110 Volt vs 220 Volt Hot Tubs

When shopping for a new hot tub, you will need to know whether you want it to run on 110 volt or 220 volt electricity. 

The 110 volt hot tub is the easiest to install because it plugs right into your standard US household plug-ins as long as it is a dedicated circuit.  All you have to do is place it on concrete or another solid surface, fill it with water, plug it in and enjoy it once it is heated up.  The 110 volt spas are typically cheaper to buy because the have to be fairly simple so they don’t overload the electrical supply.  The down side is that the 110 volt spa will take twice as long to heat as the 220 volt spa so it may be a while from the time you fill it up until the time you can jump in and enjoy it.  Since the heater runs twice as long, the pump also runs twice as long so both the heater and pump are getting more wear and tear.  If you are in a really cold climate, the 110 volt hot tub may also find it hard to keep the temperature up, especially if you have the cover off.  Another problem with the 110 volt spa is that they typically don’t have enough electricity to run both the heater and the pump at the same time which creates additional heating difficulties.  Because the 110 volt hot tub has to run almost continuously to keep up the temperature, it costs more than the 220 volt hot tub.

A 220 volt hot tub will heat the water much faster and it will keep the water at your desired temperature, up to 104 degrees, even in the winter months.  If you don’t already have a 220 volt outlet in the area you want to put the hot tub, you may have to call an electrician.  You can usually get a free estimate but it usually doesn’t cost a great deal to have an electrician extend your service for a 220 volt spa.  An electrician would be an additional expense but it would be worth the cost if you want a hot tub that has very many options at all.  The 220 volt electricity allows you to have a hot tub that has multiple pumps and you aren’t limited to the size of pumps either.  Some hot tubs have as many as 5 pumps that are as big as 6 hp.  The extra power offers a more therapeutical spa experience.  It also allows you to have more pumps, many jets, lights, a stereo, and even a TV and DVD player if you choose.