Spa Packs
Spa packs are the guts of a spa, and comprise the spa’s
complete mechanical and electrical working systems. The normal life expectancy
of a spa pack is 8-10 years. Since the typical spa shell lasts for 30-40+
years, every spa owner can anticipate replacing their spa packs a few times over
the life of the spa.
You do not need to buy the exact same spa pack that
is now in your spa. Most spa manufacturers don’t even make their own spa
packs. They buy them from a manufacturer that specializes in spa packs.
Sometimes spa manufacturers even use spa packs from two different manufacturers
in the same spa model.
Use the latest technology. Spa pack
manufacturers are constantly incorporating improvements to their designs. If
your pack has failed it is probably impossible to find the same model that you
currently have. By the time a typical spa pack fails, that model is no longer
being manufactured and has been replaced by a newer design.
Included in each spa pack are the following major components:
- Spa Controller, which includes the main brains of the
spa, the pressure sensor, high limit sensor, filter cycle, temperature control and spa
light. (On some older spas some of these items may be separate from the
Controller.)
- Spa Heater - which is built into the controller
- Spa Pump (some spas require 2 pumps)
- Spa Blower (optional)
In replacing a spa pack, there's only one important decision: Do you want an electronic
or a pneumatic controller? Although there are several things you need to specify to
have us build a spa pack for you, almost every specification has to do with configuring
your spa pack to match your spa shell.
Electronic or Pneumatic Spa Controller?
Electronic spa controllers let you control everything from a control panel
that provides you with a digital water temperature reading. Electronic packs
are therefore the most convenient, and they cost only $40 more than our pneumatic spa packs.
Pneumatic spa controllers use push buttons for controlling your spa.
An air hose runs between the button and the spa controller. Pushing the
button cause the air pressure to increase, which activates a mechanical
switch on the controller. However, you cannot adjust the water temperature
from your control panel. Instead you have to get out of the spa, open the panel
access door and adjust the temperature dial directly on the spa controller.
(We do sell a control panel for pneumatic spas that allows you to adjust the
water temperature directly from the control panel, but if that's what you want
it's cheaper to buy the electronic spa controller instead.)
Most older and budget spas came originally equipped with pneumatic controllers.
If you're replacing the controller and having to get out of the tub and open up the equipment access
panel to adjust the spa's temperature really bothers you, now is the time to switch
to a more convenient electronic spa controller.
Although electronic packs are more convenient, and they cost only slightly more
than our pneumatic spa packs, for most people the pneumatic spa pack is the better choice.
Pneumatic spa packs are simpler and less prone to problems. Electronic spa packs are run
by electronics. Moisture and temperature extremes are bad for electronics.
And moisture and temperature extremes are what spas are all about. So, if you do
choose the convenience of an electronic spa pack, avoid extreme weather exposure.
Select Electronic or Pneumatic:
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