Pneumatic vs. Electronic
Pneumatic (or air) controls were the original types of controls used on hot
tubs beginning in the 1960s. They were pretty dependable, but their life
expectancy was short due to wear and from regular usage. Pneumatic controls work
on the principle of relays, meaning that every time the spa is turned on, a
spark occurs. The more sparks that occur, the more the relays wear down. This
eventually leads to a service call.
In the 1980s, electronic controls were introduced in the spa industry. They
provided more benefits to consumers, such as digital temperature display and
automatic shut off features. Unfortunately, these early electronic controls were
notorious for acting up when weather or moisture affected their performance, and
spa manufacturers feared the controls would have a short lifespan and be very
expensive to repair. Consumers loved the benefits and features of electronic
controls, but the spa industry knew they had to improve reliability.
By the mid 1990's, some spa manufacturers addressed these problems by
offering highly reliable electronic controls that used something called zero
crossing technology. Zero crossing technology eliminated arcs by making
connections instantaneously when a button was pressed, similar to the technology
found in remote controls for televisions. The reliability of electronic controls
improved dramatically thanks to this innovation.
We recommend electronic spa controls because they offer greater advantages
and more convenience for the spa consumer.
