Variable speed pumps are great for pool filtration but wrong for hot tub jets, and a spa pack can’t control their speed. Here’s where one does make sense.
Category Archives: Plumbing Related
Plumbing Related, Support & Maintenance
How to Wire a Hot Tub Blower the Correct Way (Balboa and ACC)
24
Apr
Apr
A hot tub blower plugs into the spa pack’s blower output. Here’s how to choose one that matches, wire it by the pin-out, set up the pack and stop it getting wet.
Design / Ideas Related, Plumbing Related
Pool and Hot Tub Auto Top-Up Systems: How They Work, Pros and Cons
28
Mar
Mar
How swimming pool and hot tub auto top-up systems work, the different types, the honest pros and cons (including hidden leaks), and the backflow rules in the UK and USA.
30
Jan
Jan
You can use a sand filter on a DIY hot tub, but it needs its own pump and filtration loop. Here’s why it can’t go on the jets, how to size it, and when a cartridge is better.
DIY Hot Tub Building, Plumbing Related, Support & Maintenance
Using a Priming Circuit on a Centrifugal Hot Tub Pump Above the Water Line
15
Jun
Jun
A real-world fix for a centrifugal hot tub jet pump that wouldn’t prime because the pipework sat too high, using a self-priming pump and three ball valves, plus the options to consider first.
DIY Hot Tub Building, Materials and Construction Related, Plumbing Related
Hot Tub Pipe: Sizes, Types and Pressure Ratings Explained
14
Jun
Jun
Everything you need to know about hot tub pipe before you order: imperial vs metric sizes, what sizes a DIY tub needs, pressure ratings in hot water, rigid vs flexible, and testing.
01
Mar
Mar
I had the pleasure of meeting the Gecko support a couple of weeks back week. The first thing that I said to them was that I don’t supply enough of their kit to my customers. I guess just as we all have a “go to” drink at the bar, I tend to have a “go to” set of kit for my specifications and hot tub designs.
26
Jan
Jan
Which swimming pool parts you can and can’t use on a hot tub, why flow is the problem, and how a separate circulation loop lets a new build use pool pumps, sand filters and heaters.
Design / Ideas Related, Plumbing Related
Can You Heat a Hot Tub with a Ground Source Heat Pump? (2026 Guide)
08
Dec
Dec
You can heat a hot tub from a ground source heat pump using a heat exchanger, but it only really makes sense if you already have one. Here’s how it works, what grants apply in 2026, and how it compares with the air source heat pump I use.
Design / Ideas Related, DIY Hot Tub Building, Plumbing Related
Hot Tub Control Room Position: Where to Put It and Why It Matters
02
Nov
Nov
Where you put your hot tub control room decides how strong your jets are, whether your pumps prime, and how easy the tub is to live with. Here’s how to get the position right.