Pros: Hard to find part was available, and for a great price!
Cons: Exact measurements/dimensions of wet ends are not shown, so it's hard to make sure one has the right one without a model number..
This wet end is in use on my 1996 CalSpa hot tub, CalSpa hot tubs are very proprietary, so sometimes finding the exact right part is NOT easy. (side note: the motor label says the pump is a 56 frame, but it's actually a 48 frame - GE apparently messed up on the label - measure the distance between the bolts carefully)
The label was gone from the old pump wet end. I initially tried to find the replacement part via the CalSpa parts department, with no luck - they said they no longer carried it. Then, knowing most of CalSpa spa's internal workings were made by Balboa Water Group (at least for a 1996 model), I contacted a Balboa technician (via email) for some assistance. He told me he could not find this part either. Then, just out of the blue, I get an email from some guy, somewhere (not the tech), who claimed he could sell me this exact part for $120 plus $15 shipping. He claimed to be one of the engineers who worked on the design of this hot tub, but I saw nothing to indicate I could trust him, and we had never talked before. My only guess on how he knew how to contact me was that the Balboa tech BCC'd him on our emails back and forth, or forwarded them to him without my knowledge... So, for obvious reasons, I didn't feel comfortable about using my credit card to order the part from "some random guy". All I had was an email address and a cell phone number for this guy, no actual online or brick-n-mortar presence, and his email address was from a generic provider that did not indicate who we worked for. My search continued.
After doing some research - I eventually figured out the name and part number for this wet end. So re-starting my search, I came across INYOPools.com. I called INYOPools and spoke with a gentleman who was very helpful on answering a couple of questions I had, and placed the order for me over the phone. I was very pleased that I could find this part for *MUCH* less than $135, with free shipping, and from someone who had an established online presence, as opposed to "some guy" with a generic email address and a cell phone. The part came in quickly, and looks like it should work like a charm (I have to wait until it warms up outside and the snow melts before I can actually install it). Considering the efficiency of this order, I think we may start ordering chemicals through INYOPools as well. The prices look to be slightly less than our local pool/spa store, and the items I have ordered so far have arrived quickly and in good shape. :)
The Most Recent Reviews
(5 out of 5 stars) Love it
Reviewed By: SomeDudeInTheMidwest from Kansas ()
Pros: Hard to find part was available, and for a great price!
Cons: Exact measurements/dimensions of wet ends are not shown, so it's hard to make sure one has the right one without a model number..
This wet end is in use on my 1996 CalSpa hot tub, CalSpa hot tubs are very proprietary, so sometimes finding the exact right part is NOT easy. (side note: the motor label says the pump is a 56 frame, but it's actually a 48 frame - GE apparently messed up on the label - measure the distance between the bolts carefully) The label was gone from the old pump wet end. I initially tried to find the replacement part via the CalSpa parts department, with no luck - they said they no longer carried it. Then, knowing most of CalSpa spa's internal workings were made by Balboa Water Group (at least for a 1996 model), I contacted a Balboa technician (via email) for some assistance. He told me he could not find this part either. Then, just out of the blue, I get an email from some guy, somewhere (not the tech), who claimed he could sell me this exact part for $120 plus $15 shipping. He claimed to be one of the engineers who worked on the design of this hot tub, but I saw nothing to indicate I could trust him, and we had never talked before. My only guess on how he knew how to contact me was that the Balboa tech BCC'd him on our emails back and forth, or forwarded them to him without my knowledge... So, for obvious reasons, I didn't feel comfortable about using my credit card to order the part from "some random guy". All I had was an email address and a cell phone number for this guy, no actual online or brick-n-mortar presence, and his email address was from a generic provider that did not indicate who we worked for. My search continued. After doing some research - I eventually figured out the name and part number for this wet end. So re-starting my search, I came across INYOPools.com. I called INYOPools and spoke with a gentleman who was very helpful on answering a couple of questions I had, and placed the order for me over the phone. I was very pleased that I could find this part for *MUCH* less than $135, with free shipping, and from someone who had an established online presence, as opposed to "some guy" with a generic email address and a cell phone. The part came in quickly, and looks like it should work like a charm (I have to wait until it warms up outside and the snow melts before I can actually install it). Considering the efficiency of this order, I think we may start ordering chemicals through INYOPools as well. The prices look to be slightly less than our local pool/spa store, and the items I have ordered so far have arrived quickly and in good shape. :)
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