New member here needing help with planning a concrete shell 9x16 therapeutic current pool/spa. This pool will be 42" to 48" deep with the current generator (Endless Pool Fastlane) at the top and a bench seat across the bottom and up each side for 12 ft (no side benches 4 ft from the current generator). This pool will serve as an exercise (swim) pool and as a spa/hot tub for me (hip arthritis) and my wife, and also as a spa/hot tub for us and friends. My wife and I like the typical configuration of the commercial type spas with one jet up from the bench at back level. How wide and high should the bench be? We thought about making one side bench higher for shorter people. Good idea? How far apart should one place the spa jets? How many should be placed along the bottom wall and down each side? I would much appreciate any insight, suggestions you can provide. Thanks!!! George
New Therapeutic Pool/Spa Build-Help with Spa Jet Placement
- Thread starter tigerpawse
- Start date
Re: New Therapeutic Pool/Spa Build-Help with Spa Jet Placeme
Welcome to TFP!
All of this is really a matter of personal preference. One good way to get a sense of things is to go to a spa showroom and look around at the various configurations they offer. That should give you some ideas.
Welcome to TFP!
All of this is really a matter of personal preference. One good way to get a sense of things is to go to a spa showroom and look around at the various configurations they offer. That should give you some ideas.
Re: New Therapeutic Pool/Spa Build-Help with Spa Jet Placeme
Are you planning to make two separate areas? One for swim, one for hot tub. That would be alot of water and $$$$ to heat to hot tub temps.
Are you planning to make two separate areas? One for swim, one for hot tub. That would be alot of water and $$$$ to heat to hot tub temps.
Re: New Therapeutic Pool/Spa Build-Help with Spa Jet Placeme
The pool will be about 4000 - 4500 gal. 9x16 pool with benches along the side and back, swim in the middle. The normal 7x14 Endless pool has a square stainless steel water collection tube down each side that doubles as a bench. I'm just making the pool bigger (9x16), replacing the collection tubes with built-in benches with jets. Plans call for a 120K heat pump to maintain temps in the 80 degree range for swimming during most of the year and when we want to use it as a hot tub, a 400K gas heater to bump the temp from 80 to 100 degree range. Living in Atlanta, the heat pump should maintain the temps during the spring and fall, no heat will be necessary during the summer and during the few weeks we have really cold weather during the winter, the gas heater will maintain the temps.
The pool will be about 4000 - 4500 gal. 9x16 pool with benches along the side and back, swim in the middle. The normal 7x14 Endless pool has a square stainless steel water collection tube down each side that doubles as a bench. I'm just making the pool bigger (9x16), replacing the collection tubes with built-in benches with jets. Plans call for a 120K heat pump to maintain temps in the 80 degree range for swimming during most of the year and when we want to use it as a hot tub, a 400K gas heater to bump the temp from 80 to 100 degree range. Living in Atlanta, the heat pump should maintain the temps during the spring and fall, no heat will be necessary during the summer and during the few weeks we have really cold weather during the winter, the gas heater will maintain the temps.
Re: New Therapeutic Pool/Spa Build-Help with Spa Jet Placeme
Sounds like a nice setup. I have no experience with swim/spas but with a combined unit the major concern other than heating costs would be temperature controll and heating time.
After a nice therapeutic work out it would be nice to slip into a hot tub without having to wait for the water to heat. Also it would be nice to warm up in the hot tub before the work out. you want about a 20 degree difference between swim/spa temps, how quickly will 400,000 BTU get you there.
Will there be any cover for the for the unit? With no cover your energy consumption will go through the roof.
Sounds like a nice setup. I have no experience with swim/spas but with a combined unit the major concern other than heating costs would be temperature controll and heating time.
After a nice therapeutic work out it would be nice to slip into a hot tub without having to wait for the water to heat. Also it would be nice to warm up in the hot tub before the work out. you want about a 20 degree difference between swim/spa temps, how quickly will 400,000 BTU get you there.
Will there be any cover for the for the unit? With no cover your energy consumption will go through the roof.
Re: New Therapeutic Pool/Spa Build-Help with Spa Jet Placeme
Will definitely have a cover for the pool. This is not two pools, just one with a dual purpose. The 400k gas heater should move the temps fairly quickly so the wait for hot tub temps would not be too long. Plus with such a small number of gallons to heat, I'm concerned the pool may actually be too hot during the Atlanta summer for swimming.
Will definitely have a cover for the pool. This is not two pools, just one with a dual purpose. The 400k gas heater should move the temps fairly quickly so the wait for hot tub temps would not be too long. Plus with such a small number of gallons to heat, I'm concerned the pool may actually be too hot during the Atlanta summer for swimming.
Re: New Therapeutic Pool/Spa Build-Help with Spa Jet Placeme
I have a somewhat similar setup although swim-with-harness instead of the current setup. And the size is 7'x11'x4.5' (about 1800 G) with a 5.5KW 220v heater. It takes about 12-16 hours to heat this pool from 60F to 80F. It would take much longer to cool it as in my case it is closed most of the time and very well insulated. So I completely gave up the idea of using it as a spa as well. I think you might have serious issues controlling the temperature.
I have a somewhat similar setup although swim-with-harness instead of the current setup. And the size is 7'x11'x4.5' (about 1800 G) with a 5.5KW 220v heater. It takes about 12-16 hours to heat this pool from 60F to 80F. It would take much longer to cool it as in my case it is closed most of the time and very well insulated. So I completely gave up the idea of using it as a spa as well. I think you might have serious issues controlling the temperature.
Re: New Therapeutic Pool/Spa Build-Help with Spa Jet Placeme
Are you saying the plans call for both a heat pump AND 400k BTU gas heater?? That is some serious cabbage to dole out for what you want to accomplish. Assuming the cover is insulated, I'd highly recommend using a standard flow-through heater (5.5kw would do but 11 would be better for your pool) to do the day-to-day heating. It's more efficient than a heat pump, way less money up front (Hundreds vs. Thousands) and easier to service. The only reason I'd consider a heat pump is if you got a model that would heat and cool the pool, in which case it would be useful for hot days or cooling down from hot tub temperatures.
Staggering heights for the bench is a great idea if only for access and cooling off, but I'd do the same step down on both sides rather than making one side higher than another. I'd guess the standard bench dimensions are about 18" square (profile) but since this is custom I'd do some testing and see what works best for you, especially the length from knee to floor. I'd space the jets out about 36"-48" and dedicate maybe two returns to the footwell opposite the current generator.
You may also find being able to divert the full force of the jet pump to one or two large jets helpful for your hip. The hydro-spa butterfly jet has a built in diverter so no topside valve would be necessary. The spas I used to sell when I worked in-store had these in a central spot (not in a seat) and people loved them, especially for feet. You turn the ring on the faceplate and all the water is diverted from all the other jets to this one.
Good luck with the project!
Are you saying the plans call for both a heat pump AND 400k BTU gas heater?? That is some serious cabbage to dole out for what you want to accomplish. Assuming the cover is insulated, I'd highly recommend using a standard flow-through heater (5.5kw would do but 11 would be better for your pool) to do the day-to-day heating. It's more efficient than a heat pump, way less money up front (Hundreds vs. Thousands) and easier to service. The only reason I'd consider a heat pump is if you got a model that would heat and cool the pool, in which case it would be useful for hot days or cooling down from hot tub temperatures.
Staggering heights for the bench is a great idea if only for access and cooling off, but I'd do the same step down on both sides rather than making one side higher than another. I'd guess the standard bench dimensions are about 18" square (profile) but since this is custom I'd do some testing and see what works best for you, especially the length from knee to floor. I'd space the jets out about 36"-48" and dedicate maybe two returns to the footwell opposite the current generator.
You may also find being able to divert the full force of the jet pump to one or two large jets helpful for your hip. The hydro-spa butterfly jet has a built in diverter so no topside valve would be necessary. The spas I used to sell when I worked in-store had these in a central spot (not in a seat) and people loved them, especially for feet. You turn the ring on the faceplate and all the water is diverted from all the other jets to this one.
Good luck with the project!