New Lay-Z-Spa running tips please :)

BPL85

Don't worry everyone, we know it's a luxury and expensive, that's why we are trying to keep costs down as much as we can. This is our holiday so to speak. People spend a grand or 2 for Benidorm for a week. Not judging but I'd rather have 30 or 40 weekends in this  

pochase

BPL85 said:

Thanks pochase! So tricky to decide what's best. Would you guess maybe best to set at say a safe 10C - wouldn't normally get that low unless VERY cold anyway. Then say 12-18 hours prep heat on Thursday/Friday?

That should work fine. Most months the temperature will never get near 10C anyway.

Here is some information from the company regarding running cost.

www.lay-z-spa.co.uk/lay-z-spa-running-costs

BPL85

Thanks!! I'll have a read

coffeehound

For a first fill: it looks to be around 700 litres.  Another similar model says that has 2060 watt heater (couldn't see a figure for the Madrid.  So if you started with 10℃ water, it would take around 12 hours to heat to 40º (!)

coffeehound

Do you have a gas boiler, @BPL85?  First fill using part hot water from that would save a few bob.

QrizB

OP I genuinely hope you enjoy your hot tub and get many years of happy use from it.

pochase said:

BPL85 said:

Thanks pochase! So tricky to decide what's best. Would you guess maybe best to set at say a safe 10C - wouldn't normally get that low unless VERY cold anyway. Then say 12-18 hours prep heat on Thursday/Friday?

That should work fine. Most months the temperature will never get near 10C anyway.
Here is some information from the company regarding running cost.
www.lay-z-spa.co.uk/lay-z-spa-running-costs

From the (very) small print:

Lay-Z-Spa average energy cost over 3 years using for 6 months per year = £883 Competitor’s Spa average energy cost over 3 years using for 6 months per year = £1,193 Unit Cost per KW = £0,16.

BPL85

I just used the water tap to fill - whoops! It did take a long time to heat haha, but I'll do shuttles next time with hot water from the tap, lesson learned - we've just moved so trying to do a hundred things at once and not engaging brain enough!!

And yes around 650-700 litres I think. Yes to a gas boiler.

Thanks Qriz I think maybe £1,500-£2,000 is realistic with regular use with prices heading where they are, but hopefully if we minimise and do what we can it can be closer to that £1k/year mark.

matelodave

It may also be a good idea to put some sort of insulation down under the spa, rather than straight onto the ground. That would reduce the conducted downward heat loss and may help protect the base from damage as well. A big lump of Celotex or Kingspan would do the trick.

BPL85

Thanks for the tip! I did put down some thickish playmat/exercise type ones from halfords which should help a little hopefully  

Aylesbury_Duck

It would be worth considering whether to install some form of overhead shelter - like a permanent gazebo.  Although of limited thermal assistance itself, it would allow a "curtain" or similar to be wrapped around the whole thing, which would help minimise heat loss normally accelerated by wind.