There were 2 attempts to schedule an appointment with the Thermospa repairman. One no show and another no show at the appointment time but he showed up on a totally different day when I wasn't home. And - he claimed to have looked at the tub but it was running fine for him. Uh huh.
Eventually, the electrician who wired my house replaced the circuit breaker and removed the air blower pump as it was showing a fault. However, when the pump was looked at by a local repairman - no fault could be found.
We reinstalled the pump and it's been running fine - until a couple of weeks ago.
The tub tripped again but this time the circuit breaker wouldn't reset.
Hmmmmm . . . .
Tried to call my electrician - but his phone number is no longer in service.
What gives?
So - called my builder and he happened to have his new electrician with him right there on a job. Made an appointment with Tim Gautier and he came to the house right on time yesterday.
In short order he tracked down the trip fault to the same air blower pump. When we pulled it out - you could smell where the motor was burned up.
Today I got on line and the pump manufacturer has an easy to use web site - Acura Spa. The air blower was listed right where it should be and I was able to place the order on line. Within 10 minutes I had an email reply from a sales person confirming the order. The correct PW type plug will be connected to the pump and it will be shipped tomorrow.
Now that is what I call a quick resolution to the problem.
Thermospas charges something like $100 per hour plus $50 initial charge or whatever - I can't recall exactly, but it's a lot. And my past experience was not good - hell - I never even saw the Thermospa technician since he was a no show - and he didn't diagnose the problem when he was purportedly here.
Tim charged me $40 for the service call. The pump, with shipping is $110. And it will be really simple for me to plug it in and connect it to the tub plumbing.
The total cost will be less than a service visit alone from Thermospas.
One good thing from the last go round with the hot tub. Danny and his crew had to lift the tub out of it's deck recess to get to the side where the pumps are. The side panels are held on by a screws in a column - which you can't access the bottom ones when the tub is in it's recessed spot.
Before we put the tub back - I removed all the bottom screws (28). So this time - I only had to remove the upper 2 screws in each panel column and was able to slide the side panels up and out - along with the insulation boards. Simple and easy.
The tub is only recessed about 6 inches. It makes it easy to step into and out of the tub without wood steps. And now being able to remove the side panels (without lifting the tub) - access and maintenance is a snap.
I can't believe Tim solved this problem in one short 45 minute visit.
When the new pump arrives, I estimate it will take me all of 15 minutes to install it. Actually, the pump itself only needs to be positioned at the end of the air conduit, a set screw tightened and plugged in to the control / power box. The real time is spent removing and replacing the side panels.
The tub is operational as is. In fact - the air blower was an option. Which frankly, I don't use all that much. Too powerful on the bubble jets which, ah, kind of hurt if you're sitting in the wrong spot. :-0
Actually, I could have just left the blower off. But there's a button for it on the control panel - so what the hay.
Instant Addendum
Got an email at 6:10 local time; 3:10 California time - the plug has been wired onto the pump and it's already been picked up for shipment by UPS.
Between Tim Gautier and the pump manufacturer - WOW!
Thermospas and former electrician only farked around with this (bleep)damn thing for weeks and weeks and weeks last time.
1 comment:
This comes up on the first result page for Google when you search for "Thermospa":
http://thermospa.pissedconsumer.com/
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