To Drill or Not to Drill

[launboy]

That is the question. :lol:

The hot tub be have(my current project) only came with four jets and a 1HP pump originally. I have a box with 6 jets and another 1.5 HP pump that I want to use on this tub. It is a kit for a bathtub that I bought to use when I was building the spa itself from scratch. I'm still not 100% on where I want the jets, but I have time to figure that out. The question is, can I just tape the inside of the shell and drill through it with a holesaw? The Spa is fiberglass, I think, if that's important.

TIA,
Adam

 

[spishex]

A normal holesaw works fine. It's a good idea to brace the shell from behind with a 2x4 or something so it isn't bending while you work on it.

 

[launboy]

Ok, I can have someone support the other side while I drill.

On a side note, the warm temps melted all the snow and the hole where the hot tub sits was filled with water. the hot tub was actually floating. :lol: I used a pump and drained all of the water out of the hole, but now I'm worried that some of it may have gone back into the open ended pipes that connect the spa to the equipment. How full do the pipes have to be before freezing becomes and issue?

Thanks,
Adam

 

[budster]

First of all, I'd recommend you put gravel in and a "French drain" to keep water out of that hole! Floating the tub can happen again, even with some water in it, and that means busted piping. I assume you have "open ended pipes" because you are still in construction.

Freezing expands the water, so anything more than about 60% full could be damaging. You might do well to buy some caps for those pipes while you complete construction.

 

[launboy]

Yeah, yesterdays floating incident got me thinking. I don't think a french drain is possible because that hole is the lowest spot in our yard. What I did come up with is a mini sump-pump system. Basically I'm just going to slope all the ground toward a low point and dig a hole there. In this hole I'II place a 5 gal bucket. In that bucket I'll put either a small pond pump or the smallest automatic pump I can find. Maybe a boat bilge pump or a furnace condensate pump.

Well, its dropped below freezing. I'm not worried about the 2" pipes anymore but the 1" stuff on the tub has me worried. Hopefully it hovers around 32 tonight and no damage is done. I"ll blow everything out tomorrow. Fingers crossed. Man, I really wish I would have finished this before the cold came and the PVC glue stopped setting.

Adam

 

[launboy]

Fixed original post.

 

[launboy]

Good news, it didn't get to cold last night to cause any problems! I got out the leafblower and blew out the lines for the jets, then blew out the air lines for the bubbler holes. There was quite a bit of water in each. We moved the tub out of the hole for now so this doesn't happen again. I'll have to work on a solution. I attempted to dig the hole today but afte about 3 inches hit frozen ground and rocks.

Supposed to be in the 60's tomorrow, maybe more will thaw out.

Oh well,
Adam