Leak In My Jetsetter

[moparguy]

My Jetsetter has an intermittent water leak. Sometimes it will not leak a bit for 6 months, then it will empty completely in 6 days. This has been going on for several years. Now it is leaking pretty steady so at last I may be able to find it. The leak is definitly in the equipment compartment. I jacked the tub up about 8 inches and tilted it in all directions to see where the water appears first. Starting with a dry tub and compartment, It now seems to be pretty definitely appearing first under the small circulator pump Watkins P/N 1109101 . It is not the input or output hose connections. I removed the pump and disassembled the pump housing, there was a slight bit of corrosion on the motor/rear pump housing around the big O ring and the four through bolts seemed to be not at all tight. The O ring seems good, so I cleaned everything and added red hi-temp gasket RTV around the O ring and both surfaces of the pump housing and gently (but adequately) tightened the 4 screws. Starting again with a dry tub and compartment it still leaks and the first place I see water is in the slight depression under and right around the base of the pump. It must be coming from the pump, but i sure can"t see where. Even if there is a seal leaking around the shaft between the motor and pump I can't see where water can get out. There was no junk inside the pump and the the pump is dead silent and runs fine. . . . .Shoulld I replace the pump ? ? It just occured to me that maybe I should leave the pump out and put a cork in the two hoses and fill the tub and watch ? ?

Help? Suggestions? thanks, Jerry

[n1oty]

My Jetsetter has an intermittent water leak. Sometimes it will not leak a bit for 6 months, then it will empty completely in 6 days. This has been going on for several years. Now it is leaking pretty steady so at last I may be able to find it. The leak is definitly in the equipment compartment. I jacked the tub up about 8 inches and tilted it in all directions to see where the water appears first. Starting with a dry tub and compartment, It now seems to be pretty definitely appearing first under the small circulator pump Watkins P/N 1109101 . It is not the input or output hose connections. I removed the pump and disassembled the pump housing, there was a slight bit of corrosion on the motor/rear pump housing around the big O ring and the four through bolts seemed to be not at all tight. The O ring seems good, so I cleaned everything and added red hi-temp gasket RTV around the O ring and both surfaces of the pump housing and gently (but adequately) tightened the 4 screws. Starting again with a dry tub and compartment it still leaks and the first place I see water is in the slight depression under and right around the base of the pump. It must be coming from the pump, but i sure can"t see where. Even if there is a seal leaking around the shaft between the motor and pump I can't see where water can get out. There was no junk inside the pump and the the pump is dead silent and runs fine. . . . .Shoulld I replace the pump ? ? It just occured to me that maybe I should leave the pump out and put a cork in the two hoses and fill the tub and watch ? ?

Help? Suggestions? thanks, Jerry

Well, shaft seal leaks would be easily spotted, so if you don't actually see moisture at the shaft I doubt that is the cause.

John

[Dan.The.Spa.Man]

My Jetsetter has an intermittent water leak. Sometimes it will not leak a bit for 6 months, then it will empty completely in 6 days. This has been going on for several years. Now it is leaking pretty steady so at last I may be able to find it. The leak is definitly in the equipment compartment. I jacked the tub up about 8 inches and tilted it in all directions to see where the water appears first. Starting with a dry tub and compartment, It now seems to be pretty definitely appearing first under the small circulator pump Watkins P/N 1109101 . It is not the input or output hose connections. I removed the pump and disassembled the pump housing, there was a slight bit of corrosion on the motor/rear pump housing around the big O ring and the four through bolts seemed to be not at all tight. The O ring seems good, so I cleaned everything and added red hi-temp gasket RTV around the O ring and both surfaces of the pump housing and gently (but adequately) tightened the 4 screws. Starting again with a dry tub and compartment it still leaks and the first place I see water is in the slight depression under and right around the base of the pump. It must be coming from the pump, but i sure can"t see where. Even if there is a seal leaking around the shaft between the motor and pump I can't see where water can get out. There was no junk inside the pump and the the pump is dead silent and runs fine. . . . .Shoulld I replace the pump ? ? It just occured to me that maybe I should leave the pump out and put a cork in the two hoses and fill the tub and watch ? ?

Help? Suggestions? thanks, Jerry

Lets start with the year of the tub or a serial number if you don't know. This could help us mention some of the common problems with certain years.

As far as where the water is coming from, unfortunately, with the amount of time that you have been experiencing a leak, the foam of the tub is more than likely saturated. Because of this the water will start seeping out at the lowest point possible. It is probably coming up into the motor compartment from the screw holes where the jet pump bolts to the floor, or the small holes where the various bleedlines exit through the floor.

[Peteyboy]

As Dan said, a serial number would help a lot.

Check the light lens from in the equipment area. Feel for moisture under and around the lens. These lenses leak behind the plastic in the equipment area and go into the foam. It can then come up from below.

[moparguy]

Thanks very much for the helpful suggestions, gents. My Jetsetter is model J, S/N J151747 and must be 8 years old? Can't remember. My leak is apparently not in the small circulator pump as I thought. With the pump removed and corks in the hoses it still leaks. The water is coming up through the base under the pump. Sigh . . . . So, today my wife and I turned the tub on it's side and started digging foam under the equipment compartment ( the advantage of having a small tub like the Jetsetter). The foam is totally saturated everywhere down there. I was looking for a "smoking gun" like a sheet metal screw thru a tube or pipe, but can't find anything wrong with the pipes and tubing under there, just that it has all been very wet. I found the pink fiberglas under the light and around the tub all wet too. The back of the lens looks OK, the glue seam seems good, but the bottom most (6 o'clock) nut is totally rusted. When I just touched it - it fell off with the rusted off stud in the nut! This is a good clue that there has been a leak at that point for a long time. Surprisingly, the other nuts and studs look like they are stainless - but can't be. So, I will replace the lens with new. Then I came in the house and read your answers to my post. Your analysis of the problem seems right on the money - water leaks around the lens, goes down between the tub and equipment bay and saturates the foam under the floor and eventually comes up through the pump mounting holes! AHA! Also, before finding this wonderful forum, I didn't know anything about the air check valves high up in the equipment bay. I just touched one of them and it fell off in my hand with the broken barb end stuck in the 1/2 " (tygon?) tubing. So, I will replace both of them. P/N 31391 . Thanks again, I will post the outcome here. . . . . . K2AYM Jerry

[Dan.The.Spa.Man]

Thanks very much for the helpful suggestions, gents. My Jetsetter is model J, S/N J151747 and must be 8 years old? Can't remember. My leak is apparently not in the small circulator pump as I thought. With the pump removed and corks in the hoses it still leaks. The water is coming up through the base under the pump. Sigh . . . . So, today my wife and I turned the tub on it's side and started digging foam under the equipment compartment ( the advantage of having a small tub like the Jetsetter). The foam is totally saturated everywhere down there. I was looking for a "smoking gun" like a sheet metal screw thru a tube or pipe, but can't find anything wrong with the pipes and tubing under there, just that it has all been very wet. I found the pink fiberglas under the light and around the tub all wet too. The back of the lens looks OK, the glue seam seems good, but the bottom most (6 o'clock) nut is totally rusted. When I just touched it - it fell off with the rusted off stud in the nut! This is a good clue that there has been a leak at that point for a long time. Surprisingly, the other nuts and studs look like they are stainless - but can't be. So, I will replace the lens with new. Then I came in the house and read your answers to my post. Your analysis of the problem seems right on the money - water leaks around the lens, goes down between the tub and equipment bay and saturates the foam under the floor and eventually comes up through the pump mounting holes! AHA! Also, before finding this wonderful forum, I didn't know anything about the air check valves high up in the equipment bay. I just touched one of them and it fell off in my hand with the broken barb end stuck in the 1/2 " (tygon?) tubing. So, I will replace both of them. P/N 31391 . Thanks again, I will post the outcome here. . . . . . K2AYM Jerry

That tub is a 1995. You may also want to look for small cracks in the shell around the lens and the "step" above it. The cracks would look like small black hairs, but you can feel them with your fingernail.

The lens is easy enough to replace, hopefully it's just that.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Peteyboy]

Just to let you know - the nut didn't come off with a rusted stud. That is a plastic stud only to hold the lens on while the glue dries at the factory.

[moparguy]

Just to let you know - the nut didn't come off with a rusted stud. That is a plastic stud only to hold the lens on while the glue dries at the factory.

You are absolutely right. It was the nut which is rusted leaving a heavy stain on the inside of the tub where it was leaking below that nut. When I took the lens out I see that the studs are plastic. The new replacement lens (Watkins P/N 71832, $72.10) is quite different from the original and appears to be a much improved design. The new replacement lens does not have the three plastic studs (pins) and gets glued in with a Devcon epoxy glue which is quite fancy with an automatic proportioning mixer built in that goes in a standard caulking gun (Watkins P/N 72961 kit, Devcon repair $35.80). The new lens can now be unscrewed and replaced if nesessary. It has a large O ring seal. I am going outside now, and glue the new one in. My confidence is pretty high that this will cure my leak problem . . . . . . .Thanks, jerry

[jerrynorton]

The new replacement lens (Watkins P/N 71832, $72.10) is quite different from the original and appears to be a much improved design. The new replacement lens does not have the three plastic studs (pins) and gets glued in with a Devcon epoxy glue which is quite fancy with an automatic proportioning mixer built in that goes in a standard caulking gun (Watkins P/N 72961 kit, Devcon repair $35.80). The new lens can now be unscrewed and replaced if nesessary. It has a large O ring seal. I am going outside now, and glue the new one in. My confidence is pretty high that this will cure my leak problem . . . . . . .Thanks, jerry

Hi Jerry. I'm Jerry too. I've got the same problem. Seems the light lens is a problem for Hot Springs Spas in general, at least the same vintage. Did this fix take care of your problem?

I was thinking about trying to eliminate the light lens orifice altogether, by pouring in some kind of epoxy resin like those "cultured" marble countertops, but that will be harder than taking care of it the way you did if you were successful. I've been "fixing" this same leak for a few years now. Everything else on the spa is still functional. Light lens is the weak spot. How is your fix eleven months on? Thanks.

[Dan.The.Spa.Man]

The new replacement lens (Watkins P/N 71832, $72.10) is quite different from the original and appears to be a much improved design. The new replacement lens does not have the three plastic studs (pins) and gets glued in with a Devcon epoxy glue which is quite fancy with an automatic proportioning mixer built in that goes in a standard caulking gun (Watkins P/N 72961 kit, Devcon repair $35.80). The new lens can now be unscrewed and replaced if nesessary. It has a large O ring seal. I am going outside now, and glue the new one in. My confidence is pretty high that this will cure my leak problem . . . . . . .Thanks, jerry

Hi Jerry. I'm Jerry too. I've got the same problem. Seems the light lens is a problem for Hot Springs Spas in general, at least the same vintage. Did this fix take care of your problem?

I was thinking about trying to eliminate the light lens orifice altogether, by pouring in some kind of epoxy resin like those "cultured" marble countertops, but that will be harder than taking care of it the way you did if you were successful. I've been "fixing" this same leak for a few years now. Everything else on the spa is still functional. Light lens is the weak spot. How is your fix eleven months on? Thanks.

Although the old lights were a problem, you won't have any problems with the new lens once installed.

[pished-on]

NOT SO FAST!!!

I put one of those in 5 years ago (2005). The lens was hard to screw tight, but I achieved it.

Now its leaking again. I called for a replacement oring and a new lens, as I dont think I will get the old one out in one piece.

They tell me now that the design is changed. Old parts are no longer available. The lenses were suscepible to cracking. A new complete assembly is required, and the old kit will need to be completely removed!!! I dont know if my old tub can stand another major surgery.

Needless to say, the 1 year warranty is over. This just couldnt suck any harder.

[jerrynorton]

NOT SO FAST!!!

I put one of those in 5 years ago (2005). The lens was hard to screw tight, but I achieved it.

Now its leaking again. I called for a replacement oring and a new lens, as I dont think I will get the old one out in one piece.

They tell me now that the design is changed. Old parts are no longer available. The lenses were suscepible to cracking. A new complete assembly is required, and the old kit will need to be completely removed!!! I dont know if my old tub can stand another major surgery.

Needless to say, the 1 year warranty is over. This just couldnt suck any harder.

Hmm. That's no good. I confirmed last week with Hot Springs Customer Care that the part numbers Moparguy gave us are correct for my Jetsetter. I'm kind of in the same boat. Used a jar of hot tub epoxy to caulk all around my lens cover, but I'll have to scrape or grind it off to install the new lens kit.

[Brian Walsh]

I wondered if anyone else had a problem such as I have.  Finding this site and reading moparguy's post was great.  His post reflects exactly my problem.  My Jetsetter is probably 25 years old, always kept inside and has been a continuing joy.  Last week I noticed a wet spot on the left side and opened the equipment bay door to look for leaks.  I was amazed.  The base of the pump motor was completely rusted out!  I'm not kidding; it was horrible.  There was no leak on the wet side of the pump and there did not seem to be any leaks at the heater either.  It seemed to me that water was bubbling up through the floor and was wicking up the base and rusting it out.  I removed the pump (only one of the 4 retaining bolts was left; the three others were completely gone) and the floor where the pump was has a giant rust stain.  At that point I started a search and found moparguy's post.  Tomorrow I'll turn the tub over and I'm pretty certain I'll find a gap in the lens area.  If so, I'll purchase the items he bought and fix this old beauty up.  Thanks for the heads up.  I'll post my findings and repair outcome.  Thanks for everything in advance.

B. Walsh

Shelton, WA   

[THack]

Hi,

I guess this is for B Walsh. Anyone else who's might still be on this thread can chime in as well. My light went out last week. The tech found that the problem was with the LCM component. When you pull that out the hot tub works. That's a side issue. But a leak appears to be coming from the same situation. They want to come out and replace the O-ring. He didn't mention anything about the lens. If I didn't take the door off I wouldn't even have known there was a leak. I don't lose water in any noticeable way. At least I haven't in the five months that I've had this meticulously cared for hot tub. It has been Flawless up until the point that the light went out. I told my wife something's next and sure enough the next day the power was out. That seems to have been remedied by the tech support guy at Hot Springs who was a genius. My concern is, the eight inches of snow on the ground outside right now, and the temperatures. Getting lights back is going to run me 350 bucks for the new LCD component. That is more of a want. I just don't know if I want to mess around with a small leak in the dead of winter. I imagine if it gets noticeably worse I can always have them come out and do it then. I can just keep my eye on it. Thoughts? Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

[RDspaguy]

Leak repairs in low temperatures are problematic. Between stiff and brittle plastics, shrunken o-rings, sealant cure temperatures, and repair times there are many things that can go wrong. If it's manageable, I would wait.

@CanadianSpaTech, any advice from the arctic? (How is that pet polar bear doing, by the way?)😉

[CanadianSpaTech]

3 hours ago, THack said:

a small leak

My favorite saying...don't know what it means but...

I'm out there everyday (almost...lol) Any repair can be made with proper planning and preparedness...and space heaters. 

1 hour ago, RDspaguy said:

How is that pet polar bear doing, by the way?

Keeps wrecking the cover 

[RDspaguy]

I actually had a vacation rental tub in Tahoe that had the cover and lift ripped off of the spa and about half of the (dirty, hairy) water splashed out, complete with claw marks on cover, cabinet, and shell. I'm just glad it wasn't still there when I arrived. Smelled like a wet dog fell in a septic tank.

[RDspaguy]

49 minutes ago, CanadianSpaTech said:

Any repair can be made with proper planning and preparedness...and space heaters. 

Yeah, I've built tarp tents and thawed spas with bullet heaters many times. And I am far more likely to be back in the spring to do it over than with the same repairs done in 40+ degree weather (I think that's like 5* in Canadianese. 😉) Plus, I charge for tent building and heating costs. 

49 minutes ago, CanadianSpaTech said:

saying...don't know what it means but...

It means "able to put water in faster than it goes out".🤣

[THack]

Hello there. Thank you for the replies. I decided to wait on the leak repair. However, the hot tub was good for exactly two weeks and then last Monday, the 14th, it shut off again. The repair guy was here today again. I had him pull out the entire light circuit this time. And sure enough, it wasn't the motherboard, the hot tub kicked on again. Then I pointed out the leak. This guy was a little more thorough. He noticed that there was caulking or glue or whatever, from previous owner. I didn't know if that was how they come from the factory. He said it would get worse once it heats up. Anyway, he believes that the whole housing is probably full of water. He thinks it is shorting out or causing it to screw up. So, I think I'm still in the same boat to where I may or may not have them fix it. He made it seem easy and that all he have to do is drain it somewhat enough to fix it. We'll see if it stays on now with no problem. Only the LCM of the light circuit was removed. This time, at my suggestion, he took out the entire light circuit. Hopefully, I will go out there now (it is in my garage), and it will be to temperature, I will get a water sample, and then treat it, and then I will be back in. Maybe it's just another fluke. Maybe this will fix it. Maybe I'll be replacing the motherboard in 10 days? Wish me luck.