Can I install a different brand of pump in my hot tub?
Pumps for the jets.
If your hot tub currently has a Waterway brand hot tub pump or pumps in it that power the jets then the pump(s) can be replaced with the same size and same amp draw pump(s) from Balboa or Gecko – Aqua Flo brands.
Gecko and Balboa brand hot tub pumps can also be replaced with the same size Waterway pump as the threads for the unions and the amp draw for the motors can be matched.
There are a number of older brands of hot tub pumps that no longer exist and replacing them with one of the current brands takes a little work to ensure the replacement will fit, work with the electrical configuration and will not invalidate the spas electrical certification such as CSA, ULc or ETLc.
Most newer Sundance / Jacuzzi spas have specialty pumps made specifically for their hot tubs and they are designed differently then the standard pumps. Newer Sundance and Jacuzzi spas pumps can typically only be replaced with the same pump as they have the discharge pointing up on and angle, not vertical of horizontal as all other pumps.
Arctic Spas used yellow pumps in their spas for many years that were made in Italy or China. To replace one of these yellow pumps in an Arctic spa a Balboa brand pump with the same amps is typically the best replacement as the yellow pumps are no longer available, not even from Arctic Spas.
Coast Spas uses the yellow Waterway pumps with Franklin electric motors on some of their spa models that are different from the standard Waterway pumps. The standard Waterway pumps have a different base size and the amps are slightly different. A standard Waterway pump can be used to replace a yellow Waterway pump in a Coast Spa but the replacement pump amps on high speed cannot exceed the high-speed amp draw on the yellow Franklin motor.
Coast Spas also uses the red monster flow pumps made by Waterway, those pumps are custom made for Coast Spas and replacements are only available from Coast Spas.
Circulation pumps.
The small Laing pumps like the old SM-909 and the current E10 series can only be replaced with the same voltage and plumbing connection size Laing pumps. Laing pumps are one of the smallest circulation pumps available for hot tubs. They are popular with some hot tub manufacturers due to the small footprint, use very, very little power and run 100% quiet. They are so quiet one can stand beside the hot tub and not hear the sound of the pump. These pumps are very small, the impeller is magnetically driven and therefore the Laing pumps are not repairable when they stop working or wear out. The average life expectancy of a Laing pump is around 8 years, if the water in the hot tub is managed well and kept balanced. The Laing E10 can be found in hot tub brands such as: Jacuzzi Premium, Sundance Spas and Hot Springs Spas.
Some of the models of Hot Springs Spas use a Silent-flo 5000, which is made by Laing and has been replaced with the Laing E5 model. The Laing E5 is a lower power consumption pump that runs 100% quiet and moves a fair amount of water.
The red Waterway Tiny Might pump is a little larger than the Laing pump. It is not a very popular pump, as most hot tub manufacturers don’t use it in their spas. Hot tubs that have the Tiny Might circulation pump are typically older model spas. Due to the small physical size the Tiny Might typically has a shorter life than most other pumps as it moves a good volume of water and always runs under full load. This pump can be replaced with the larger Aqua-Flo Circ Master if there is sufficient space in the spa’s equipment compartment to accommodate the large pump.
Waterway Iron Might circulation pump is the next size up from the Waterway Tiny Might pumps and is a serviceable pump, the pump seal, bearings etc. can be replaced when needed. The Iron Might typically has a longer life expectancy due to its’ larger size and better cooling system built in allowing it to run cooler.
The Aqua-Flo circ-master is one of the most popular circulation pumps with hot tub manufacturers. It’s a small pump, serviceable, runs quiet and draws very little power allowing the hot tub manufacturer to use it for the filtration and heating in the hot tub. Out of all the circulations pumps the Circ-Master has the longest life expectancy due to the quality of the pump.