Replacing your Haliburton heater

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Troy

After numerous years of use your Haliburton spa may require some service to keep it running like new. If you’re experiencing temperature issues with your hot tub, a heater replacement may be needed. Follow these steps to remove your old Haliburton heater tube.

Step 1 – Disconnect the power supply and remove the mothership from the spa cabinet. Be sure to dump out any extra water that may be within the mothership. (TIP: Plastic bags can be squished up into a ball and inserted into the intake and outtake pipes of the spa to block the water and save you the process of emptying out the Haliburton)

Step 2 – Remove the motherboard frame. To do this you first unplug the pump and the blower from the motherboard frame. Then unscrew the two unions connecting the heater to the mothership (be sure to keep the rubber gaskets and replace when reassembling). Next take out the four screws securing the frame to the base. Lastly be sure to disconnect the grounding wire from the pump.

Step 2 - Remove the components indicated

Step 3 – With the motherboard frame removed from the base, take off the back plate by removing the four screws holding it in place

Step 4 – Carefully remove the four nuts holding the heater in place using a wrench. CAUTION: The middle two nuts on the heater terminals can be difficult to remove, and we recommend that you use a second wrench positioned underneath the nut to ensure the connection doesn’t break. This can be an awkward step and may require an extra hand to hold the wires out of the way.

Step 4 - Be careful removing the two nuts in the middle

Step 5 – Pull off the two black connections from the heater

Step 5 - Once the nuts have been removed, simply disconnect the heater wires

Step 6 – Remove the two screws located on the outside of the frame that hold the heater in place.

Step 6 - Remove the supports

Step 7 – Carefully twist out the heater until it is removed from the frame

Step 7 - Twist out the heater tube

Step 8 – Take out the wingnut holding the hi-limit sensor in place underneath the heater tube

Step 8 - Remove the wingnut holding the sensor

Congratulations! If you have reached this point you have successfully disassembled the heater from the mothership. Repeat the same steps in the opposite order to install a new heater.

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Hot Tub Spotlight – Yukon Aurora 2012

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Troy

How often do you fill your spa with more than 3 people? Do you find that you mostly use your spa for yourself or your partner? Most spas today boast about being able to fit 7+ people, but the customer doesn’t usually fill their spa. Why pay for all that extra space?  At the Canadian Spa Company we have addressed this problem by introducing the Yukon Spa to our hot tub lineThis small tub packs all the power of one of our larger tubs into a cozy 2 person spa for you and your partner. All of our top of the line features have been included into this spa to provide you with the best spa experience at a fraction of the price. To make it even simpler for you, this spa is a Plug and Play model, which means that no electrical installation is needed! Just fill it up with water and plug it into a normal 15A circuit and enjoy the benefits of a fully featured spa.

Features

Yukon Aurora 2012

Seats

2

Hydro-Massage Hurricane jets

17

Shell colour

Silver marble

Cabinet colour

Charcoal or Coffee

Heater

5.5 kW

Filter

50ft²

Installation

Plug and Play

Ozone generator

Yes

Audio system

Yes

Pop up waterproof speakers

Yes

LED perimeter lighting

Yes

Waterfall

Yes

Simplicity is the key when it comes to this spa, and we strive to make your spa experience as effortless as possible.

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How does a Swim Spa get delivered?

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Troy

A Canadian Spa Company Swim Spa is a very large spa that has a few requirements that need to be met before the purchase. Unlike our Canadian Spa Company Hot Tubs which can weigh between 550lbs to 1 020lbs without water, a swim spa can weigh more than 2 500lbs! This means that once it has been delivered, a crane company will be required to properly move the spa to its location. It is the responsibility of the customer or his agents (be it the crane company or lift operator) to assess the lift and control all aspects of moving the spa. The Canadian Spa Company will not take responsibility for any part of the moving of the spa, and cannot advise on the methods used to move the spa.

When determining a suitable location for the spa, proper support and access must be taken into consideration. The entire base must be a flat level surface that comes in contact with every part of the spa and must support a filled weight of 17 000lbs. Access to each of the panels should be provided to ensure that your spa is covered under warranty in case of a fault.

Installing the swim spa will require a 60 Amp GFCI breaker and a qualified electrician to properly install. Ensure that the electrician follows all local building/electrical codes and that they provide you with a certificate of verification. Failure to properly install the required power will void the Manufacturer’s Warranty! (See Installing a 240V hot tub for additional information)

Be sure to inquire about the correct requirements before installing your swim spa. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at 1-877-347-7727 for additional information.

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Changing your spa mode (for Plug and Play spas)

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Troy

The amount of use that a spa receives differs from person to person; some people enjoy using it on a daily basis while others find comfort when used at a social gathering. On the one hand this would require your spa to constantly maintain its temperature at all times of the day (even when not in use), while one the other your spa may only need to be heated every so often (to save on electricity bills). To account for these different scenarios, your Canadian Spa Hot Tub can be configured to heat up only during specific intervals. Depending on the mode your spa is set to, you can change these heating cycles to better suit your needs.  Each mode is outlined below.

Standard Mode

Your hot tub will maintain its set temperature at all times of the day. The symbol St will be displayed on the panel when in standard mode.

Economy Mode

This mode will heat the spa to the temperature set only during filter cycles (see Setting the filter cycle). This mode is used for customers that may not use the spa on a daily basis, but would still like to keep it maintained for occasional use. Ec will be shown when the heater is running, and will alternate with the water temperature when the pump is running.

Sleep Mode

If you are going to be away for an extended period of time, it’s best to put your spa into this mode to save you some money on electricity costs. This mode will heat the spa up to within 20°F of the temperature set only during the filter cycle. SL will be shown when the heater is running, and will alternate with the water temperature when the pump is running.

Follow the instructions below to change your hot tub mode.

For the 2012 Yukon Aurora, 2012 Quebec Aurora, or a 2012 Winnipeg Aurora

  • New topside for Plug & PlayPress the “Down” button then the “Light” button to switch modes

For older models

  • Old topside for Plug and PlayPress the “Temp” button then the “Light” button to switch modes

Your spa contains many different configuration modes to help accommodate you with your busy lifestyle. Taking some time to understand them and using them can help you save money and keep your spa running efficiently.

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Receiving your Canadian Spa Company hot tub

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Troy

NOTE: The following refers to all of our spas except the St. Lawrence Swim Spas, check out How does a Swim Spa get delivered? for swim spa delivery

So you have recently purchased your brand new Canadian Spa Company Hot Tub. Congratulations! Now what should you expect next? The next step is to organize a delivery date for you that will suit your schedule and bring you your new hot tub. We understand that it can be difficult trying to find some time off during the week, that’s why we will work around your schedule to make sure the delivery is hassle free. In the meantime you will need a suitable place to properly locate and place the hot tub. To ensure that the hot tub experiences no problems, we ask that the location be a flat, level surface with enough area to support the base of the spa. A 10-15cm thick concrete slab is ideal, but can be substituted with an equally strong replacement.

A Toronto spa in the original packaging

Once the spa has been delivered to your house, it will be placed standing up on a pallet in your driveway (similar to the picture above). These spas can weigh between 550lb to 1010lb, so be sure that you have the necessary help to bring it to your backyard (we also offer services to move the spa for you, give us a call at 1-877-347-7727 to inquire). Carefully place your spa in the location you have chosen, and remove the delivery packaging. You are almost done! If your tub requires an electrical installation, refer to Installing a 230V hot tub for more information, otherwise start filling up your tub with a garden hose. Once the water level has reached the topmost jet, go ahead and plug in your spa. Well done! You are now ready to enjoy your Canadian Spa Company hot tub!

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Care tips and advice on using the audio system

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Troy

Each one of our new Aurora hot tub models comes equipped with an audio system for you to enjoy your favourite songs while you relax in your spa. These waterproof pop-up speakers are a great addition to anyone’s spa experience, and are very simple to operate. Almost everyone today has some sort of electronic media player, but with the many different models and styles available, sometimes connecting to them causes some problem. With a Canadian Spa Aurora Hot Tub, you don’t need to worry about which model you have (iPod, mobile phone, tablet, even a CD player!), as long as you can connect a pair of standard headphones (3.5mm) to your device it will work! Simply locate the audio system enclosure (see picture below), plug in your device, and hit the play button!

Like every other piece of electronic equipment, proper care and usage of the audio system will ensure that you receive the best experience from it during its lifetime. Here are a few things to consider.

  • The speakers will rotate approximately 360° in one direction only, applying further force may damage the structure of the speaker
  • Constantly pressing down the speakers and popping them up will damage the spring inside, and may result in them losing their ability to pop back up
  • Be sure to place the audio system cap (attached to the input plug) back on the end of the plug after use, this will prevent any unnecessary noise from occurring (if you are missing this cap, contact us and we would be happy to send you one)
  • When using the audio system, make sure that your device is completely inside the plastic enclosure as any splashed water may damage your device

These speakers come standard on all of our new spa models to provide you with the best spa experience available. Most companies use speakers as an additional feature, but at the Canadian Spa Company we believe that you deserve the best deal available.

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Finding a replacement filter cartridge for your spa

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Troy

When you use your spa the filter absorbs all of the body oils and debris that are left behind when you exit the spa. Over time the filter can become dirty and clogged, causing your pump to work harder and reduce the water circulation. After approximately 6-8 months of usage your filter should be replaced with a new one to keep your spa running in pristine shape. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of filter types on the market, but here are a few tips to determine which filter you have.

  1. Check the spa manual to see if the filter model is identified. Currently, there are three big filter manufacturers on the market: FILBUR, PLEATCO, and UNICEL. These three manufacturers each have their own unique model numbers that sometimes make it difficult to determine which filter you have. Luckily these filters are interchangeable, so a UNICEL#: 6CH-940 can be replaced with a PLEATCO#: PWW 50. At the Canadian Spa Company we try to keep our filters standard to make it a very simple task for you to replace them.
  2. Without a model number, specific measurements may need to be made to make an accurate replacement. Measure and record the outside diameter (A), the length of the filter (B), and the inside diameter (C). NOTE: When measuring the length, a more accurate measurement is made by measuring through the centre of the filter (if possible).
  3. Contact your manufacturer for information regarding filter replacement. Most of the time a manufacturer will upgrade the previous version of your spa and may change the filter size. This will result in ordering the wrong filter for spa. A simple email explaining your question can help save you time and money.

Be sure to check your filter often in case it needs to be replaced. Prolonged use of a dirty/clogged filter can cause long lasting damage to your spa equipment and create problems over time. A simple check whenever you leave your tub should be sufficient to prevent any filter problems that may occur.

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Winterizing your spa

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Troy

The winter season in Canada can be brutal when it comes to cold weather, and freezing temperatures can cause problems for spas. If your spa won’t be used for an extended period of time during the winter season, we highly recommend that you properly winterize it to prevent any damage that may occur to the spa components. As outlined in your Canadian Spa Company Owners Manual, here is the proper way to winterize your hot tub.

What you’ll need:

  • Wet/dry shop vacuum (or similar product)
  • Sponge
  • Phillips head drill bit and drill
  • Plastic bags
  • Garden hose (if you don’t want the water draining around your spa)
  1. Start by shutting off the breaker connected to your spa (if it is a 110V spa, pull out the power cord from the socket and wrap it in a plastic bag)
  2. Open the drain valve located at the side of the spa and let the water naturally drain out (a normal garden hose can be attached to this valve to drain the water further away if needed). Leave this drain valve open
  3. Once the water has stopped flowing out of the drain valve, use the wet/dry vacuum to suck out any remaining water from each jet head (NOTE: If your spa is equipped with a blower, briefly turn the power to the spa back on and run the blower for 10 seconds to remove excess water, shut off the power when finished)
  4. Open the cabinet to obtain access to the control system (see Opening your spa cabinet for the first time if you are unfamiliar with this process)
  5. Unscrew the two unions on each side of the heater connected to the control system and let the water drain out of the heater (you can also disconnect the control system and remove it from the spa if you wish, but when you open your spa in the spring again you will need to have it rewired)
  6. If possible, insert the wet/dry vacuum into each of these pipes and suck out any extra water
  7. Cover these pipe ends with plastic bags to prevent debris from entering
  8. Close the cabinet back up securely and use a sponge to soak up any extra water inside the tub
  9. Cover the spa with your hard top cover and secure it in place with the locking clips (a tarpaulin can be used to cover the spa as well for added protection)

If you wish to have a Canadian Spa Company service professional close your spa, we would be happy to assist you with this procedure. We will close your spa in the winter and come back in the spring to open it up and reinstall it for you to ensure that no problems occur during the winter season.

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Purchasing your hot tub cover

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Troy

When you are looking for a new hot tub cover there are many different factors that need to be understood first before the purchase. Hot tub covers come in different sizes and styles, and a proper understanding of how these measurements work can help when trying to select a new cover. Here are a few factors that you can look out for:

  1. Measuring the cover size: This is a pretty basic measurement that requires you to measure from one edge to the other (measurements A and B). TIP: Most covers can shrink over time due to variable weather conditions, and by ordering your cover 1” larger in both dimensions you can accommodate for this change.
  2. Determining the taper size: Cover manufacturers will require you to specify the taper (ex: 5”/3”) that you would like to order for your cover. Tapered spa covers provide a natural slope to allow rain to run off the cover and prevent damage. This measures the thickness at the center fold of your cover down to the edge (from A to B). Thicker covers usually provide better protection from the elements, but will also be heavier to lift off.
  3. Spa skirting: Spa cover skirting (the extra flap around the bottom edge of the spa) is important to provide extra protection during the harsher winter climates. It also helps to stop debris from being blown up and under the cover by the wind. In addition the skirting provides the cover with extra heat retention, and helps to ensure that your hot tub keeps its temperature.
  4. Make sure it comes with tie down straps: Tie down straps (sometimes locking clips) are attached to each edge of the spa cover as a safety mechanism to stop children from entering the spa. This is a crucial feature for the customer as it protects the spa from unwanted use and keeps the cover in place.

Pay attention to your spa cover next time you order one as they can save you time and energy when taking care of your spa.

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A couple reasons why a Canadian Spa Company Hot Tub is for you

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Troy

When trying to select your hot tub you probably noticed that they can come in many different sizes and styles depending on which model you want. Each manufacturer adds their own unique feature that can make it difficult when trying to find a replacement part or upgrade for your spa. We believe that to provide the customer with an affordable price a standard approach to hot tubs is the best. All of our tubs come in the silver marble acrylic shell which has been proven to be the most popular style among our customers. This shell further amplifies the effects of our LED perimeter lighting system, which allows you to select your colour of choice for your tub depending on your mood.

Our perimeter LED lighting system looks fantastic at night time

Our no-maintenance synthetic cabinets are also standardised to benefit the customer if any problems should occur. By offering either charcoal or brown cabinets, we can be sure to have any size on hand for the customer at any time. The high quality covers that we supply come in two colours (brown or grey) and this allows us to produce them at a much larger volume. Larger volume = less cost, and in turn we pass the savings onto you! Customer satisfaction is of the utmost importance to us, and this unique approach provides the customer with the best possible experience when purchasing a hot tub.

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