Hot Tub Heating Alternatives

[EddieWalker]

I have a hot tub that's about ten years old and it stays on from fall to spring. I've turned it off a few times for repairs that took over a month or more during the winter months and only noticed a $20 drop in my bill. Seems like it would cost more to create another way to heat it then you would save just leaving it on all the time. I also have a very good, and fairly thick top on it, so that helps a lot with keeping the temperature constant.

Eddie

 

[dmccarty]

Interesting Point. Rather then frick around with insulated piping and having to drain the system in the winter, solar panels would be better. No inverter required. Just hook them up to the heating element. Actually, that might be hard to get 240 volts DC! A lot of panels. I just don't like inverters, even though I can get them for free from a friend!

Watt for Watt, on a small system, what is the difference in cost outlay between hot water solar heating and PV Solar? I thought about it, but am not sure I am up to building a hot water solar array.

There are now solar panels that have a small inverter built on the panel so you do not need a big, centralized inverter. There are a couple of companies that are selling micro inverters, Enphase is the name I can remember, Enphase Energy.

I took a solar power class last year and the instructor was a builder who built houses with PV power and hot water generation. I forgot the exact numbers but he said a new solar hot water generation system was $8-10K. What ever the exact number, it was VERY high. I asked him if it would be cheaper to just add some solar PV panels. Since panels are close to $1 a watt, so $5,000 dollars buys a lot of hot water for 20-30 years. I have not crunched the numbers to see if spending $5,000 to heat a hot tub makes money sense vs just using the grid. We would love to have a hot tub but I figured a wood burning model would work for us since we have lots of firewood.

Later,
Dan

 

[Lloyd_E]

What about a snorkel stove...

Hot Tubs, Stoves & Equipment - Separates - Snorkel.com

 

[mbohuntr]

Our hot tub really doesn't seem to cost all that much... The snow doesn't melt on top either. I think the newer models are so well insulated that they cost less to keep on. Really nice at 12 below, you don't feel it if you don't waste too much time putting the cover back on...

 

[Redneck in training]

There are now solar panels that have a small inverter built on the panel so you do not need a big, centralized inverter. There are a couple of companies that are selling micro inverters, Enphase is the name I can remember, Enphase Energy.

I took a solar power class last year and the instructor was a builder who built houses with PV power and hot water generation. I forgot the exact numbers but he said a new solar hot water generation system was $8-10K. What ever the exact number, it was VERY high. I asked him if it would be cheaper to just add some solar PV panels. Since panels are close to $1 a watt, so $5,000 dollars buys a lot of hot water for 20-30 years. I have not crunched the numbers to see if spending $5,000 to heat a hot tub makes money sense vs just using the grid. We would love to have a hot tub but I figured a wood burning model would work for us since we have lots of firewood.

Later,
Dan

We have Enphase invereters on our system. They are grid commutated so they don't work "islanded". You need an inverter with DC voltage control on the surce side for stand allone load such as heating. Then the voltage and current on the load side will be proportional to energy available.

 

[Oaktree]

I have a hard enough time on cool nights making it back alive to the house. Although I imagine the experience of using a hot tub in the winter to be quite enjoyable, I don't know how I would ever find the courage to get out!

I thought that would be the case as well, but as long as you didn't dally too long I found you didn't really feel the cold when you got out. About 15 years ago I was dating someone who had one, and we'd often sit out in it (outside, on her deck) in single-digit temperatures and have no problem getting out & going back inside. It was very cool sitting in it with icicles in my hair but feeling warm as toast!

 

[crowbar032]

My friends in Sweden tell me something wood fired is the in thing to have there.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/21/garden/21hottub.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I built a substantial steel frame for it with fork pockets. I put it away in the winter. I have a hard enough time on cool nights making it back alive to the house. Although I imagine the experience of using a hot tub in the winter to be quite enjoyable, I don't know how I would ever find the courage to get out!

My daughter lives in BC outside Vancouver, they use there hot tub all winter long. Lounge out there sipping their hot buttered rums. He is a mortgage broker and claims the hot tub really soothes him down after a busy day at the office.

Ron

 

[shovelmike]

We used our hot tub year round, the biggest hassle I had was burning out heater elements, very hard water here. It was necessary to keep the water warm around the clock to prevent freezing, makes anything wood fired not practical unless it was integrated with a household wood furnace.
We finally ended up giving ours away after 7 or 8 years of use, the wood in the frame was starting to deteriorate at that point. The recipient was in recovery from a bad on the job injury, and hoping to help with his pain...which I hope it did.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Not sure why, but I have been thinking of the wood fired heater again. Thinking of getting some rock wool and building a second skin for the small stove. Probably all a waste of time. I might have mentioned the annoying smoke getting into the house, in summer with the windows mostly open. HOURMETER TOTAL of the 5000 watt heater was 263 hours last eason.