Keep outdoor tub warm wothout fire. (legal, garden, safe)

[5yenem]

I would like to add a claw foot outdoor tub.Would be simply hooking garden hose up to sink facet to fill tub with hot water. I want this tub to be child friendly so Im not comfortable keeping the tub warm by means of fire under or next to tub. Anyone know of a device to keep the bath water warm longer. I have seen some little machines under google images all from other countries I dont know if they are safe or even legal here. Any advice or ideas would be great.

[hotzcatz]

You could try asking the hot tub people, they may have an outside of the hot tub heating device of some sort, although generally the heaters are inside the hot tub's mechanical area.

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by 5yenem

Anyone know of a device to keep the bath water warm longer..

Longer than what? Only fill it partially full right before person(s) go in, then add hot water as needed. Drain after use, just like a household bath tub.

Otherwise, you might as well get an electric hot tub and deal with the sanitation issues.

[ScottStielow]

Originally Posted by 5yenem

I would like to add a claw foot outdoor tub.Would be simply hooking garden hose up to sink facet to fill tub with hot water. I want this tub to be child friendly so Im not comfortable keeping the tub warm by means of fire under or next to tub. Anyone know of a device to keep the bath water warm longer. I have seen some little machines under google images all from other countries I dont know if they are safe or even legal here. Any advice or ideas would be great.

How are you going to drain the outdoor tub? Check with the hot tub sauna companies what they would use.

[KauaiHiker]

Used hot water solar panel would be my suggestion. Lay it at a slight angle on the sunny side of the tub, so that most of the tub is above it. Plumb the low side to the drain and the high side to another hole about halfway up the tub (higher than the panel, preferably at the other end from the drain). Add a drain valve at the lowest pipe and optionally a pipe from a hose bib to fill it (you could connect it to any of the new lines with its own ball valve).

Fill the tub at least as high as the halfway hole on the morning you want to use it, leave some space for cool water in case it gets too hot. It works by passive circulation: the cold water sinks to the bottom of the tub then to the panel and circulates out the top as it heats up. Build an insulating cover that seals if you want to keep the water hot into the night.