We ordered this pump because it is the recommended replacement model for our Hot Springs spa. I ordered a replacement pump on an older Hot Springs spa about 5 years ago, and received a pump the same physical size and wattage as the original. That replacement job went quickly.Not so with this pump. At first I thought the wrong pump had been delivered, because it is significantly smaller than the original. But this model pump is indeed the factory recommended replacement pump. It was even manufactured in the same factory in Hungary as the original.The main issue is that it is necessary to add a longer hose to the intake (the connection at the center of the end of the pump). This is the easiest way to adjust for the physically smaller size of this pump. To replace the hose, you either need to drain the spa, or get a friend to hold their fingers over the hose and pump openings while you connect the hoses and position the clamps. It's pretty hard to do that with just two hands.Another issue is that the rated power for this pump is less than the original. Is it more efficient, pumping the same volume on less power? Maybe, but the pumps do not specify flow rate and power in the same terms so it is very difficult to compare by the specs. The same temperature setting on the heater produces the same water temperature, but that's another indirect indicator.The new pump has been working fine for a month. The first pump worked fine for 15 years. I guess we'll find out in 10-15 years whether this smaller, lower-power pump lasts as long as the original.
Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]