Watkins Manufacturing and Therm Products recall spas due to fire hazard

WASHINGTON (CPSC) - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Hot Spring Spas and Limelight Hot Tubs

Units: About 5,600

Spa Manufacturer: Watkins Manufacturing Corp., dba Hot Spring Spas and Limelight Hot Tubs, of Vista, Calif.

Heater Manufacturer: Therm Products, a division of Caldesso LLC, of San Bernardino, Calif.

Hazard: A loose internal electrical connection of the spa heaters can overheat and ignite, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Watkins Manufacturing has received 31 reports of heaters on these spas overheating, five of which resulted in a fire. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall includes the following 11 models of Hot Spring Spas and Limelight Hot Tubs brand spas installed with Therm Products No-Fault Water Heaters: Aria, Envoy, Flair, Glow, Grandee, Jetsetter, Prodigy, Pulse, Sovereign, Vanguard and Vista. The recalled spas were manufactured from March 2011 to December 2011 and were installed since October 2011. The date is represented by 2N, 3N, or 4N in the spa’s seven to 10 alpha-numeric serial code. For example, xxx2N#### or xxx4N####, where “xxx” represents a series of letters one to three characters long, and “####” is a four-digit numerical sequence. The model name and serial code are printed on a label within the spa’s equipment compartment, located behind a removable panel on the side of the spa.

Sold at: Independent spa dealers nationwide from March 2011 to March 2012 for between $6,000 and $12,000.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled spas and shut off power to the spa unit, following instructions provided in the owner's manual or by the Watkins-Therm Products Response Hotline. Consumers should contact the Watkins-Therm Products Response Hotline or their Watkins Manufacturing spa dealer for a free replacement heater and installation by a service technician. Watkins Manufacturing spa dealers are also contacting all affected owners to schedule the free installation of a replacement heater.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact the Watkins-Therm Products Response Hotline at (855) 226-1314 anytime, or visit the Therm Products’ website at www.thermproducts.com or the Watkins Manufacturing website at www.hotspring.com .