Bad Bullfrog NeckPLUS JetPak- Help

[Davekro]

My new 2023 A6L Select's Neck'PLUS' JetPak, which is new for 2023, seems to be a problem (for ref.:2013-2022 had NeckBlaster & NeckMasseuse). NeckEASE is the other Neck JetPak for 2023 model year. Pictures attached.- When I removed the headrest covers to purge the hot tub, I noticed that the fronts of the protrusions over the shoulders were very roughly cut with slots, like with a grinder wheel. The cuts did not match side to side, looked rough, like the assembly line tech was NOT paying attention (built on a Friday/HIGH day ?), and the headrest covers do not snap over on these front extensions. What are these "manual cutouts" supposed to do??? With the pump on low, the one over the right shoulder sprays a disfigured stream, on high the stream is disfigured and very forceful. The one over the left shoulder on low squirts up and in all directions, on high it sprays in your face and all over. Does your 2023 Bullfrog have this specific NeckPLUS JetPak? If so, does it have holes or manually cut out 'slots' in the front of the extensions over the shoulders that spray horizontally? From the web pictures of the two 2023 Neck JetPaks, the top (2) neck and (2) shoulder jets seem to be identical between the two. It looks like the only difference is in the choice of the (2) lower back and (2) upper back jets on the lower part of the JetPak.

Before I go talk to my dealer, I want to be educated as to what the 2023 NeckPlus JetPak is SUPPOSED to look like and how it is designed to function. Meaning, is water supposed to come out of the two extensions horizontally, in addition to the four neck/shoulder jets. I hope a 2023 Bullfrog owner can help me out here. I could not find any pictures or videos showing a NeckPlus JetPak in operation.
Thank You,
Dave

 

[phonedave]

I have aa Neck Blaster - it does not have those middle jets, I have four downward facing and four upper back that are under the waterline . Mine looks nothing at all like yours.

I have nothing like yours with that added top piece.

I'll try and grab a picture of mine with the pillow removed later.

Having said that, my reaction is that your pack is incorrect. It should not operate like that.

I have a friend that has an A8, and he made the same comment you did about one of his packs "It looks like it was made at 4:45 PM on a Friday". It worked fine, but from the back you could clearly see the plumbing was slapped together. He showed it to the dealer and was given a new one (and they did not want the old one back - so it is in my shed right now, its the wrong color for my tub, but if the spirit moves me I might swap it in from time to time)

 

[Davekro]

I have aa Neck Blaster - it does not have those middle jets, I have four downward facing and four upper back that are under the waterline . Mine looks nothing at all like yours.

I have nothing like yours with that added top piece.

I'll try and grab a picture of mine with the pillow removed later.

Having said that, my reaction is that your pack is incorrect. It should not operate like that.

I have a friend that has an A8, and he made the same comment you did about one of his packs "It looks like it was made at 4:45 PM on a Friday". It worked fine, but from the back you could clearly see the plumbing was slapped together. He showed it to the dealer and was given a new one (and they did not want the old one back - so it is in my shed right now, its the wrong color for my tub, but if the spirit moves me I might swap it in from time to time)

View attachment 553892

Wow, I had not noticed that the Neck Blaster actually has 8 jets on the upper neck shoulder section. I'd bet that is how it was named 'Blaster'! On my Neck Plus, the single jet farthest out are right over the bone of my shoulder, so they hit the bone and have no massage affect. The two in the middle behind the neck don't have much pressure like the back ones do. All four of those top jets are weakened by the water pressure escaping from those (looks like DIY) angle grindered slots on mine.

 

[phonedave]

Wow, I had not noticed that the Neck Blaster actually has 8 jets on the upper neck shoulder section. I'd bet that is how it was named 'Blaster'! On my Neck Plus, the single jet farthest out are right over the bone of my shoulder, so they hit the bone and have no massage affect. The two in the middle behind the neck don't have much pressure like the back ones do. All four of those top jets are weakened by the water pressure escaping from those (looks like DIY) angle grindered slots on mine.

Do you know that the packs with the neck jets have two pressure controls on them? The lower one controls all of the jets on the pack (including the neck one) and then the upper one throttles the neck jets back even more. Make sure your upper control is not dialed down.

Either way, those slots should not be there, and that pack needs to be replaced.

 

[phonedave]

Here are two pictures of my Neck Blaster.

Inside the back of the pack - no slots, just a manifold for the neck jets

And with the pack running (on low). Nothing shooting all over the place.

 

[Davekro]

Do you know that the packs with the neck jets have two pressure controls on them? The lower one controls all of the jets on the pack (including the neck one) and then the upper one throttles the neck jets back even more. Make sure your upper control is not dialed down.

Either way, those slots should not be there, and that pack needs to be replaced.

@phonedave ,
Yes, I am aware that the 'neck jets' can be turned off by the dial connected to a shutoff. It took me a day or two to remember that. Now I leave the neck jets turned off so the 'slots' don't spray all over. If those slots were not there, the four neck jets would have much higher pressure.
Hmmmn... I just went to look at the two cutouts in my NeckPlus JetPak. I decided to fit some small pieces of cedar shims into the slots. I have not tried this hack out yet. It would be nice to get to be able to use the neck jets while await getting a replacement JetPak.

One thing that seems strange is that my water level has been dropping an average of 16.5 gallons per week (2 1/3 gals/ day)! When I first noticed, the weather and cement pad were dry, so I assumed it was not leaking. I immediately checked to see if the ABS plastic pan was filling up, but saw there are 1/2" holes in the bottom of the pan, so water would escape there. The pan I could see from the front equipment area was completely dry, w/ no signs of water. You having the same Bullfrog A6 model, how much water do you need to add to keep your jets to the recommended fill line?

When I first noticed that the jets would spray out of the tub for a second when set to high, I looked and saw that the water level had dropped a half inch or so, so I added water to bring it back to the fill-line (there is a mark in the middle of the filter inlet bezels.) I finished my water balancing on Feb 8th and turned the heater on for the first time. Before that I had to run many 30 min cycles with jets on full to raise the PH, then add acid to drop it again. I needed to get My tap water TA down from 370 ppm, so that took two days with cover off during those 30 min cycles so I guess evaporation might have been part of my first water drop (but water was +/- 60º F, so not hot).

 

[phonedave]

@phonedave ,
Yes, I am aware that the 'neck jets' can be turned off by the dial connected to a shutoff. It took me a day or two to remember that. Now I leave the neck jets turned off so the 'slots' don't spray all over. If those slots were not there, the four neck jets would have much higher pressure.
Hmmmn... I just went to look at the two cutouts in my NeckPlus JetPak. I decided to fit some small pieces of cedar shims into the slots. I have not tried this hack out yet. It would be nice to get to be able to use the neck jets while await getting a replacement JetPak.

One thing that seems strange is that my water level has been dropping an average of 16.5 gallons per week (2 1/3 gals/ day)! When I first noticed, the weather and cement pad were dry, so I assumed it was not leaking. I immediately checked to see if the ABS plastic pan was filling up, but saw there are 1/2" holes in the bottom of the pan, so water would escape there. The pan I could see from the front equipment area was completely dry, w/ no signs of water. You having the same Bullfrog A6 model, how much water do you need to add to keep your jets to the recommended fill line?

When I first noticed that the jets would spray out of the tub for a second when set to high, I looked and saw that the water level had dropped a half inch or so, so I added water to bring it back to the fill-line (there is a mark in the middle of the filter inlet bezels.) I finished my water balancing on Feb 8th and turned the heater on for the first time. Before that I had to run many 30 min cycles with jets on full to raise the PH, then add acid to drop it again. I needed to get My tap water TA down from 370 ppm, so that took two days with cover off during those 30 min cycles so I guess evaporation might have been part of my first water drop (but water was +/- 60º F, so not hot).

If your water level is low, the jets will shoot out of the tub. I did that once in a showroom. I turned on the jets on a display and shot about 5 gallons of water across the showroom before I figured out how to turn them off.

Your water level should be up to the mark (with the little water drop on it) on the filter weir door.

My jets do not shoot out of the tub (with or without people in it). I just added about an inch of water this weekend. It has been about 5 weeks since I have added water before that.

My tub is at 103F and is covered unless I am using it, or testing/treating the water.

 

[Davekro]

If your water level is low, the jets will shoot out of the tub. I did that once in a showroom. I turned on the jets on a display and shot about 5 gallons of water across the showroom before I figured out how to turn them off.

Your water level should be up to the mark (with the little water drop on it) on the filter weir door.

My jets do not shoot out of the tub (with or without people in it). I just added about an inch of water this weekend. It has been about 5 weeks since I have added water before that.

My tub is at 103F and is covered unless I am using it, or testing/treating the water.

@phonedave ,
When I moved my NeckPlus JetPack to the lounge seat, w/ pump two on high as I was outside of it adding chemicals, its jets shot out of the tub on the other side. I moved that J'Pak elsewhere! LOL Since my level drops easily a 1/4" from the min mark on the bezels, I decided yesterday to fill it about a 1/2" above the min. marks so I have more time before it drop below the min marks.

On my problematic NeckPlus, I did a temporary fix on its weird front slots. I I cut some small pieces of wood shim an pressed them into the slots. No more spray from there! Cool. I aslo was not liking the two (you have 4) jets that point vertically down on the shoulders. They bounce off my shoulders and spray me in the face, which I don't dare for. Also, they don't hit any muscles, they hit directly on my shoulder bone, so no therapeutic effect there. I have two cork plugs in those jets now. This makes the two jets that point hortizontally at my neck stronger, so that is a bonus. In my A6L, the NeckPlus was originally in the right back (furthest from touch panel) location. In my lounger version, that is the lowest seat, so best for that J'Pak. Bummer that you at 6'4" would need to slide your butt out of the seat to fit under your NeckBlaster, missing the lower back jets, and probably nt very comfortable holding yourself in that position just to try the neck jets.
@Davekro