Anyone use an inflatable spa in winter? (freezing temps)

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I know this is an old thread but there's some good info in here. I recently bought a Saluspa Paris and want to take it into the Winter. Our winters can get brutal but this one is in the (unheated) garage so at least it has some shelter. I figure I can still enjoy the snow coming down with the garage door up....so this is a blend of indoor/outdoor. What I like is not getting all the leaves and debris in the water like the pool does outside.

Ok onto the heating and insulation. I did put some cheap 3/4" foam board underneath the ground cover, hopefully it's adequate. You would think so since the floor is already padded but only time will tell. I'm planning on wrapping some fiber glass insulation around the outside because this spa has that return line that runs along the outside. The lid I'm still wrestling with how to further insulate it but I did put double sided reflectix to use as a floating blanket, then lay the inflatable lid on that. It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to lay some foam board insulation on top of the reflectix then top it off with the air lid.

As far as generating more heat I want to do the tankless water heater mod but just pull the water directly from the pool into the heater using a flow jet type pump and have it go straight back into the spa. If those things can actually raise the water temp 2-3 degrees per minute I'll be extremely happy. That way I can set the spa temp for maybe 90 degrees and let the camp shower heater take it the rest of the way.
 
After reading some of the great responses I decided the inflatables are junk. Mine cost $1000CDN and lasted 2 seasons. So I decided on a Softub.

They have excellent insulation and very low operating cost. No heater, just a jacket around the pump that draws heat from it. I keep mine at 103F. Cost me $350.

They have high-quality foam sides and a similar “bucket-style” like the inflatables. They can heat while the bubbles blow and there are 5 directional returns for hydro therapy or whatever. Also has a light.

Downside is they have a liner integrated with the skin and replacement cost is between $800-$1,500CDN. Liner/skin lasts about 15 years depending on ph levels.

Softub
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Canadian Spa Company Rio Grande :-D
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Thought I'd chime in on this old thread. I recently purchased an intex purespa for $350 from walmart and another $125 for the energy efficient cover. I filled it Sunday at 1pm with 46*F hose water and 30 hours later it was 95* haha. It's been mid 30's here in upstate NY and I didn't expect a quick heat, but dang. Anyhow, used for the first time yesterday afternoon with wife and 3 kids (ages 3, 6 and 8) it's comfortable even with the kids splashing. 4 grown adults would be tight but not impossible. With bubbles it dropped to 98 after 30 or so minutes which wasn't horrible considering the ambient temp, but not as nice as my parents permanent. Not looking for long soaks and at <$500 I'm not complaining.

I've left it running and just purchased a kw meter to monitor the use as it's mid 20's today. I don't fear for the cold temps so long as the pump is running and heating. But for energy efficiency purposes I'd like to put it on a timer and this means I'll have to make some sort of shelter for the pump and hoses I think as the water would freeze, expand and crack. Also bought some of the overpriced seats and a drink tray today. Will probably drain this weekend and buy some insulation for the ground like a member here posted.

I think back to my first intex pool and remember that the timer didn't work as the gfci tripped each time which mean I might need to splice that. The exterior outlet has one anyhow.

I will update my saga as I learn, afterall it's the pandemic and we're all trying to survive somehow...
 
jeffchap said:
My electric usage for this Nov compared to last year before we got the spa went from about 1100 kwh to 1344 kwh, but we've had a much warmer year and actually ran the A/C until about a week ago. So it's hard to say how much of that is due to the spa.



I really don't think they draw all that much power, as they heat so slowly. My guess is maybe comparable to a couple of 100 watt light bulbs left on full time. I should get one of those gadgets that you plug into the socket that measures power consumption.



Have you looked at the Intex manual? It may give the power draw in the tech specs.

BTW, mine is doing to get tested this weekend for sure, as we're supposed to drop to near zero Saturday night.
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quite a bit more. specs are 1300 watts for the heater. Once it reaches the set temp, maintaining that is variable based on many factors. Essentially if it takes, say 10 hours to heat to your required temp you're using 1.3kw x 10 hours = 13 kwh * say $0.10kwh and you're at $1.30. My intext left on kicks back on when the temp drops 2* from set. There's also a pump running the filter which can be left on or turned off (when not heating) that's drawing power, but the specs are not stated for the filter, but it is also the blower which is 800w. So if the consumption is the same in filtering mode you're looking at 2.1kw or ~$2.00. At a minimum the filter left on 24/7 will run $2 a day + heating.
 
Six years and running thread (oops, seven). I see inflatable, but plug and play 110V tubs are in some folks price range and overlooked because for the extra $$$ over an inflatable they still suffer similar compromises. Those being lack of insulation and inability to run heat with jets.

Just wondering since some of the suggestions involve plumbing and electrical anyway, why it was not suggested to run a second 110V circuit and "edit" the wiring so that the heater functions on the extra 110V branch.

The 220V units need heavy wire, but the 110V units seem to be 15 or 20A branches, easily accommodated with 12 or 14 awg wire. DIY and cheap to do even if you throw in a GFI outlet.
 
Plug in units are normally spec'd for a 20A circuit, therefore #12 wire is required. Running a second circuit, cost wise is pretty close to the same close as running a 50 A 240V circuit using #8 wire. Electrically, 2 120V or 1 240V circuits are the same but local code might differ.

Some controllers might not be able to adapt for a hacked power configuration. Portable plug n play tubs should be able to do this, inflatables will not.

When I installed my tub, I went with #6 because my preference is to over engineer electrical circuits. I could have run #8 for the 50' run and met code.

Side note: I just installed a RV receptacle, 120V 30A with a 125' run. My original intent was a 20A circuit to just power the charging system and the fridge but as it turned out, #10-2 UF was more money than #8-2 UF and the circuit breaker cost was equal so the circuit was installed as a 30A and I can power everything. Shopping around can significantly lower your costs.
 
cranbiz said:
Electrically, 2 120V or 1 240V circuits are the same
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Only if you know what you are doing. They have to be on opposite phases.

Just don't want people to think they can Frankenstein 240V hot to hot power for their tub from any two random receptacles.
 
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phonedave said:
Only if you know what you are doing. They have to be on opposite phases.

Just don't want people to think they can Frankenstein 240V hot to hot power for their tub from any two random receptacles.
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You are correct. I wasn't going to get into the details on exactly how to do it in my brief post. My main point was that doing it right (240V run instead of 2 120 runs isn't necessarily more expensive)
 
cranbiz said:
Plug in units are normally spec'd for a 20A circuit, therefore #12 wire is required. Running a second circuit, cost wise is pretty close to the same close as running a 50 A 240V circuit using #8 wire. Electrically, 2 120V or 1 240V circuits are the same but local code might differ.

Some controllers might not be able to adapt for a hacked power configuration. Portable plug n play tubs should be able to do this, inflatables will not.

When I installed my tub, I went with #6 because my preference is to over engineer electrical circuits. I could have run #8 for the 50' run and met code.

Side note: I just installed a RV receptacle, 120V 30A with a 125' run. My original intent was a 20A circuit to just power the charging system and the fridge but as it turned out, #10-2 UF was more money than #8-2 UF and the circuit breaker cost was equal so the circuit was installed as a 30A and I can power everything. Shopping around can significantly lower your costs.
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Mine is 240V and when the manufacturer provided a diagram where to bring wiring up from underneath made a point to tell me anything less than 6 awg would void my wiring. The manual had this in there too and the company that delivered, returned to move it into position and "educate" us on how to use it also harped on needing 6 gage.

My target was more directed to those who knew enough to run their own wiring for a 110V/20A service, and I do suspect even 14 awg 15 amp service would suffice if path could be split and existing 20A service dedicated/chosen for heater. Still, if I was in that position and running wire, I'd choose to run 20A service since it's just as easy and cost is not that much more (including breaker/GFI) vs. 12 awg wiring.

Yes it would have to be someone comfortable with electrical and perhaps any associated electronics where splitting the load at the controller was concerned, but if the shoe fits and we're discussing portable/inflatables, my original observation that 120V economy units seem to deserve consideration too, still seems valid.

BTW, I too was surprised by how much the higher amp breakers cost now. I got lucky and nabbed a 50A GFCI box and breaker off eBay with lifetime warranty for just under $100 when I couldn't find stock locally. There were $150 breakers in bubble packs on the isles though, ouch! Also had a local electrician quote the job first, $2500 for about 50' run of 6 awg. Me not being an electrician, in hindsight the box knockouts should have been "supplemented" with reducing washers to keep from having air-gaps on the box sides, but it's sealed with 50 year silicone. Not too badly botched trading a tube of silicone for washers to save over a couple thousand dollars...
 
Methuselah said:
Mine is 240V and when the manufacturer provided a diagram where to bring wiring up from underneath made a point to tell me anything less than 6 awg would void my wiring. The manual had this in there too and the company that delivered, returned to move it into position and "educate" us on how to use it also harped on needing 6 gage.

My target was more directed to those who knew enough to run their own wiring for a 110V/20A service, and I do suspect even 14 awg 15 amp service would suffice if path could be split and existing 20A service dedicated/chosen for heater. Still, if I was in that position and running wire, I'd choose to run 20A service since it's just as easy and cost is not that much more (including breaker/GFI) vs. 12 awg wiring.

Yes it would have to be someone comfortable with electrical and perhaps any associated electronics where splitting the load at the controller was concerned, but if the shoe fits and we're discussing portable/inflatables, my original observation that 120V economy units seem to deserve consideration too, still seems valid.

BTW, I too was surprised by how much the higher amp breakers cost now. I got lucky and nabbed a 50A GFCI box and breaker off eBay with lifetime warranty for just under $100 when I couldn't find stock locally. There were $150 breakers in bubble packs on the isles though, ouch! Also had a local electrician quote the job first, $2500 for about 50' run of 6 awg. Me not being an electrician, in hindsight the box knockouts should have been "supplemented" with reducing washers to keep from having air-gaps on the box sides, but it's sealed with 50 year silicone. Not too badly botched trading a tube of silicone for washers to save over a couple thousand dollars...
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It is normally cheaper (at least here in NJ) to buy a breaker and disconnect box together as a kit, than it is to buy a GFCI breaker on it's own.
 
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