They look superb Mick! Upcycling at its best 
Had you bought something new to give a similar amount of storage, it would cost a fortune! MX5 themed drawers, whats not to like!
Barrie
1 Like
A few weeks ago, I took down the hot tub, packing it away for the onset of cold weather. Concerns of things like “don’t use it at temps less than 4°C”, etc. Anyway, thinking about it, if the water temps were maintained at least at +35°C then there shouldn’t be an issue. Pump works 24/7 to assist with filtering, so again, the pump/heater/air jets are all integral in the one unit, so the heated water is circulating all the time. Problem is, as ambient temps drop, heater works harder to maintain set temps. With me so far? 
So, I’m attempting to winterise the hot tub for the colder months. I’ve started by purchasing some aluminium foil bubble wrap insulation and this morning, did this.
Ably assisted by these two ‘helpers’
So an additional layer of insulation under the foam mats that the tub normally sits on
Next job is to form a double layer of the insulation around the sidewalls of the tub and a double layer, circular ‘blanket’ of insulation to float on top of the water. The cover itself has an inflatable roof to both keep the cover more rigid, stopping it sagging and to provide additional insulation.
Will add to posts as I (and the terrible twins) progress.Forgot to mention, I also purchased a circular patio furniture cover to keep everything in place and make it look neater when not in use.
Barrie
2 Likes
I suggest using a two inch thick sheet of builders expanded polystyrene with a thin protective layer of OSB on top of it. Ex-poly is brilliant stuff for this and very good for a distributed load. You might think about boxing in the sides with more of the ex-poly.
I put 2" ex-poly under the concrete floor in my extension, and forty years later that floor has not sunk or settled in the least bit, and the heating pipes embedded in the concrete keep it warm underfoot.
1 Like
Hi Richard and thanks for the suggestion regards insulation
TBH though, I needed a soft solution that can be just rolled up out of the way when required. Having bought a roll of the bubble wrap type insulation, predominantly for the sidewalls, there’s plenty left to do all the other areas too! The tub is sat on a wood deck, on a layer of this foil insulation, which in turn has the foam mats on that. The tub itself has an insulated floor too! Hope it will suffice
Barrie
1 Like
Had chance to do a bit more on the hot tub today.
Utilised the lounge for this first bit 
Joined two sections of the alu foil insulation together with the foil tape and marked out a circle (I did this twice) one circle to go directly onto the surface of the water and the other to insert into the tub cover, sandwiched between that and the inflatable insert on the cover.
I’m currently filling the tub ready for chemical dosing and hopefully ready to use before the weekend
I’ve also made up the double layer of insulation to go around the tub before the patio table cover I bought is put in place when not in use.
Barrie
2 Likes
Final bit done this morning, of the winterising of the tub.
There are separate flow and return pipes for the tub and a tube for the airjets. I’ve insulated each with a strip of the insulation wrapped round and held in place with a strip of velcro tape. Easily removed for connection/disconnection.
I then made a sleeve to cover the external pump, heater and controls unit, function over form here!
The air vents on the unit are below and between the pipe connections so I’ve left that section shorter so it doesn’t interfere with air flow and ventilation. Final part of the jigsaw was to cover the whole thing with the patio dining table cover, managed to source one that fits nicely, (not too tight) and has plenty to tuck in around the bottom of the tub walls.
The heater allows the temp to raise 2°c above set temperature, switches off and kicks back in at 2°c below set temp. So, will raise temperature a total of 4°c each cycle. The more insulated, the less number of cycles will be required. I’ve decided to leave it on all the time to see how much it will cost (having taken meter reading at first switch on). This morning, the temp was a steady 39°c same as at switch on yesterday. I reckon it will have cycled once during the night
My current (excuse the pun) energy supplier kw/hr cost is 14.3p, the heater is 1.6kw and will take approximately 4 hours to raise temps by 4°c so each cycle cost is approximately 90p, I’m hoping for no more than two cycles a day now, equating to £1.80 or so per day! As we’re in lock down from tomorrow and we won’t be doing much else, I’m happy with that running cost
plus, previously, we were only switching the heater on when required and tub temps were often down to 23°c so taking up to 15 hours to get to full temperature, that was costing well over £3.40 per use! Will have to see actual costs as we go along. Also can have access more or less anytime as temps will be ready for use Barrie
EDIT: got my maths totally wrong!
have put in correct figures now!
3 Likes
A bath tub this time…
There’s nothing more satisfying than getting that sealant done around the bath. Nice and a neat finish.
Lockdown job saved for lockdown 2😁
4 Likes
Hi Mick, does look very neat, did you do that freehand or mask it off? That’s what I normally do, then pull the tape before the sealant dries off.
Barrie
1 Like
Freehand Barrie, I’m getting good at it after years of making a mess of what looks a simple job.
2 Likes
Well done that man!
Barrie
Nice job:+1: Has anyone tried those “Nozzles” that you attach to the tube. The adverts make it look really easy and neat… But I wonder
I just use the cartridge gun, had it years, does the job ok.
Yesterday I have mostly been messing with two oldish laptops.
Reinstalled Window’s on one, installed Linux on the other.
Acer is the older one, HP is newer but old if you get my drift.
I prefer the Acer, it’s silent always has been. The HP whirrs away like something possessed, hate it really but I like the central touch pad position but it feels cheaper than the Acer.
I’m going to install Linux on the HP next for a trial as I’m beginning to hate Windows 10 more and more.
Was going try one of these Raspberry Pi 400 but I’ll stick with one of the reinvigorated laptops for now.
2 Likes
Your light-years ahead of me there Mick! Well done for putting new life into them the only windows I’m comfortable with are the ones I’m looking out of 
Barrie
Mrs A’s idea really, here she said breathe some life back into this Acer laptop or I’m ditching it. She had a new one a couple of years ago, it was an easy option rather than trying to get it sorted.
I used to dabble in desktop PC’s years ago but sort of fallen out with computing as I’ve got older and forgot how stuff goes. Learning again as I go along
The newer laptop my missus has I can hear her now cursing at it upstairs, her old one is running sweetly.
1 Like
Just to keep me on my toes, I’ve had a puncture! The hot tub not the car its been in storage and must have got caught being dragged about, its quite bulky and heavy, even empty. So, I had to empty it as it went down over a few days, checked valves etc, also checked inside of liner before emptying, no bubbles there. I made up a bubble solution and went over the entire tub after reinflating it. No mean feat TBH. Anyway found the small hole, it was at the end of a 4" scratch on the underside of the outer walls. Marked it with a sharpie and went to the repair kit that came with it. Only contained a couple of sheets of different PVC, no adhesives. So I set to and used a household glue I had kicking around. Let it go off overnight but not a success so purchased a vinyl repair kit contains various size patches, this time self adhesive. Cleaned off the residue from the first repair and used isopropyl alcohol to really get it clean. Instructions said to deflate before applying patch, which I did. 24 hours later, reinflated, seemed to hold air so filled it up again with water. 2 days on and it was going down again! 
Didnt want to empty it again so sprayed all around again, only to find it was the same location again. Just to clarify, the tub sits on a foam base, effectively sealing the base, I giant bubble appeared at the bottom of the side wall where the air was escaping.The patch had stretched and slightly pulled away from the tub wall. Being partially deflated (whilst still retaining its structure) i managed to put some chocks under the side wall, enough to raise the tub sufficiently to pull the repair patch off, clean everything and reapply another patch. I was effectively working blind here as the hole was underneath and the tub was up against the retaining wall for the steps up to the house. 2 days pass, its gone down again!
Nothing for it but to empty the water and flip the tub upside down for another session with the repair kit. This time, contrary to the supplied instructions, I maintained the air pressure as much as possible and applied the repair patch over a reasonably solid base of the sidewall. I also tentatively applied some heat during and after the process, using Mrs B’s hairdryer 
That was 2 days ago, repair has been a success this time so much so, I had cause to stand on the sidewalls this morning to refix a couple of bolts in the gazebo roof with no detrimental effect, the sidewalls are solid! Oh well, was it third (or fourth) time lucky! TBH, I never realised that you need a certain type of adhesive for Poly Vinyl Chloride repairs, other products turn gooey, reacting with the vinyl? Everyday is a school day!
Barrie
1 Like
Still computing here, this HP laptop is doing my head in now. The whirring slowed down almost stopped, I know it’s updating again I think it’s getting ready to take off, the whirring again. Does Windows 10 ever stop updating, it still does even when you pause updates?
My old mate (who passed away around 8 years ago) bought a computer, I had to show him how to use it. I was forever showing him, him and computers just didn’t get on. I went round one day to pick him up for the football match and he opened his bin and said I’ve thrown it away, the PC was in there except the screen. I feel like that now with this one, the Acer is fine.
Win 10 and old laptops are a poor combination, give it the Linux treatment
2 Likes
Well the older Acer wins in the usage stakes.
It’s handling Linux and Windows 10 although Linux is now my preference.
The HP has been consigned to a reserve machine, the battery is dead anyway. The Acer still has life in the battery but doesn’t last long without power.
I’m not spending on new batteries, not that keen so for nowt apart from my time the Acer is doing the job I want.
The HP well it nearly ended up in the bin but at least I’ve got it solely running on Linux now, that hated Windows 10 I think it hated me too.
1 Like
Loving the knee cut out…