| Home |
 |
| Haven
Spas |
|
| Customer Testimonials | |
| Online
Shopping |
|
| Why Haven? | |
| Filtering! |
|
| Haven Care |
|
| Spa
Shopping! |
|
| Customers
Speak |
|
| Competition |
|
| Wood Tubs |
|
| Haven
Controls |
|
| Spa
Ions |
|
| Spa
Articles |
|
| Spa
Safety |
|
| Consumer
warnings |
|
| Internet
Specials |
|
| Spa
Buyer's Q&A |
|
| Spa Forum |
|
| Spa Design
Forum |
|
| Employment |
|
| Haven
Spas History |
|
 1997,1998, 1999, 2000,2001, 2002, 2003 The Spa Specialist Inc.  James Arjuna President of The Spa Specialist inc. Click on the Photo for more information on Haven Spas. |
| MULTIPLE
PUMPS USED IN SPAS copyright 2004 The S |
| Brian; The issues
with A######n go back quite a way for me. I don't
think they really know what they are doing in this design.
It is a
good concept, but how is it really implimented. I
understand that
they are still using an inferior shell construction with foam for
support. The last generation of A######n had horrible problems
with
diverter valves, because they were trying to get way too much pressure
in the seats. The concept of getting rid of diverters is a good
one,
but how? I have been doing this for years and still following the
ANSI
standards for safety. First of all, in order to use a pump, you must have two suction fittings on each pump that are on a separate plane or 3 feet apart to be safe, according to the ANSI standard. Each suction fitting must be able to take the full draw of the pump. If you have a 200 GPM pump it must have two each 200 GPM safety suctions on it (each pump). If a spa has five pumps, it must have 10 suction inlets for safety. Since I don't have space to put more than six suction fittings at the bottom of any spa (to meet the ANSI) and a filter housing, we are limited to three jet pumps and one circulation pump. That is the maximum you can put in any spa unless it is really huge and has enough room for all 8 or 10 suction inlet fittings. By the way pumps run a lot better if the suction fittings are aligned to the pump and you have "flooded suctions". Flooded suctions is ideal for a water pump. In our SCF and many models we use a straight shot into the front end and one turn out. It is as close as we can get to having the pump face in the foot well and follow the safety rules. I suppose I could put in a bunch of wall skimmers, but that would ruin the seating and people would tend to sit infront of them and block the flow. Right now there is no spa in existence that can match the engineering of the Super Custom Fallsburg or Super Custom Brookfield, or any of the SE or SC models. The real problem with spas is the use and control of heat generated by the pumps. There are two main issues, one is getting heat transfer into the water when you want (and less when you don't want) and to keep the pumps cooled and the frames of the motors running within the parameters of the motor manufacturer's instructions. We are the only company that does that with the DAIT system. If you want longevity, energy efficiency and power, you must have a way to control heat and we do. The other concept in this A######n design, which it think is not well thougth out, is the HP of the pumps. How do you run five each 3HP, 10 amp pumps at the same time and a circulation pump and heater? That comes to 67.86 AMPS, requiring an 85 AMP service according to the NEC. My point is that the pumps are not really 3 HP, probably 2 HP and they do not run the heater at the same time all the pumps are on. The only way to have five each 3 HP pumps is to not allow them all to operate at the same time, back to the similar issue as with a diverter. You would have to have a double pole double throw type of switching, that would not allow one pump to run while the other is on. With our SCF we are at the limits of a 60 AMP service and I can see no way to go any higher with the amps, until homes start having 250 amp services or the building departments allow a separate service for the spa. I would like to know the real amps on those A######n pumps. The main thing for me is the usability of the spa. I am a therapy "junky" and have been using high end spas for the last 10 years. Before that I used the old fashioned soaker tubs with few jets, like everybody else had. In the Fallsburg, jet pump nuber one is a 5 or 6 HP depending on the version, and it runs the captains chair and the foot jets along with two other 1/4 inch orifice jets. Basically the hot seat and the foot jets in front of it is run by one 5 HP pump. It "engulfs" in therapy according to what our customers report. Then we add a 1.5 HP air pump and turbo air to make it really rock. It is full therapy, and I don't know how you could get that seat to run on a 2 HP (3 BHP) pump that A######n uses. I think the A####### thing is what we call a "magic silver bullet". It is an angle to shoot at the competition with. Supposedly, it will make the spas stand out from the rest. However, It doesn't conform to the known safety standards. They need a lot more suction plumbing. Last years models had a variable speed motor. That must have been a disaster. The heat build up must have been tremedous. The other issue with the A####### design is the use of the motor heat. If the spa pumps have no thermal contact with the water vessel, then the pump motor heat is basically wasted and it builds up heat in the equipment compartment. When you open the spa cover and the heat is leaving at a fast rate, it is not a good idea to have both the heater off and no heat transfer into the spa water. I don't see any reference to heat transfer on their literaterature. Thanks for the opportunity to serve you. Jim Arjuna I would like some input on A######n spas if you have any. I just read the evils of diverter valves. I have been in spas with diverter valves and hate the confusion and waiting for jets. A###### spas have 6 pumps in their spa, one for each corner seat, one for the whirlpool jets and one circulating pump. I like the fact you don't have to wait for jets, or use diverter valves. Each pump and seat has It's own control to turn on the jets and for pressure regulation. Is this a good feature? My thinking is if you only have 1 person in the spa you only have to use one pump thus possibly prolonging the life of the other pumps. Is this 6 pump system overkill or a good thing? James Arjuna President The Spa Specialist inc. Return Read what our Haven Customers have to say Click HERE |