Brrr - extreme cold predicted. Question....

[jmfeyzi]

Extremely cold temps are being predicted for our location in the coming days - highs either near zero F or below zero, with nighttime lows between -5 and -15F. And that doesn't include wind chill. Yikes! I likely won't want to venture out to my hot tub, and would like to turn the temp down from my normal 103F to try to save some energy.

Anyone out there with extreme cold experience? Would 90F be a safe setting?? Don't want to have any frozen pipes/pumps.

Any help appreciated!
Jan

 

[mas985]

Anything above (and including) 32F would prevent freezing but I doubt you can actually set it that low so just set the temperature to lowest setting and it should be fine.

 

[dunginhawk]

Or you can do as I do and get in the dang tub haha.. Ive been liking it more the colder it gets...

 

[ajw22]

This may help you ... or confuse you.

The Physics of Freezing and Freeze Protection

BTW, where is your location? Putting your location in your profile helps us give the right advice.

 

[jmfeyzi]

Or you can do as I do and get in the dang tub haha.. Ive been liking it more the colder it gets...

Haha! You have a point! I went in this weekend when the temps were near zero and there was a wicked wind. Was generally OK but it literally started snowing on me when the steam froze - plus my hair got frozen? I'm no wimp when it comes to cold weather usually. Actually did a water change yesterday because it was a 'balmy' 22 degrees and I knew the next couple of weeks would be wicked cold around here.

Jan

 

[jmfeyzi]

This may help you ... or confuse you.

The Physics of Freezing and Freeze Protection

BTW, where is your location? Putting your location in your profile helps us give the right advice.

Thanks for the reminder - I'm pretty new to the forum and have been meaning to do this? I'm in a suburb of Madison, WI.

 

[jmfeyzi]

Anything above (and including) 32F would prevent freezing but I doubt you can actually set it that low so just set the temperature to lowest setting and it should be fine.

Thanks for the info. I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable going below 80 here. Good to know 90, or even 80, is probably OK. The pumps on my spa have some sort of 'winter mode' where they run every two hours if the temp is below a certain point, so I guess that should help. There is also a circ pump/ozonator thst runs 24/7. My concern is that the pipes in the walls of the tub may start to freeze, but the tub seems well insulated so maybe it will be OK.

 

[mas985]

At -15F air temperature, it would take 1.5" pipe 4 hours to freeze (without pump running) and that is with the water starting at 32F.

 

[jmfeyzi]

At -15F air temperature, it would take 1.5" pipe 4 hours to freeze (without pump running) and that is with the water starting at 32F.

Wow, thanks for this calculation! i should be good. Thinking I'll keep the tub at 80 so I don't have too far to get it back to 103.

 

[Kidswimin]

I turn mine down to 80 every week, and back to 104 for the weekend shenanigans. I don't think it will get turned up this weekend

 

[jmfeyzi]

I turn mine down to 80 every week, and back to 104 for the weekend shenanigans. I don't think it will get turned up this weekend

Actually, that sounds like a good plan - the hot tub is relatively new and I've been (not pleasantly) surprised by the energy usage so far. We tend to use it on weekends, also, so dropping it down to 80 during the week would probably be a good idea, at least for the winter. BTW, *LOVE* your avatar?!!!