In-Ground Spa Jets Relatively Weak - Make My Spa Better than My Father-In-Laws

LookMaNoHands

New member
May 11, 2024
1
My pool and spa were completed a few months ago and we've begun to use the spa. My spa has 6 jets on the edge, and another in the bottom of the spa. The spa is about 25 feet from the pool equipment.

When we turn the spa on, even when we crank the RPM on the 3HP pump up to 100% (3450RPM), we get a modest flow from the spa jets. You can't even really tell the spa jets are flowing unless you stick your hand down in there and feel if they're on or not. It looks like this on 100%:

IMG_7672.JPEG


We also have a blower, but it seems overwhelming. For example -- If we run the blower with a medium speed (around 2200 RPM), the bubbles are extremely concentrated and overwhelming and we even get 6 "bubble geysers" at each jet, where the bubbles cause water to shoot above the waterline, into the air, about 4 to 6 inches:

IMG_7674.JPEG

Only when we crank the pump all the way up to 100% with the blower do the bubbles lose some of the geyser effect. However the bubble experience still seems relegated to the edges near the jets and also seems a bit intense in those spots:

IMG_7673.JPEG

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Compare this to my Father-In-Laws in-ground spa. Similar setup to mine, in-ground pool and spa, spa has 6 jets. His spa is about 40-50 feet from the equipment.

When he turns the spa on at his house, the jets shoot with strong (but not overwhelming) force and the jet's stream even seem to have a small amount of bubbles coming through the jets, almost like the water is being aerated naturally just from the force of the jets. This is his spa below. Notice how you can clearly "see" the two jets pictured are "on" and they are creating their own bubbles just from the force of the jets. NOTE: This is with no blower. He has a blower, but does not use it because the force and bubbles are sufficient without it.

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This increased spa jet force (with some aeration) is what I'm looking for. It seems like the perfect medium. Unlike my spa which is either: Mild stream (sitting in bathtub) OR 6 old-faithful geysers. How can I make my spa function similarly to his?

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Other Notes and Pictures:

My equipment is in my signature.

His equipment as best I can tell is as follows:
Hayward Tristar VS 900 Pump 1.85HP
Blower installed, but not used

The only other difference that I can visibly see is his jets have eyelet-type nozzles. Versus mine are just flat.

My jets:

IMG_7669.JPEG


His Jets:
Resized_20240511_103033_1715441576866.jpegResized_20240511_103040_1715441577884.jpeg

My equipment:
IMG_7663.JPEG


His Equipment:

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Attachments

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Spa jets require a minimum flow rate and most PBs just do not know how to design spas. They will use pipe that is too small and will not have a dedicated spa jet pump.

Poor design decisions:

- Suction/return pipe diameter too small for the required flow rate

- Single pump for both spa jets and general circulation going through the heater and filter

- Spa jet nozzles too large for the given plumbing setup.


Items your signature does not cover:

Spa Jet Nozzle Orifice Diameter?

Suction/Return Pipe Size?

Do you have a bypass for the both the filter and heater like this:

1715461118092.png
 
Measure the diameter of your FIL jet openings versus yours.

The smaller the opening the more pressure you will feel. Installing jets with a smaller opening may help your spa.