In Hot Water

Attention Spa Techs! Betcha I can make you laugh out loud. Caramel Haughes 12000, with a 2 piece cover, and tarp. FF32 ALTC pack on a Aquaset spa side. Stainless handrails for the Heartford Loop that would burn ya. Converted PRD contactor lighting up a Vulcan Heater that would heat a swimming pool. Harwill Flow Switch dumping one leg of the 220 right into the water. Jacuzzi Bug and sand with a Union2 Union that Never leaked, or failed. 3 piece Hydro Air Caged Eyeballs, and a noisy ass Hydrossage. Got the Rainbow 25 Sq. Ft. Top load squeezin that turn over. 4 stepper on a momentary air switch runnin the show, burried in the heart of this beast. and a Sun Glow light kit. All in J&J plugs. ...GO!

That's an Awesome Deal! Rock on with that spa!!

Sometimes there is a bad ground on the house, or what is called"Bell Current" from the phone lines. This will result in some nasty potential on all of the earth grounded items from the outdoor water faucet, to the spa. With the spa off at the breaker, checking current from spa to earth ground will tell if it is a bad house ground. Ideally of course using a multi meter is the best way. Keep in mind if the Lady's get a shock from the spa, you'll never get them in it again. The Guys see it as a topic for discussion on a forum.

Usually it was a dual drywell ell for the Balboa Mach 7 controllers. The RS 81 has 2 sensors also. The new RS 101 has a heater with it's own sensors in it. What kind of control box is in your spa?

By The Way, 1995-1997 Leisure Bay "Huricane Products" M pack with integrated Ozone, Grundfos Circ pump, and the dreaded LBI 104 spaside form Hurricane products. The ones with the Eaton Mears t stats had many issues. That 3" verticle heater has been long gone, and looks like the Balboa Heaters from Related Metal Fabricators, (also discontinued). There is a universal replacement, but it's almost $400.00 retail. don't sink a lot of time and money into that controller.

Does your breaker have a "Test" button on it?

The T 91 relay is probably sticking. That is a really old Leisure Bay controller. . It's time to retro fit that system. If not, replace both relays, and all air switches. The relays have a 110 volt coil even though the rating is 220 volt for load. I used to chase those aluminum bridges on the contactors all the time back in the day. (smile) Not one of Jack Rainwaters better designed pack. (sigh)

For the Sundance, Check the wiring at the Sensor and Flow Switch Connector. For the Beachcomber, Your flow device may be sticking. If it's a pressure switch, Tap it when you get the fault. If it's a flow switch, then have the wires ready to disconnect from the switch during the fault. If it's a Heater Chamber with 2 sensors, then they may have gone bad.

Does your Hot Springs have a "Summer Mode "feature?

Awesome Job!

If this was taken with the booster pump running, then it could still be a flow issue. Was the pump engaged?

Oops Adjustable Nozzle 5/16" | 212-0880 mini jet new style. Out Of Stock right now at LMI roto "Dream Maker" but out there else where. If that's not it, feel free to yell at me although I am Fragile

The jet internal orifice s are probably bad.

Well.... the relay for the pump may be "Pinned". Not Good, not Good at all. Also could be a dead shorted winding on the pump.Either way, the computer has to run a series of checks before energizing the pump. If High and Low come on at the same time, the pump should sound like Ass, and thermally trip off. (Shudder) Gonna need a multi meter to probe the pump receptacle, which I have to strongly NOT recommend. Looking like a service call for this one. Pumps are close to 500, Boards are 300 to 400 depending on your location of course. It will be worth the trouble to have someone nail this down for you as opposed to tossing parts in it. Maybe someone else on here can assist further, but I will be yelled at on this one, and I am fragile

Let Us Recap. High Limit cannot be shorted. It is a chip that changes it's resistance with temperature. If Shorted, the board will freak out and flash one of the lights indicating it's freaking out. Same with Tank Thermistor. the Flow, or Pressure switch Can be shorted. We don't like it to be shorted, however Watkins apparently no longer cares if the Pressure Switch is shorted. I am assuming this is an IQ 2020 controller. Jump, or short the pressure, flow wires, re connect the sensors without being shorted (ever), and re boot. Inside the controller we also have little tiny LED lights that say "Limit OK" "Controller Unplugged" , "And Heater On". You need reading glasses to see all of this, and should NOT be in there anyway. (Disclaimer). A Picture would be nice, as would any input from other techs on this site. Also need to verify that without anything at all running, the 24 hour circ pump is. Forget the 2 speed booster etc. Remove all filters during any troubleshooting of any spa for flow, or heating issues. As usual, If this doesn't work, do NOT yell at me, I am fragile

Thank You Sir!

You may be confusing the pressure switch with the high limit. There are two sensors that thread into the top of the no fault heater. The threads and O rings are a different size so they will only go in one way. The wire coming out of the heater built in is to the pressure switch. If you shunt a high limit, the computer doesn't see a value it recognizes, and gives a watch dog error in the form of the flashing light. Please never alter a high limit, or tank thermistor. The new heater does not have a pressure switch, and should have a pressure switch shunt included. If not, you can tie together the pressure switch wire. If this doesn't work, please Don't yell at me, I am fragile

Cal Spa, and their lower line of American Spa. It's the 2" suction wall fitting 215-3620. They are cracking in the throat of the wall fitting as if over-tightened, however I'm no so sure that's whats doing it. Wondering if they are having problems over there at Waterway, and using Re-Grind or something.

I shudder when I see single source suction on a bayonet filter. That to me is a situation waiting to be had. VGB are now being used on single suction pump circuits. Don't like it at all, but it may have un intended consequences in flow design. I would rather see suction head split between multiple points any day.

I doubt the replacement at 240 volts is what the old one was. Maybe someone else can chime in, but the old one was probably 110 volt. Check the old one to see it's rated voltage. If 110, it can be converted in the controller. If this doesn't work, do NOT yell at me , I am fragile.

Watch Dog is a way to say that the lines of code do not match their checksum. Usually the sensors go out of range, or the board is blown and cannot recognize a value being presented to the processor. Setting your meter to ohms, and reading the resistance to the tank thermistor, and then the high limit thermistor should be real close. If not, then replace both sensors. If they are close, then it may be a bad board. Do NOT yell at me if that wasn't it. I am fragile

Any one else seeing these things crack? Brand new tubs. Gettin tired of chasing them.