Our Acrylic Plug & Play spas have one 2 Speed 2 HP pump that manages the jets as well as the heating of the spa.
Since the Plug & Play feature allows the spa to be powered by simply using a standard household outlet* (no electrician required!), it uses a 120V power supply.
This means that the spa has enough power to run the low speed jets at the same time as the heater, but not the high speed jets. The low speed jets will function with the heater since the heated water needs to be circulated. However, when the second speed is activated, the heat will automatically turn off.
If you would like to have the heating and the high speed jets function at the same time, there is a way to convert the spa to 240V. This would require the correct power supply and installation by a certified electrician (see our solution Converting a 120V Balboa BP to 240V).
As for heating, the initial heat up will take 24-48 hours since the spa is operating on a standard household outlet (120V). This longer start up process is common among Plug & Play models (Acrylics and Portables), but once the desired temperature has been attained, it will continue to monitor the temperature and ensure that it is maintained.
Be sure to keep the spa cover on during this process to help speed it up.
*NOTE: Do not plug the GFCI into an extension cord. Your spa should be plugged directly into a dedicated household outlet to reduce chances of damage.
Please also ensure that the plug makes full contact with the outlet. For more information on the GFCI plug, see our solution "Testing the GFCI on a Plug & Play Spa".