Pump Seals
In our specially made "P" seal, the seal is sealed. The spring is totally covered by an
elastomeric (rubber) material preventing spa water from contacting the metal spring. In
addition, the shaft seal is encapsulated in a rust resistant polypropylene material.
Many spa companies believe and advertize that only by using the expensive Viton rubber will
prevent water leakage. In reality in a spa application, the expensive Viton rubber material
is irrelevant; but it sounds good from a marketing point of view. We have been using Buna-N
rubber in our spa pumps, spa heaters and spa unions for over 21 years. (Most O-Rings used in
spa pumps, spa jets, and spa unions are made of Buna-N Nitrile).
In a shaft seal application, the metal parts and the carbon seal surface are attacked, not
the rubber (Buna-N Nitrile or Viton) cover. Changing to Viton rubber is not a solution
(Viton is not recommended in hot water and steam applications when compared to Buna-N
Nitrile, click to see spec data);
in fact, some of the Buna-N Nitrile characteristics are better than Viton's for spa applications.
Consumers are still required to properly balance the spa water's pH. All sealing surfaces in
spa and pool water pumps are carbon to ceramic and chemicals such as Chlorine and Bromine
attack carbon.
At Regal Spas we are always searching for the best solutions, and not the one that simply
sounds good.