Bradford BALBOA M3, Installation & Operation Manual

Page: 16 / 50

Residential Spa
pg. 16
File: RES_Hottub_manual_021116
Preparing to Install Your Spa
The following sections describe recommended practices for preparing for a recessed
or flush mount installation.
1. Preparing the Vault
When preparing to dig the vault, there are a couple considerations:
Depth:
If you are installing the spa using a flush mount, you will need to dig a vault the depth of
the entire spa plus the concrete pad. The concrete pad should be at least 4 inches thick. If you are
installing the spa using a recessed mount, you only need a vault that is the depth of the portion that
will be underground.
Width:
You will need to construct a cinder block retaining wall around the edges of the vault, so be
sure to leave enough room around the edges to still install the spa. Cinder blocks are approximately 8
inches thick, so you will need to add 16 inches to the length and width of the vault.
The following table gives the dimensions for each spa type.
Table 4: Spa Vault Dimensions
(with calculations for concrete pad if using a 8” cinder Block Wall)
Spa
Spa Length (Vault Length) Spa Width (Vault Width)
Hanover 87” (125”) 87” (125”)
Wilmington 87” (125”) 87” (125”)
Hatteras 83” (121”) 83” (121”)
Hampton 87” (125”) 99” (153”)
Carolina 80” (118”) 80” (118”)
Newport 80” (118”) 80” (118”)
Topsail 84” (122”) 84” (122”)
2. Creating Access Area
Before installing your spa, you need to make sure that you can easily access the temperature sensor,
underwater light, plumbing connections, and conduit wires for easy maintenance or repair. Ideally,
the access area should allow you to access the area beneath the spa stairs. See figure 3.
3. Constructing the Retaining Wall (Pit Wall)
Construct a retaining wall (pit wall) around the sides of the vault. This will prevent soil from filling the
vault and make it easier to perform maintenance and repair on your spa. We suggest using concrete
reinforced blocks (cinder block) for constructing the wall. This will add durability and strength.
See figure 3.