Examine your city’s building code to ascertain how far away from your home you must place your hot tub. Many codes require at least 5 feet (1. 5 m) of clearance between your home and your property line. Two other regulations you need to consider when finding a place for the hot tub. The hot tub should be at least 10 feet (3 m) away from any overhead power lines, as well as 5 feet (1. 5 m) removed from the spa panel. Water and electricity do not mix.
Pouring concrete into a 3 to 4 inch thick (7. 62 to 10. 16 cm) pad is a common method of creating a solid foundation. Concrete provides a very strong foundation. At the same time, it may not be aesthetically pleasing and will be permanently anchored into place if you ever choose to move the hot tub. Another option is prefabricated spa pads. These pads have interlocking grids that make installation easy, and they can be removed if you ever decide to relocate your tub. At the same time, spa pads may be less supportive than concrete. Make sure you have a solid base to work with, and you choose the strongest pads if you use this option.
Most pumps will require an extra hard-wired circuit, one that’s entirely dedicated to the electrical on the tub. A 240V, 50-amp GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) should be sufficient on many tubs. Multiple-pump tubs may require a 60-amp circuit. If you don’t have familiarity wiring this kind of circuit, it’s best to call an electrician to do it for you.
Some delivery drivers will help you with this step. If you find that the tub is bigger than certain obstacles in your path will allow, you may need to improvise. Cutting a branch or removing a part of a fence, although it appears drastic, is sometimes the only thing that you can do.
Turn off the electricity. Clean the interior of the hot tub and make sure all jets and knobs are in place. Open the air valves. Fill the hot tub with water from a garden hose or using buckets of water from inside. No special water is necessarily required. Turn the electricity back on and begin heating the tub. Mix in the proper chemicals to ensure sanitation.
The size of the wire you use must be approved by the National Electrical Code (NEC)[6] X Trustworthy Source National Fire Protection Association Nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. Go to source and/or local codes. The size of the wire you use should be based on the length of run from the breaker box to the hot tub. The maximum current draw should also play a role in determining wire size. Copper wire is recommended with THHN (thermoplastic nylon) insulation. In fact, all wiring should be copper; aluminum wire should be avoided. If using wire larger than #6 (10mm2), be sure to put a junction box close the hot tub. Then, reduce the wire to short lengths of #6 (10mm2) in between the junction box and the hot tub.
