Spill-Over spa with automatic cover

[gtapoolguy]

New to pools, have a few questions regarding spill-over spas used in conjunction with an automatic safety cover.

- Can the spa AND the pool recycle water while the automatic safety cover is on? I plan on having the safety cover on the pool when it is not in use so will be turning off the spillover feature; however, does this mean I also have to turn off circulation to either pool or spa? concern is that water will not stay clean.
- Are there any concerns with suction in a spa with young kids?
- Is a spillover spa water heated well above the pool (can its heat be set at a different level?) Not sure how this can happen if the pool and spa share the same returns?
- Does the spa use extra electricity to pump water or is it simply the pool pump itself pushing the water through?


As you can see, I know little to nothing about it so any help or basic primer would be very useful (couldn't find much online)

Thanks

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

The pool can certainly circulate while the cover is on. Spa circulation depends on how the cover is designed. They should have allowed space for the spa spill over to work even with the cover closed, but I have seen that done wrong.

All of the drains presumably have entrapment prevention, so there shouldn't be a problem even with kids.

When in spillover mode the spa is at the same temperature as the pool. The spa is only heated when in spa mode (which does not spillover).

The spa normally runs on the same pump as the pool for circulation. It only uses "extra" electricity when in spa mode, which you normally only do if you are using it.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Can you post a picture of your pool and cover. I can't imagine how it fits together and would love to see.

 

[gtapoolguy]

It's a safety cover so can't imagine a hole in it for spillover. Can the pool and spa both circate with the spillover turned off?

 

[JasonLion]

No, they need to exchange water, which requires the spillover. The pool will be fine either way, but the spa needs the spillover.

I have certainly seen safety covers that leave a cutout and/or a mesh panel for the spillover, so it is possible.