Brand Specific Forums > Hot Spring Spas
Hot Spot SX Pump Upgrade? Can it be done?
Jacuzzi Jim:
I think a lot depends on the equipment pack itself. With Jacuzzi you can run 220 but the motor will still be 110 as that's all the system will send for power to the pump. Some may have dp switches that change it?
Chas:
If a brand new Moto Massage assembly still doesn't go up and down, I can think of a few things to check before you start trying to modify things.
First, check to see that you have installed the Moto correctly - there must be air coming out of the Moto before it will have enough 'umph' to move. Check the air tube, look to see if a mixture of air and water comes out. If you shut off the air control ("Comfort Control") so you only have water coming out, the Moto will stop.
Be sure the line across the front of the round moving part - the 'head' - is horizontal: perfectly.
The other jets need to be working correctly as well - air/water mix, no missing parts, etc. They need to be the same as each other as well: there is a nozzle in each of the small jets ("Precision Jets") which sometimes gets removed or loosens and comes out by itself. Easy to check, run the tub and check that all the small jets work, and work equally.
The pump may have been replaced in the history of the tub - the SX uses a 1.5 HP pump, but the TX and RX models use a 1 HP pump. Check to see if the correct pump is still in there.
The pump may have something in it - I have removed an amazing array of items from pump on these things - the top of the filter standpipe is open (so you can insert a Nature2 mineral purifier cartridge) and that forms a direct path to the pump. If you are thinking about putting in a bigger pump, try pulling the existing pump first to simply check that there are no fun little items in the pump impeller.
Once you get the Moto to move, if you are still not happy with the pressure, try to find another similar tub and check to see if your tub is putting out what it was built to put out. If that is the case, you may have to live with it. I say this because I have installed 2HP motors in these things at the behest of customers, only have have the jets run exactly the same. I was able to put in larger orifices in all the small jets, but the change was not noticeable. The plumbing is what it is - Watkins never did put in oversized plumbing on anything they made. That is not a negative statement: they have pretty good engineers who match the plumbing to exactly what the pumps need. Upsizing the pump to larger than they designed it to run just doesn't move more water. Also, many of the pumps they install have custom impellers, and buying a pump on the open market doesn't guarantee the same (or greater) output than the OEM unit. If you do replace the pump, l would recommend getting a Watkins unit.
HTH
8)
SerjicalStrike:
--- Quote from: Jacuzzi Jim on March 18, 2015, 03:33:13 pm ---
--- Quote from: SerjicalStrike on March 18, 2015, 12:03:04 pm ---If the spa is hooked up 220v, I'm sure this is a way to use a 220v pump.
--- End quote ---
Not really. I don't think I have ever seen a 110/220v spa that can use a 220v pump. Tman?
--- End quote ---
I do it all the time on Sundances and Nordics.
WeakpumpGuy:
Chas thank you for such a detailed response. I'll look at the moto jet to make sure it's installed correctly. I do notice that the comfort control valve doesn't seem to do much after the halfway point, it noticeabley increases the jets through the first half of the dial but from halfway to full there is no noticable difference. Since this is a new tub to me I have no idea what is normal and what isn't. All of my other jets are assembled correctly. I do have a mineral purifier cartridge and noticed the line seems to be open going to pump, last owner had kids so who knows what might be in there. I'll try some less invasive tests before I remove and inspect the pump itself.
THanks again...
hottubdan:
Maybe something as simple as a spa purge to clean the lines?
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