Electricity consumption
How much does a North Wave hot tub use?
The full calculation, model by model, with its assumptions shown. Change your region, your tariff and your habits: the result follows.
Sølveijg 5-seat hot tub
355 € per year
that is €30 per month, for 1,760 kWh used. Water at 33 °C, air at an average of 15 °C, covered hot tub.
Maintaining temperature
1,1 W/°C/m² × 5,3 m² × 18 °C difference × 8,760 h
918 kWh
€18552 %
Circulation and filtration
49 W × 8,760 h (low-energy pump, continuous)
429 kWh
€8724 %
Massage
4 kW × 20 min × 5 baths per week
347 kWh
€7020 %
Two reheats
1,370 L from 12 °C to 33 °C, twice a year
67 kWh
€134 %
What the calculation assumes
- Air at an annual average of 15 °C (Mediterranean, Météo-France normals 1991-2020).
- Water maintained at 33 °C all year round.
- Electricity at €0,2016 incl. VAT per kWh.
- Hot tub covered between uses, cover in good condition.
- A hot tub left idle in winter, drained, uses nothing but deteriorates: the calculation assumes use all year round.
The heat loss used is 1.1 W per degree of difference and per square metre of water surface, which is that of a well-insulated shell under a cover in good condition. North Wave hot tubs get triple Scandinavian insulation, rated R18 by the brand, and a 12 cm cover: we do not credit them with more than that, for lack of a measurement that says how much more. We prefer to publish these figures and have them challenged, rather than announce an amount without the reasoning behind it. See the insulation in detail.
Hot tubs, from least to most energy-hungry
Under the conditions chosen. The difference comes down to the water surface, not the number of jets.
- ModelPer yearPer month
- Stølen2 seats, 1,359 kWh€274€23
- Tønsberg3 seats, 1,403 kWh€283€24
- Rødberg3 seats, 1,451 kWh€293€24
- Sørrana5 seats, 1,514 kWh€305€25
- Bjørgan4 seats, 1,598 kWh€322€27
- Øppland5 seats, 1,598 kWh€322€27
- Drøbak4 seats, 1,612 kWh€325€27
- Tørrvika4 seats, 1,758 kWh€354€30
- Søvik6 seats, 1,758 kWh€354€30
- Sølveijg5 seats, 1,760 kWh€355€30
- Røgaland4 seats, 1,829 kWh€369€31
- Hølen5 seats, 1,857 kWh€374€31
Swim spas
Under the conditions chosen. The difference comes down to the water surface, not the number of jets.
- ModelPer yearPer month
- Bødø 3806 seats and up, 3,181 kWh€641€53
- Førde 4106 seats and up, 3,359 kWh€677€56
- Hørten 4506 seats and up, 3,535 kWh€713€59
- Øxførd 4806 seats and up, 3,653 kWh€736€61
- Nørdland 5506 seats and up, 3,961 kWh€799€67
- Vardø 5806 seats and up, 4,086 kWh€824€69
- Risør 6006 seats and up, 4,200 kWh€847€71
- Øslø 6006 seats and up, 4,205 kWh€848€71
- Sløvika 6006 seats and up, 4,214 kWh€850€71
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a North Wave hot tub use per year?
- Under the conditions selected above, from €274 to €374 per year for hot tubs, or €23 to €31 per month, and €641 to €850 for swim spas. The difference comes from the water surface to keep warm, and very little from the number of jets.
- What costs the most in a hot tub?
- Keeping the water at temperature, by a long way. Massage barely registers, because it only runs during bathing. That is why insulation matters more than equipment: a well-equipped, well-insulated hot tub uses less energy than a bare, poorly insulated one.
- Does the cover really make a difference?
- Yes, it is the biggest saving. Most of the heat is lost through the water's surface. A sagging, waterlogged or badly fitted cover roughly doubles surface losses, which the calculation reproduces when you choose 'Absent or worn'.
- Should you lower the temperature in winter or switch the hot tub off?
- Lowering the setpoint by 2 °C cuts the bill by about 8%, as the calculation shows. Switching it off completely is a false economy: you must drain it to prevent freezing, and reheating a full pool costs a good part of a month's running.
Your bill, for your installation
A calculation is still a calculation: your shelter, your exposure to wind and your habits matter too. At the Richwiller showroom, we go through the figures with you, electricity contract in hand.