Cusser
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Posts posted by Cusser
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I also have a 240 VAC spa, since 1988.
I assume that your spa has a good insulated cover, a necessity.
Anyway, earlier this week I drained my own spa (about 350 gallons) and refilled with water. Outside temperature was about 72F, and this took over 6 hours of direct heating to heat up the water to 104F. Once at temperature, my spa heats less than 30 minutes a day to stay at 104F.
So I'm not so sure you actually have an issue, unless you don't have a cover....
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I have a 35-year-old CalSpa on my back patio, cost me $3000 in 1988. Maybe a decade ago it developed a small leak, not in the equipment section. I could pull off two other panels and pull out some sprayed-in foam but could not isolate/identify a leak area. There are about 6 to 8 small cracks in the shell, so maybe one or more of those is the cause of the leakage. The 4th side is 8 inches from the house wall, so inaccessible.
So I've been adding "Fix a Leak" 3 or 3 times a year, and it DOES work. This week I drained the spa, hand sanded the cracks, and used JB Weld Marine Epoxy in an attempt to seal those. After letting the marine epoxy set 24 hours, I added water, sodium bromide, and am observing....
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My own spa is 35 years old so way before fancy electronic controls and electronic stuff. But from what I read, stay away from bells and whistles like built-in stereos and TVs, way more proprietary stuff to go wrong.
My spa is on the back patio under the patio roof. I use a stereo inside the house for which I have two outside speakers. We also have a 37" HDTV on a swivel mount from the roof which can be turned towards the spa and controlled by its remote control as it has to be at a distance for safety.
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Thanks, I know Arizona is generally stooooopider than most states. I wonder if it was really cost-effective for CalSpa to leave out GFCI for the models ordered for Arizona.
Side note: the owner's manual does state that the spa light does have GFCI (which has never tripped, and the bulb has never been changed), just no other GFCI.
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You could add a little of "chlorine reducer", sold at pool stores; it's sodium thiosulfate powder.
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I bought a new CalSpa in late 1988, 240 VAC, 40-amp; had it wired up by contractor associated with the power company. It was hard wired from the circuit breaker up through conduit through the attic, across through the attic, then outside down to the spa.
About a decade later I read about GFCI, and realized that my spa did not have GFCI or a shut-off except to open the equipment panel doors. So I added a 40-amp breaker and box, which also serves as the shut-off.
Question: I'm in Arizona, and when did GFCI for spas become required, and/or why did mine not have this, seemed pretty scary once I learned this, why I added my own.
Anyway, the spa still works, and a couple of times when the heater element threads corroded (electric water heater type element from hardware store) the leak triggered my GFCI.
Thanks for any information about this.
When I wired my own above-ground pool in 2000, I ran 120 VAC through a new dedicated circuit and added GFCI myself.
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Here's my own spa, a CalSpa purchased new in 1988 and the electrical (240 VAC, 40-amp) installed by licensed electrician, one of the designated electricians detailed by the electric company, as I was having this done in tandem with the "load controller" install to reduce electricity usage.
Anyway, this spa was installed without any power cut off near the spa (except for its cabinet doors being open) and no GFCI. I didn't know any better, but a few years later I read in Popular Mechanics magazine about spas/hot tubs and their GFCI protection. So I bought an electrical box and installed 40-amp GFCI breaker inside the spa cabinet, to the right of the control box, see picture; yes, I do have a cover over the electric connections to its screw-on heater element, just not in place in this picture.
I realize that this is possibly or likely a "code violation" but I'm more concerned about safety. This old spa uses a simple under $20 screw-in water heater element, and the GFCI has tripped a couple of times when such threads on the element corroded and leaked a little, so did its job.
Many "codes" seem to have been pushed by trades like plumbers or electricians to garner more jobs for themselves. For example, I personally think flexible copper or even automotive heater hose in reality would be safe on a water heater T&P drain, as there's zero pressure inside such 3/4" outlet to outside, and even heater hose is designed to have higher temperatures and pressures than a T&P drain. My own home has flexible copper on such line, and I sure do not remember sweating that fitting onto 3/4 hard copper for its 4-foot run to outside. My friend just had her water heater replaced under warranty and the plumber said that code stated that T&P drain needed to be hard copper; anyway, mine is staying how it is....
Comments appreciated, I need to keep learning....
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And the big plastic nut at the connection to the pump has a BIG crack in it !!! That part looks glued on at its upper left, you may want to investigate getting a spare 2-piece nut to replace that in-place, to have on-hand for when that cracks through and leaks.
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On 12/15/2023 at 3:23 PM, pjyelton said:
Here is where I am uncertain because I have very limited experience when dealing with electrical systems. The pump power cord has 4 wires: red, black, white, green. My understanding is that since this is a dual pump setup and based on how the previous pump was wired that the red and black for the two speeds, white is neutral or constant, and green is ground. Using a multimeter and during a schedule call I can only get it to read 120v and that's going from the red wire to ground. Going from red to white or red to black give me nothing. I don't know if that is to be expected or if that means there is a problem since I believe the pump requires 240v. And if that is to be expected, any other test I can run with a multimeter before I just give up and say the pump is broken?
Here is the pump in question, its the 1.5 HP Dual Speed: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09ZY9M7ZD
Your link shows a 230 VAC pump. If you're only getting 120 VAC measured there, you're on the right path.
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Back in 2000, I installed a 4000 gallon above-ground pool in my yard.
I'm not an electrician. I added a new 120 volt, 20-amp breaker to the breaker box, ran wires through conduit back to near the pool, and installed a GCFI breaker receptacle with a weatherproof cover. So the pool's pump simply plugs in to that. I also used a copper grounding rod to provide grounding to that GFCI box. Still working fine...
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I was able to see the image. I'm surprised that installing new O-rings in the red circles could be so tough, only need to get a small amount of "give" in the plumbing. I'd also use a little silicone grease or teflon grease on the O-rings. Did you use a wrench (strap wrench, ViseGrips 12LC) to tighten those large plastic nuts?
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I'm also in Phoenix, have a 15-foot 4000 gallon above-ground pool (since year 2000). My has a sand filter, and from November through April I run the pump under two hours a day. I stopped using a winter cover a few years ago as they didn't last long, and proved more trouble than they were worth.
Yes, I manually clean leaves from the skimmer, and vacuum like every two months.
I also have a 1988 CalSpa with a cover, and that's left in the thermostatted position at 104F 24/7, and it adds heat less than half-hour per day.
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On 11/17/2023 at 8:41 PM, Flarix said:
No matter what I try it will not heat up. I tested all the fuses and relays they all work I replaced the the heating element just to rule it out the old one and the new one get 240 volts but wont heat at all. The heat light is on the control panel telling it to heat and the voltage power is making it all the way to the heater element but it just wont heat at all.
If the heater is getting 240 VAC AND the heater resistance is about 14 ohms, then it HAS to heat. One cannot change the laws of physics.
Can you test AC amps with a clamp-on multimeter while all is switched on?
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14 hours ago, f499 said:
Did a voltage test and ohms test. All good. (multimeter, AC mode and touching both heater terminals: 240v) Ohms was about 14 if memory serves me right. Continuity was good too.
Hmmm - 14 ohms across heater terminals sounds about right (and matches heater element resistance on my 1988 spa). And if 240 VAC was getting to the heater element, failing to heat doesn't make sense to me. Let the professionals comment, I'm not one !!!
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23 hours ago, cranbiz said:
Check the heater element. With an ohm meter, check the resistance of the heater. It should be between 12-18 ohms.
You can also check that the heater is getting voltage when the tub is calling for heat. There should be 220V across the 2 heater terminals. (assuming you have a 220V tub)
Above is GREAT advice, pretty universal too.
I have a 1988 CalSpa which fortunately utilizes same 240 VAC elements as a home electric water heater, so inexpensive for me to replace the element when it goes bad. I've replaced the element in mine every few years, and I agree with cranbiz' troubleshooting advice.
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On 11/1/2023 at 4:24 AM, WetBubbles said:
I have another small leak (1cm water drop over 4 weeks) - so I used a "stop leak" product again.
Not exactly a fix for your issue: I have a 1988 CalSpa and I do have to use a leak seal product maybe twice a year, as I've been unable to locate the leak (one side of spa is against the house, inaccessible). But 1cm water drop over 4 weeks might be considered normal/typical.
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Did you add any buffer like baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3) ??? Without a buffer pH can swing quickly. A bicarbonate-carbonate buffer helps keep pH where it should be.
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8 hours ago, csdude55 said:
When I bought my house it had a hot tub on a cement slab. I could tell that it wasn't quite level, though, which I HOPED was due to the fact that there was a wet and rotted piece of plywood underneath!
Today I had a new hot tub installed, and... I was wrong. The cement slab isn't level 😕 I'd bet pennies to dollars that they didn't put gravel or anything underneath, they just poured it straight on the ground.
My house was built in 1979. I bought it in mid-1988. In fall 1988, I had my spa installed on the patio concrete slab (you have concrete, not cement; cement + sand + gravel makes concrete). Well my patio is not perfectly level, and I can tell that the water level is different on one side as opposed to the other. It just doesn't bother me, and the spa from 1988 is still operating !
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I have got a 1988 CalSpa, 240 VAC.
1. My air blower no longer works; it has a three terminal plug and plugs into the electrical box, and used to actuate through an air switch on the side of the spa. I don't know if the issue is with that air switch or the air blower motor itself. I tried pressing the air switch and looking for AC voltage at the receptacle for the air blower, but didn't find any, but the receptacle faces down and access is pretty limited; I think to confirm that I'd need to take the cover off that electrical box.
2. On the other hand, we've RARELY used the air blower, and everything else works, so maybe that's better to be left as is....
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I use silicone-based or teflon-based lube on my pool and spa. Like Aladdin Magic Lube https://www.doheny.com/aladdin-magic-lube?mrkgadid=1&mrkgen=gpla&mrkgbflag=0&mrkgcat=generalpoolsupplies&&acctid=21700000001664618&dskeywordid=92700050254928026&lid=92700050254928026&ds_s_kwgid=58700005501472331&ds_s_inventory_feed_id=97700000007570802&dsproductgroupid=412398997093&product_id=1185&merchid=45111&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid={product_store_id}&device=c&network=g&matchtype=&locationid={loc_phyiscal_ms}&creative=251202707236&targetid=pla-412398997093&campaignid=1060044399&adgroupid=52343884992&gclid=CjwKCAjwpJWoBhA8EiwAHZFzfsQ-0MHRQEZwxJmIKuuDNTMeCbzxwSq2ZqDenZwrlDhwbmcZ_t7olRoCNmoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
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PVC glue and primer, often sold as can of each in a pack, see Home Depot.
Get all dry first, and a little heat from a heat gun can make the tubing more flexible temporarily.
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My own 1988 CalSpa is still chugging along. But it's in Phoenix AZ and has never frozen, and it's been mine since new, and I'm the only maintainer/repairer. No digital displays, very simple electronics, never has frozen....and no 104F requirement...
Its air blower system is not currently operational, don't know if it's a bad "air button", electrics, or bad blower motor, but I never really used that other to aerate/cool down the water.
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I don't use glue on any hose barbs.
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I have a 1988 Calspa, way different than your modern one. Mine can set on either thermostat-actuated or by the timer. I had a malfunctioning clock motor in my own timer this summer, so intermittently was not turning the clock time, so I installed a replacement timer to fix that. So check your clock time.
Tiger River Bengal Pipe Leak
in Portable Hot Tubs & Spas
Posted
That should be fine. Clean off any residue with vinegar, and re-use or purchase new made-in-USA worm-type hose clamps.
If you warm up the flexible tubing, it will be easier to fit onto the hard pipe. Such PVC tubing is sold by the foot at places like Ace Hardware, consider new and new tee fitting.