Curious about how to understand the different types of spa pool controllers and how to choose the best one? In this article, we'll review the best spa controllers on the market and answer typical spa controller questions.
When it comes to maintaining your spa pool, a reliable and efficient controller is crucial. But with so many options on the market, it can be overwhelming to choose the best one. In this guide, we'll take a closer look at some of the top spa controllers available, including their prices, pros, cons, and more.
We'll cover:
One of the best spa controllers is the SpaNet® SV mini series. The SpaNet™ SV and SV mini controllers are used in most Vortex Spas® and Fisher Spas® - two of the most popular spa brands in Australia and New Zealand.
Read on for a detailed review of the SpaNet® SV series spa controllers and two other popular spa controllers - the Balboa® BP200 and the Davey SpaQuip® / SpaPower® SP601
The SpaNet™ SV mini series controllers are extremely affordable and come packed full of features and expandability, making them suitable for almost all portable spas and swim spas. The SV mini controller comes with a touchpad, heater element and control cable.
The standalone heater unit that comes with the SV mini makes it perfect for retrofitting to a spa with limited space in the cabinet. They utilise a new technology called dynamic thermal tuning which optimises the times when the controller turns the heater unit on and off, to get you the best energy efficiency.
You can add the SmartLink™ or SmartStream™ WiFi module to the SV range enabling you to monitor and control all the settings on your spa remotely as well as access customer support if you need it.
The SV mini series is the smaller brother to the SpaNet™ SV series. (Reviewed below)
If you need to run 2 or 3 pumps in the spa the SV Mini 2 has enough ports to enable you to do this. If you need to run more devices, you'll need to step up to the SV series (reviewed next!)
The SpaNet™ SV series spa controller is the big brother of the SV Mini series and is perfect for larger spas and swim spas as well as multiple zone spas. The SV series has been designed for optimising energy efficiency in your spa, saving you money on your daily spa running costs.
Like the SV mini controllers, the SV series utilises dynamic thermal tuning to heat your spa at optimal times only, reducing unnecessary cycling on and off of your pumps and filtration system in your spa, resulting in lower electricity costs.
The Smart Variable heater technology in the SV series automatically increases or decreases its heating power, depending on the available residual current, even when jet pumps and other accessories are running in the spa. In contrast to a standard spa heater which often will need to be switched off while the spa is in use to free up enough available current to run the pumps and blowers.
The result is that you will experience less heat loss while using the spa, for more long, warm, relaxing soak sessions!
The smart variable heater technology also provides load limiting settings, enabling you to specify a set limit on the current that the heater will draw.
The SV series is available in the SV2, SV3 and SV4 models. The higher-spec models have a larger heater element, support for multiple keypads and a higher maximum output current enabling capacity for additional pumps or other connected devices.
Model | SV2VH (10A-20A) | SV3-VH (15A-45A) | SV4-VH (32-60A) |
|---|---|---|---|
Input Voltage (Single Phase) | 230-240V AC | 230-240V AC | 230-240V AC |
Input Voltage (Three Phase) | 400-415V AC | 400-415V AC | 400-415V AC |
Max Total Current | 20A | 45A | 60A |
Max Current/Phase | 16A | 25A | 25A |
Heater Element size | 3.0kW | 5.25kW | 5.25kW |
Number of light ports | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Number of pump ports | 1 | 3 | 4 |
Touchpads supported | 1 | 2 | 2 |
3 pin 230v power port | 1 | 2 | 2 |
SmartLink wifi compatible | Yes | Yes | Yes |
All the SV models can also be connected to the SmartLink™ or SmartStream™ wifi module, enabling remote control and monitoring of your spa using the mobile app on a smartphone or tablet.
Large current capacity and a large number of power ports for controlling multiple devices in large spas
The Balboa® BP200 Spa controller is designed and manufactured by Balboa Water Group® in Costa Mesa, California. It is a suitable replacement for the GS501Z spa controller which was commonly used by many popular Australian spa manufacturers.
In addition, The BP200 is a suitable and affordable option for retrofitting to many older spas. It has a small footprint at only 205mm high, meaning it can fit into many small spaces to replace an existing controller system. The heater unit can be attached or remote,
If you want to add wireless functionality and control to your spa, the BP200 model interfaces with Balboa's ControlMySpa™ wifi module as well as Balboa Bluetooth Audio (bba™). It also works will the latest TP/SpaTouch™ Panels, bringing your spa right into the 21st century.
Heater element size options are 2.0kW and 3.0kW. Either of which are suitable for heating most small to medium-sized spas.
The Balboa® BP200 Spa controller can run the following equipment:
The Davey SpaPower® 601 is another Australian made spa controller. Davey® Water has been manufacturing water products for over 88 years and has a reputation for quality throughout the spa and pool industry worldwide.
The SP601 package comes with the controller unit, touchpad, titanium heater and 2 x 50mm unions. It is available with either a 1.5kW, 2.0kW or 3.0kW heater element. It doesn't have date/time functions built into the controller, but you can purchase a time clock add on which you can program to turn it off and on at certain times.
It is ideal for systems using a low flow circulation pump and heater but works well in many other spa systems.
The Davey SP601® can support the following configurations;
Configuration option 1
Configuration option 2
Now that you have a clearer understanding of the top spa controllers available for sale in Australia, we hope you have a better idea of which option will best suit your needs.
If you need some extra help or advice, you are welcome to contact one of our spa controller experts online using the live chat box in the bottom right corner of the screen or through our contact page.
Talk to us on live chat, or email us your spa controller questions and we'll be happy to help!
*Disclaimer: In this article, we’ve used brand names not affiliated with or Vortex Leisure Pty Ltd. All information, including pricing and product details, was accurate at the time of writing (March 2022) and may change without notice. *
The following registered trademarks are owned by companies not affiliated in any way with or Vortex Leisure Pty Ltd: SpaNet®, PowerSmart®, SmartLink®, SmartStream® are owned by Spa Net Pty Ltd. Balboa®, ControlMySpa™, Balboa Bluetooth Audio, bba™, TP/SpaTouch™ are owned by Balboa Water Group. Davey®, SpaPower® and SpaQuip® are owned by Davey Water Products Pty Ltd.
Affiliations: Spa World®, Vortex Spas® and Fisher Spas® are trademarks owned by Vortex Leisure Pty Ltd.
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