Balboa Temp Won't Adjust Properly, A Service Guy Needs Help...

[Recoil Rob]

Hello to all,

I'm new here but have been an independent service agent for quite a few companies for over 20 years in the NY/CT area.

I have a tub right now that has me banging my head against a wall. It's a Jacuzzi Z series from Home Depot with the dial thermostat and single button control. The original complaint was it would heat up and go into hi limit mode. I went out to diagnose and found the heater relay was sticking. As long as the water was circulating, no problem but when the tub reached temperature the pump would shut down, the heater would stay on, you could hear the water in the tube boiling, and the hi limit would shut everything down.

Luckily I had a replacement board and installed it. I started it up and though the relay problem was solved I noticed that with the water temp at 104.3 the dial thermostat was only at the 3 O'clock position, it still had about 1/4 turn left.

To make a long story a little shorter, I tried 2 more sets of sensors and another topside, same problem. A call to Balboa suggested foaming in the back of the temp sensor (located in the bottom of the skimmer) since they said it could be affected by the ambient air temp (about 20degF at the time).

I kind of doubted this since JWB did not foam them in initially but I did it anyway. We still have the same problem, the water is at 104 and there's still a 1/4 turn left to turn the dial.

Any idea's?

Thanks, Rob

[ps558]

Hello to all,

I'm new here but have been an independent service agent for quite a few companies for over 20 years in the NY/CT area.

I have a tub right now that has me banging my head against a wall. It's a Jacuzzi Z series from Home Depot with the dial thermostat and single button control. The original complaint was it would heat up and go into hi limit mode. I went out to diagnose and found the heater relay was sticking. As long as the water was circulating, no problem but when the tub reached temperature the pump would shut down, the heater would stay on, you could hear the water in the tube boiling, and the hi limit would shut everything down.

Luckily I had a replacement board and installed it. I started it up and though the relay problem was solved I noticed that with the water temp at 104.3 the dial thermostat was only at the 3 O'clock position, it still had about 1/4 turn left.

To make a long story a little shorter, I tried 2 more sets of sensors and another topside, same problem. A call to Balboa suggested foaming in the back of the temp sensor (located in the bottom of the skimmer) since they said it could be affected by the ambient air temp (about 20degF at the time).

I kind of doubted this since JWB did not foam them in initially but I did it anyway. We still have the same problem, the water is at 104 and there's still a 1/4 turn left to turn the dial.

Any idea's?

Thanks, Rob

These packs are most generic things Balboa has ever made I found. Most of the issues I had with them are the topside control.

If you do turn it up all the way were does the temp go. If it stay between 104 and 106 it is ok. The older stuff has a error of -/+ 2 degrees, That has been what I have been told.

Try turning the sensor a 1/4 turn in the housing. What type of temp sensor housing is it? If it is the style without a thin metal wire across the center, try changing it. The ones with a plastic front keep to much water away from the sensor.

Another thing to try is to install a sensor to the board and drape it over the shell right into the spa and check temp control that way

[Recoil Rob]

Hello to all,

I'm new here but have been an independent service agent for quite a few companies for over 20 years in the NY/CT area.

I have a tub right now that has me banging my head against a wall. It's a Jacuzzi Z series from Home Depot with the dial thermostat and single button control. The original complaint was it would heat up and go into hi limit mode. I went out to diagnose and found the heater relay was sticking. As long as the water was circulating, no problem but when the tub reached temperature the pump would shut down, the heater would stay on, you could hear the water in the tube boiling, and the hi limit would shut everything down.

Luckily I had a replacement board and installed it. I started it up and though the relay problem was solved I noticed that with the water temp at 104.3 the dial thermostat was only at the 3 O'clock position, it still had about 1/4 turn left.

To make a long story a little shorter, I tried 2 more sets of sensors and another topside, same problem. A call to Balboa suggested foaming in the back of the temp sensor (located in the bottom of the skimmer) since they said it could be affected by the ambient air temp (about 20degF at the time).

I kind of doubted this since JWB did not foam them in initially but I did it anyway. We still have the same problem, the water is at 104 and there's still a 1/4 turn left to turn the dial.

Any idea's?

Thanks, Rob

These packs are most generic things Balboa has ever made I found. Most of the issues I had with them are the topside control.

If you do turn it up all the way were does the temp go. If it stay between 104 and 106 it is ok. The older stuff has a error of -/+ 2 degrees, That has been what I have been told.

Try turning the sensor a 1/4 turn in the housing. What type of temp sensor housing is it? If it is the style without a thin metal wire across the center, try changing it. The ones with a plastic front keep to much water away from the sensor.

Another thing to try is to install a sensor to the board and drape it over the shell right into the spa and check temp control that way

Turning the sensor all the way up get's the water to 110-112F and sometimes causes the HI Limit freeze. The sensor is just mounted in a hole through the skimmer bottom, typical JWB installation they used forever. It's now foamed in. I tried draping the sensor over the shell and the reading was correct, it would read 104F at it's maximum. That's why I think it has to be a physical problem, not electrical.

[ps558]

Hello to all,

I'm new here but have been an independent service agent for quite a few companies for over 20 years in the NY/CT area.

I have a tub right now that has me banging my head against a wall. It's a Jacuzzi Z series from Home Depot with the dial thermostat and single button control. The original complaint was it would heat up and go into hi limit mode. I went out to diagnose and found the heater relay was sticking. As long as the water was circulating, no problem but when the tub reached temperature the pump would shut down, the heater would stay on, you could hear the water in the tube boiling, and the hi limit would shut everything down.

Luckily I had a replacement board and installed it. I started it up and though the relay problem was solved I noticed that with the water temp at 104.3 the dial thermostat was only at the 3 O'clock position, it still had about 1/4 turn left.

To make a long story a little shorter, I tried 2 more sets of sensors and another topside, same problem. A call to Balboa suggested foaming in the back of the temp sensor (located in the bottom of the skimmer) since they said it could be affected by the ambient air temp (about 20degF at the time).

I kind of doubted this since JWB did not foam them in initially but I did it anyway. We still have the same problem, the water is at 104 and there's still a 1/4 turn left to turn the dial.

Any idea's?

Thanks, Rob

These packs are most generic things Balboa has ever made I found. Most of the issues I had with them are the topside control.

If you do turn it up all the way were does the temp go. If it stay between 104 and 106 it is ok. The older stuff has a error of -/+ 2 degrees, That has been what I have been told.

Try turning the sensor a 1/4 turn in the housing. What type of temp sensor housing is it? If it is the style without a thin metal wire across the center, try changing it. The ones with a plastic front keep to much water away from the sensor.

Another thing to try is to install a sensor to the board and drape it over the shell right into the spa and check temp control that way

Turning the sensor all the way up get's the water to 110-112F and sometimes causes the HI Limit freeze. The sensor is just mounted in a hole through the skimmer bottom, typical JWB installation they used forever. It's now foamed in. I tried draping the sensor over the shell and the reading was correct, it would read 104F at it's maximum. That's why I think it has to be a physical problem, not electrical.

To make it right I would ignore the temp sensor housing were it is and install a new one right in the shell in main body of water. Just my opinion, but I bet your customer will happy about better temp control