Plug-and-play 120V or 240V: what power does a hot tub need?
Plug-and-play means a hot tub plugs into a regular 120V outlet. The One Model needs a dedicated 240V circuit on 50 amps, installed by a licensed electrician, and its water pump runs 24 hours a day.
What does plug-and-play mean?
A plug-and-play hot tub plugs into a regular 120V outlet. There is no new circuit to install. The term describes how the tub connects to your house, and it says nothing else about the tub.
A tub that needs a 240V circuit connects to your electrical panel through a circuit of its own. An electrician installs it before the tub arrives.
What power does the One Model need?
The One Model needs a dedicated 240V circuit on 50 amps. It cannot go into a regular outlet. A licensed electrician installs the circuit, and on Vancouver Island the work usually costs $1,500 to $2,000. Tell the electrician the circuit is for a hot tub, and ask for the permit to be in the quote.
Good Hot Tubs has not released the heater rating yet.
What does a 240V circuit involve?
A circuit of this size is regulated electrical work. Technical Safety BC says a permit is required before that work starts, unless an exemption applies. If you hire a licensed contractor, the contractor usually applies for the permit for you.
Owners of a strata unit cannot get a homeowner permit and must hire a licensed contractor. Ask your electrician to confirm the permit for your job before the work begins.
Which power suits a cold climate?
A fair answer needs the heater rating, the heat-up time from a cold fill and the running cost of each tub. Ask any seller for those three numbers, and ask for them in writing.
For the One Model, the water pump runs 24 hours a day and moves the water through the heater, the filter, the ozone chamber and the salt system. The cabinet walls have perimeter insulation, and the hard cover holds the heat in from the top. A test soak on Vancouver Island lets you feel a running One Model before you decide, and you can ask for one when you send your result.
How does the One Model handle the electrical side, and what does it add to your budget?
Every One Model needs a pad and its own electrical circuit before delivery. The video call before you order looks at your yard, so you know what the job involves before you pay for the tub.
The One Model costs $19,995 CAD. That covers the tub, its water-care system and app, the Smartop Upright 3.0 hard cover and standard delivery to your pad. Steps and handrails cost extra. On Vancouver Island, the electrical work usually adds $1,500 to $2,000 and a pad usually adds $500 to $1,000, so the tub, electrical work and a pad together usually come to $21,995 to $22,995.
What should you ask about any tub you are comparing?
Whatever tub you are weighing, five answers tell you most of what you need. Ask the seller for each one in writing.
- What voltage and amps does the tub need, and is a new circuit required?
- Who installs the circuit, and what does it usually cost?
- What is the heater rating?
- How long does the tub take to heat from a cold fill?
- What does it cost to run, and where does that number come from?
What should you check at home before you choose?
Look at your electrical panel and ask an electrician to quote a 240V circuit on 50 amps. If the quote fits your budget, the One Model's electrical needs are settled.
If you are weighing a different tub, ask its seller what circuit it needs and who installs it.
Go through the list below before you talk to an electrician. Each item takes a few minutes, and each answer shapes the quote.
- Find your electrical panel and note where it is in relation to the spot for the tub.
- Measure the spot. The base is at least 86 by 86 inches with 18 inches clear on every side.
- Measure the way in. The gate opening is at least 42 inches wide and the route has 90 inches clear overhead.
- Ask the electrician for a written quote for a 240V circuit on 50 amps, with the permit.
- Add the quote to the tub price, the pad and any crane to see your total.
Questions
Can you plug a hot tub into a regular outlet?
A plug-and-play tub plugs into a regular 120V outlet. The One Model needs its own 240V circuit on 50 amps, installed by a licensed electrician.
Is the One Model plug-and-play?
No. It needs a dedicated 240V circuit on 50 amps and cannot run from a regular 120V outlet.
What is a dedicated circuit for a hot tub?
It is a circuit that runs from your electrical panel to the tub and serves nothing else. The One Model needs one at 240V and 50 amps.
Does a 240V hot tub need an electrician?
Yes. The One Model's circuit is installed by a licensed electrician, and the contractor you hire usually applies for the permit.
Sources
General facts on this page come from these public sources. Facts about the One Model come from Good Hot Tubs.
- Electrical Installation Permits. Technical Safety BC.
- Homeowner Electrical Permits. Technical Safety BC.
Related answers
Is the One Model right for you?
Ten questions about your home and how you would use a hot tub. You see your result before you give any contact details, and you can ask for a test soak on Vancouver Island when you send it.