slides across to create a highly thermally efficient space meaning the amount of heating is greatly reduced.

It is a classic issue on TreeHugger: does being green mean that you have to give up the pleasures of life and become a sort of hair-shirt environmentalist taking navy showers? Ross shows that we can have our cake and eat it too; that we can still enjoy ourselves if we do it sustainably and creatively, although clearly being handy with a welding torch helps.

The term Sustainable Decadence resonates: living ethically and sustainably can still be comfortable and fun.

hot-tubs-wind

Hottubworks Spa Community

May 6th, 2011 by

One of the most useful but underutilized parts of the site is the Spa Community section. This section could be found on the home page of www.hottubworks.com on the left side highlighted in blue or there is a link to each section below:

spa-community

Hot Tub Tool Box

How to Videos

Forum

 

 

 

 

 

Under the Hot Tub Tool Box section you will find helpful articles and walkthroughs on chemicals and installation of various hot tub parts including pumps, equipment, etc.

Under the How-to-Video section there are instructional videos on how to turn a wet end, install an equipment pack, etc. and there are also instructional videos and informational videos on a majority of the major items on our site.

One of the best parts about this section of the site is that some of the videos actually are demonstrated by our staff, including an information video on pre-filters told by me.

The forum section is helpful to find answers to questions that aren’t available through videos or to find answers to questions during our off hours.

The blog – well, you know about the blog – over 300 articles of interest to spa owners.

Also, as always, we are available by phone if you ever want to discuss any additional questions that you may have. I hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

~Nicholas

Testing Hot Tub and Spa Sensors

April 15th, 2011 by
Balboa Spa Parts Spa Sensor, Balboa M7, LE, Valu Heaters, Acts as high-Limit or Temperature, 12 inches long

How to Test Spa Sensors for Continuity

With your electrical test meter set to 100k ohms, test the green and black wires for continuity.

Depending on the temperature it will give you a value. It is based on a 10k ohm resister. At 77 degrees it will read 10k ohms. As the temperature rises it will have a lower resistance and as the temperature lowers it will have a higher resistance.

Generally, all of the spa sensors will read 10-12k at 70 to 80F for resistance. If your readings are much less, this can indicate a break in the “Continuous” circuit, power not flowing through properly.

Titanium Heater Elements and Ozone Seals

March 11th, 2011 by

Some spa and hot tub manufacturers are offering Ozone generators and/or Salt Water systems to sanitize the water. Although beneficial to water quality, salt and ozone can be detrimental to equipment like standard heater elements and standard pump seals.

To combat this I suggest you use Titanium heater elements and Salt/Ozone pump seals; which are more resistant than the standard versions to the corrosive effects of ozone and salt.

Flothru Heater Element

These heater elements are more expensive, being made from Titanium and all… but if you’re replacing a standard element every 1-2 years, there can be a quick payback in a few years. The ozone grade pump shaft seals are only a few dollars more than standard grade.

So, if your spa heating element look deteriorated and corroded, and you use salt and/or ozone to sanitize, my recommendation is to replace with a version that can withstand the salts in the water.

If your shaft seal is failing, and you use ozone in the water, look for a softening and puckering of the rubber portions of the shaft seal, or possibly corrosion on the spring portion.

Great Customer Savings for Spa Parts!

March 10th, 2011 by

Balboa Spa Parts Spa Control - VS510SZ Retro Kit

I spoke to a customer today who received a quote from their local tech to replace a spa circuit board for about $525 just for the part! We had the same circuit board available for $229.99.

If you guessed that this customer was very excited, that would be an understatement. He was thrilled! At first kind of stunned, but thrilled on cutting the cost in half! His words were something like, “Thanks for saving my life, Scott.”

It almost made me want to change my voice mail to,”Hi! My names Scott! I sell hot tub parts and accessories, and I can save your life!” But how that Larry H. Parker Commercial sounds, with Intensity!

So, thank you stunned, yet thrilled customer.
Tub On!

Testing Spa or Hot Tub Heater Elements

March 3rd, 2011 by

Spa Heater Element testing

 

Good heaters elements between 4.0 and 5.5kw should have the following results:

* 9-12 ohms of resistance
* good continuity
* draw 15-25 amps at 240v

You test the element by using an Ohm meter, or any multi-meter will work also. Just place it on Ohms, at 1000, and place your test leads on each of the terminals (power to spa heater should be off). As mentioned above,  a measurement of 9-12 Ohms of resistance usually indicates a good element.

To test for voltage, use an Amp meter, and use your test leads to measure the amp draw for the element. Excessive amp draw indicates a bad element, and no amp draw indicates that no power is reaching the terminals.

Poor spa chemistry can harm your spa heater elements, as can operating without water flowing over the element (which the pressure switch is designed to protect against).

Helping a Customer With a Rodent Issue

March 3rd, 2011 by

Mice in hot tubsIts crazy to think about just how many items there are on our site. Just the other day while helping a customer I discovered an item that I think would be helpful to a lot of people out there.

He was complaining that rodents were getting up in his equipment and eating through his wires. Mice underneath the spa. So not only did I help him find the replacement wires he needed but I helped him find an item that should help with his rodent problem as well.

The item is question is sku # 3-80-700-1000. The official name of it is the Mouse-Away Pouch. It is a little pouch with different types of essential oils that is supposed to repel rodents. The best thing about it is that it is poison free so it wont harm them or you.

Hopefully you don’t have any rodent issues but if you do I think that this item will really help!!  I was glad that I had previously discussed the item with our technician and that I was able to help a customer find a solution to their problem.

So remember, if you ever have any questions on any of the items on our site (there are a lot J) or need help solving a sticky situation with your hot tub we are always here to help.

~Nicholas

Cal Spas “Lifetime” is shorter than it sounds

December 9th, 2010 by

“Lifetime” warranty can be slippery

Posted by James Shiffer

When Bridget DeZiel’s hot tub turned cold earlier this fall, she figured the lifetime warranty meant she would get a new heater gratis. Yet the Bloomington woman paid $250 to replace the unit because she was told that “lifetime” on her eight-year-old Cal Spas hot tub meant seven years.

The definition of lifetime is slippery when it comes to product warranties. Manufacturers often mean the expected lifespan of the product, or they could mean the time it’s owned by its original buyer, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The least common usage is the lifetime of the owner, the FTC says.

In DeZiel’s case, the dealer made a mistake, because lifetime really meant lifetime and DeZiel should have paid only the labor cost, according to Cal Spas spokeswoman Courtney Salas. The Pomona, Calif.-based company has contacted its Minnesota distributors to correct these misinterpretations, Salas said.

As for DeZiel’s overpayment, “we’ll take care of it,” Salas said.

What surprises have you encountered with lifetime warranties?