Cover RX by Cover Valet

Finally, a hot tub cover lifting option that will work for virtually any above ground spa! This cover lift does away with problems that people often run into when searching for a cover lift, like shape, clearance, mounting options and more. The Cover RX is truly the right prescription!

The Cover RX is very easy to install with the its under mounting installation plate. The under mount design also allows for installation on whatever side of the spa you choose! This also eliminates any need to drill holes in the side of your hot tub, so whether you are worried about your hot tub not supporting a side mount lift or you just want to keep your cabinet pretty and hole free, this is the perfect solution. The under mount design also makes the lift compatible with spas of all shapes---round, square, rectangle, or octagon, it doesn’t matter all will work with the Cover RX. The under mount design will work on spas between 24”-40” in height.

The Cover RX also only requires minimal clearance to operate versus many of its competitors! The Cover RX only needs 14” of clearance with no side clearance needed. This makes the Cover RX ideal for spas in tight spaces or where clearance is an issue.

The Cover RX is very easy to operate, designed to be operated by a single user from the side, back or even inside of the spa. Having a single gas shock that assists with the raising and lowering of the cover there is no strain on you. The Cover RX also fully supports your spa cover which puts absolutely no stress on your cover and will prolong the life of your cover.

The Cover RX is made of high quality powdered coated aluminum for added durability. It also features a 5-year limited manufacturer’s warranty. There has truly never been a more complete spa cover lift.

Hot Tub Leak Repair

Having a leak in your hot tub can be a real pain, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for and how to find it. Following a few simple steps, you should be able to find the source of the leak and be able to decide how to proceed with a repair without a lot of headache.

Before beginning your search for a leak be sure to disconnect all power to the hot tub. Once you are inside the equipment compartment, most leaks can be sourced to certain parts of the tub such as:

• · Pump Wet End Seal

• · Heater Assembly Manifold

• · PVC Plumbing Parts and Tubing

• · Jet Bodies

• · Slice and Gate Valves

• · Connections

Pump

Once you are in the equipment compartment the first place you will want to check is the pump, often a bad pump seal can be the cause of the leak. If you find the water to be leaking from the pump you will want to determine whether just a new seal is needed or if the entire wet end should be replaced. Replacing your entire wet end may save you a lot of headache as new seals can be somewhat difficult to install without breaking them or other components within the wet end.

Unions

You will want to check all of the union fittings located around the pump and the heater. Even in brand new spas unions can become loose due to vibrations during shipment. Do not use a wrench to tighten hot tub unions. Unions should be fairly simple to tighten by hand, if not you may need to remove them realign parts for a straighter fit and then tighten by hand. Do not use a wrench to tighten hot tub unions.

Heater

Your heater assembly manifold consists of your heater assembly, pressure switch, and other components of the heating unit. If you find the leak to be within any of these parts you will need to proceed with replacing the necessary parts.

Valves

Next, check all valves in your hot tub as they can be a common source of leaks. On knife style valves, there is a gasket between the two halves that are bolted together that could be causing leaks. Also, some manufacturers build hot tubs with valves installed on either side of the pump so that water does not need to be shut off to allow access to the pump for repair or replacement. In theory the idea is a good one but often owners will choose to remove these valves as they are a very common source of leaks and can be more of a headache than they are helpful.

Connections and Jets

At this point if the source of the leak has not been located you will want to move on to checking all of your jets, pipes, and connections. Leaking jets can be caused by a bad gasket in the jet body but it is also possible for jets to go bad overtime and they made need to be replaced. When checking connections they may need to be tightened or resealed with PVC glue.

If you do not want to tear into your equipment and spend the time and headache of trying to locate a leak a great first step repair option is Fix-A-Leak. Fix A Leak is blended concentrated material designed to seal leaks in virtually any material and can be applied for leaks in the shell and works equally well in the plumbing. It is made specifically for hot tubs and can fix leaks up to 1/8” in diameter. Trying Fix-A-Leak first may save the headache of trying to locate the leak in your equipment, if the use of fix-a-leak as directed does not work you can then proceed with the above mentioned steps in attempting to find the leak.

Fix-A-Leak is very simple to use, just complete the following steps:

DOSAGE:
USE 8oz PER 1,000 GALLONS OF WATER FOR MINOR LEAKS. A SECOND BOTTLE CAN BE ADDED FOR LARGER LEAKS.

Steps:
1. First determine water loss in a 24 hour period
2. Fill to original level, mark water line
3. Remove all cartridges or filtering devices
4. Slowly add Fix A Leak with pump running through skimmer
5. Recirculate for 6-8 hours. Shut system off
6. Check water level the following day
7. If level remains the same the leak has stopped
8. Allow 48 hours before resuming operation
9. It's recommended not the use spa till leak is fixed and the remainder of Fix A Leak is filtered out.

If Leak has slowed and not totally stopped you may add more product to increase strength of solution already in spa.

Stir Fix A Leak in the spa with soft broom to get solution back into suspension.

Follow steps 5-8 as before.

Product Note:
Normally Fix A Leak will seal holes 1/8" in diameter. The product requires pressure to ensure it's impacted into the area of the leak. Leaks created by a crack in a pipe in all probability will be sealed. The leak may reoccur due to vibration which in turn will migrate in size, recreating the leak. Most spas are foam insulated, and when saturated with water, will greatly delay the cure time of Fix A Leak. It would be best to drain spa, immediately wipe down shell with a damp cloth to remove any residue of Fix A Leak. Allow 3-5 days before refilling, in most cases this will allow the product to cure.

Top Side Control Panels

Being able to control your hot tub is very important so that everything works the way you want it to. Ensuring you have the ideal temperature settings and are running efficiently but also conserving energy when possible will make your hot tub experience as enjoyable as possible. Your Top Side Control System is responsible for all of these functions; it communicates your choices to the “brain” or your spa control pack. Depending on what type of spa you have and what options you need to control, there are many different top side panels available.

Before purchasing a new top side panel you will want to ensure that it is compatible with your existing spa control pack. Often times you can get a part number off of your existing top side panel simply by pulling it up out of its housing in the spa. There is usually a sticker on the side indicating a part number from the manufacturer, otherwise get the part number for your spa control pack and a simple call to the manufacturer and you can figure out which top side control panel will work for you.

As stated before depending on the type of spa you have there are many different control options available. Some hot tubs will only have one button on the control panel and others will have as many as eight control buttons, here is a little over view of the options available for different topside panels:

Jets:

This button will control water flow through your jets; some larger tubs can have up to three jet buttons that control different sections of jets within the spa. Many also have different speeds that the pump can send water through the jets at. Meaning pushing the button one time will start the jets on a low speed and pushing it a second time will take it to a higher water pressure. This function would also depend on whether the hot tub is running with a 1 or 2 speed pump.

Blower:

The “blower” button will control the hot tub’s air blower or bubbler as it is sometimes referred to. The blower introduces air into the water through a series of air injectors. Blowers cause the bubbling effect in the water adding to the ambiance of the spa experience and when used along with the jets creates an even more relaxing experience.

Light:

Depending on what type of spa you have and the lighting options in it, this button can help you to set the mood. The light button is used to control all the light function in the spa, many change colors from red to blue to green, some even have purple and orange. If your hot tub is equipped with a light show function this would also control the different settings within the light show function. With one button controlling all of these options you will have to click through the options one by one to find the one perfect for you and your desired setting.

Temperature Controls:

Most spas that have a temperature control included in the top side panel will have two buttons, a temp up button and a temp down button. Having these controls right at your fingertips makes getting the ideal temperature setting in your spa as easy as the push of a button! This also makes it very easy to turn your spa down a few degrees when it is not being used and then turn it up a few hours before it is going to be used, this will help to conserve a little bit of energy!

Time, Option, or Invert:

If your spa has these function buttons you will want to consult your owner’s manual for instructions specific to your spa.

LCD Display:

These large easy to read displays can tell you things like where you temperature is set or if there may be a problem with some for your equipment based on an error reading that may display on the screen. Having these gives you a reliable communication interface to what is going on inside your hot tub.

Messages can appear on you top side control panel when your spa pack needs to tell you something. Depending on your spa and the control panel you have some of these messages may be telling you it is time for a new filter, other maintenance, or that you may have a potential problem with some of your equipment. Please see your owner’s manual for a complete list of possible panel messages but here are some examples of common ones that may appear.

GF I or GFCI FAILURE: This is telling you that your hot tub could not trip the GFCI breaker and continued operation may be unsafe, probably time to call your spa technician.

HH or HTR TEMP LMT or OH or OHS or OHH: Any of these messages are telling you the spa has over heated and DO NOT enter the water as it could be at a dangerous temperature. Open the cover and allow the water to cool down, once the water has cooled you should be able to reset by pushing any button. You should also test your sensors and make sure everything is working properly.

Some top side systems also provide settings such as Winter Mode and Summer Mode; these allow you to set the different functions on your spa to run at certain times of day in certain seasons. This can help conserve energy and save money on utility bills.

Again in this article, we have gone over many options for topside control systems, some which may apply to you spa and some that may not. For specific details on your spa and top side control system please consult your owner’s manual.