The heater is one of the most crucial parts of the hot tub because it is what makes the water warm. From the pump, the water is sent to the heater to be heated before the water is released to the tub itself. In order to have a good hot tub experience, your hot tub must have the best hot tub heater there is.
Top 3 Best Hot Tub Spa Heater Recommended for You
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Hayward CSPAXI11 11-Kilowatt Electric Spa Heater
- The heater has an indicator light which shows whether the heater is turned on or not
- The heater is made out of 304 stainless steel, and its tank is extremely durable.
- The threaded head of the heater is also made out of 304 stainless steel which is very durable.
- It contains a safety sensor function.
- It is lightweight and compact although it contains all features of the bigger heaters.
- It is very compact that it can fit in almost all hot tubs easily.
- The machine is very simple to use.
- The internal controls are very easy to use.
- It is perfect for a 70 ppm spa hot tub.
- It is very easy to install and replace.
- It is an 11-kilowatt machine that operates 240 volts.
- It is quite affordable as compared to other brands.
- It may burn easily if there is little water in the system
Raypak 11Kw Electric Spa Heater 001640
- It comes in two different sizes which are the 5.5kW and the 11kW sizes
- It also comes with bronze and copper ports that can be found on the side of the heater.
- The size of the heater is quite big, but it can fit in most hot tubs.
- The heater is able to heat up to a total of 10 degrees of water per hour or even higher.
- Since it is heavy-duty, it is very durable and has a very long shelf life.
- It also comes with a two-year warranty in the event that the heater is damaged.
- It is quite expensive as compared to many the other brands on the market.
- It is very heavy and very hard to handle due to the weight and size.
- It strictly needs very big wire nuts in order to connect the heater to the 220 volts socket.
Hayward H150FDN Universal H-Series Natural Gas Residential Pool and Spa Heater
- The heater is made out of standard nickel heat exchanger for high-quality and reliability.
- Its heading is made out of a patented polymer which comes with a bypass valve for hydraulic effectiveness.
- It is made from the special Hayward Universal design.
- It is very versatile and also extremely easy to install in any hot tub.
- It is also very good for the environment because it has low nitrous oxide emissions
- It is very well-known for its high-quality performance being able to heat a pool or tub to up to 2 degrees or higher per hour.
- It is very easy to clean and maintain.
- With regard to weight, it is quite heavy, and therefore, it’s pretty hard to handle.
- It is quite expensive as compared to other brands.
- It is made out of an aluminum material which is very prone to water leakage.
How the Water Heater Works
After the water has gone through the hot tub filter, the water goes to the heater which is the device that heats up the water. The hot tub pump then pushes the water through a heating device where the water is heated based on the desired temperature that was set. In this heating device, there is a heating coil that would convert the energy into heat which warms the water. After the water has gone through the heating device, it then passes through the pipes into the jets. Finally, the Jets deliver the water to the hot tub itself.
Factors to Take Note of When Choosing Spa Heaters
The first factor that you would have to consider is the brand of the heater that you would buy. As much as possible, buy a branded spa or pool heater for your hot tub because you can be assured of its quality. Generic brands may or may not be durable even if you install them in the best hot tubs. Also, not all generic brands have warranties, which means that if it breaks down in the next week or so, you can’t replace it or get it repaired.
Not all heaters are compatible with all hot tubs, and not all heaters can fit the size of the hot tubs. Moreover, not all hot tubs have the specs to take certain heaters. When buying a heater for your hot tub, you need to get the size measurement and the specs of your tub heater before you hit the store.
There are two types of heater that you can choose from: the gas heaters and the electric heaters. The one that you buy will all depend on your own preference. However, it’s best to know the pros and cons of each so that you’ll get an idea of which one is better for you.
Gas Heaters
Gas heaters are powered by natural gas or even propane. These can usually be found in underground spas (like in Japan), wood hot tubs, or even inflatable hot tubs. Gas heaters can be found outside of the heater cabinet and are connected to the tub system through a gas line wherein the fuel is sent to the heater in order to heat up the water.
The pros would include being cheap to maintain. Natural gas and propane gas are actually both quite affordable, so you won’t have to spend many variable costs maintaining the heater. It also heats up water extremely fast– faster than the electric one. It can heat up water by 1 degree per minute.
As for the cons, the safety risk is present since gas is involved, and you have to be very careful using gas otherwise you might blow away the hot tub by accident. It is also expensive to buy on the spot.
Electric Heaters
Electric heaters are made of stainless steel tubes that allow energy to enter the tube and heat up the water. As compared to gas heaters, electric heaters, on an overall scale, are cheaper than gas ones from the initial cost to maintenance cost.
The cons would be that it takes a long time to heat up the water. It may even take hours for the electric heater to warm the water. Aside from that, there are also safety issues with electricity. If you are not careful, you may actually electrocute yourself since you’re dealing with both electricity and water.
How to Use and Install the Water Heater
When you replace or install a new tub heater, just follow these steps:
- Turn off the power.
- Drain all the water from the tub.
- Disconnect the power line (the power line is what connects the tub to the heater. If the heater does not have a powerline and is hardwired into the hot tub, disconnect all the wires connecting the heater to the tub).
- Take out old heater (remove all couplings by using a wrench).
- Install a new heater.
- Connect everything back together (couplings, wires, power line, etc.).
After you’ve done all of that, simply test your heater by refilling the tub and try heating up the water. If everything works perfectly fine, then your hot tub is good to go.
Conclusion
By taking a look at all the pros and cons, we can see that the best hot tub heater out of the three would be the first one which is the Hayward CSPAXI11 11-Kilowatt. This is because it has the least cons. The only con would be that it is prone to burning if not handled properly. Hence, it is the clear winner in this list. Moreover, it also has all of the best features. Not only does it have all the best features a heater could have, but it also has a very affordable price which means that you can buy one without fishing that much money from your pocket.
It was very crucial to compare all the three choices of water heaters to get the best hot tub heater for your home. Although each brand has its own unique features, one will definitely stand out in terms of functionality and personal choice, of course. This is why the comparison is necessary. In general, all these three hot tub and spa heaters are considered the forerunners on the market. All three offer versatility and functionality that no other brands have featured.
So, go ahead and check these three hot tub and spa heaters online, and see how efficient they.
Read my full Best Inflatable Hot Tub Reviews
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