New pool &spa -Disappointed in Spa

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Firelt

Member
May 15, 2022
9
Virginia
Surface
Fiberglass
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
Hi All,
I am looking for some advice here.
I just got a new fiberglass pool installed with built in hot tub. The contractor turned on the systems for the first time on Friday, and honestly I was very disappointed with the results in the hot tub (the pool was perfectly fine).
Issue:
The jets have no pressure at all in the hot tub and no air bubbles were coming out either. I have 6 jets installed and there is a small pipe outside with air intake. The bubbles come if I use the blower side of the shop vac to push air into the pipes.
I have tried to put hands on 2 of the jets to cover them, and that does result in slightly better pressure on other jets and little bit of bubbles.
The contractor states that this is normal for inground hot tubs (which I don't believe) and stated that he clearly told me that I won't get the same effect of a hot tub sitting outside (which I don't recall at all).

Equipment:
I have pentair 2.5 hp variable speed that controls both hot tub and pool.
The pipes are 2.5 inch or 3 inch pipes (not quite sure) for both returns and drain / skimmer.

In the video of hot tub running, I have shut off the returns of the pool and only using hot tub returns. I have also turned on the pump at full rpm of 3450.
Here is the link for the video (Sorry not sure hot to upload video here)

The builder's solution is to put a bigger pump (5hp) and that should make it better but it might still not be the full effect.

Thanks for any help or suggestions.
 

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Last edited by a moderator:
Hey there 👋
Sorry u are having issues .
I know lots of folks have a separate pump for their spa & that there are things u can request to have installed that will help with jet pressure.
Do u have any sort of automation?
Please add all your equipment to your signature as best u can so everyone can have a full understanding of what u are working with.

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.google.com www.google.com

Lemme tag some more folks with integrated spas & pentair equipment.
@jimbethesda
@ajw22
 
Welcome to TFP.

What filter and MPV do you have and what are their flow rate specs? I think you will find your sand filter and MPV will not allow the flow rate necessary for a strong jet flow no matter what the pump HP is.

Replace that sand filter with a LARGE cartridge filter in the 400 to 500 sq in size.

What is the nozzle size of your jets?

What model number Pentair pump do you have now?
 
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This table shows the flow rate necessary for strong jet flow depending on the size of your jet.

Multiply by 6 for the appropriate flow rate your filter needs to allow.

full
 
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I’m not sure I completely understand your issue. When you say the returns have no pressure, are you saying no (or very little) water is coming out of them? If so, is water still coming out of the pool returns? Is there any water flowing through your pump and filter?

A bigger pump isn’t the answer, I don’t think. Seems like something is off.
 
Firelt said:
The contractor turned on the systems for the first time on Friday, and honestly I was very disappointed with the results in the hot tub
Click to expand...
That's pretty typical if compared to a portable spa. You are running 6 jets on a 2hp pump with a sand filter and alot of pipe. Portable spas, even really old or cheap ones, will produce more pressure from less pump with more jets because of the lower backpressure (head) on the system from filter and plumbing. Also, most portable spas have the ability to divert water to certain areas to increase pressures to the jets in the seat you want to use.

Firelt said:
have tried to put hands on 2 of the jets to cover them, and that does result in slightly better pressure on other jet
Click to expand...
Spa jets are typically adjustable by turning the face. Are they all turned on? They will not turn completely off in most cases, but darn near.

Firelt said:
The contractor states that this is normal for inground hot tubs (which I don't believe)
Click to expand...
Your jets should have enough flow to draw air through the air intake.
Firelt said:
The builder's solution is to put a bigger pump (5hp) and that should make it better but it might still not be the full effect.
Click to expand...
You'll just burn up the pump.

What kind of pipe was used?

I don't have a good solution for you. But I can tell you this is a common complaint about inground spas from people who have used a portable spa or even a jetted bathtub. Inground spas just suck unless they have a separate, unfiltered jet pump. Which is how I recommend they be built, but is always an additional expense, and may require altering the plumbing on the shell.
 
Firelt said:
Hi All,
I am looking for some advice here.
I just got a new fiberglass pool installed with built in hot tub. The contractor turned on the systems for the first time on Friday, and honestly I was very disappointed with the results in the hot tub (the pool was perfectly fine).
Issue:
The jets have no pressure at all in the hot tub and no air bubbles were coming out either. I have 6 jets installed and there is a small pipe outside with air intake. The bubbles come if I use the blower side of the shop vac to push air into the pipes.
I have tried to put hands on 2 of the jets to cover them, and that does result in slightly better pressure on other jets and little bit of bubbles.
The contractor states that this is normal for inground hot tubs (which I don't believe) and stated that he clearly told me that I won't get the same effect of a hot tub sitting outside (which I don't recall at all).

Equipment:
I have pentair 2.5 hp variable speed that controls both hot tub and pool.
The pipes are 2.5 inch or 3 inch pipes (not quite sure) for both returns and drain / skimmer.

In the video of hot tub running, I have shut off the returns of the pool and only using hot tub returns. I have also turned on the pump at full rpm of 3450.
Here is the link for the video (Sorry not sure hot to upload video here)

The builder's solution is to put a bigger pump (5hp) and that should make it better but it might still not be the full effect.

Thanks for any help or suggestions.
Click to expand...
One problem is the use of a SuperFlo pump (yours is the Sta-Rite version, same pump, different color). They are "medium-head" pumps that are designed to move a lot of water but have issues as the "head" of a system increases. Even with the use of all those 45's and sweep 90s, your system has a lot of restriction to flow. Then trying to feed 6 jets through the tiny orifices just increases that. Five horsepower, no. A 3hp Intelliflo or Intellipro would, likley, power your system. Both of these are "high-head" pumps. Check the price of a SuperFlo VSP against one of these and you'll see why builders use them, though availability may have been an issue, also.
 
Last edited:

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Mdragger88 said:
Hey there 👋
Sorry u are having issues .
I know lots of folks have a separate pump for their spa & that there are things u can request to have installed that will help with jet pressure.
Do u have any sort of automation?
Please add all your equipment to your signature as best u can so everyone can have a full understanding of what u are working with.

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.google.com www.google.com

Lemme tag some more folks with integrated spas & pentair equipment.
@jimbethesda
@ajw22
Click to expand...
I will be having automation eventually. The transformer burnt up on the Pentair EasyTouch, so the guy just bypassed it to get the water running. Waiting on the part to come in this week.
I added the signatures with what all I know about the equipment so far. Also, turns out I have a 1.5 hp pump and not 2.5
 
@ajw22
Thanks, I have been lurking on these forums but, finally posting now.
Filter is a Pentair Sand Dollar - SD 60 with 60 GPM. I am not sure what MPV is (Sorry still new to all this).
The pump is actually 1.5 HP, for some reason I thought it was 2.5 hp. It is StaRite SuperMax VS 1.5hp pump. All the piping is 2 inch pipes.
I am not sure about the nozzle jet size - How can I find that?

Thanks for the chart also for jet flow rate - that helps, but not sure of the size.

@jimbethesda
The returns have very little pressure.
Water is flowing through the pumps and filter with no issues. I shut off the returns to the pool and only used the returns in the spa, to get full pressure from the pump. However, even with that, the water pressure isn't much in the spa.

@RDspaguy
So turns out, my pump is 1.5 hp VS and not 2.5 hp.
I don't think I can turn these jets, but they are all on - I can feel water coming from them, just not enough pressure to even make air bubbles.
Pipes are 2 inch pipes.

Can I add a separate jet pump, since all the plumbing is already done? I am assuming I can attach a valve before the current pump for the intake from spa and send it to the new pumps for jet and from the pump to existing returns for spa, bypassing the filter and heater. IF I need to heat the spa, I can just use the current setup to increase the spa temp. ( I hope that makes sense)

@mknauss
It's actually a 1.5 hp pump. Sta Rite supermax VS 1.5.

@1poolman1
I don't mind upgrading the pump. But was thinking maybe adding a pump just for the jets? Thoughts? I am not sure if it's still possible, since all the plumbing is done.


Thank you all for helping out with this! I am new to all this, so still trying to understand all the terminology.
 
Upgrading to a Pentair 3hp Intelliflow or similar should help.

In spa mode, are you running the present pump at 3450rpm or at a slower rpm?
 
Firelt said:
@ajw22
Thanks, I have been lurking on these forums but, finally posting now.
Filter is a Pentair Sand Dollar - SD 60 with 60 GPM. I am not sure what MPV is (Sorry still new to all this).
The pump is actually 1.5 HP, for some reason I thought it was 2.5 hp. It is StaRite SuperMax VS 1.5hp pump. All the piping is 2 inch pipes.
I am not sure about the nozzle jet size - How can I find that?

Thanks for the chart also for jet flow rate - that helps, but not sure of the size.

@jimbethesda
The returns have very little pressure.
Water is flowing through the pumps and filter with no issues. I shut off the returns to the pool and only used the returns in the spa, to get full pressure from the pump. However, even with that, the water pressure isn't much in the spa.

@RDspaguy
So turns out, my pump is 1.5 hp VS and not 2.5 hp.
I don't think I can turn these jets, but they are all on - I can feel water coming from them, just not enough pressure to even make air bubbles.
Pipes are 2 inch pipes.

Can I add a separate jet pump, since all the plumbing is already done? I am assuming I can attach a valve before the current pump for the intake from spa and send it to the new pumps for jet and from the pump to existing returns for spa, bypassing the filter and heater. IF I need to heat the spa, I can just use the current setup to increase the spa temp. ( I hope that makes sense)

@mknauss
It's actually a 1.5 hp pump. Sta Rite supermax VS 1.5.

@1poolman1
I don't mind upgrading the pump. But was thinking maybe adding a pump just for the jets? Thoughts? I am not sure if it's still possible, since all the plumbing is done.


Thank you all for helping out with this! I am new to all this, so still trying to understand all the terminology.
Click to expand...
Ah 1.5 hp, that’s probably the issue.
 
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1.5 HP pump and filter limited to 60 GPM both contribute to the problem.

MPV is the multipurpose valve on the top of the filter that also may be limiting the flow.

Both the pump and filter needs to be replaced with higher flow equipment.

You need to be able to have a flow of 80-120 GPM.
 
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You cannot have two pumps on the same lines. They will interfere with each other.

For a two pump system you needed to have two sets of drains in the spa to feed two pumps. And independent returns for spa jets and spa filter/heat.
 
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