West Coast Spas Energy saving options

When it comes to spa pools, there are many ways that a
West Coast Spa can save you money and lower your carbon foot print

1. The most cost effective heating available (up to 80% less)
2. Five levels of insulation in our spa range
3. Hybrid gas model upgrades
4. Dualcore electronic Heater upgrades
5. Choice of pumps, the worlds only 80 speed pump,
two speed pumps or circulation pumps
6. Winners of the Splash environment award for the most cost effective spas
7. The worlds lowest running cost pump Varidrive 80 (with wave massage)
8. We plant a tree for every spa we sell
9. Gold Medal winners of the 2015 Spa and Pool Association of West Australia portable spa of the year.
10. While every spa company boasts they have the most cost effecive spas, we are the only ones with the facts and figures to back it up

The New breed of Electric Spa Heaters
Dualcore electric heater




Dualcore heating requires no additional power requirements and is cheaper to run than a gas heater. Dualcore also has the ability to cool the water as well as heat

We plant a tree for every sale we get



We have the Worlds most economic spas

myspa wins the prestigious Splash Environment Spa Award August 2012

Here is why (facts and figures)

1) Exclusive VariDrive80 speed filtration/heating pump - our spa control system provides variable speed control over a 2.2kW jet pump used for filtration and heating cycles and jet operation. We have 80 speed settings and can adjust the pump from 2200W right down to 120W. For filtration and heating cycles the VariDrive80 is run at its lowest speed setting (120W, 0.5A@240V).

By utilising a 2200W jet pump and slowing the speed right down the VariDrive80 achieves a higher flow rate compared to a traditional 350W circulation pump and draws less than half the power (current):

i.e. PUMP POWER CURRENT FLOW RATE
VariDrive80 in low speed 120W 0.5A 210L/min
350W circulation pump 350W 1.4A 174L/min (competitor's spas)

The net result is that for every minute that the VariDrive80 operates to filter and/or heat the spa it consumes 64% less energy than a traditional 350W circulation pump (the most commonly used filtration/heating pump on competitors' spas today). Also because of the VariDrive80's higher flow rate it runs for less hours in a given day to achieve the same amount of filtration. So with significantly less energy consumption and much higher flow rates the VariDrive80 provides the most energy efficient pump solution for filtering and heating a spa pool today.

Another major advantage of the VariDrive80 speed pump system is now the spa owner can enjoy the benefit of adjustable jet pressure control, by simply adjusting the motor speed up or down via the spa-side keypad. In variable speed mode the user can select their desired speed (and therefore jet pressure) to suit their individual preference. In addition we have provided three (3) x different sequencing speed modes. These modes carry out a pre-programmed change in speed sequence to offer a more therapeutic and enjoyable jet massage. So therefore when the spa is used and the spa owner customises the VariDrive80 to their desired speed level or chosen sequencing mode, the pump will spend a significant amount of its runtime at a speed (and therefore energy consumption level) far lower than the 2200W limit of the pump. This will lead to less power being consumed during spa use the therefore increase the spas overall energy efficiency.

In addition to the energy saving benefits of the VariDrive80 speed pump system it has the added benefit of significant noise level reduction compared to competitors' spas. At its low speed level the VariDrive80 is basically silent and the spa owner will not hear the pump running when standing beside the spa pool.

2) SpaNET PowerSMART spa controller - at the heart of a Heat pump heated Sapphire spa is the SpaNET SV Series spa control system. There are a host of power smart features in these control systems including multi phase ready terminal block (1, 2 or 3 phase), load limit function, the world's first dedicated heat pump interface to a spa controller allowing demand heating and cooling of the spa water, programmable filtration, programmable sleep timers, programmable off peak filtration and heating and a host of other features.

However in terms of optimal energy efficiency the SV Series spa controls stand apart from the competitors in a few key areas:

a) Smart Filtration - unlike traditional spa controls that treat filtration and heating separately the SV series recognises that the spa is actually filtering whilst it is heating. The total daily runtime (in hours) for filtration can be programmed as well as how often filtration blocks occur. Each time the filtration pump runs for a filtration block, heating or for manual spa use the SV control keeps a log of the filter pump's runtime for that day. If the spa comes on to heat during the day, the future filtration blocks will be automatically reduced so that the spa control at least achieves the daily filtration runtime that has been programmed but ideally no more. Competitor spa controls run fixed amounts of filtration and do not consider pump runtime whilst heating, so if the spa comes on to heat the runtime of the filter pump is increased therefore increasing energy consumption and daily operating cost. This is avoided with the SV series smart filtration.

b) PowerSAVE off peak filtration and heating software - the SV series feature power save software to take advantage of smart energy meters and off peak energy tariffs. There are two setting choices, LOW (off peak filtration only), and HIGH (off peak filtration and heating). The spa owner selects the desired level of power save (LOW or HIGH) and the programs in the start and end time of the peak power period. This way the SV series spa control knows not to consume power during that peak period, and carries out its filtration and/or heating during the off peak periods. In addition if the HIGH setting is used the spa control will compensate for temperature lost during the peak power period.

c) Dynamic Thermal Tuning - competitor spa controls have fixed thermostat points which depending on temperature sensor location and environment that the spa pool is located in will most often lead to unnecessary cycling of the filter pump and heater when regulating water temperature. The SV series feature a dynamic thermostat point which will adapt and tune (change) itself to match the thermal properties of the spa pool in its environment, day to day, season to season, to reduce demand heat cycling and therefore lower operating costs whilst maintaining a consistent water temperature.

3) Integrated Heat Pump - SpaNET SV series heat pumps are the world's first to feature a dedicated interface for seamless integration to a SpaNET SV series spa control. The heat pump and spa control have been designed to work in synergy resulting in a single spa control system that operates smoothly, reliably and efficiently. The SV heat pump interface revolutionises the way spas operate in that we can now offer both demand heating and cooling, to heat or cool the spa water (from 10oC - 40oC) and maintain that selected temperature, all conveniently controlled via the spa-side keypad.

Air sourced heat pumps are the most energy efficient method of heating and maintaining water temperature in a spa pool. They consume 75% less energy than a conventional immersion heating element, and are 50% more efficient compared to gas, resulting in an eco-friendly and amazingly cost efficient appliance. Being an electric appliance they can also be powered by renewal energy sources compared to burning a fossil fuel such as gas.

With ever increasing regulation and restriction on power consuming appliances such as spa pools the need for integrated heat pumps to spas has never been more important. With a heat pump, by utilising refrigeration, only a compressor needs to be powered to generate the heating (or cooling). Therefore only a small amount of input power is consumed to generate a large amount of heating output.

The tables below shows SGS test results for 5.5kw and 8.8kw heat pumps.

Model SN-HP-55
Heating capacity 5.5kw
Heating input 1.4kw
Cooling capacity 3.3kw
Cooling input 1.2kw

Model SN-HP-90
Heating capacity 8.8kw
Heating input 2.1kw
Cooling capacity 5.4kw
Cooling input 2.0kw

 

For example the 5.5kw heat pump provides 5.5kw of heat output whilst only consuming 1.4kw of electrical power. This is a factor of 3.9x power in to heat out (COP). The 8.8kw heat pump achieves a factor of 4.2x power in to heat out (COP).

Note: The above test results were carried out by SGS at Ambient Temp = 45'C, Water Temp=35'C. Differing COP levels will be achieved as ambient and water temperatures vary. Under normal circumstances with ambient temperatures of around 20'C - 30'C the COP level will be as high as 5.1x power in to heat out, therefore increasing efficiency dramatically over the above test results, which would further reduce the running costs and increase the savings.

The SV heat pump interface also enables the SV spa controller to completely control all heat pump functions and components. Its real time monitoring ensures the fan, valves, defrost elements and compressor are all switched on and off in the correct sequence required for reliable heat pump operation and long term life expectancy. Low ambient temperatures and defrost needs are taken into account and dealt with appropriately. Unlike competitors' generic heat pump installs where the heat pump will be operating and the spa controller will simply cut power to it. The result is that the heat pump components are not switched in the correct sequence resulting in dramatic degradation of the components through temperature and pressure spikes, leading to short expected life. Defrost cycles are cut short or missed completely and any accumulated run data that the heat pump has recorded is lost when the power is cut off unexpectedly.

Another advantage of the SV series integrated heat pump is the benefit of the electric element boost function for rapid heat recovery. Although not related to energy efficiency and whilst this feature is automatically defaulted OFF when a SV heat pump is connected to a SV series spa control, the spa owner has the ability to alter a user adjustable menu option to run both the heat pump and the spa control's internal electric element for rapid heat recovery if desired. Competitor spa controls are not designed to integrate with a heat pump and only understand heating. Therefore if a generic heat pump is installed to a spa with a non SpaNET spa control, the heating element must be physically disconnected from the heater terminals inside the control itself, potentially voiding warranty and product approvals. This also means that non SpaNET spa controls cannot provide an element boost function with a heat pump, and also cannot maintain and regulate cool water temperatures in summer months in an easy and efficient manner like the SV heat pump can.

4) Thermal Insulation -heat retention is one of the most important factors when constructing an energy efficient spa. That is why Sapphire Spas feature five levels of thermal insulation:

a) Thermo efficient Acrylic - Acrylic is an effective insulator, so naturally we select the best acrylic in the world, Aristech Acrylic.
b) Foam Insulation - Closed cell foam insulation is applied to the underside of our spa shells to minimise heat loss. This insulation also helps to absorb equipment noise for the quietest operation.
c) Air Gap Insulation - Utilising the surrounding air within the spa cabinet we can capture heat from the motors and the spa itself and allow it to circulate around the spa as an extra level of insulation. This natural air gap works in the same way as the air gap found between the insulation in a house.
d) Cedar Cabinet with Aerofoil Insulation - Cedar is a natural insulator so by constructing our cabinets from 20mm thick Western Red Cedar, which we know has a consistent grain structure, we can rely on our cabinets to act as a good insulator. In addition by adding an inner lining of Aerofoil heat lock insulation to our cabinets we greatly improve our heat retention by protecting the warm air gap from the ambient temperature outside. The reflectant properties of Aerofoil Insulation will resist the cold and retain the heat in our spas for maximum efficiency.
e) ABS base - Our ABS base and rodent protection in all corners adds yet another layer of insulation and completely seals our spas for maximum heat retention.

Summary

Therefore with the combination of our VariDrive80 filtration pump, SpaNET SV Series spa control with integrated heat pump and our thermal insulation, we believe our Sapphire PowerSMART spa range are the most energy efficient spa pools available in the world market today which provide the lowest possible daily operating cost.

We welcome any further questions and are happy to provide more detailed information for any persons that wish to contact us.

 

Note:
1. comparable savings increase with spa usage due to:

a. Heat pump vs. element power usage for heat recovery
b. VariDrive80 vs. standard jet pump power usage

 

So there you have it, facts and figures, there is no lower running cost spa on the market than one of our spas fitted with a Varidrive pump and Heat pump heater.