Abstract: A water pump for a spa or the like has a pump water inlet, a pump water outlet and an impeller driving water from said inlet to said outlet. The impeller provides the water axially introduced at the pump water inlet with a radial component which delivers the water to a large plenum chamber surrounding the impeller and which plenum chamber has an increasing cross sectional area as the water moves from the pump water inlet to a plenum chamber outlet thereby reducing backpressure in the water. The plenum chamber terminates with the plenum water outlet located closely to the impeller and a smooth transition area defines the area extending from the plenum chamber outlet to the pump water outlet. The water outlet preferably extends so that the water has a directional component which is generally parallel to the direction of the water entering the pump through the pump water inlet.
Abstract: Water circulation apparatus for use in a spa or the like utilises a turbine or axial flow pump for pumping the water from a water inlet to the jets or other exhaust openings within the spa and under the water surface. Cooling air from ambient surroundings is used to cool a motor providing power to the pump. The motor and pump are located within a component compartment and exhaust openings exhaust the cooling air passing through the motor where it may be used for heating towels. The component compartment may be sealed thereby to allow heated air to escape only from the exhaust openings.