Spa (hot Tub) Renovation - Gas? Solar?

Q: I've just inherited a working 8' wide spa (AKA hot tub), fiberglass body in a foam-insulated wooden frame with an insulated lid, holding about 700 gallons. We're going to install this outside on what was a small (non-reg.) basketball court, and put up a windbreak around it. My county's building code requires a separate circuit to feed the 200A 240V draw of its control panel (AKA 'pack'), dual-stage pump and electrical heater. Installing that circuit, and the new panel it would require (as the existing panel can't handle it) will cost $2,400, as per two estimates from reliable electricians. A hot tub manufacturer's website estimates it will cost $380/year a) to run the pump on low by timer to keep it clean, b) to run the pump on high when we're in it, and c) to heat it to the temp most folks like. That assumes our electrical rate is at its current 8.4 cents per KWH. Has anyone here reworked a similar hot tub for gas heat? Or, for solar? Natural gas and LP gas are much less expensive to heat with here (our electric utility is owned by Enron, happy, happy, joy, joy), and if I can replumb it to use an on-demand heater, http://www.realgoods.com/renew/shop/product.cfm?dp=2200&sd=2204&ts=30... the heater would cost less than $800 and pay for itself in five years. It also would reduce the size of the electrical install; I wouldn't need a separate circuit and therefore would not need a new electrical panel. I've also seen the Real Goods solar heating system. The Real Goods rep said his Portland customers still need some heat in the coldest month or two, but the rest of the time, no heat is required. This $1,900 (incl. motor freight) system is said to be user-installable: http://www.realgoods.com/renew/shop/product.cfm?dp=2200&sd=2204&ts=10... It would be nice to use the existing control system ('pack') but those can be had for <$600 http://www.spadepot.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=... and could allow us, with pump replacement, to go 110V completely: http://www.spadepot.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=... So, your comments regarding converting this spa to solar with gas, or gars-only, would be appreciated. Thank you kindly in advance.

A: Gas heat's no big deal, but you still have pumps. You'd need to buy the gas heater and controller, but they're available for retrofit anf may even have been an option on your model. Solar is a waste for a spa. Can't provide enough heat rise and pretty much sucks ofr a midnight soak. I think you'll find from a practical standpoint, it's not worth converting it to solar or gas. If it were practical, these would be offered as options on these types of spas and they aren't. And with solar, where you wouldn't pay for any fuel, you still will need some other additional heat source to get it to 105, particularly during winter. Regardless, you have to get an electric line out to it to run the pump, blower, etc., so you still have a lot of the cost of the electric work, even if you could avoid 240V. One question on the $380 est for energy usage. Is that with the spa constantly at 100+? Most spas can be programmed to come up to temp during the times/days you will be likely to use it. Or, even without that, you can just raise it an hour or two before you want to use it and keep it at a lower temp, like 80 to save energy. That's what I do, as I only use mine a couple times a week.

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