Whats Broken The Transformer Or The Circuit Board?

[funkejj]

Ok so on Saturday I bought a friends hot tub from them. They said it needed a new circuit board and they were told that from a service tech. The issue is the gfci trips the second it turns on. So over the past few days I have done some research on this issue. Fast forward to today. I picked up the hot tub, Brought it home, did all of the wiring the way it needs to be. Flipped the gfci on and sure enough it tripped immediatly. I remembered from a post on here that someone diagnosed a bad transformer so I thought ok I will disconnect it from the board and see if that is the issue. Unplugged the 6 pin connector from the circuit board and reset the breaker and no issues stayed on. Went to plug the 6 pin connector back in and it immediatly tripped. So what do you guys think transformer or circuit board? I would like to only have to order one part. Thanks for any reply in advance. By the way it is a 2002 Master Spa 800 LS

Jason

[Catalina stealth]

Well it sounds like you solved your own problem! If everything you say is correct I can see no other reason it wouldn't be the transformer.

Now this can be misleading as well. If you find that the transformer is indeed bad, and replace, there very well may be another problem after that. that could just be the first one manifesting.

You might want to try and hardwire the transformer in, bypassing the board to see if it still trips a breaker, if so, then yes there's definitely a problem with the transformer. Check the voltage being fed to the transformer from the board pins as well.

Just my 2 cents. Good luck!

[Paul Driftwood]

Transformers are usually very reliable. If you have an ohm meter you could check the primary windings, then the secondaries, (likely two lower voltage outputs) for continuity (power off, of course). Then check for continuity between a primary lead and any of the secondaries. If there is continuity here, the tranformer needs replacing. I'm suspect the issue is elsewhere.

[PreservedSwine]

Could be neither.

Have you disconnected ALL equip from the circuit, including both heater leads?

[Spa_Guru]

I would start with disconnecting both heater leads only, 99.9% of the time it is a corroded heater element. Disconnecting the transformer probably shuts down the heater curcuit, so gives you the false concept it is the transformer or board, when in fact, it never is.