The Ultimate Review and Guide to Vian Power Spa Pack

Vian Power Spa Pack, what’s that all about? Vian is a brand that you might well associate with chemicals; they have been in the market for a long time. I actually use their products myself! So, with their first venture into this market with a full Vian Power Spa Pack and Topside Control, why should be be taking notice of this product? Let’s face it, there is no shortage of Spa Packs and Topsides on the market. In this blog post we will take a look into the Vian Power Spa Pack, what it is, the specifications, and ultimately, try and conclude if it is any good!

 

 

What is the Vian Power Spa Pack & Topside Controls?

At first glance, the bold colouring of the Vian Power Spa Pack looks pretty cool and very current. Very cool, the purple colour logo stands out perfectly from the black plastic exterior. Then, when you take a closer look at the design, you think, hold on, I am sure that I have seen this somewhere before. But how could I? The Vian Power Spa Pack as only just been released!

You look a little closer at the Vian Spa pack’s body and then you see the familiar logo – powered by Balboa. The penny drops, the mist lifts, everything suddenly becomes clear – this is a Balboa product, similar to the BP or GS range. So, the Vian Spa Pack is a Balboa OEM. Perfect. One of the most trusted names in our industry is branching out into a new line under a different brand. Well, they have done an OEM deal!

What are the Specifications of the Vian Power Spa Pack?

The Vian Power Spa Pack funs a 3KW Heater and is capable of powering up to 3 pumps with a circulation pumps and air blower. This control unit seriously packs a punch in terms of what it can run and control.

Type of Product:	Vian Power Electronic Control pack
Manufacturer:	Balboa
Power:	Volts: 230vac Hz: 50
Specifications:	From 1 Pump no air, up to 3 Pumps + Circulation Pump + Air
Compatible With:	Any retrofit system, suitable for upgrades.
Connections:	2-inch socket heater union sleeves. Amp cables plug into the PCB to operate the components.
Dimensions:	Length: 500 mm (inc heater) 320 mm (box casing only) Width: 120 mm Height: 300 mm Topside: 178 mm x 86 mm
Topside Buttons:	Overlays included to use depending on your outputs: 1 Pump no air, 1 Pump with air, 2 Pumps with air, 3 pumps with air.
Items Included:	x6 AMP connector 4 pins, x1 AMP connector 2 pins, x1 Bezel, x1 Topside, x1 System Vian Power 3Kw 825 CZm8
Additional Notes:	System Outputs: This system has been designed to be able to run from 1 pump single speed upto 3 pumps + circ pump + blower. Setup Circ. Pump Pump 1 Pump 2 Pump 3 Blower 1 YES 2-Speed 1-Speed 1-Speed YES 2 YES 2-Speed 1-Speed 1-Speed None 3 YES 2-Speed 1-Speed None YES 4 YES 1-Speed 1-Speed 1-Speed YES 5 YES 1-Speed 1-Speed 1-Speed None 6 YES 1-Speed 1-Speed None YES 7 None 2-Speed 1-Speed 1-Speed YES 8 None 2-Speed 1-Speed 1-Speed None 9 None 2-Speed 1-Speed None 1-Speed 10 YES 2-Speed 1-Speed None None 11 YES 1-Speed 1-Speed None None 12 YES 2-Speed None None 1-Speed 13 YES 1-Speed None None 1-Speed 14 YES 2-Speed None None None 15 YES 1-Speed None None None 16 None 2-Speed 1-Speed None None 17 None 2-Speed None None 1-Speed 18 None 2-Speed None None None

What is M8 Heating Technology from Balboa

This is what Balboa are calling a game-changer for water heating technology. For the first time, they are introducing a heating element that has artificial intelligence or AI software built into it. According to www.balboawater.com – “M8 is artificial intelligence software contained in your spa’s BP control system. M8 looks for opportunities to decrease device usage by evaluating water temperature readings. Stable water temperatures equal less device usage and less wear and tear.” ok so this sounds interesting.

Normally, your spa checks the water temperature every 30 minutes by turning On the pump and circulating water through the heater for 1 minute. If heat isn’t needed, the pump turns Off. This process is called Polling. Polling can occur up to 48 times per day. With M8, if your spa maintains its’ temperature in consecutive Polls, M8 extends these Polls to 60, 90, and up to 120 minute intervals. These intervals are called M8 Cycle Times. Longer M8 Cycle Times save you money in energy as well as prolonging the life of your pump by turning it On/Off less. Under stable water temperatures, M8 can decrease Polling from 48 to 12 times per day!

M8 works when the BP control system is in Ready Mode, not Rest Mode. What causes the M8 Cycle Time to reset to 30 minutes? One, If the water temperature drops below the set temperature, the Cycle Time resets to 30 minutes. Two, if a panel button is pressed, the Cycle Time resets to 30 minutes, as the BP Control System assumes you are using the spa.

With all this talk about Balboa’s BP system, and we’re a big fan of the BP601 here at buildahottub.com, what does that mean for the Vian Power Spa Pack? – IT’S A BP SYSTEM – just under a different name!

How do we know this is a Balboa BP system in “disguise?”

This one is really easy to answer. Take a look at the specifications below and the Topside control. Again, does this look familiar? Of course it does, it is a TP600 in disguise!

 

What are the model numbers of the Vian Power Spa Pack?

The main SKU for the Vian Power Spa Pack is PK-VP610 – this is the kit that comes with everting and a whole bunch of overlays for the Topside, three in fact, that you can use to label up the specification that you have configured.

PK-VP609 is the kit that comes with no overlays. This means the Hot Tub engineer can carry the overlays separately and the just select the one that they need. In terms of price, there is very little in it so I would just go for the main unit.

You then have a series of part number depending on your configuration. For just a single pump and blower, you can use PK-VP612, if you don’t need an air blower on a single pump then it is PK-VP611. A dual pump system with blower comes on PK-VP613 and PK-VP615 will take care of a 3 pump system with a circulation pump and blower. You can then get the overlays inserts that describe the setup to go onto the TP600 – OL-60052, 2 pumps and AUX, OL-60053, 3 pumps and AUX, OL60051, Single pump with AUX and OL-60050 – single pump only.

Who Would user the Vian Power Spa Pack?

The way that this product is being marketed is that it is for the Hot Tub Technician. The reason for this is that it comes with all the parts that are needed if a customer has a unit that has gone down. That said, for me, a Hot Tub designer, I think this package is fantastic. Not only is it really well priced, the specifications are the same as a Balboa BP601 (as it is one) but it also comes with a topside controller and with the AMP cables in the box.

No longer do you need to try and mix and max the topsides or check wether you can run a couple of pumps from the unit or if you need an expander PCB board. This unit is great. It is the one size fits all for Spa Packs. Nothing new I hear you say as some of the wholesalers have been putting together bundles for years. Yes, I would tend to agree but what this is doing is giving you all the different options, all in one box. Again, for me as a Hot Tub designer and builder, this is just fantastic.

What is our verdict on the Vian Power Spa Pack?

There is no denying that this is a BP product from Balboa with some fancy bundles in terms of the Topside (again, a rebranded TP600) and accessories in the box. I do love the styling, I guess that is the inner designer in me. It just looks cool. That sentence in itself might be a problem with the younger generation who I am sure dont say that any more.

Anyway, in conclusion – for me, this is going to be my goto product of choice, replacing the BP601 from Balboa that has been the staple in my designs for a long time now. That said, USA customers, this will not be coming your way any time soon. It looks just like the European model at the moment. Watch this space though, if we see it in the USA, we’ll be putting it into the builds and will let you know!

Happy ‘Tubbin

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Thanks - Andi

 

Hi, Andi here. I own Buildahottub.com and also write all of the articles and info pages on the site. Some years back now, I built my own hot tub but struggled to find the information I needed. So, once my tub was complete, I started this website to help others in their own pursuit of hot tub and plunge pools DIY building information.

Today, I've helped over 1000 DIY customers just like you all over the world build hot tubs and pools. Have a good look around the site, there are lots of resources here. Please do get in touch if I can help you. - Cheers, Andi