You’ve owned your hot tub for quite some time now, and while it may still look okay, it might not be performing as well as it used to. If you’ve been needing service more often or having issues with heating, you could have a bad circuit board. If you have a faded topside screen, are getting error codes, or have a system older than 12 years, you may need a new spa retro-fit kit. Not only can Spa Solutions help you to figure out what system you need, but can also install it with our expert touch. It’s important to be well informed, so here’s the scoop on spa retro-fit kits!
Retro-fit kits offer an economical way to upgrade your main spa equipment (spa pack) without breaking the bank. If you were to purchase all the individual parts included in the kit separately, it would cost you significantly more. These kits can also replace very expensive OEM systems (Original Eequipment Manufacturer), in most cases saving you hundreds of dollars. Many of our new models will give you a brighter or colored screen, better features and increased energy efficiency. Don’t buy a new hot tub, fix Old Bessie and give her a new lease on life while keeping more money in your pocket. We work with several major manufacturers to provide only the best spa packs, features and controls.
When we install a retro-fit kit, several key components are replaced.
• Spa Pack: This is the main control system that everything plugs into. You can think of the spa pack as the brain of your hot tub, directing power to the different parts at the right time. Average life expectancy for a spa pack is about 12 years.
• Heater with Sensors: The heater is the star of the show, without it your tub is cool! Heaters are a common failure point in hot tubs because they get so much work. Your sensors read the temperature and water flow, and control when the heater turns on. Eventually they fail, causing improper temperature readings and error codes.
• Power Cords: Each system has its own set of power cords to send voltage from the spa pack to your pumps, blowers and ozonators. Not all systems need the power cords, but a quick inspection of each power cord is required. Any breaks in the wire or rodent damage and the cord will need to be replaced.
• Topside Control Panel: The topside is how you and your spa communicate – you press a button and the spa pack turns that item on. They have LCD and LED displays with backlighting to display temperature and other icons and features, very much like a keyboard and monitor for your computer. We now have models with colored LED screens, and have access to touch screen models.
• Options: For today’s tech savvy bather, we offer Wi-Fi modules that connect to your home router. This will allow you to use an app on your smartphone to set, monitor and control your spa. Support for an Amazon Echo device is on the horizon too.
Spa Solutions can help to diagnose what is needed, and provide an honest estimate. There are cases where replacing with original (oem) equipment will be very expensive and not cost effective. We offer solutions to keep you in hot water, and recommend retro-fit kits in the following situations:
• A failed circuit board that is no longer available
• Upgrading from an older mechanical system to an up-to-date digital system
• A spa pack that has had a dry fire
• Old and outdated systems that lack safety features that are standard today
At Spa Solutions we only install the best in the business – no Chinese knock off systems, and only companies that manufacture in the North American market. The primary brands we work with are:
These companies all produce a quality product that has shown time and again that they are reliable in the field. These all conform to UL standards, with some even having the IPX5 waterproof certification. Our goal is to provide you with the best quality system for your money, and a warranty to back it up. Each vendor offers their own warranties that we pass on to you. Balboa gives a 1 year, while ACC and Gecko are 18 months. Often times these systems will well outlast the warranty before they fail. Quality counts!
There are some cases where it is possible to lose some features, but it’s mostly with older components that are no longer used in the industry.
Things that fall into this category would be:
• Fiber optic lighting, and proprietary lighting that only worked with your old control system*
• Televisions with lift mechanisms
• Misters – misters are considered unsanitary and are no longer used
*While you may loose your original lighting we will always provide solutions. Today’s spas use LED lighting; we can add a new color changing LED bulb, lens or system into most hot tubs.
At Spa Solutions we can bring your spa back to life. We not only provide retro-fit controls, we can also help with lighting and jet retro-fits. Call us now for details!
