azvike

OK. I pulled the pump out and bench tested it. Nada, zip, nothing. Tried to free up the impeller, but still nothing. Looks like you nailed it the first time, Dan. Will get a new pump and try again. Hopefully I'll have it running before summer . Thanks again, all. I've learned a lot more about spa repair than I ever really wanted to know, but if I can get a couple more years out of this, it's like money in the bank.

I'm in the process of cleaning the filters now. lord knows they needed it. However, if clogged filters were the problem and the circ pump were good, wouldn't it operate without the filters in place (for a few minutes)?

That hi-limit button trips when the temp inside the heater tube reaches 112 degrees or something like that... so with the heater plugged in, it must be reaching that temp due to low flow. Either dirty filters, the pump is not pumping, or the pump is not pumping water fast enough. I may take multiple attempts to reset the button because even after the heater is unplugged, the water in the tube may still be too hot, especially if the pump is not pushing water fast enough or at all. Also possible that the hi-limit or thermostat is bad, but that is far less common. How old is the circ pump? It's as old as the spa, 14 years. Also, I've never properly cleaned (degreased) the filters, so i read. I'll try that first since it's cheap, if not I'll replace the pump. Thanks a bunch for all your help. Times being what they are, I'd rather fix it (if possible) than replace it.

If i unplug the heater, the LED stays lit, though it takes multiple attempts to reset.. The pump appears to be running, I can feel the slight vibration and it gets warm, but not hot.

I would start by varifying if you have any flow from the circulation pump. If not, the heater gets too hot and then pops the high limit. Once it cools down, you would be able to reset it again...but without the circ pump flowing, it will just keep repeating the problem. Cool. Is there an easy way to check for circulation, or do I need to disconnect the hose? BTW, I noticed that the back cover on the circ pump is loose, so I wouldn't be surprised if the teminals are corroded.

Could use some help with this Spa. I bought it new in '94, and it has never worked properly 2 seasons in a row. Most of the trouble has been with the thermostat, which they finally upgraded. Anyway, this year the tub powers up for about 5 minutes, then the tub reset trips and the red LED blinks. After a bit, I can reset the tub, but with the same results. Any ideas on where I might start troubleshooting?