You don’t need a permanent water supply for a hot tub or garden spa but you will need a suitable electrical supply to run the tub.  Hot tubs have a specific section in the 16th Edition IEE (Institute of Electrical Engineers) Regulations and fall into the same category as swimming pools.

When appointing an electrician to prepare your hot tub electrics check that they are suitably qualified electrician.  Do not attempt to install hot tub electrics yourself if you are not a fully qualified electrician. 

The Government introduced a new law in January 2005, which demands that most electrical work in UK households is only carried out by a ‘competent’ person.  This law means that Electrical safety requirements have been included in a new Part P of the Building Regulations.

Part P Explained:

The law states that anyone carrying out fixed electrical installations in households in England and Wales must ensure that electrical installations are:

- Designed and installed to afford appropriate protection against mechanical and thermal damage, and so that they do not present electric shock and fire hazards to people

- Suitably inspected and tested to verify that they meet the relevant equipment and installation standards .

It is now against the law to have a new circuit installed in your home without having it inspected and tested to ensure it is Part P compliant.  This can be achieved in 2 ways

1. Appoint an electrical contractor who is registered with a competent person scheme.  If you are unsure about who is Part P qualified visit the websites of the following organisations who all run Part P registration schemes.  Make sure that your contractor is registered with one of them.

NICEIC - http://www.niceic.org.uk

NAPIT - http://www.napit.org.uk

ELECSA - http://www.elecsa.org.uk

BSI - http://www.bsi-global.com/kitemark

BRE - http://www.partp.co.uk

2. Appoint someone who is not Part P registered but contact you local authority’s Building Control Department first.  The work will have to be inspected and tested by your local authority before it can be signed off.  There will be a charge for this service.

Either way you will receive a Part P certificate after the hot tub electrical supply work is completed.  From later in 2007 these will need to be kept on file and presented if you ever sell your house as part of the new home sellers packs. 

Your hot tub retailer can liaise with your electrical contractor regarding the exact specification for your spa but you must meet the following specification:

The hot tub must be hard wired on its own fused spur back to your household consumer unit. (i.e. the tub should not be sharing a supply with any other appliances)

The hot tub should be protected by a sufficiently rated MCB (mains circuit breaker) and should cover the maximum amperage pull of the spa PLUS 25% to allow for brake torque (i.e. the extra rush of current when pumps are first started.)  So a hottub that has a maximum current draw of 20 amps should be fitted with a 25amp MCB.

The hot tub should also be protected against earth faults by an RCD (Residual Current Device)  This is a trip switch which prevents danger of electric shock from damaged or waterlogged cables and connections.  A suitably rated 30mA RCD is recommended.

Outdoor cabling should be protected from damage by either laying protective ducting (pvc pipe) below ground or by using Steel Wired Armoured (SWA) cable.  Your electrician will calculate the size of cable required depending on the loading and the distance from the mains supply.  6mm2 3-core SWA cable is perfectly suitable in most cases but always consult an electrician first.

An IP65 45amp Rotary Isolation Switch is also recommended so that the hot tub can be isolated outdoors in an emergency or for service work.  This is simply a rotary on/off switch but should be sited more than 2 metres away for the hot tub so that bathers cannot be in the spa whilst touching the switch.

The hot tub supply can then be  directly hard wired into the load box inside the spa.  Waterproof gland packs should be used to prevent ingress of water on all outdoor electrical connections (2 at the isolation switch and 1 inside the hot tub)  Ensure that all earth cables are clearly colour coded with green/yellow insulating tape or earth sleeve.

Once the hot tub is filled with water and the electrical supply is installed, your hot tub installation team should commission the hottub and check that everything is fully operational before “handing over” to you with a thorough training of how all of the hot tub features work.

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We are in the final throes of the publication of our forthcoming Spring/Summer issue of WhatSpa? Magazine and we have lots of exciting new hot tubs, swim spas & exercise pools, saunas and steamrooms and exciting features and buying tips for hot tub and home spa lovers.  To request your free copy of WhatSpa?, the Uk’s best selling Hot Tub Magazine, simply visit our Hot Tubs Buyers Guide page and request your complimentary copy of our magazine now…if you would like to subscribe to WhatSpa? Magazine simply contact us by email at info@whatspa.com for more information.

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Following on from my last post, the hot tub brand that you choose is obviously critical when choosing your hot tubs to wet test and eventually buy, but just as crucially, it is so important when visiting hot tub showrooms to thoroughly check the credentials of potential hot tub companies.  Your chosen hot tub supplier (if carefully selected) will prove to be an absolutely invaluable source of advice, tips and local aftersales support for years to come.

Like any other consumer durable, hot tubs do need service and support so it is important to choose your hot tub supplier carefully.  To help you in this process, we at whatspa have developed an accreditation scheme that checks the background and infrastructure of UK hot tub retailers and only approves those that meet our stringent requirements.  Simply look for the WhatSpa Approved 2007 Retailer logo when you visit our Find a Retailer area and also when you are out and about visiting hot tub showrooms and looking at hot tubs.  This will provide you with the extra peace of mind that you and your family deserve.

Happy hot tub shopping!

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We will be finalising our list of WhatSpa Approved Hot Tub Manufacturers at the end of May, but in the interim, here is the list of hot tub manufacturers that we have audited so far in 2007 and awarded our What Spa Approved accreditation:

• HotSpring Spas
• Hydropool Spas
• Marquis Spas
• Spa Crest Spas
• Spaform Spas
• Sundance Spas

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Today we have launched our new WhatSpa? Approved standards for 2007 so that our readers can go hot tub shopping with confidence when they see the WhatSpa? stamp of approval being displayed in hot tub retail outlets and on product literature and hot tub retailer websites.  Here is the completely objective set of criteria that a hot tub manufacturer, importer or retailer will have to meet in order to become accredited and qualify to display our WhatSpa? Approved 2007 Logo:

 Hot Tub Manufacturers/Importers:

• BISHTA (British & Irish Spa & Hot Tub Association) Membership.

• Fully CE Compliant Hot Tubs & Spare Parts.
• Mandatory technical training program for all retailers who will be responsible for service work and warranty support.
• A fully comprehensive parts and labour warranty that covers all non-consumable hot tub components and parts for a minimum of 12 months.
• A warranty support program that protects hot tub owners and offers continuity of warranty and service support in the event that their retailer ceases trading.

Hot Tub Retailers:

• BISHTA (British & Irish Spa & Hot Tub Association) Membership.
• At least 1 member of staff who holds a certificate for attendance on a  BISHTA recognised training course in water hygiene management.
• Proof of a spa water testing regime for showroom spas to ensure a  safe environment for consumers.
• A showroom or retail facility with at least 1 fully operational hot tub on display for clients to wet test.
• Ability to offer or recommend an electrical installation service or contractor who is 16th edition qualified and Part P qualified. Download our FREE Spa Buyers Guide for more on electrical regulations for spas.
• A fully trained and accredited service technician either employed by them or available on a sub-contract basis.
• Facilities to accept credit card payment for added consumer protection by credit card issuers.

Look out for the WhatSpa? seal of approval before you commit to purchase for that extra peace of mind in knowing that you are buying a brand that is supported by a well-established and professional infrastructure here in the UK.

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