Has anyone fitted one? I'm looking at the ones from Whirlpool Express, but I'm just trying to find out a bit more about them.
It will be fitted to a new bath before install, so I'm hoping that will make it easier.
Cheers
Far be it from me to discourage you, but have you actually tried a spa bath? Might be worth a couple of days in a hotel where they have one, to see if it's really what you want in a bath!
I have a spa with both water jets and air jets. I never use the air jets, I just don't like them!
Wanderer wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@40tude.net:
I wasn't going to consider the air jet options because they need mounting in the base of the bath and are more expensive than I'm willing to pay. I was looking at the 10 microjet option, which has venturi's on them, so you can have air in the water jets.
I know someone who had an air based system installed. This was a permanent install with lots of little chrome air outlets installed along the base of the bath. It has variable air speed, and also the capability to mix a small amount of fresh hot water into the air supply so that you can match the air temperature to the bath water.
The comments made by the installer at the time were:
It works best in a deep solid bath - preferably and old cast iron one.
If you like long baths, then having instantaneous hot water heating is good so that it can supply the ongoing trickle of hot water to keep the air heated nicely.
Having tried it, the first thing that strikes you is just how powerful the sensation is! You can vary the air feed from a gentle "tickle" right thorough to a very percussive mauling!. Quite good if you want the effect of a massage - although I can understand it may not be to everyone's liking.
Word of warning however: you may find the need to strategically wrap a flannel so as to protect the more delicate parts of your anatomy! (this seems to be a problem that only us gents complain of though)
This system was fitted to the bath in situ. The holes for each jet are drilled and countersunk from the top, and the jet then crimped in place with some silicone sealant for good measure. The jets are then all piped back to a air manifold and compressor that sits under the bath. Took a couple of hours to install it all including the electrics and (small amount) of plumbing required. All in all a neat enough looking job when done if you can face the prospect of someone taking a black & decker to your nice Victorian cast iron bath, and you don't mind shelling out for the (rather pricey) system in the first place.
Hello John
I put one in myself a few years ago. The only reason I was sad to leave that house was this bath!
Mine was a fully converted new unit of fibreglass, but thicker than a normal "deluxe" bath. Was Ok, but I think your point is valid. The vibration can cause thinner baths to crack as well as be noisier.
Yes, but worth the extra cost? Quick flick with my foot and I've got hot water trickling in from the main tank.
One "Gotcha" that caught me is that the unit I had which heated the water electrically to keep it the same temperature required 2 bar of pressure to work, which is about 20-25' of head. With an upstairs bath with a standard CW tank in the loft, it wasn't ever going to work without a shower pump. Worth checking this one, wish I had.
*Very* good for end-of-day back pain and general muscle fatigue.
The difference I noticed with the air heating water turned off is the incoming air feels cold where it is pumping out aginst your skin (more so with higher pump speeds). Having the air running does not seem to make the bath temperature fall noticbly faster though, so I don't think leaving the tap running solves the right problem (i.e. the cold sensation of the air compared to the surrounding water temperature).
With the one I tried cost was not a factor as such, since the particular system installed did not have any "options" - it included the air heating as standard.
That is what it's owner tells me! For that matter - anytime you need a good relax it's probably rather nice.
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