seabright_sc Posted January 12, 2010 Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 Ok... I bought my wife a nice little prodigy for Christmas off a guy from Craigslist who refurbishes, and resells with delivery and 30 day warranty. Hot tub was up and running when I purchased it. It took a couple of weeks to deal with the electrical (dedicated 120) and reinforcing the deck, but I finally filled it last night. New filters, summer mode off, jets work, circ pump works, power light on, refilled per instructions. All ok except for no heat. Summer mode off. After 4 hours of no temp increase (temp set to 6). I read the instructions about resetting the hight limit thermostat so I turned flipped the power at the breaker, waited a minute, flipped it back on... (this original heater does not have a reset button on the heater itself) Yes! I could hear the click when I turned the temp dial (it happened around 4 or five) and I NOW thought I could feel a little heat from where the ozone bubbles were emitting. Temp set to 6. This morning, about 10 hours later, the temp had risen from 68 to 74. I thought... It's on it's way! So I get home from work today and check the temp..... damn..... still 74! So in an effort to try something new, I cut the power, but turned the temp off first. After powering back up I now noticed that the click happened at a lower setting on the dial (not sure if this is a coincidence or not). I set the heat a little higher this time... closer to nine. It's been another two hours and the temp is still 74 and I still do not feel any signs of heat coming from that outlet where the ozone emits.. not even the slightest. Our outside temp has been from 40 to 65 in the last 24 hours. I called the gentleman who sold the hot tub and he did not have any ideas, and now I'll call him back... but I'm hoping someone can help shed light! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peteyboy Posted January 12, 2010 Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 Make sure the circulation pump is pushing water (it can sound like it's running but not be primed). Is the power light flashing? If so you could need a high limit thermister. Do you hear the relay click when you turn up & down the t-stat? and where on the dial is the clock? The original heater was a cylinder and the spa has a flow switch. There isn't a reset button. You could try to jump the flow switch. Test power going to the heater and test continuity on the heater leads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seabright_sc Posted January 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 Make sure the circulation pump is pushing water (it can sound like it's running but not be primed). Is the power light flashing? If so you could need a high limit thermister. Do you hear the relay click when you turn up & down the t-stat? and where on the dial is the clock? The original heater was a cylinder and the spa has a flow switch. There isn't a reset button. You could try to jump the flow switch. Test power going to the heater and test continuity on the heater leads. As far as I can tell the circ. pump is pushing water. No power light flashing. Yes, I can hear the t-stat (very slight click as I turn the dial). The dial is now set close to 9 (after no heat at 6) Jump the flow switch? I have killed the power for 30 seconds and started it back up. Not sure if that is jumping the flow switch. The guy who I purchased the tub from is coming out tomorrow. He works with many different hot tubs and is not HS specific so I'm trying to help point him in the right direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerimiahR Posted January 12, 2010 Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 I think the next step would be to have someone with a volt-meter check to see if the heating element is pulling any amps through it's power wires. It could simply be that the heating element has just failed. The other thing I'd want to look at, would be a simple visual inspection of the Heater Relay Board in the spa. Depending on what year your Prodigy is, it may have older mechanical relays, or if it's a newer spa it will have two separate circuit boards inside. One that controls the spa, and a smaller one that acts as a relay for the heater itself. Any black scorching, melting, or discoloration on those circuit boards could indicate a short on the board, which can absolutely cause a failure to heat. If you're not comfortable or experienced with electrical components, don't test/inspect these on your own. EDIT: I just realized the thread title indicates it's a 1996 Prodigy. So you're likely talking mechanical relays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seabright_sc Posted January 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 I think the next step would be to have someone with a volt-meter check to see if the heating element is pulling any amps through it's power wires. It could simply be that the heating element has just failed. The other thing I'd want to look at, would be a simple visual inspection of the Heater Relay Board in the spa. Depending on what year your Prodigy is, it may have older mechanical relays, or if it's a newer spa it will have two separate circuit boards inside. One that controls the spa, and a smaller one that acts as a relay for the heater itself. Any black scorching, melting, or discoloration on those circuit boards could indicate a short on the board, which can absolutely cause a failure to heat. If you're not comfortable or experienced with electrical components, don't test/inspect these on your own. EDIT: I just realized the thread title indicates it's a 1996 Prodigy. So you're likely talking mechanical relays. Thank you for the tips, I will pass them on to the gentleman who I purchased the tub from. He's standing by his word and will be coming out to take a look. One interesting point: The temp, originally 68, has risen to 74 and has remained there. Not sure is this means some heat is being produced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peteyboy Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 If all you hear in the T-stat is a slight click it may not be the relay clicking. Probably a t-stat problem - a quick cheap fix. As Jeremiah said have him test power going to the heater, if no power try plugging in a 38415 thermister. Check for a louder click in the t-stat and if so test power to the heater. If still no power to the heater jump the flow switch - it is the bottom plug that plugs into the SIDE of the control box - cut power to the spa, unplug the flow switch and jump a wire across the 2 pins on the control box. You should get power at this point. Good Luck - he'll figure it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seabright_sc Posted January 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 Apparently When I thought I was hearing the click on the temp dial... I probably wasn't. The gentleman I purchased the hot tub came out and took off cover plate, and reassembled and did get the thermostat to click. We thought we we're set! We got the temp to raise from 74 to 78. Then it just stayed there and stopped rising. And now we don't hear that click again! Just a thermostat? Any thoughts? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peteyboy Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 Did the guy do any voltage testing? It could be a thermostat. 38415. Easy and cheap to replace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seabright_sc Posted January 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 Did the guy do any voltage testing? It could be a thermostat. 38415. Easy and cheap to replace. The saga continues... I'm hoping a certified hot tub tech can come up soon... but I've got an update.... So I cut the power for a couple of days... turned it back on.... I hear the Click! as I adjust the heat! The water temp. raises almost ten degrees then stabilizes (around 90). But eventually, No heat being emmitted, no click either (may a couple of hours later). So I cut the power again for 45 minutes then turn it on! Yes the click and heat have returned! So this problem is driving me a little crazy, heat and thermostat seem to work for a while. Then no click no heat. Power is cut for a while and then it starts heating upon power up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peteyboy Posted January 19, 2010 Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 You need to do some electrical testing. Find out if there is power being sent to the heater. If it has the original heater you need to jump the flow switch - the bottom connector on the SIDE of the control box. A bad flow switch will not let the heater come on. Test power to the heater. Remove the filters - I know they are new but remove anyway. Test power to the heater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seabright_sc Posted January 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2010 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seabright_sc Posted January 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2010 Thanks to Peteyboy and everyone else who posted on this on. Ended up being the thermister and the high limit thermister was also replaced as a precautionary measure. Since y'all helped me narrow it down, I was able to pass that info along to this incredible hot tub guru who pin pointed the poblem and fixed it for under $100. The gentleman I purchased the tub from offered a 30 day so he'll be covering it. Finally my wife's Christmas gift is up and rollin' and we'll be soaking tonight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peteyboy Posted January 20, 2010 Report Share Posted January 20, 2010 HAPPY SOAKING Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerimiahR Posted January 20, 2010 Report Share Posted January 20, 2010 Great!! Happy Soaking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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