An off-grid hot tub is possible, but it has to be designed around the energy you can get. Here’s how to heat, filter and treat one, and the mistakes to avoid.
Category Archives: Reviews & Info
Case Studies / Example Projects, Reviews & Info
Balboa TP700 Topside Control Review: Colour Screen, Real Buttons
25
Sep
Sep
The Balboa TP700 pairs a colour screen with proper buttons. Here’s how it performs on my test bench, what it’s compatible with, and whether I’d fit one to my own tub.
DIY Hot Tub Building, Reviews & Info, technology
Hot Tub Heater Hell? No Sweat! Easy Spa Pack Heater Tube Swap
24
Sep
Sep
Has your hot tub heater given up the ghost? Don’t worry—this guide will teach you how to replace a heater on a Spa pack. While we’ll focus on the Balboa model, these steps can be applied to many other spa packs as well.
DIY Hot Tub Building, Reviews & Info, technology
Balboa BP8 Review: Is This the Best Replacement Hot Tub Spa Pack?
23
Sep
Sep
The Balboa BP8 is designed to replace most older Balboa packs. Here’s what it runs, which topsides work, how to configure it, and when a BP7 or BP2100 is the better choice.
DIY Hot Tub Building, Reviews & Info, technology
Hot Tub Spa Pack Explained: What Every Part Does and How to Troubleshoot It
19
Sep
Sep
A spa pack is the brain of your hot tub. Here is what each part does, how it is wired in the UK and USA, and which faults you can fix yourself.
12
Jul
Jul
Balboa’s Clim8zone II Mini is a compact 4kW heat pump that plugs into selected BP spa packs. Here are the real specs, the compatibility list and what I’d buy instead.
17
Apr
Apr
I tested the INKBIRD IBS-P02R wireless thermometer on my own hot tub. Here’s how easy it was to set up, how far it really transmits, the current specs and why it’s handy even if you have a spa app.
26
Oct
Oct
I spent a weekend with an off-grid, wood-fired hot tub. The fire worked, but with no thermostat, filter or sanitiser it overheated and the water had gone off by the next morning. Here’s my honest review and how I’d make one work.
Design / Ideas Related, Reviews & Info
What Can We Learn From a Holiday Villa Pool? 7 Pool Design Lessons
13
Aug
Aug
Even on holiday I ended up in the pump room. Here are seven design lessons from a Spanish villa pool that you can use on your own plunge pool, from the shallow end to the pump.
Air Source Heat Pump Related, Reviews & Info
Hydro Royal Heat Pump Review: HR 110, HR 125 and HR 150 Compared
22
Jun
Jun
Hydro Royal heat pumps are made in the USA with a 10-year limited warranty. Here’s how the HR 110, 125 and 150 compare, what the AHRI numbers mean, and which DIY builds they suit.