Balboa Topside Main Panel Blank And Inoperative

[Scargod]

I have a ML 700 display and a EL-8000 controller. I have the ozonator and this is the top of the line Thermospas Spa with a bunch of pumps. My topside panel just quit working with the exception that once I was able to get the display's lights to come on. I get no readout or codes of any kind. No buttons work.

The Spa works in every other respect. It stays hot. It circulates and cycles through the auto routine. The other two small panels control their pumps as they are supposed to. I looked at the circuit board and see no blown fuses or any other obvious problems. I took out the topside control panel and I don't see an obvious problem with it. This is about a two year old spa and the main board is only a year old.

Any ideas?

Can I move the topside panel connector to one of the spare panel connections on the board and try that? There are two that are available.

Thanks

[Scargod]

I could use some advice! Anyone??

[Pathfinder]

Controller probly died. Is it under warranty?? If not then order one on line or from a local dealer, plug it in and away you go.

[Scargod]

It is under warranty.

Now I realize I have done a stupid thing. I drained the spa since the water needed changing and left it in that state while I investigated the panel issue. The remaining water froze in the system. I thought enough of it would drain out that any residual water would not do any damage! I put water back in and it started it up, thinking we could use the spa because it had worked before, even with the dead panel. A connector ring on one end of the heater was cracked but I tightened it and it stopped leaking. Everything else seemed OK. With a minimal amount of water in the spa, I powered it up. It started blowing air into the tub and I thought the pump was working, but I don't remember seeing water movement (there were lots of air bubbles). Shortly, it blew the F7, 30 amp fuse. The component diagram does not say, but I assume this fuse is for the main circulating pump motor. I made sure there was no residual ice still in the system by pumping hot water directly into the primary filter's return hole. The spa water read 73 degrees, by the time I had topped off the tub. I tried again and it blew the fuse again.

What should I expect to find? Is the impeller/pump assembly likely damaged and making it difficult or impossible for the motor to turn it? Does anything else runs off this fuse?