I have searched and can't find any information. I have a Vita spa about 10 years old with a single 2-speed pump and an air blower. The blower works fine and makes tons of turbulence in the spa. I replaced the check valve but it seems that when two people or even 1 person gets in the tub without the blower running, water gets over the hartford loop and trickles thought the check valve and ends up under the spa coming out the drip hole near the blower. The previous owner never said anything about this problem. The top of the hartford loop is now even higher than when I got the tub. I am just wondering if this may be a typical problem with this certain spa. I guess my only option would be to raise the loop, which would require some odd looking contraption outside the spa surround.
Any ideas are appreciated.

Water seeks it's own level. If the water ever goes above the loop, it'll go down to the check valve.

Entirely normal condition - that's why there's a drain hole. You may want to drill a small drain hole on the other side of the check valve at the bottom, preferably not bigger than 1/8".

There is a drain hole, that's how I found the problem before it killed my blower. I understand the pysics of it. It just seems odd to me that the spa is designed this way. It's like they were relying on the check valve to keep the water out because it is always going to go over the loop level. And the spa is not overfilled. It's right at the line.

Well unless you've got 'turbo-boosted' jets, where the blower blows air into the jet lines, then the only way it happens is because of water level rising - usually due to people in the spa.

No offense, but you are just reiterating what I already know. I was just asking if this is a common problem or a manufacturing error. Why would the top of the loop be at a point that it's below the water level when there are people in the spa.

Because to do so would require them to literally build the shell taller which is the biggest factor in dead end build cost of the tub (mold design, shipping - which is unreal - and warehousing). Additionally a taller shell with a design optimum level 12" below the top edge (to allow for a neighborhood party) is a bit unsightly, and to most would be unnatural.

Some mfgrs will use a double or triple loop to alleviate a lot of this problem, but not all. I mean - if the tub water level elevates to the very edge of the spa at any time the only loop that's going to work 100% of the time guaranteed is one that is exposed outside of and elevated above the tub - the way older contractor built in spas were designed.

Tub over-level events are very common as well as leaking water into the channel and the design of the spa air channel that you have.

I would consider possibly your only reasonable course of action outside of running the blower pipe above the water level, would be adding a couple more loops at the highest level inside the tub edge that you can get. This is quite an effective solution provided you don't get into over fill situations frequently (or continuously) with the blower off.

At this point it may be a bit reasonable to question the effectiveness of the replaced air check valve. They shouldn't leak that easily. Prior to installation I always like to put a bit of lubricant on the edge of the rubber seal on the blower side of the valve.... it seems to help with sealing and extend the life of the seal.

PS: Unfortunately we always have to state even the most obvious here - if you only knew what we go thru with some... everything from 'well there's not water in the spa yet, isn't it supposed to heat up the water in the footwell?' to.... Yeah my pumps 240 volts... all the while it was a 120 because they never looked - and this is always figured out after they've bought the wrong motor now have to rewire the control to get it to work with the mis-purchased component.

So, yeah, it's not intended to be insulting, but rather informative to others that read that just never had a clue.

Ok. How about any ideas on something I could attach to the side of the spa to raise the loop. Something aesthetically pleasing like maybe a box holding a speaker or a light or something.
Also I noticiced that my new check valve doesn't contain a spring like the old one. It's simply a free floating stopper. Kind of like in a shop vac. I figured it would work since this is just a backup to the loop. I thought the loop was the first line of defense. I know they don't use blowers much anymore, but was this a common problem with many spas?

The double hatford combined witha check valve was standard issue, and works very well. Sometimes they fail, but much less than you might expect.

Only portable tub I've seen with a hatford loop that went higher than the shell was one that incorporated hollow plastic handrails as part of the hartford loop. The spa cover had flaps that gave a custom fit to accommodate handrails. The handrails, btw, would get extremely hot if you ran the blower for an extended amount of time.

Oh crud.
No wonder your check valve don't check!

That thing needs real back pressure to seal. Flappers -> no good for this purpose at all.

http://spapartsnet.com/Blowers-Motors/B ... 6_1_1.html