Watkins Wellness® Achieves Global Spa Connectivity With LoRa® Technology
Quick Facts
Company
Watkins Wellness
Customer Profile
Watkins Wellness® is the world’s leading manufacturer of hot tubs and aquatic fitness products, with brands including Hot Spring® Spas, Caldera® Spas, and Endless™ Pools. Established in 1977 in Vista, Calif., its dealer network spans all 50 states and more than 70 countries. Watkins Wellness is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Masco Corporation (NYSE: MAS), a Fortune 500 company
Objectives
- Enable reliable remote monitoring and control of spa features including temperature, jets, and water chemistry
- Address Wi-Fi connectivity limitations in outdoor installation environments
- Identify and implement an alternative wireless connectivity solution
Results
- LoRa delivered reliable connectivity where Wi-Fi and other wireless technologies could not
- Successfully launched a proprietary inhouse IoT solution, custom designed in California and manufactured in China
- Achieved FCC and CE certifications, with deployment spanning global markets
- Launched alongside a companion mobile application for seamless customer onboarding and control
- Provides a scalable foundation for ongoing innovation across the Watkins Wellness product portfolio
Products & Services
Semtech's LoRa Connect™
- SX1276
Introduction
Watkins Wellness, established in 1977 and based in Vista, California, is the world’s leading manufacturer of hot tubs,, aquatic fitness products, and saunas, operating as a subsidiary of Masco Corporation. Known for brands like Hot Spring Spas, Caldera Spas, Endless Pools, and Sauna360, the company focuses on promoting wellness through home relaxation and fitness solutions.
KEY PRODUCTS AND BRANDS Watkins Wellness is the largest manufacturer of hot tubs in the world, with over 2 million spas manufactured.
Hot Tubs:
- Hot Spring Spas: As the world’s best-selling spa brand, Hot Spring earned its reputation for quality and innovation. But we don’t stop there. Our focus is on providing The Absolute Best Hot Tub Ownership Experience® through unparalleled massage, worry-free water care, energy saving features, and unmatched customer care. With a Hot Spring spa, you can relax today, tomorrow, and long after your purchase.
- Caldera Spas: Caldera® Spas was founded more than 40 years ago and is one of the most trusted spa brands in the world with products designed to be restorative, healing, and transformative.
Aquatic Fitness & Pools:
- Endless Pools: For over three decades, swimmers, athletes, and active families have turned to Endless Pools to make their dreams of pool ownership a reality. Since pioneering the first swim-in-place current in 1988, we’ve continued to push the boundaries with versatile, low-maintenance products that offer innovative features and functionality in a flexible footprint. Customize one of our modular pools to fit your space and style or opt for the convenience of our all-in-one swim spas, and create your perfect environment for swimming, fitness, and fun!
Saunas:
- Sauna360: Acquired in 2023 to add traditional and infrared saunas to the wellness portfolio.
Accessories:
- Includes spa covers, water care systems (like Salt Water Systems)
Since the idea of developing and commercializing an IoT solution for our products first emerged, the Watkins engineering team explored multiple design concepts, carefully evaluating the advantages and trade‑offs of each. With our need for long‑range communication and relatively low data throughput, it quickly became evident that LoRa was the ideal technology choice.
Challenge
Watkins Wellness historically faced significant challenges deploying IoT solutions built on conventional Wi Fi technologies. Because customers use the company’s products across a wide variety of environments—from compact homes to expansive residential properties—connectivity reliability proved difficult to maintain. Earlier IoT generations experimented with 2.4 GHz technologies such as Zigbee, BLE, and Wi Fi in mesh-style architectures to improve product connectivity. However, these approaches consistently encountered issues, including frequent connectivity dropouts and ongoing maintenance burdens.
Determined to overcome these limitations, Watkins Wellness reimagined its connectivity strategy from the ground up. In partnership with Semtech, the company designed, validated, successfully qualified and commercialized a proprietary long range communication solution. This innovation now enables customers to reliably monitor and control their aquatic wellness and fitness products remotely. Beyond solving existing challenges, the new platform also offers strong scalability and opens the door for future integration across additional product lines within the Watkins Wellness portfolio.
Solution
The Connected Spa Kit is a two module system designed to provide remote control of a spa. The included modules are interchangeable and come pre paired. The Spa Network Adapter (SNA) connects directly to the spa’s control box, while the Home Network Adapter (HNA) should be placed near the home’s Wi Fi router. A mobile app is used to onboard the system to the home Wi Fi network—and to the internet.
The two modules communicate using LoRa technology. Each module includes two buttons for advanced functions and an LED indicator that displays system status. The modules can operate at distances of up to 150 feet (45 meters). Performance improves when there is a clear line of sight between them.
Obstacles—especially concrete and metal—can weaken the connection. It is recommended to avoid installing the SNA in a location where its signal must pass through spa water to reach the HNA
Benefits
Improved Range and reliability of usage.
WHERE IS IT DEPLOYED AND SCALE
The product is deployed in North America as well as several other parts of the world such as Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
