Portable Hot Tubs and Spa Plumbing Issues

Installing or fixing plumbing in pools and hot tubs is important to make sure the water flow is consistent and safe to bathe in. Many of the indoor hot tub plumbing repairs involve cutting out broken plumbing fittings, and then splicing in new sections of flexible PVC pipe (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvinyl_chloride), which is available in an assortment of different diameters.

Learn how to fix portable hot tub plumbing or leaking issue

In order to maximize the American Spas or Essential Hot Tub water pressure, plumbing lines should be no longer than 35 feet. Another water maximizing trick is to try to avoid any pipe lines that are designed at a 90 degree angle since pipes made with a 90 degree angle will slow the movement of the indoor hot tub water passing through your pools and hot tubs. Instead, look for pipes with 45 degree angles because the water moves more rapidly through pipes designed like this, hence, increasing the water pressure.

Pipe Cutting of your Leaking Hot Tub

Whether you are installing plumbing for the first time or you are fixing a leak in an existing pipe within your American Spas spa or Essential Hot Tub, you will have to be able to cut the pipe. Flexible PVC pipe can be cut in numerous ways. If you can find one, an old-fashioned miter box and back saw works well as does a hack saw with medium size teeth, or a common wood saw can also do the job. However, the best way to go about cutting the pipe is with a PVC blade cutter because it will not leave jagged ends on the pipe being cut. Regardless of what kind of tool you use to cut the indoor hot tub pipe, it’s important to realize that a clean, straight cut is necessary for the best cement joint. When you cut the pools and hot tubs pipe, try to cut smooth square points as evenly as possible to ensure an efficient surface for gluing. Once you are done with all the cuts, do your best to scrape off the burrs from the ends of the pipe. De-burring is simply scraping all the rough edges around the pipe to ensure the fittings will fit much more smooth and snug. Then you are ready to apply primer and glue to the pools and hot tubs plumbing pipes.

How to Put Primer of you hot tub pipe?

When you are attempting to put the primer on the American Spas or Essential Hot Tub pipes, apply it in a circular motion that covers the entire area that will be glued. This will prepare the fittings to get an extra strong hold once the glue is applied. Once the indoor hot tub primer is dry, you are ready to glue, but be careful to not use excess glue to avoid runoff onto other parts of the pools and hot tubs pipe. The glue should only be placed on the ends of the pipes and if excess glue is to occur, be sure to fully wipe it off the areas where it is unnecessary. Then run water or air through the pipes to see if they are ready for use.

Hottubs and Spas Water Trouble Shooting Guide

If you are looking into purchasing hottubs and spas, then at some point you will most likely run into a few problems with your spa and hot tubs water. On this page HotTubsDepot provides you with a useful guide so that you can diagnose and solve your spa and hot tubs water problems as well as prevent future problems.

Problem – Strong spa and hot tubs water odor

Reason:

• Excessive organic contaminants in hottubs and spas
• Old filter
• Build up of un-filterable particles.
• Low sanitizer chemical levels in spa and hot tubs
• Hot tub pH, alkalinity, or calcium hardness is out of balance
• Pool spa water is old and overused

Solution:

• Use a pool spa shock treatment
• Replace/clean filter in your hottubs and spas<
• Use a water clarifier to bring particles together, allowing them to be removed by filter
• Test your hot tub spa chemicals, then adjust if necessary
• Test your spa and hot tubs for ph, alkalinity, and calcium hardness then adjust if necessary
• Change your spas water. You should do this 3-4 times a year, depending on use.

Problem – Strong chlorine odor in hottubs and spas

Reason:

• Chloramines levels are high in spa and hot tubs
• pH is low

Solution:

• Use pool spa shock treatment in hottubs and spas
• Test pH levels and make adjustments if necessary

Problem – Skin irritation and rashes, along with eye irritation and strong pool spa water odor

Reason:

• Spa and hot tubs pH, alkalinity, or calcium is out of balance
• Sanitizer levels are incorrect
• Excessive chloramines or organic contaminants in spa and hot tubs
• Entering pool spa too quickly after adding sanitizer
• •Hottubs and spas water temperatures are too high

Solution

• Test your pool spa water for ph, alkalinity, and calcium then adjust if necessary
• Test your spa and hot tubs chemicals, then adjust if necessary
• Use a shock treatment in hottubs and spas
• Always wait at least 20 minutes with hot tub running before entering
• Decrease water temperatures of spa and hot tubs

Problem – Cloudy green water in your hottubs and spas

Reason:

• Algae build up in spa and hot tubs
• Low sanitizer level in pool spa
• Excessive chloramines or organic contaminants in hottubs and spas

Solution:

• Use a hottubs and spas algaecide product
• Test your pool spa chemicals, then adjust if necessary
• Use a spa and hot tubs ozonator

Problem – Brown, blue, or black discolored water in hottubs and spas

Reason:

• High mineral content in spa and hot tubs
• High levels of iron, manganese or copper
• Breaking down of hottubs and spas metal parts
• Low pH in pool spa
• Low calcium water hardness in hottubs and spas

Solution:

• Add a pool spa demineralizer product to hottubs and spas
• Test pH and calcium water hardness levels, make adjustments if necessary
• Keep spa and hot tubs water filter running continuously
• Check metal parts of hottubs and spas to determine if they are eroding and replace any old parts

Problem – Foaming while jets are running in the pool spa

Reason:

• Soap, hairspray, lotions, makeup & other residues
• Low water calcium hardness in spa and hot tubs

Solution:

• Use a spa and hot tubs defoamer
• Encourage your guests to shower before entering your hot tubs spas to wash away residues
• Test spa and hot tubs water calcium hardness, adjust as necessary
• Change water in pool spa

Problem – Wild pH fluctuation in spa and hot tubs water

Reason:

• Alkalinity level is off in pool spa water
• Your spa and hot tubs has experienced a high volume of people lately
• Excessive sanitizer levels in hottubs and spas
• You are using old pH test strips

Solution:

• Test water alkalinity in pool spa, adjust as necessary
• Add a pH balancer holding product to keep your spa and hot tubs pH consistent
• Remove hot tub cover, and turn on jet system
• Use new pH test strips

Problem – Scum deposit on spa and hot tubs waterline

Reason:

• Soap, hairspray, lotions, makeup & other residue buildups
• Old pool spa filter hottubs and spas

Solution:

• Encourage your guests to shower before entering your spa and hot tubs to wash away residues
• Use a scum cleaning and/or absorbing product
• Replace or clean your pool spa filter

Problem – Scales or stains on pool spa shell

Reason:

• High water mineral levels in pool spa
• Alkalinity level is off in spa and hot tubs

Solution:

• Clean your hottubs and spas shell using one of the many hot tub shell cleaning products available or mix a ½ cup of bleach to every 3 gallons of water and scrub the shell.
• Test water alkalinity in pool spa, adjust as necessary

Hot Tub Pumps

The spa pump is the heart of the discount spas direct entire mechanical system. The pump is in charge of the total water flow of the American Spas and Whirlpool Bathtub, which also helps to keep the spa clean. If the pump is not working properly, then it affects all other aspects of the American Spas and Hotspring spa mechanical system as well. An aging pump is something to keep your eye on. Along with age comes malfunction. Some common Hotspring spa pump malfunctions include abnormal noise, the pump motor turning on and off, and unexpected leaks. First, check to see if there is any debris caught in the pump that maybe be inhibiting its performance. If there is no debris and everything looks as it should, it may be in your best interest to purchase a new pump. There are different types of criteria to acknowledge when purchasing a new discount spas direct pump. First, what type of horsepower do you want? The horsepower will determine how powerful the jets will be, so if you want powerful jets, look for something with higher horsepower. Secondly, think about what kind of American Spas or Whirlpool Bathtub pump speed you want since this will determine how much water is flowing into the tub. Thirdly, you must know the voltage of the American Spas or Whirlpool Bathtub pump to ensure it is compatible with the outlet you are hooking it up to. Also, you must know whether your discount spas direct compatible with either a side discharge or a center discharge. And lastly, it is imperative to know what size pipe your pump fits with considering there is either 1.5 or 2. Knowing these criterions before purchasing will save you both time and money.

One of the most common problems among Whirlpool Bathtub pumps is when the water isn’t flowing freely through the pump. This problem is fairly easy to fix with a procedure called priming.

1. First, you will want to check the water level of your American Spas or Hotspring spa. It is crucial that there is enough water in the discount spas direct for the pump to do its job.
2. Next, you want to locate the water’s path. Majority of the time, it isn’t even the pump that is the problem with insufficient discount spas direct water flow, but it is some other obstruction (such as leaves or dirt) in the main drain that is blocking the water flow. Make sure this is not the case.
3. Then you want to make sure all discount spas direct valves are open and ready for water to flow through them.
4. The fourth step requires you to fill the American Spas or Hotspring spa pump. Be sure to fill it all the way so that no air has room to linger inside.
5. Lastly, turn on the motor. While you do this, also turn on the air relief valve on top of the filter and give the pump at least two minutes to allow the water to flow through it.
6. If the water does not flow through right away, repeat the above five steps. If it doesn’t work the second time, chances are you have an air leak. If this is the case, listen closely for any air sucking noise coming from any of the pipes of your American Spas or Whirlpool Bathtub or look around for any leaks coming from the pipes. Once you find the leak, fix it immediately.

As far as actually replacing the pump, it can get complicated for someone that is not an expert on discount spas direct installation. First you have to make sure all the power is turned off of the Isalnd Escape and Hotspring spa. Then you want to disconnect your old American Spas or Hotspring spa (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_spring) pump by unscrewing the unions on either end of the pump and gently remove it from the spa. Then you will want to remove the cord from your old discount spas direct pump, which can also be used with the new discount spas direct pump when inserting it into the hot tub. Installing the new pump is simply the reversed procedure as disconnecting the old spa pump. The new components should fit exactly in place of the old ones so just screw the new pump in and it should be ready to operate.

Some important pump trouble shooting tasks include:

The American Spas or Hotspring Spa Motor Won’t Start

Look at the breaker panel and electrical supply to see if there are any loose wires. Also, look for any excess dirt that may be on the wires as this can create extra heat on the wires, which will make them melt if it gets hot enough. Just tighten any wires and wipe off any dirt you may find on them.

The Discount Spas Direct Motor Sounds like it’s Working, but Won’t Run

If this is the case, either the impeller is jammed or the capacitor has gone bad. Open up the pump and physically spin the impeller with your finger. If the impeller won’t budge, there is something inside the pump that is inhibiting it. Take apart the pump and find the cause of this. There is Loud Noise and Vibrations Coming From the American Spas or Whirlpool Bathtub Motor

Make sure, where ever your pump is securely fastened to whatever surface it is on. If it is secure, the most likely cause of the noise is worn down bearings. If this is the case, you’ll have to remove the unit and have the motor replaced.