OT: hot tub buying advise

Jackal · Since 17 Dec 2005 147 Posts WS Stoked

I bought a 1 year used Bullfrog in The Dalles a few years back for $2K (screaming deal- foreclosure). Replaced my 20 year old leaky pos tub. Electric bill went up $15 a month with the Bullfrog compared to my old tub, which was costing about $40 a month.

I'm just a happy user.

4Stringer/KipWinger · Since 27 Apr 2005 541 Posts Hood River Addicted

LP · Since 05 Apr 2007 115 Posts HR Stoked

I have a 2006 Dimension 1 Californian with a lifetime-guaranteed liner in great working order that I'd like to sell.
It's 400 gallons, so might be too big for you and it might but can't hurt to ask...

moondog · Sun Oct 28, 12 9:02 am

I bought a Bullfrog from Maupins in the Dalles 8 years ago. I use Natural Spa enzymes so I don't deal with bromide chemicals. High quality tub. Since I'm the one mostly using it, the enzymes are perfect. If you have kids and hottub parties you will need chemicals. My bill increased about$10 a month.

pdxmonkeyboy · Mon Oct 29, 12 1:37 pm

Running a 240 circuit to your new tub is going to cost about $100 not 2k or whatever the crazy quote was. You can make room in your service panel by replacing single pole breakers with 1/2 width ones. thus freeing up two slots for the double pole 240 breaker.

30 amp b240 reaker = $8.
20-30 feet of 10 gauge wire (I can't imaging it pulls more than 30 amps)= $25
Breaker box/service panel at the tub = $30
Plastic conduit and fittings= $30.

Cheers.

toddjb · Since 16 Oct 2007 271 Posts MD Obsessed

Hein · Since 08 Mar 2005 1314 Posts Possessed

It's a piece of bubble wrap which floats on and covers the water to reduce evaporation.

As an alternative, floating polypropylene balls are commonly used in industry to reduce evaporation and maintain temperature in open tanks.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#polypropylene-hollow-balls/=jy5xch

Or stop by McDonalds and ask where they get the balls for the play pit.

T Hellmann · Since 31 Oct 2012 1 Posts United States New Member

If you are looking for a wood hot tub (we built the Hot Tub Time Machine): wood fired, electric or gas heated I can help you out. I am the GM for Snorkel Hot Tubs in Seattle and can hook you up with the NW kite bro deal. 1-800-962-6208 Cheers!

melokitegirl · Since 28 Oct 2008 396 Posts Where the wind blows Obsessed

I had a cedar "snorkel tub". It was the best! I have great memories of all the people who would come & hang out, tub and listen to great music. It was at a Crystal Mtn. cabin I lived in. Just stoke it, then add a log now and then. I used an oar to stir it as the water on top is hot and down below is freezing. There are no benches to sit on so we put in a few "2 man rocks" to sit on. God, I miss that place. Log cabin on the river. My heat was a woodstove, and so was my oven. The only down side was if the fire went out, the mornings were so cold we would huddle in the bathroom with a small electric heater eating our cereal while sitting on the hopper & edge of bathtub. I could still live like that. It was magic.

My vote is the cedar tub.

4Stringer/KipWinger · Since 27 Apr 2005 541 Posts Hood River Addicted

Thank you for all of the helpful advise. I appreciate it. Gotta chicken and cat who'll be frequenting the tub, so I'll likely go-with a model which can handle what naturally flows...

Sella · Thu Nov 01, 12 11:52 am

The cat is growing and I didn't know you had the chicken.....but those chicken legs are classic. Smile

Congrats!

Sasquatch · Since 09 Mar 2005 2102 Posts PNW Bigfoot

Great photo. . . if size of feet are any indication of future growth/size, well then that chicken is going to be HUGE!

melokitegirl · Since 28 Oct 2008 396 Posts Where the wind blows Obsessed

Love the costume!! SOOO Cute!

kitezilla · Since 22 Jun 2006 453 Posts gorge Obsessed

RideSwell · Since 03 Nov 2012 2 Posts New Member

I am currently building a cedar wood fired Hot Tub. Thought maybe a few of you would be interested in the build. So instead of throwing up pages of pics here I created a blog to document the process. If you are interested check it out. It should be completed in the next few weeks.

http://www.rideswell.blogspot.com/

P.M. me with any questions. I could send my plans to any fellow NWKiter wanting to take on the project.

RideSwell · Since 03 Nov 2012 2 Posts New Member

Finished dry fitting the tub. Just add Water...

rexsfour · Since 19 Aug 2011 14 Posts Tacoma

I decided to buy one 2 years ago so l looked at used ones but everyone wanted so much for a crappy tub with no warranty and I had to move it myself. Here is what I did. I went to the fair on the last day that is when they are selling the display models. I made them pretty much fight each other for my money and it worked. I ended up getting a 7’ 7 person hot tub with the colors I wanted from clear water. The warranty is a 5 year parts and labor and 20 year on shell and Clearwater is a northwest company so its local to me. I got the genesis automatic bromine generator. Basically I don’t worry about most the chemicals since the device does most the stuff for me. I just shock it and check PH levels once a month (this is biased on my use of the hot tub). The water is soft and doesn’t smell like chlorine. I only have to change the water once a year. I think I saw my bill go up about 25-30 a month and it did cost 900 for a contractor to run power to it ( I should have done this myself but I just wanted to use it). Here is my tub http://www.clearwaterspas.com/index.cfm/product/57_8/xs93l---signature.cfm
Crap almost forgot the price MSRP is 11,500 and the genesis upgrade was 1500. I got it out the door and to my house for 5500. Happy hot tub hunting and I say go for one with a lounge chair.