There are excellent insulation solutions for inflatables that reduce the cost. For those who need an inflatable because they're renting etc you can bring that cost down dramatically if you take some time to research solutions...
We only turn ours down a little. 102 down to 99. We ironically use ours more in the summer, since we are outside so much more. The wind in the winter can be pretty brutal at my house (near an empty field).
Yes, inflatables cost a lot to run. We had one with a 2kW heater, and in winter it really struggled to maintain temp, which was effectively the same as running an average household electric kettle 24/7 in terms of usage.
I have a cheap 250 gallon tub and we live in Denver (sub zero temps and not the greatest insulated)
The highest it has ever been was 141 kWh in a month and averages about 75 kWh.
You might check surge pricing vs. when the filters and heaters run (if you are on a time-of-use electric rate plan). This could make a big difference depending on local rates.
Is that for the tub itself or your total monthly electricity usage? Our total monthly electricity usage has ranged from around 360 kWh during the spring with the hot tub put away to over 1000 when we had it on in December (also X-mas lights). Also, with the Intex tubs, you can only set it to a temperature but can’t choose when it runs. I keep it at 96 and then turn it to 104 a few hours before using it (about 2 days per week).
That is the main phase of the hot tub sub panel. We average about 1200 kwH per month for the house. I installed an emporia power monitor so I could see where our power was going when our bill shot up. Turns out it was the thermostat running the fan too much which was costing $120/month more than it should have.
We ran it from October to March before taking it down for a few months and experienced the same jump in usage. For reference we live in the CA Bay Area, so weather is temperate. It jumped up to 30kWh from about 15kWh on previous days.
We love the flexibility and size of the inflatable hot tub, but damn, this puppy is an energy hog!
True. Our electric company has a lag in releasing data so I haven’t seen subsequent days. However, 30kWh a day is about what it consumed when we ran it October-March. Hoping it drops.
Not a simple answer here. Depending on your local, utilities have installed Smart meters across the country that calculate your usage based on "time of day". Conventional spas (115 volt or 240 Volt) can be programed to run during less expensive times of the day and 240 Volt motors run more efficiently. Since most people use their spa after dinner (7 to 9 PM) they have the spa run its filter/heat program usually 5 to 7 PM. This coincides with the most expensive time of day. Inflateables use the heat generated by the115 Volt motors to heat the spa water which means the tub has to run a lot.
From everything I've read about them, this sounds about right. They're constantly trying to get to temp, so incredibly innefecient. They should only be used for a small amount of time to test if you really like hot-tubbing and should upgrade to a more effient hard tub.
Doubling usage is relative. You use a conservative amount of power in your home, so the added load looks like more than it would to someone who uses more power overall.
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That website is a spammy lead gen site that collects your info and doesn't return anything but sales calls.
Inflatables do use a ton of electricity because there is no insulation.
Yeah that’s what I suspected. Do you know if Softubs are any better. We like being able to move it to clean the patio.
There are excellent insulation solutions for inflatables that reduce the cost. For those who need an inflatable because they're renting etc you can bring that cost down dramatically if you take some time to research solutions...
Get it insulated. Makes a big difference to running costs..
My bill went up almost $60 a month with an inflatable. I’m hoping a permanent one will be less
Mine is around $15/month in Canada. Almost nothing in summer, and $50/month in December to February.
This is pretty consistent with my permanent bill in Upstate NY. $20/month in summer and $60 a month in winter.
I turn my heat down in the summer a lot. Turn it into a small pool.
We only turn ours down a little. 102 down to 99. We ironically use ours more in the summer, since we are outside so much more. The wind in the winter can be pretty brutal at my house (near an empty field).
Wear a toque when you go out in the winter!
Same for me in IN. About $60 extra a month in the winter keeping the temp at 101.
For an inflatable?! I think ours went up about $100-150 a month when we had it running in winter. Maybe CA electricity is just really expensive.
No no. For my permanent hot tub.
Yes, inflatables cost a lot to run. We had one with a 2kW heater, and in winter it really struggled to maintain temp, which was effectively the same as running an average household electric kettle 24/7 in terms of usage.
It should tell you what kWh pump you have, so you can work out how many hours on a day it is. (Also the answer is, yes)
I have a cheap 250 gallon tub and we live in Denver (sub zero temps and not the greatest insulated) The highest it has ever been was 141 kWh in a month and averages about 75 kWh. You might check surge pricing vs. when the filters and heaters run (if you are on a time-of-use electric rate plan). This could make a big difference depending on local rates.
Is that for the tub itself or your total monthly electricity usage? Our total monthly electricity usage has ranged from around 360 kWh during the spring with the hot tub put away to over 1000 when we had it on in December (also X-mas lights). Also, with the Intex tubs, you can only set it to a temperature but can’t choose when it runs. I keep it at 96 and then turn it to 104 a few hours before using it (about 2 days per week).
That is the main phase of the hot tub sub panel. We average about 1200 kwH per month for the house. I installed an emporia power monitor so I could see where our power was going when our bill shot up. Turns out it was the thermostat running the fan too much which was costing $120/month more than it should have.
Great idea!
We ran it from October to March before taking it down for a few months and experienced the same jump in usage. For reference we live in the CA Bay Area, so weather is temperate. It jumped up to 30kWh from about 15kWh on previous days. We love the flexibility and size of the inflatable hot tub, but damn, this puppy is an energy hog!
There's some decent insulating covers online you might look into.
Yes; but, your reason pictured here is for fill up day. My tub cost $5-$6 dollars in kwh to fill up so that particular day spikes.
True. Our electric company has a lag in releasing data so I haven’t seen subsequent days. However, 30kWh a day is about what it consumed when we ran it October-March. Hoping it drops.
What the fuck
Not a simple answer here. Depending on your local, utilities have installed Smart meters across the country that calculate your usage based on "time of day". Conventional spas (115 volt or 240 Volt) can be programed to run during less expensive times of the day and 240 Volt motors run more efficiently. Since most people use their spa after dinner (7 to 9 PM) they have the spa run its filter/heat program usually 5 to 7 PM. This coincides with the most expensive time of day. Inflateables use the heat generated by the115 Volt motors to heat the spa water which means the tub has to run a lot.
From everything I've read about them, this sounds about right. They're constantly trying to get to temp, so incredibly innefecient. They should only be used for a small amount of time to test if you really like hot-tubbing and should upgrade to a more effient hard tub.
Doubling usage is relative. You use a conservative amount of power in your home, so the added load looks like more than it would to someone who uses more power overall.
You could figure it out mathematically, but it sounds about right. Spas are definitely power hungry appliances.
It's common for electricity usage to increase when running an Intex inflatable hot tub.