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Flo Error Diagnostics..


mojord

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My Catalina 2000 (Balboa 200 board) started displaying a FLO error and lost the heat to the tub ...

These are the steps I've takin so far to diagnose:

1 - Had SOLID FLO error .. I replaced the pressure switch only to get FLASHING FLO error (and when I turn on the jets I get a flashing FLO 1 error)

- I also tried adjusting the adj on the switch, but no luck.. put it back to where it was ..

2 - shorted the switch and the JETS GO OFF and still have FLO error (which is weird.. shouldn't it be FLC error?)

3 - removed short & check filters (in and out) no change ..

Circulating pump & full jets work fine but still no heat and FLASHING FLO error ..

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The solid FLO and flashing FLO is Balboa's programming code for close and open switch.

Your intial problem was probably a stuck closed pressure switch.

Your new problem is that the board does not detech water flow. With the pump running on low speed adjust the switch until you get a close signal. Turn off the pump and the switch should be open again. Keep adjusting the switch until that condition is met.

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The solid FLO and flashing FLO is Balboa's programming code for close and open switch.

Your intial problem was probably a stuck closed pressure switch.

Your new problem is that the board does not detech water flow. With the pump running on low speed adjust the switch until you get a close signal. Turn off the pump and the switch should be open again. Keep adjusting the switch until that condition is met.

Will do next week when I'm back at the spa .....

.. So you're saying, "It's not the pump because it IS circulating and turning on" .. If I can't get the switch adjusted to then IT IS THE ENTIRE BOARD?

I will report back...

Thanks!

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For testing, you can always bypass the pressure switch to see if the board is okay. Remove the two wires to the pressure switch and jump the connection after the spa pump comes on. If you jump it before there's water flow, you'll get the solid FLO. Make sure you have adaquate water flowing through the heater or you'll burn it up.

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For testing, you can always bypass the pressure switch to see if the board is okay. Remove the two wires to the pressure switch and jump the connection after the spa pump comes on. If you jump it before there's water flow, you'll get the solid FLO. Make sure you have adaquate water flowing through the heater or you'll burn it up.

Ok, so I adjusted the pressure switch from one extreme to the other with the pump running in circulation mode (slow) ... NO CHANGE in display (COOL-88 degrees - FLO)

when I turn on the pumps they work fine (error remains) ..

Is it the board? I REPLACED IT ONCE ALREADY ( 7 yrs ago)

Do I need to replace the entire board or just some part of it?

thanks!!!!!

rd

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How about testing it before you needlessly throw parts at, and find out what's actually broken.

If you don't already have one, purchase a multi-meter, they're very inexpensive. Disconnect the harness from the pcb. Ohm out the pressure switch, at the pressure switch. Ohm out the other end of the pressure switch harness as well. Ohm them out out with the pump running, and the pump not running. You'll know right away if it's a circuit board issue, a pressure switch issue, or a pressure switch harness issue, and you will be able to stop guessing :)

Use common sense, and your other senses as well. Is there adequate flow when the pump is running? Does it sound normal?

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How about testing it before you needlessly throw parts at, and find out what's actually broken.

If you don't already have one, purchase a multi-meter, they're very inexpensive. Disconnect the harness from the pcb. Ohm out the pressure switch, at the pressure switch. Ohm out the other end of the pressure switch harness as well. Ohm them out out with the pump running, and the pump not running. You'll know right away if it's a circuit board issue, a pressure switch issue, or a pressure switch harness issue, and you will be able to stop guessing :)

Use common sense, and your other senses as well. Is there adequate flow when the pump is running? Does it sound normal?

PS, thanks for the reply...

The switch was bad, because the condition changed when I changed it. The pump is running normally, and the adjustment on the switch does nothing to change the condition. That's what leads me to think its the board, but I will check the harness to the switch. I can't ohm it out with the pump "not running" because it is always running in the "error state" {COOL-88 degrees-FLO} ..

thanks

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How about testing it before you needlessly throw parts at, and find out what's actually broken.

If you don't already have one, purchase a multi-meter, they're very inexpensive. Disconnect the harness from the pcb. Ohm out the pressure switch, at the pressure switch. Ohm out the other end of the pressure switch harness as well. Ohm them out out with the pump running, and the pump not running. You'll know right away if it's a circuit board issue, a pressure switch issue, or a pressure switch harness issue, and you will be able to stop guessing :)

Use common sense, and your other senses as well. Is there adequate flow when the pump is running? Does it sound normal?

PS, thanks for the reply...

The switch was bad, because the condition changed when I changed it. The pump is running normally, and the adjustment on the switch does nothing to change the condition. That's what leads me to think its the board, but I will check the harness to the switch. I can't ohm it out with the pump "not running" because it is always running in the "error state" {COOL-88 degrees-FLO} ..

thanks

You can turn the power off to test it not running. You're testing resistance, not volts.

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My guess is that your board is probably okay since switching out the pressure switch changed the error message from solid FLO to blinking FLO.

Edit-

You say that your pump is always running. It's possible that your pump relay is stuck which would mean that you'll need a new board.

What is the current temperature of the water? Can you lower the set point below current temp? If so, disconnect the pressure switch. The pump should shut off if the spa is not trying to heat or filter. You should have no error code in this state.

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You say that your pump is always running. It's possible that your pump relay is stuck which would mean that you'll need a new board.

What is the current temperature of the water? Can you lower the set point below current temp? If so, disconnect the pressure switch. The pump should shut off if the spa is not trying to heat or filter. You should have no error code in this state.

Thanks for the reply ChaiSTi !

NOW we're getting somewhere!

~ Temp is 83 degrees (which is down 5 since yesterday) and the desired temp was set at 102 ...

~ I set the desired temp to 60..... AND.. The pump turned OFF and there is no error msg.

Now what? You say disconnect the pressure switch? .

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I was thinking that your pump relay could have been stuck but that's not the case anymore. Just leave the pressure switch connected for now.

So if you have no error code with the pressure switch connected that means that the board is registering the pressure switch as open.

All you have to do now is to manually activate the low speed and adjust the switch until it register a close circuit.

Ideally, you'll want to use a multi-meter to test for continuity or resistance.

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The switch or harness could be bad.

Try this:

1 Disconnect wires to the pressure switch

2 Turn pump on low speed

3 Jump the wires

4 If error code comes back on, jump the pins directly on the PCB

Provided that you jump it correctly, you should get no error code.

Have you invested in a meter yet? It will help TREMEMDOUSLY.

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The switch or harness could be bad.

Try this:

1 Disconnect wires to the pressure switch

2 Turn pump on low speed

3 Jump the wires

4 If error code comes back on, jump the pins directly on the PCB

Provided that you jump it correctly, you should get no error code.

Have you invested in a meter yet? It will help TREMEMDOUSLY.

Once again, 'ChaiSTi' ... THANK YOU for you time on this... I love trying to figure this out myself (that is, with you!)

Results:

2 - FLASHING {80 - FLO}

3 - 81 degrees {NO FLO ERROR}

as before, both pumps work fine a full power..

Yes, I've always had a meter.... and know how to use it.

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It sounds like you were able to bypass the pressure switch by jumping the wires. This would indicate to me that the pressure switch harness is good. Maybe you have a bad pressure switch? Use your meter and test that switch. Does it give you a close signal with the pump running and open signal when it's not?

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It sounds like you were able to bypass the pressure switch by jumping the wires. This would indicate to me that the pressure switch harness is good. Maybe you have a bad pressure switch? Use your meter and test that switch. Does it give you a close signal with the pump running and open signal when it's not?

Ok, it's now switched in to the mode that it was in when all this started....

~ The cable to the switch is shorted, and now it has a SOLID {FLO} and none of the controls are responding... ...

..... originally when this happened I could STMP on the spa near the controller and it would come on.. not now... DEAD SPA!

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It sounds like you were able to bypass the pressure switch by jumping the wires. This would indicate to me that the pressure switch harness is good. Maybe you have a bad pressure switch? Use your meter and test that switch. Does it give you a close signal with the pump running and open signal when it's not?

Ok, it's now switched in to the mode that it was in when all this started....

~ The cable to the switch is shorted, and now it has a SOLID {FLO} and none of the controls are responding... ...

..... originally when this happened I could STOMP on the spa near the controller and it would come on.. not now... DEAD SPA!

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Remember that when the spa is not programmed to heat, filter, or jet1 activated the Balboa control system is looking for an open signal or you'll get the solid FLO.

bump

This morning I came out to find the spa ON and running at 94 degrees .. the switch is dis-connected and the wires to it SHORTED ...

All of this "intermitant On - off, dead, not dead, heater working, heater not working" is making me think it's the board...[

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Everything I asked you to do was for testing only. From what you have been reporting, the board sounds okay to me.

The spa will automatically turn on and off the pump for heating and filtering. You can't be there all the time to short and disconnect the wires.

You need to reconnect the pressure switch and adjust it so that it works properly.

Remember that when pump1 is activated, automatically or manually, the control system is looking for a close pressure switch.

As soon as the pump shuts off, the control system is looking for an open switch.

Maybe it's time to bring in a spa tech?

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Everything I asked you to do was for testing only. From what you have been reporting, the board sounds okay to me.

The spa will automatically turn on and off the pump for heating and filtering. You can't be there all the time to short and disconnect the wires.

You need to reconnect the pressure switch and adjust it so that it works properly.

~ I've tried adjusting to both ends of the switch.. no change at all.

Maybe it's time to bring in a spa tech?

~ I've called my local SPA TECH 3x .. they are so busy they don't even respond..

.. I know, this is getting boring...

THANKS ChaiSTi !!!

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