Hot Tub Parts

Hot Tub Parts

A hot tub is a deceptively complex piece of equipment. That hot, swirling, bubbling water you enjoy so much is the result of many different processes that all come together in just the right way. Like any machinery, the various components have lots of parts, and parts always wear out eventually. Here is an explanation of two of the major parts of hot tubs that you should assume will need to be fixed or replaced if you keep your spa for years.

Water Filtration

Every hot tub, Jacuzzi, and spa includes a water filtering system. These are usually simple in terms of the apparatus and the actual filter, although some of the more expensive hot tubs can have highly specialized filtration systems. The main components of any filter system include the housing, the filter cartridge, and the lines that bring in and send out the water. You should inspect and clean these components regularly to ensure long life and properly cleaned water. Expect to replace the cartridge every year or so, even if you're diligent about cleaning it.

Heater

Your hot tub's heater is the most complex component of all the parts in the entire system (especially electric heaters). Many parts can break or wear out over time. One of the most common problems occurs because of handling the heater's exposed parts too roughly. There is an electrical terminal where the electricity is applied to the heater element (connected to the cold pin). The cold pin passes down into the heater's main water tube and contacts the actual heating element (coil) inside, which then heats the water as it flows through and out to the hot tub.

There is an end seal that separates the cold pin's exposed end and its interior section, and this seal can break down over time. Attempting to fix the seal can cause a bigger problem when hot tub owners fail to use two wrenches to loosen and tighten the terminal nut, which is connected to the exposed end of the cold pin. This nut is threaded, but the lower terminal hex nut is permanently affixed to the cold pin. Failing to use a second wrench to hold the terminal hex in place while unscrewing the terminal nut causes the cold pin to move, sometimes violently, and can seriously damage both the pin and the heating coil inside the water line tube. This can result in an expensive problem and can mean having to buy a brand-new heater.

Get professional help if you aren't 100% sure of what you're doing when it comes to dealing with your hot tub's more intricate parts, especially the heater.

Click here for more hot tub parts.