Jacuzzi Z Builder Series Mechanics And Repair page 5

Overview
GENERAL
Basically, spa operation is simple. The pump draws the water from the spa,
through the pump and pushes it through the heater and back into the spa. Now
add more jets, more pumps, an air blower, and maybe a stereo. That's today's
popular spa.
America's lust for more jets has driven the need for more pumps to drive the jets.
To help keep the spa clean with less chemicals, manufacturer's have added a 24
hour circulation pump and Ozonator. For some older premium models, you also
have added an air bubbling up from the bottom of the spa.
Many end users have opted for the simpler "Z" or builder series of spas Jacuzzi
Whirlpool produced for about six years. These spas were produced with volume
sales through big box stores in mind. Doing so made spas available to many who
could not afford to buy the dealer line of spas.
This manual focuses on both the Dealer line of Jacuzzi Whirlpool spas and the
"Z" series.
SPA SHELL
Jacuzzi's spa finish skin is acrylic. A sheet of acrylic is heated and dropped into a
mold and vacuumed to form the shell. Then it's flipped over and sprayed with a
fiberglass solution that gives it strength. Holes are drilled into the spa and jets
installed. Then the plumbing is finished and insulation is now sprayed. Finally the
equipment is installed. The construction of the spa is mostly performed with the
spa upside down. Finally the spa is flipped upright and final tests including water
testing is done.
The spa frame is made a wide variety of ways over the years but basically on
either a wood bracing, solid plywood base, or fiberglass base. Often the spa shell
has part of the frame molded into the actual spa shell or glued to it to create
strength.