Decision made - finally - Nordic Encore LS (2020 model) - electrical question please

[Newdude]

Have you checked FB marketplace ? I just searched them on the OfferUp app but there weren’t many for sale by me at the moment. I have seen many gently used beasts for about $5k.

Wellness stuff but then again I guess I am not really going to get a big time tub with a small budget

This is my mental dillema. I didn’t realize my left-alot-be-desired tub was up to $3k. The last I saw it, it was $2k at the reputable places and $1500 if you ordered from a bulk place. Covid strikes again I guess.

Spending that much to me would then make me want to find a big tub that was used. You should be able to feel the disappointment from someone who spent $12k on a tub and used it 6 times over 2 years. Even better is if it was babied and winterized half that time. Maybe it went green on them a few times and they gave up. Nothing some ahhsome can’t fix.

Anywho, I’d probably go that way. If you’re really having doubts get it looked over before you buy it.

best luck either way and keep us posted.

 

[GCS]

Have you checked FB marketplace ? I just searched them on the OfferUp app but there weren’t many for sale by me at the moment. I have seen many gently used beasts for about $5k.

This is my mental dillema. I didn’t realize my left-alot-be-desired tub was up to $3k. The last I saw it, it was $2k at the reputable places and $1500 if you ordered from a bulk place. Covid strikes again I guess.

Spending that much to me would then make me want to find a big tub that was used. You should be able to feel the disappointment from someone who spent $12k on a tub and used it 6 times over 2 years. Even better is if it was babied and winterized half that time. Maybe it went green on them a few times and they gave up. Nothing some ahhsome can’t fix.

Anywho, I’d probably go that way. If you’re really having doubts get it looked over before you buy it.

best luck either way and keep us posted.

Will do. And yeah been checking FB and CL for sure. Finding things out there but many of there are 10+ years old and folks still want 5-7k and I have to drive 4-6 hours away. Richmond, VA isn't exactly a hot bed I guess for the used tub market, LOL.

example - Log into Facebook

This one is WAY bigger than we need but probably in good shape and maybe not a terrible deal at 5k about 2 1/2 to 3 hours from me not accounting for the delays of DC traffic, uggh.

or this one Log into Facebook

more money for a smaller tub and no idea on age, model etc but at least looks nice

and this one Log into Facebook

4 hours away but its 14 years old and still 4k, seems high to me but what do I know.

probably not too much to worry about on this one if it really is only 1 year old but is $7500 out of line?

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It's a hot springs at least but $8300?? I guess if it was a 15k+ tub maybe but then again a 15k+ tub is not really what we would need to begin with


Again checking these out is not really possible unless I can find a tech in the area I can pay to do it for me and then make a deal and pay to have it moved which from these distances would get costly and negating any sort of deal that is out there.

All the local dealers want to do is sell new (and I get that of course) but its either 12+ month wait and its still 10-12k+ or buy something we do have (not much to choose from) and its you guessed it 10-12k plus -- these are things like a Sundance Montclair (almost 14k) or Marquis Vector 21 (13k)

I believe the aqua living people have tubs in stock but they are all the "cheap" brands that folks say stay away from, once again what do I know.

 

[RDspaguy]

Even better is if it was babied and winterized half that time.

Being empty is harder on a spa than being full, assuming the ph is kept in range and there are no leaks. The guy that says "it was working when we winterized it x years ago" is selling you a full rebuild.
See it full and running or be prepared for big repairs. Bad jet gaskets mean the dump for most full foam spas, as does freeze damage. These are the tubs that someone gets paid to haul away, and I get for free from them to save them the dump fee. Unless you have done this type of work before, you want nothing to do with a leaker, and you definitely don't want to pay for it.

 

[GCS]

Being empty is harder on a spa than being full, assuming the ph is kept in range and there are no leaks. The guy that says "it was working when we winterized it x years ago" is selling you a full rebuild.
See it full and running or be prepared for big repairs. Bad jet gaskets mean the dump for most full foam spas, as does freeze damage. These are the tubs that someone gets paid to haul away, and I get for free from them to save them the dump fee. Unless you have done this type of work before, you want nothing to do with a leaker, and you definitely don't want to pay for it.

nope I sure as heck do not - why can't I live closer to you, lol

 

[Newdude]

Being empty is harder on a spa than being full, assuming the ph is kept in range and there are no leaks. The guy that says "it was working when we winterized it x years ago" is selling you a full rebuild.

Sorry I wasn’t clear about that part. I’d want to see it running or it would have to be free.

The winterized part was to mean it was properly stored for a chunk of its life.

 

[Newdude]

probably not too much to worry about on this one if it really is only 1 year old but is $7500 out of line?

Not if the others are fairly worth their asking price. (Which I don’t believe they are). 15 years on any kind of machinery and you are getting into discontinued/obsolete parts.

The $7500 would be a much better buy to me, even with stretching the budget. *IF* it wasn’t $7000 brand new a year ago.

I bet the people who are downsizing to a condo will drop their price like a brick a few weeks before the move. Bookmark that one and keep an eye on it.

 

[RDspaguy]

believe the aqua living people have tubs in stock but they are all the "cheap" brands that folks say stay away from, once again what do I know.

You know more and more with every post in your thread.
The "cheap" brands are often easier to fix because they are not full of foam and proprietary parts. They are often disappointing because they have small jets and low power pumps, and they won't last 20+ years like a top end tub, but they are a fine choice for your first tub. It is the box store or tent sale/home show that I advise people to avoid, as you will have 0 support from your "dealer", the local dealers won't touch it, and you will have to find an independent repair guy to fix it, which is tough in many places.
Also, beware the "free delivery" as this is often done by a truck driver who will bring it to the end of your driveway and hassle you about how long it takes you to get it off of his truck, since he is not a spa delivery guy and has no equipment or crew to move it. The fact that he is 37 hours late and your spa mover long since charged you and left doesn't matter a bit.

can't I live closer to you, lol

In my experience, and contrary to tfp dogma, there are honest, hard working pool and spa techs all over, you just have to look for them. Knowledge comes with experience, so they won't be young or working behind a counter, but they are out there.
Unfortunately, the know nothing part swappers are out there too, so look around for the good ones. Call dealers/ pool stores and ask who they recommend. If you suck, you will not get referrals for long. Nobody recommends someone who might get them yelled at and bad mouthed just for dropping a name.

 

[GCS]

You know more and more with every post in your thread.
The "cheap" brands are often easier to fix because they are not full of foam and proprietary parts. They are often disappointing because they have small jets and low power pumps, and they won't last 20+ years like a top end tub, but they are a fine choice for your first tub. It is the box store or tent sale/home show that I advise people to avoid, as you will have 0 support from your "dealer", the local dealers won't touch it, and you will have to find an independent repair guy to fix it, which is tough in many places.
Also, beware the "free delivery" as this is often done by a truck driver who will bring it to the end of your driveway and hassle you about how long it takes you to get it off of his truck, since he is not a spa delivery guy and has no equipment or crew to move it. The fact that he is 37 hours late and your spa mover long since charged you and left doesn't matter a bit.


In my experience, and contrary to tfp dogma, there are honest, hard working pool and spa techs all over, you just have to look for them. Knowledge comes with experience, so they won't be young or working behind a counter, but they are out there.
Unfortunately, the know nothing part swappers are out there too, so look around for the good ones. Call dealers/ pool stores and ask who they recommend. If you suck, you will not get referrals for long. Nobody recommends someone who might get them yelled at and bad mouthed just for dropping a name.

yeah 100% not going to get anything at a home show, no way. I might contact the aqua living guys just to see what they say/do. I have checked out at least 4 different local shops (ie went in) and talked at least 4 others by phone or email within an hour of me so yeah I learn more and more each time.

I do agree that one of the cheap spas might not be a bad start. Of course getting a nice used hot springs, sundance, etc I think would be better if I can get one that is verified working and I can get it moved/relocated.

The one I initially posted I figured was a good deal at $500 even if I had to replaced all the main parts I figured I would be in around 2-2500 even with moving it but I took too long to make up my mind. You snooze you lose, lol.

 

[A.O.]

If

Lol just finished dinner myself. Got to meet my daughter’s boyfriend tonight. Always an adventure haha

The wife always told me to be cleaning my guns when the girls brought new boyfriends home!

 

[A.O.]

I've had 5-7 hut tubs over the years (we moved a lot) one was bought at a "home show" at the fair. The one delivered had a slightly different jet arrangement than I remembered it having but we took delivery anyway. They brought it out, set it on my concrete pad, and it worked perfect for 9 years till we moved and left it with the house. I'm thinking don't discount a home show completely, just make sure you ask the right questions and get the correct answers.

 

[A.O.]

Nice thread, and you seem to be learning a lot on your journey.. good luck to you. Buy the best you can afford, buying a cheap hot tub to start might ruin an otherwise great affair you might have with the hot tub experience. We bought our first about 25 years ago and have always had a hot tub ever since!!
In fact I just got back in from the hot tub, it was raining , hence the umbrella...

 

[GCS]

Nice thread, and you seem to be learning a lot on your journey.. good luck to you. Buy the best you can afford, buying a cheap hot tub to start might ruin an otherwise great affair you might have with the hot tub experience. We bought our first about 25 years ago and have always had a hot tub ever since!!
In fact I just got back in from the hot tub, it was raining , hence the umbrella...

nice tub! And yeah I have learned a lot (been searching reading for a while now). The issue I am running into now is just pure $$ and that everything I read seems to go against what I had been reading before. What I mean by that is I go searching for info on certain brands and/or models that I thought were ok and to find lots of bashing which has me questioning what I have been reading all along. I know there are lots of cheap(er) chinese made tubs out there that have been rebranded by others and sold all over the place and it seems some are ok but most are not (i.e. are good for a while but won't last but about 5 years or they suck right from the get go). Heck even some of the bigger name brands out there you can find plenty of unhappy people and bashers.

Its just gotten to be overwhelming. Don't mind starting with a cheaper tub for now and replacing in few years to prove we will enjoy/use it. We want something better than an inflatable but its almost like spend $600 on an inflatable, 5k on a POS that we will hate day one or we gotta drop 13k etc. I feel like there is no middle ground. Not only that but I swear I just feel like I can't trust anything I read or the people I talk to (and just about every dealer I spoke with or met I felt like I needed a shower afterwards). Ehh I am just ranting now due to frustration but I will continue the journey and eventually I hope to find what works for us.

Thx for you advice

 

[cranbiz]

The lady did you a favor. Hudson Bay is the lower end line of the Dr Wellness tubs, a LPI product. LPI make el cheapo spa's with minimal insulation, Falsely inflated jet counts, questionable plumbing and horrible after sales support. The factory often refuses to sell the end user parts, the dealers sub out service.

When I was buying mine, I went to an Aqua Living outlet. High pressure, unable to look under the hood, wouldn't answer questions about servicing, just said they would take care of it. The shell is cradle supported which means a thinner shell that more reputable brands.

 

[A.O.]

So , you mention an inflatable, I've done that twice (did not count them in my hot tub count though) When we first bought this house there was no deck or anything so we bought a temporary inflatable, Inntex if I remember correctly , it worked ok and maintained temp pretty well but if it was cold out it cooled off pretty quick while you were in there. Got our pool put in with a concrete slab around (same as in the picture above) bought a Baja tub which worked well for 5 years till a lightning strike cooked it, that was right at the beginning of covid and no tubs to be had anywhere!! Finally ordered our new Cal Spa (the one in the pic) but it was to be about 5 months to get it. So.. we bought another inflatable to hold us over, we LIKE our hot tubs! It was a Coleman and the heater unit looked identical to our other inflatable but it had a timer set up on it.. what a disaster!!
Anyway the reason for this post is we have done both inflatables (2) and "real" hot tubs and I just want to say if you get an inflatable it is NOT a true test of a hot tub, NOT AT ALL! No seats, no real jets, just a bubbler (which cools the water quickly) so you cant really think of it as a hot tub (no offense to those that love their inflatables) but there is really no comparing the two, do not be told otherwise. They are mainly just soaker tubs, and not real good at that either.

 

[RDspaguy]

I'm thinking don't discount a home show completely,

Sometimes local dealers will set up at a home show, and that is no different than going to their store. It's the big, out of town "parking lot/ tent sale" people that are a problem, and they are also at the home show. But when you see a commercial for a "huge spa sale", "blowout", "factory direct", etc.. those guys will be gone before the ink is dry and good luck to you.

find lots of bashing

People get paid good money to bash the competition online. It's a job. Plus the folks who have an honest issue but a bad dealer will invariably bash the spa brand along with the dealer. Then there are the folks who destroy their own spa through gross misuse and lousy chemistry but blame everyone else because THEY couldn't POSSIBLY have done any wrong, their chemistry has always been PERFECT. As a repair man I can tell you that everyone THINKS they take good care of their spa, but few actually do.
The truth of the matter is that there are only a few ways to build a portable spa, and really only a few places that build them. Similarly priced tubs will be similarly built, with some minor variation, and of similar quality.
It's like buying a vehicle. You won't get a class A rv for the price of a scooter. Anyone who thinks they will is going to be disappointed, and go online to bash the scooter for not being an rv, and the manufacturer for not making rvs at scooter prices. Most of what you read online and watch on youtube is bs, and the "you get what you pay for" adage applies to service as well as product.

5k on a POS that we will hate day one

You will only hate it if your expectations are too high for the pricetag, or you have a lousy (or non-existent) dealer. I see low end tubs all the time that the owners love, and pay to repair. Happy people don't go online with 43 minute videos describing their lack of problems.

 

[GCS]

Sometimes local dealers will set up at a home show, and that is no different than going to their store. It's the big, out of town "parking lot/ tent sale" people that are a problem, and they are also at the home show. But when you see a commercial for a "huge spa sale", "blowout", "factory direct", etc.. those guys will be gone before the ink is dry and good luck to you.


People get paid good money to bash the competition online. It's a job. Plus the folks who have an honest issue but a bad dealer will invariably bash the spa brand along with the dealer. Then there are the folks who destroy their own spa through gross misuse and lousy chemistry but blame everyone else because THEY couldn't POSSIBLY have done any wrong, their chemistry has always been PERFECT. As a repair man I can tell you that everyone THINKS they take good care of their spa, but few actually do.
The truth of the matter is that there are only a few ways to build a portable spa, and really only a few places that build them. Similarly priced tubs will be similarly built, with some minor variation, and of similar quality.
It's like buying a vehicle. You won't get a class A rv for the price of a scooter. Anyone who thinks they will is going to be disappointed, and go online to bash the scooter for not being an rv, and the manufacturer for not making rvs at scooter prices. Most of what you read online and watch on youtube is bs, and the "you get what you pay for" adage applies to service as well as product.

You will only hate it if your expectations are too high for the pricetag, or you have a lousy (or non-existent) dealer. I see low end tubs all the time that the owners love, and pay to repair. Happy people don't go online with 43 minute videos describing their lack of problems.

Well said. I think it may be a situation where I have read too much. Much like many other subjects for every bad piece of info I can find someone or something to contradict it. Same goes for Amazon reviews - 10k positive reviews but 3k negative ones for something but your can't trust any of them especially with people getting paid to post the reviews with incentives or with the product being free.

Truth be told if I could find a decent used tub not too far from here I think that would be the way to go - yes finding a tech will be even tougher @RDspaguy you make house calls to the east coast, lol).

For example this looks and sounds good but no idea on age, model, specs etc. Its about 4 hours from me.

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This one is about 90 mins away but as I mentioned on the others above $6500 for a 6 year old spa??

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Things in my area all look like this and while it wouldn't intimidate you it sure does me - Log into Facebook

 

[Newdude]

*. To echo @RDspaguy Yeah yeah. I’m agreeing with the pro that knows WAY more than me……. Big whoop, right ?

but I didnt mean to come off as bashing my starter tub. (Nor do I think you took it that way). I just wanted you to go in eyes wide open so that you could make the best decision for now. If you go in knowing the drawbacks full well, You’ll be drying your tears with $100s.

 

[A.O.]

A.O. said:
I'm thinking don't discount a home show completely,

RDspaguy says: Sometimes local dealers will set up at a home show, and that is no different than going to their store. It's the big, out of town "parking lot/ tent sale" people that are a problem, and they are also at the home show. But when you see a commercial for a "huge spa sale", "blowout", "factory direct", etc.. those guys will be gone before the ink is dry and good luck to you.

I agree completely.. got to know who/what you are dealing with, I should have been a little clearer..

 

[RDspaguy]

you make house calls to the east coast, lol).

If you've got that kind of money I do, but then you wouldn't need me.
I don't do all that social media bs, this forum is as close as I get to fakebook and all that, so your links are not available to me. If you want my input, you'll need to go about it a different way.

 

[GCS]

If you've got that kind of money I do, but then you wouldn't need me.
I don't do all that social media bs, this forum is as close as I get to fakebook and all that, so your links are not available to me. If you want my input, you'll need to go about it a different way.

apologies.

here are some of them (just s screen shot basically)