for the first time since taking over my own pool, i'm thinking about putting the solar cover on the spa (no real need to put it on the pool since we're probably not going to use it any time soon i figure, but i use the hot tub a lot and trying to cut back on the energy and time it takes to heat it up when i want to use it). is there anything to watch out for, or any real downside as far as water balance goes to only covering the spa but not the pool?
solar cover on spa but not pool?
- Thread starter crackers8199
- Start date
- May 3, 2014
- 62,738
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Your entire water system is one. Your spa water will balance with the pool water temperature when circulation of the system is used to chlorinate the system.
Get a standalone spa if you want to keep the spa water warm.
Get a standalone spa if you want to keep the spa water warm.
in other words there's no point even putting it on if i don't put it on the pool as well?
my pump only runs on high in the early AM, so i was thinking i'd have the whole day with the solar cover on the spa and the water not circulating (i.e. just helping keep the spa water warm)...
- May 3, 2014
- 62,738
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
No point really of putting it on either unless you are heating the entire system. When you wish to retain heat of the entire system, then you can use a cover.
- Jul 17, 2019
- 4,078
- Pool Size
- 13000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
If you have a valve on your spa spillover function, you can temporarily shut it off and essentially create 2 bodies of water.
I will do this occasionally in the winter if we are going to be using the spa multiple times a day. Something similar to this:
1. Heat and use the spa during the day
2. Shut off the spa overflow valve once done using the spa, essentially separating out the 2 bodies of water
3. Switch to pool mode
4. Switch back to spa mode later in the day or that night. Over Christmas I did this and could get the spa back to temp in just a few mins.
5. Turn the spa overflow valve back on once done using the spa for the day. This will go back to being 1 body of water so that the water that was confined to your spa can be chlorinated and refreshed.
With all of that said, all of the above steps are probably overkill. I have the same heater as you and it costs me about a $1 and less than an hour to heat the spa from winter temp to useable.
I will do this occasionally in the winter if we are going to be using the spa multiple times a day. Something similar to this:
1. Heat and use the spa during the day
2. Shut off the spa overflow valve once done using the spa, essentially separating out the 2 bodies of water
3. Switch to pool mode
4. Switch back to spa mode later in the day or that night. Over Christmas I did this and could get the spa back to temp in just a few mins.
5. Turn the spa overflow valve back on once done using the spa for the day. This will go back to being 1 body of water so that the water that was confined to your spa can be chlorinated and refreshed.
With all of that said, all of the above steps are probably overkill. I have the same heater as you and it costs me about a $1 and less than an hour to heat the spa from winter temp to useable.