Hot Tub Forum
Brand Specific Forums => Jacuzzi Hot Tubs => Topic started by: h20Operator on July 07, 2013, 11:55:27 am
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When searching for a hot tub to buy I was intrigued by the electrical cost estimates from the manufactures and from the CEC. I saved my electrical bills from months I did not operate my home air conditioner and placed information in a table. See attached table for comparison of electrical cost with and without Jacuzzi on operation. I know that the information in the table has some variables and assumptions but my 30 years in operations and management of water utility systems has given me experience on how to interpret data and draw conclusions.
The CEC electrical costs estimates provided by many brands of hot tubs may not fairly depict actual monthly operating cost. Expect to pay more and enjoy your hot tub.
I live in Southern Oregon and my cost per kwh is near $0.10
2012 Jacuzzi J-345 Electrical Usage table and Costs - Actual (My apologies for formatting I was no able to import table into forum. If anyone has suggestions how to use the insert image tool on the forum I would be happy to insert a better table.)
Year/ Increased Increase/ Cost/ Increased cost with
Month Avg Temp Total kwh Days/Bill kwh kwh/Day Cost/day Month Jacuzzi/month
11-Oct 59 934 $ 3.32 $ 96.28
12-Oct 60 1316 29 382 13.2 $ 5.00 $ 145.00 $ 48.72
11-Nov 45 985 $ 2.91 $ 101.85
12-Nov 47 1327 35 342 9.8 $ 4.03 $ 141.05 $ 39.20
11-Dec 35 971 $ 3.35 $ 110.55
12-Dec 38 1345 33 374 11.3 $ 4.39 $ 144.87 $ 34.32
12-Jan 39 1017 $ 3.39 $ 94.92
13-Jan 35 1140 28 123 4.4 $ 4.54 $ 127.12 $ 32.20
12-Feb 43 836 $ 3.15 $ 91.35
13-Feb 40 1154 29 318 11.0 $ 4.42 $ 128.18 $ 36.83
12-Mar 43 822 $ 3.00 $ 87.00
13-Mar 47 1049 29 227 7.8 $ 3.98 $ 115.42 $ 28.42
12-Apr 53 845 $ 3.41 $ 98.89
13-Apr 53 1019 29 174 6.0 $ 3.85 $ 111.65 $ 12.76
12-May 60 1041 $ 3.73 $ 130.55
13-May 61 1574 35 533 15.2 $ 5.01 $ 175.35 $ 44.80
Avg 47.38 1054.29 30.29 277.14 9.07 --- --- $ 33.21
Notes:
Table depicts increased cost of operating a J-345 Jacuzzi at 101-102 degrees with five (5) 20 minutes uses per week.
Jacuzzi installed in August of 2012. Compared electrical usage from October 2012 to May 2013.
Comparison of prior year/month electrical bill staring October 2011
Months Total
8 months of year average monthly cost is: $34.66 x 8 $277.28
4 month summer operation cost assumption is: $20.00 x 4 $80.00
Total Estimated Annual cost for electricity $357.28
Jacuzzi monthly electrical cost estimate at 60 degrees
$15.34 X 12 $184.08
Buyer beware on all Hot tubs. Expect to pay more to operate! Difference $173.20
See Jacuzzi flyer P/N 2890-560 for energy efficient facts.
Test was done by the CEC test protocol
Spa temperature was 101 F and kwh rate was $0.10
The CEC is not a valid resource for any Hot tub brand for estimating monthly electrical costs. "My opinion"
Never the less enjoy your hot tub and expect to pay more than what the CEC monthly estimate for electrical costs.
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so your telling me sales literature is not 100% spot on? I'm stunned, lol ;)....In all seriousness though unless your using an appliance meter to single out the spa from the rest of your home your numbers don't hold much weight in my opinion if your just going off your "total" monthly bill. Bottom line is your top tier brands (Hot Spring, Sundance, Jacuzzi, etc) will all be pretty efficient in the grand scheme of things...the approx. $1.00 a day is well worth what you get out of a spa imo...enjoy
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The energy efficiency sell sheets are just clever marketing. I just looked at the Jacuzzi one, and if you read the fine print (which, no one does...) it says in standby mode, with the cover on! My point... why would you buy a spa if you were to never use it?
To that point, not every energy efficiency sheet is like that. The Hot Spring one says their test was done with use intended. 6 times per week, 15 minutes jets on, 15 minutes jets off.
Either way, they both amount to be very similar. Both very efficient.
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The CEC doesn't test spas....they simply republish the information as provide by the manufacturers...and even if the results are completely honest, the testing procedures are in no way a real world test.
A few years ago, a buddy on mine was an engineer at a spa manufacturer. At the time he was working on trying to get their spas to pass CEC guidelines. Spas were being tested in an indoor temperature controlled enviroment. they were very easily able to get an operating cost in 24 hours of testing. Long story short, I asked him grab a fan out his office and direct it at a spa. Called him a couple of days later. Laughing, he refused to give me any information, other than there would NEVER be another fan in the test room. E V E R
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The CEC doesn't test spas....they simply republish the information as provide by the manufacturers...and even if the results are completely honest, the testing procedures are in no way a real world test.
A few years ago, a buddy on mine was an engineer at a spa manufacturer. At the time he was working on trying to get their spas to pass CEC guidelines. Spas were being tested in an indoor temperature controlled enviroment. they were very easily able to get an operating cost in 24 hours of testing. Long story short, I asked him grab a fan out his office and direct it at a spa. Called him a couple of days later. Laughing, he refused to give me any information, other than there would NEVER be another fan in the test room. E V E R
As a mechanical engineering designer, I loved this story. ;D
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although this method can't produce exact usage costs i like applaud the effort. any of us who have lived in a house for an extended period have a good idea what the energy costs are (except when the rats raise the prices). we are creatures of habit and over time things wash out pretty even.
i just retired my 16 yr old jetsetter this month so i'll get a very good idea what it was costing in the months to come.