I'm a newbie with a leak in my 1995 Hot Spring Prodigy after 2 months on my deck. It is currently full of water and loses about 1"/day when plugged in (115V) and the circ pump is running. It seems to leak faster (3"/day) when it's not plugged in. The water is pooling in the equip compt. I shop vac'ed and toweled it out to check the flood light (dry), and the shaft seal (dry). It seems like the leak may be at the 3" black flex tube that's clamped to the pump and headed to the spa heater return. Where it's located it's hard to see, so it might be coming from a crack or something behind the jet pump instead. I just can't see anything flowing out definitively. I've attached pictures to show the pump (Wavemaster 5000) and the black flex tube. Questions: 1) Do I drain the spa to tighten up that flex tube connection? 2) Is there a gasket or something or does it just snug up to a plastic opening in the pump? 3) Is there something that can crack or leak on the 'dry side' of the pump? 4) Am I crazy to try to do this myself or should I call in the experts? Thanks for your help!!!

The leak isn't related to the air duct on the back of the jet pump. That's about the only thing we can rule out.

If you can't see the a component leaking, look for a leak through the shell, either around the light lens or a hairline crack near the step.

Look for water trapped between the plastic equipment floor and the spa shell near the light.

It does look like trapped water is coming up from under the plastic equipment floor cover in a couple places. One is from a clear 1/2" tube going into the bottom near the wet-end of pump (pic, circled). Also from somewhere under the jet pump, perhaps under the back bracket (can't see). The leaked water is quite warm there.

Can I take off the 3" black flex air duct from the pump for a better look (without making matters worse)? Does it even matter where it's seeping out?

I inspected around the step for hairline cracks and found nothing. The light lens seems suspect, although directly behind it is dry as far as I can reach (not far). Reaching into the jet hole towards the light (pic), it was a bit damp and cruddy. I wonder if it's wet farther below the light where I can't see or reach. Inside the tub, the outer seal of the light is discolored brownish (pic through water), also making me think there's been a breach. But I couldn't confirm it definitively.

Is it prudent to try to replace and reseal the light lens based on this info?

Much thanks for the help and expertise!

Look at the bottom of the light from inside the equip compartment, also feel at the bottom of the light for water seeping in between the large plactic "pan" the equipment sits on and the spa shell at the base of the light.

The bottom of the light is dry to the point that I can feel and see it. Is it possible that I can't reach low enough inside because of the insulation and edge of the liner pan? Or if the light is the culprit, would water be evident everywhere around the hole?

Can you temporily secure a paper towel around the light and wait a bit? If the paper towel is wet, there you go. Also, wrap a paper towel around other fittings that you might suspect. Don't let the paper towels touch the water that's allready there and wick it up. A wet paper towel will be a very good indicator of a leak.

Leaking more when unplugged? Sounds as though you may have a leak on the suction side of the small circ. pump. The piping that attaches to the suction side of the circ pump leading to one of your three filters. There probably is a bleedline or two coming off that piping that you can't see that may be your culprit. You're going to have to be a detective. I wouldn't rule out the shell crack either just yet. Look for what appears to be a hair on the shell that doesn't move.

What about pouring some of that Seal-A-Leak stuff into the tub and cross my fingers? Is it worth a try or just a wishful thinking quick fix? Seems like the leak may be tucked away behind something...

It's a bandaid. Good money after bad.....

Yes! There is a crack in the shell! Actually there are two right next to each other. One is about 1" long and the other about 1/2". They are on the equipment side in the corner opposite the filters, consistent with where the water pools up inside the compartment.

So now this leads to my next obvious question... How should I fix the cracked shell to do it right (and only once)? This is the white knobby Endurol shell that's pretty common in Hot Spring. I also will look through all the previous postings for advice on this topic, but haven't yet. I was just so excited to find "the hair that wouldn't move" that I had to post. I confirmed the cracks with a squirt a bit of phenol red and watched the dye get sucked in. Thank you, thank you for all your amazing expertise and advice. I'm already looking forward to a leakfree tub.

I'm so glad I didn't pour any seal-a-crap into it.

Casey