HERE. WE. GO!!! Yeah, I did that.... just sayin.....

[Flawed]

<<<<<< Smartest move I ever made for my pool/spa. TF100 a close second.... Just saying..

so i saw this ad......
Hot Tub (cover, pump, filter, gazebo) - $200 (East Louisville)
This is a great deal! This hot tub seats six. It comes with the everything that is pictured: hot tub, hot tub cover, pump, filter, gazebo. You dismatle and move. It had small hole but has been patched and works fine.

so I went and looked at it. The pump, filter, and heater (extra $50 bucks for the heater) were all stationed in the garage. They had never seen weather. It all looked brand new to me. Maybe even unused. The spa was clean, the cover was good. The wood was still in good shape. All it looked like it needed was maintenance. so i pulled a couple of boards off the side, and took a look under it. sand?? there's sand under there?? The pipes and whatnot run thru the sand. So I stood there looking at it for awhile. Told the guy I'd call him back if i wanted it. Mulled it over for about four, five hours.... then pulled the trigger. Called the guy and met him for the transfer of funds. Signed the bill of sale. The story I got was, he was recently divorced (last winter) and hasn't used it since. used it for a while before that, nothing heavy, just him and the wife. Kept the maintenance up on it til the divorce. It all works. The heater is a monster. huge. The filter/pump system looks to be a pentair.

well, i bought it, now i gotta dismantle/move it. any ideas on how that happens?? I've never dismantled a half inset hot tub. I've moved the standalones a bunch, but never this kind. How do I start? I think i have a plan for the gazebo/wall/wood stuff. But how the heck do I unbury this tub??

I've never owned a tub before, so go ahead, tell me what a dork I am for buying this POS. It's probably fifty years old, i'll never find parts, and there's mice living in the control box. I'll know more after I go over it tomorrow like I own it. 'cause I do.

so hidee ho neighbors... there's a new tub owner in town!!!

 

[techguy]

Looks like it's in nice condition. Have fun!

 

[elwood58]

That is going to look great with your burnt orange shag carpet

Color scheme dates it a little, but it looks like it is in pretty fair shape. Have fun.

 

[Flawed]

<<<<<< Smartest move I ever made for my pool/spa. TF100 a close second.... Just saying..

Looks like it's in nice condition. Have fun!

Thanks!! I *really* hope it is.... (fingers crossed)

 

[techguy]

Did you Google up a disco ball to go with it?

 

[Flawed]

<<<<<< Smartest move I ever made for my pool/spa. TF100 a close second.... Just saying..

welp, went and tore it down today.Tear down went really well. Didn't get the gazebo or wall done, just got the filter/pump/blower, heater, and the tub out of the sand. Cracked a few pvc fittings, but i didn't hurt the jets. The controls were dry rotted, don't know if I'll be able to save 'em. The heater is Natural Gas, the propane conversion kit is *way* too much $$. So, if you know anyone that wants a gas heater, tell 'em to get at me. I'm not gonna use it. The filter/pump/blower and heater were in a garage, so they are in *great* condition. Just needs a cleaning up. Here's the specs:

Main circuit breaker / timer / speed control for both air and water:
"The System" control box
Model SS220XBF
230 volts AC, 13.1 amps, 1 phase
Mfg. by Sta-Rite Industries, Delavan Wisconsin

Pool filter:
Sta-Rite "Posi-Flo" pool filter
Model T-70TXR
Effective filter area 70 ft2
Maximum working pressure 50 psi
Mfg. by Sta-Rite Industries, Delavan Wisconsin

Water Pump:
"Dura-Glas H/L" pool/spa pump
Model C48L2P104
1.5 horsepower, 2 speed
230 volts AC, 9.2 amps, 1 phase
Mfg. by A. O. Smith Corp., Mebane NC

Blower:
Santanna
By Conger Bros
(haven't found much info)

 

[Flawed]

<<<<<< Smartest move I ever made for my pool/spa. TF100 a close second.... Just saying..

so now I'm off to figure out a heating system for the tub. Any ideas?? Solar? Electric? Wood?

Been looking at electric heaters, I can get it in for under $200.
Seen some youtube videos on solar, that looks easy.
Looked at some videos of some 'redneck' wood burning heaters too, that's possible....

I'm $200 into it so far, i'm trying to keep it under $500 total.
In the end, I want to have a pool, and a spa for under $1000.

Prolly going to be the only way the wife will say "good job"..

 

[MikeInNH]

I've seen some heaters made out of copper coils inside an old gas grill. The imagination is endless.

 

[linen]

What climate do you live in? Are you going to heat all year round?

Electric will be the cheapest upfront, but if you have easy access to gas, that will likely be cheaper in the long run (but often doesn't pay back for hot tubs).

Solar is very hard for hot tubs, since most tubers have an exact temp they want it at (mine is 101F in winter).

 

[Flawed]

<<<<<< Smartest move I ever made for my pool/spa. TF100 a close second.... Just saying..

I'm in Louisville, Ky. Pretty weird around here, temp wise. We're in a valley. Been dry this year, not much of a winter. Hot as all get out this summer.

The PO gave me a box as I was leaving today. "Here's some chemicals I had for the Spa"..... Jeez dude, you *really* have to get out of the pool store.... This is ridiculous......

the test kit is an "omni DPD pool/spa"....

I'll check the dates on most of it, probably junk it all.....

 

[Flawed]

<<<<<< Smartest move I ever made for my pool/spa. TF100 a close second.... Just saying..

Ok, I'm looking for electric heater recommendations. Here's what I'm thinking:

Something like this???

 

[Flawed]

<<<<<< Smartest move I ever made for my pool/spa. TF100 a close second.... Just saying..

Got the hot tub moved, framed, wired in, plumbed in. Didnt do anything fancy, or finished, just wanted to see if the dang thing even works. I've got a few drips, but nothing spectacular like I was expecting... :-D

So, I let Lil T push the "on" button for the first time....
Nothing like Lil T dancing around singing "Peanut butter jelly time!!"

Booya!!

$300 in, and we have motion in the ocean!!!

 

[Flawed]

<<<<<< Smartest move I ever made for my pool/spa. TF100 a close second.... Just saying..

Now I gotta figure out how to HEAT it.....


any suggestions??

 

[Flawed]

<<<<<< Smartest move I ever made for my pool/spa. TF100 a close second.... Just saying..

uhhh I'm leaking from the light housing. It's a Pentair American Products Spabrite/Aqualight.
Pulled the niche, and the housing. Yep, it's definitely rotting at the seals.

Should I replace it with a LED unit, or replace the seals and use the SpaBrite, Or just make a block off plate??
I'm not *real* concerned with having light in the spa. I have plenty of light outside the spa. But hey, It would be nice....

I'm thinking the LED unit is lower voltage, lower energy cost.
The Spabrite is 120v incandescent.
The seals vs. LED vs. block off plate cost is about the same.

 

[BravoRomeo]

If I had to make a choice, I would go with LED. Lower voltage, and it should never burn out if not overdriven. You can get color-changing units to set the mood or otherwise select the perfect color for your spa shell.

Another option is a ColorChlor unit if you were thinking about a SWCG. It includes a bright color-changing LED.

 

[Flawed]

got the gasket for the spa light. fixed it up, it works great!

I've junked this tub, too far gone. heat, lights, nozzle gaskets, gaskets... it's all just too much.

found a '94 cal spa in *much* better shape.

selling the light, the pump/filter/blower/control box from this project.

not a bad first tub, I learned a *ton* about tubs.

this thread is dead, come see me on my Cal Spa thread.

thanks to everyone that contributed.

 

[BravoRomeo]

It's just all too much - yep, I know what you mean. I haven't yet reached the all-too-much level on my Jetsetter project, but it is surprising how all the parts costs add up when you start refurbishing a used tub. I'm about $2500 in now and that's about where I'll stop. Well, OK, I do want to refinish the "Everwood" synthetic exterior.

So, when you see a used tub for sale cheap or free, one must remember the cost of moving, siting, wiring, and replacing/updating any components. Nothing is really "free" is it? I think there is a monthly cost to tubbing just like anything else.

Sounds like you learned a lot on this, and the cost involved in that is what we I've learned to call "tuition." Some things you can't learn in a class or by just reading, but only by doing, and what fun it is. Enjoy your new adventure!

Speaking of which, I was going to get into this tubbing thing by starting with a 150 gallon Rubbermaid plastic stock tank, pump, filter, and a heat exchanger off my home boiler. Would've been a cheap way to start, learn and satisfying in its own way, but for not much more I have a pretty nice HS tub now.