Sunday, June 22, 2008

Hot Tubs - Key Components

Hot Tubs - Key Components
Those of us who regularly use a Hot Tub Jacuzzi know the
very many benefits that one receives and if you have not
tried one then you must take the time out to submerge your
self in the natural warm water therapy to find out what you
are missing. Here are some simple pointers of what goes in
to a Hot Tub and what Hot Tubs consist of.

Shell - The part that contains the water and where you sit
the body of the actual Hot Tub is referred to as the Shell.
A good acrylic shell like one from Lucite or Quarite both
top quality North American manufacturers who have been
around for a long while would be a good idea.

A layer of ABS with proper hand laid glassfibre to provide
added strength and rigidity to the shell is to be
recomended. Some times a cheaper way of production is to
use a fiberglass backing or a high-density polyurethane
foam or sometimes a combination of the two but in my view
that is an outdated mode of construction and less green for
the planet than the system using ABS. The layer of ABS is
much stronger and a better and more modern way to build. I
have heard it say that some makers claim that they use the
foam to keep the noise in the pumps down well all I can
think is that it is a badly designed Tub in the first place
if it makes so much noise that it needs sound proofing.

Cabinet - This was traditionally made of real wood, but
now more and more are made of weather resistant plastic.
The latest cabinets are attractive and maintenance free.
The cabinet contains all the major components of the Hot
Tub such as pumps, plumbing ,motors and heaters, etc.,.
This is what earns the Jacuzzi the discription of being
"portable" the in ground spas are of course not portable
but on all those cases they have a separate pump house away
from the Jacuzzi.

Pumps - Various pumps are used perhaps a separate
circulation pump depending on the design of the Hot Tub.
Pumps are designed to push a high volume of water into
the Jets of the hot tub, creating various hydrotherapy
massage streams. The number of motors and pumps is in
direct relation to the actual size of the Hot Tub the
number of jets and the degree of therapy delivered.

Plumbing - Some careful consideration and calculations
are required in order to be able to assess the water
volumes and the required water flow required. Modern Hot
Tubs will use a manifold plumbing system in order to ensure
efficiency in the plumbing and at the same time keep the
operating noise to a minimum.

Jets - Some Hydro Therapy Jets would be a good idea to
introduce the water into the Hot Tub and here I would
suggest not those simple bullet hole type that are un
adjustable and are merely copied from decades ago but
those that are fully adjustable. I would not buy a Hot Tub
if the majority of the jets were unadjustable for one thing
they can be painful.

This article is not meant tobe exhaustive but designed to
touch on a few key points.


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The author Jacuzzi John (JJ) supplies premium quality
American & European Hot Tubs from Estepona on the Costa Del
Sol in Spain and his web site is at http://www.spas4you.com
email info@spas4you.com

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