We have a 1995 Hot Springs Sovereign that has developed a huge leak. We need a plumbing diagram so we know what we are facing! Any advice about removing the redwood siding, and methods of tracing the leak would also be helpful.

Can anyone help? Please!!!

This is my regimen for locating leaks:

Where do you notice the water?
If it's leaking out the front I check the drain caps, then the equipment area components and hose connections.
If it's coming from under the base wood that touches the floor - I check the light lens from the equipment area.
I then feel around the wood edge to see if it's dripping from the wood, not the base wood, and if so what jets are near the drip. I especially look at the wood behind the Moto-Jet. A trouble spot.

If it's behind the Moto you have a pretty easy fix. There is a small 1/4" blledline nipple in the moto housing that breaks.
If it's coming from under the base wood and the lens area is dry then it could be a tough costly repair. Possibly a plumbing glue joint.

Be as careful as you can if you remove the wood. They are hard to remove in one piece.
Each slat is pretty expensive.

Keep us posted.

Pete

There is no water in the equipment area...it's dry as a bone. The leak is in the right rear on both sides of the cabinet in the filter area. It only leaks when the jets are running...then its about 4 inches in a half hour! We tried Fix-A-Leak and I guess the leak is too large for that to work.

Thoughts?

NO...it is not leaking from under the base....it drips off the bottom of the redwood skirting.

Did the tub sit empty through the winter season and are you in a cold area?

Yes, we are in upstate NY so it gets to freezing. During the winter, our heater quit and so I drained the tub and used a shop vac to blow out everything I could. Yes, I know, I probably did not do a good enough job and that is why a pipe or fitting went somewhere. My husband thinks that since we got a new circulating pump, that led to something/s breaking due to the better pressure.

But...in either case...yes, there is a huge leak and what I need now is a plumbing diagram so we get some idea of where and what we are looking for. I saw from past posts that there are plumbing diagrams in someone possession and I am hoping that they will be able to send it to me. Watkins/Hot Springs have been no help. I think because of the age of the tub, they just think I should buy a new one. But I don't have the money for that.

Again...can anyone help?

First I would check the filter area - it is glued toward the front. See if that glue looks compromised. If it looks OK then I would pull the wood off the corner and start digging - I leave the spa full of water so I can locate the leak. A plumbing diagram won't help too much because you have a good idea where it is dripping.

Good Luck

Pete

Thanks Petey...will let you know what happens! Can't wait to use the hot tub again!

I knew I shouldn't have used Peteyboy as a screen name. I blame my daughter.

I looked at the plumbing diagrams but wasn't able to post them...problem with the scanner. There is a return line with two check valves right around the filter area that I would suspect if it is not the elbows under the filter pipes themselves. On the diagram they look like they are right along the filter intake lines.