Search the Community

I have a 2009 HotSpring Envoy (KK2L2088). Following a power outage, the spa went into protection mode (Ensure filters are clean and unobstructed). I've seen this before; cleaning and rotating the filters usually resolves the problem. Not this time. So I removed the filters and tried again; same result. What happens is this: About 12 seconds after applying power, the BUS STATUS and LIM OK LEDs turn GREEN. About 1 minute later, I hear the circulation pump attempt to start, but it doesn't. About 30 seconds later, the HTR ON LED turns RED and then clicks off less than a minute later. The spa goes into protection mode with both the power light (blue) and ready light (green) flashing. I've repeated this several times with basically the same results (sometimes only the power light is flashing). I did some research on this forum ( @RDspaguy and @CanadianSpaTech posts ) and suspect my circulation pump (E5-NSHNNN1_14, Watkins PN 74416) has failed. I removed the pressure switch and installed a jumper on the PS connection and powered up the spa. No protection mode this time, but both the power light (blue) and ready light (green) are flashing. As best I can tell, the circulation pump is not running. The circulation pump output on the IQ2020 board has good voltage (120.5v @ 60Hz). Every thing else appears to be working fine (jets, clean mode, lights) without going into protection mode. So, is my suspicion of a failed circulation pump correct? If so, are there any recommendations as to where to purchase a new one? Any other recommendations? Thanks in advance, Mike

Brother in law owns a Hotspring dealership a 5 hr drive away and has tried to help long distance and also sending me parts for a good deal, however due to Hotspring rules, we had to buy our spa from a local dealer - mainly to get good service I suppose. We bought a brand new Grandee tub in fall 2009 and used it happily for about 7 years with no protection mode issues. We had the tub removed to repair leaking Moto-jets in the 2 seats that had them and after it came back I recall the tub continuing to work generally fine. However since September 2017, our tub keeps randomly going into protection mode. Randomly in-between cleanings, but most frequently after or during balancing/adding chemicals. I always drained and refilled every 3 months bc we have an ozoneator and needed a fresh fill to replace the silver cartridge thing. I know too well that dirty filters are the first troubleshooting step. I always had 2 sets of the ceramic filters and soaked them each overnight in an diluted filter wash solution in a bucket and even bought new sets of filters, including the pleat filters, to try to address this protection mode problem. I've also asked that "perfectly fine" sensors be replaced bc they are a cheap part. The heater is not original, but I can't recall when it was replaced and it may have been while under warranty, but as it has no hot spots at all, I'm told it is fine. Fairly recently, the spa went into protection mode with jets running and without filters in it WHILE THE SPA SERVICE GUY WAS STANDING AND TALKING TO ME - probably thinking I was an attention-seeking wacko bc every single thing he tried did not cause protection mode and yet I've called for service dozens of times over the past 3 or so years. Because it is a relatively cheaper fix, we recently replaced the circ. pump (BIL sent the part and husband replaced it to try to $ave bc I think it may really be the IQ brain). My BIL suggested that unless the spa water was always nicely balanced that the circ pump could sometimes randomly stop working well due to build-up somewhere and it was worth changing it. The spa still would randomly go into protection mode, but much less frequently that before changing that part, so I thought we'd see how it goes. I had been taught to always add chemicals to the filter compartment and not to the spa water, but since the chemical bottles say to broadcast and since maybe the granules of the chemicals get caught in the filters and may cause a fault, I have started to only add chemicals to the spa water instead. It still goes into random protection mode, but I imagine it is less often. We hardly use the spa now because I'm afraid that when I get outside to soak, it will be cold water. However, I still keep it balanced and last night my son had friends over. When I checked the spa this morning, it had some grass and a bit of mulch in it and they left the cover open. And, it was in protection mode. I removed the filters, hand strained out the stuff I could see in the filter comportment and bottom of the spa and flipped the breakers to reset the spa. Then I hosed off the filters and when I went to put them back in and it was back in protection mode before I even ran a jet. So I'm going to empty and refill the darned thing, but I'm thinking I want to replace every single remaining part that I should replace to be done with this issue once and for all and it will be easier to have done with the spa empty. SO - what part can possibly cause a protection mode issue? The circ pump is not even a month old, so that can't be it. Should I replace the heater, even thought it heats with no hot spots? The protection mode error is to "protect" the spa from overheating, right? Should I replace the 2 heat sensors since they talk to the brain about overheating issues, even when there don't seem to be any? Should I replace the IQ Brain that I was told did everything it was supposed to when the spa guy was here to figure out my problem once and for all? That is where I am, but I want to know what else I should possibly replace at this time. (Local spa will charge me $2092.94 to replace this. When I called them to say that was a LOT, especially after all the unhelpful service calls that we have paid, but that have failed to stop our Protection Mode issue. He agreed to replace the part if I bought it from my BIL (who he knows is a far-away dealer) and I assume they will do it at a fair labor rate.) Should I replace the motor? I don't think any spa should go into protection mode during one night of 5 adults soaking, even if they do have a few pieces of grass or mulch on their feet. I think last night was the ONLY time the spa was soaked in since I last cleaned and balanced the water less than a week before. Maybe just running jets and having bodies blocking the jets a bit (whole purpose of my 7 person spa!) is just too much for my original motor? A spa only has so many parts to replace before it is essentially brand new, right? I want to replace EVERY part that remotely could be causing this issue because I am tired of the frustration and frankly real sadness at this point. Life it too short to cry over a spa. I would appreciate some serious advice from people who do the spa repairs and know these machines really, really well. I'm writing instead of just moving ahead with replacing the IQ, because it would be nice to learn about someone else who may have dealt with this same problem (Cant just be me, can it???) and also I do want to know what else to possibly replace so we are one-more and done! We seriously considered tossing the Gradee and buying another, but even an Envoy is $17K around me! We built a nice patio area for the spa and it will look terrible without a spa there. And, honestly it would be SO nice to just be able to relax and reliably decide to go for a soak and know it can happen whenever we want, as long as we do our weekly maintenance. Maybe I should get another brand? I don't even know where to start. Any help out there?

My Hot Springs Prodigy (2014?) goes into protection mode frequently - weekly - unless I change the filters. Is there any way to turn off this feature? I am surprised at the frequency with which I need to change filters.