First Time Spa Owner (Used) Needs Help

[awalker]

We got a free used hot tub from a friends aunt last Summer. It's a Cal Spa 2100 that was purchased in 2000 but hadn't been used for about the last 3 years prior to us getting it. We were aware that it didn't work when we got it but the previous owners were older and didn't bother to even check the breaker or fuse when it quit working, they just stopped using it, so we were hoping it might be something simple to fix. The problem is that we have never owned a hot tub before so we don't know where to start. We would have to add a breaker to our box and possibly get a bigger box to do so and also get a GFCI box too from what I've read. Before we go to all that expense, we would like to try and find out what the problem with the tub is first so we have an idea of how much it will be to repair it. Is there any way to hook it up to an electrical outlet (or other option) temporarily just to test some things out and see if we can get it to work...and....what is the first things we should check after we get it temporarily connected?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. We would like to do as much as we can ourselves as far as trying to find the problem since I'm a stay home mom and money can be tight at times.

Thanks for your time.

A

[Roger]

We got a free used hot tub from a friends aunt last Summer. It's a Cal Spa 2100 that was purchased in 2000 but hadn't been used for about the last 3 years prior to us getting it. We were aware that it didn't work when we got it but the previous owners were older and didn't bother to even check the breaker or fuse when it quit working, they just stopped using it, so we were hoping it might be something simple to fix. The problem is that we have never owned a hot tub before so we don't know where to start. We would have to add a breaker to our box and possibly get a bigger box to do so and also get a GFCI box too from what I've read. Before we go to all that expense, we would like to try and find out what the problem with the tub is first so we have an idea of how much it will be to repair it. Is there any way to hook it up to an electrical outlet (or other option) temporarily just to test some things out and see if we can get it to work...and....what is the first things we should check after we get it temporarily connected?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. We would like to do as much as we can ourselves as far as trying to find the problem since I'm a stay home mom and money can be tight at times.

Thanks for your time.

A

I use a temporary dryer type outlet in my garage for testing tubs. I simply attach the plug to a cord wired to the tub and plug it in to the outlet and power up. You could just use a cord also and temporarily hard hire to a 220V box also but this may be a little out of a stay at home moms capabilitys. The tub needs to be wired and filled in order to diognos problems.

[awalker]

Thanks for the reply. That's kind of what I was hoping we could do. As far as wiring directly to a box, I would have to ask my husband about that one. I'm pretty handy having put in ceiling fans, replaced a heating element in the dryer (twice) and replacing the cord inside my vacuum among other things but when it comes to something big like this, I let dear hubby do the work. He's more handy than I am. LOL The dryer outlet seems like it would work well for us though. It's in the house about 30 or 40 feet away from the tub.

Where would you start after getting it hooked up? Or should I wait to ask that till we see if it even turns on?

Thanks again

A

[Boglesnurf]

Thanks for the reply. That's kind of what I was hoping we could do. As far as wiring directly to a box, I would have to ask my husband about that one. I'm pretty handy having put in ceiling fans, replaced a heating element in the dryer (twice) and replacing the cord inside my vacuum among other things but when it comes to something big like this, I let dear hubby do the work. He's more handy than I am. LOL The dryer outlet seems like it would work well for us though. It's in the house about 30 or 40 feet away from the tub.

Where would you start after getting it hooked up? Or should I wait to ask that till we see if it even turns on?

Thanks again

A

Hi "Awalker"

I'm in almost identical circumstances; picked up a Saratoga Spa "Putnam" for free at a yard sale. PO (previous owner) said the electronics had an issue that he just didn't want to deal with, since they didn't use it anymore anyway. Dragged it home, filled and powered it up just as Roger described. Note: you may want to do this with two people; one at the tub, another at the breaker. On mine, I flipped the (50-amp) breaker and headed up from the basement; when I got within sight of the spa, there was a column of water shooting about 8 feet straight up into the air; RAN back into the cellar and killed it. Turns out that the collar/cap under the big lever that controls how much water goes to which set of jets (diverter valve) had a big crack underneath, and the sudden water pressure just blew it off! Anyway, did a few fixes and got it running; now it has leaks from the underside that I'm tracking down (ripping out foam isn't a lot of fun, and it's quite messy....)

First thing to check is if the topside display comes up active. Also, when you first power it up, it goes into a "purge" mode; the jets and blower fire up for a short time, then cut off and the circulating pump continues running and the heater comes on (if all is well.) You may well run into an air-locked condition with the jet pump (motor comes on, but no water out of the jets). Easiest way to cure that is to just "crack" the ring-nut on the intake side of the pump (usually heading into the pump 'inline' with the motor; the hose heading away from the motor/pump unit at right-angles to the motor is the output, or pressure, side) You'll get some air hissing out, then it'll start spitting mixed air/water, then just water. Tighten the ring-nut at that point, and you should be able to feel the water blasting out of the jets. Take care not to let the water get near the electricals! At this point, If you've got jets, bubbles, and an active display that responds to your input, you're pretty much in business. I'd replace the filter(s) as a matter of course (you never know who's been in that tub... )

If the display is dead, dark, and nothing's happening, you'll need to verify that you have good power coming in (an inexpensive digital meter is a highly worthwhile investment) black to white 120 VAC, red to white 120VAC, red to black 240VAC. For safety's sake, check black to ground (the green wire, or green screw in the metal case somewhere) and red to ground, to avoid becoming the ground yourself! If that's all good, check the input/output of the transformer (takes the high-voltage from the breaker and reduces it to a level that the electronics can use). In most cases, one side of the transformer has two wires going into it, and the other side has three wires coming out. The two incoming wires should read 240VAC between them (or each one should read 120VAC to neutral). Take these readings at the terminal strip if there is one, otherwise there's probably a six-position connector coming from the control board to the transformer; you can "back-pin" the readings from that (stick a paperclip into the small space between the outcoming wire and the plastic shell. CIRCUIT IS LIVE, so don't use bare hands; use an insulated pair of pliers, or have somebody you don't like do it for you... ) The other (3) wires will be two AC voltages and a 'ground' or neutral. Typical readings are in the range of 10:1 reduction (240VAC in, 24VAC out). Try various combinations of pairs; you 'll eventually hit on (for example) 25VAC and 25VAC. (Three wires, "A", "B", and "C." A-B, A-C, B-C are the three combinations possible. Two of those will get you two identical readings; the third will read something on the order of millivolts, or just zero.)

If THIS is good, too, then you have good power to the Power side of the electrics, and good power to the Control side of the electrics; the spa has everything it needs to run, power-wise.

Again, if nothing happened, remove power from the unit (verify, verify, verify with the meter), and remove the fuses (all of 'em) from the control box and check 'em with aforementioned meter. You should read 0 ohms, or get a beep if using audible continuity test. If one or more of 'em read "OL" that's an open (bad) fuse, and needs replaced. If they all check good, and still there's nothing, the board is probably no good. Check the web; there are folks out there who will either repair your old one, or sell you a reconditioned or new one.

A different scenario (like mine) is that the pumps come on, things start happening, but there's no life at the topside control panel. The fact that stuff "came to life" is a good sign that the board is "probably" good. Try this: there's probably a wire coming out of the control unit, headed up to the topside panel, that looks like phone connector, but a little bigger. Pull it out of it's socket and re-insert it several times (look at the contacts while you have it out; if all green and nasty, you'll need a new cable; if not, move on to the next step: Pull up the topside panel ( they use an agressive silicone adhesive/sealant. Just apply steady pressure and it'll come up slowly. You may have to do a little disassembly, but there's another one of those "phone" looking connectors in there too (other end of the cable you saw in the control box.) Do the same to this plug (insert/withdraw/repeat.) These are very low-voltage level signals, and it takes only a tiny amount of surface oxidation to mess things up. "Excercising" the connector burnishes the contacts, and will frequently restore function; it worked with mine!

That's probably about as far as the average owner can carry it; if it still ain't working, specialized equipment/knowledge/tools/parts are needed. Judgement call time; worth investing money into, buy a new one, or let it go.

Best of luck with it; "call me" if I can answer anything else. I'm NOT a spa expert, but I do know electronics/electricals.

Karl

[awalker]

Thanks Karl. I will be having my husband read your response and see what we can come up with. First thing is trying to hook it up temporarily to our dryer outlet so we have power. Do you have any advice and specific instructions on how to do that? I went to Menards and asked and they couldn't (wouldn't-weren't allowed) tell me how to do that. Haven't really talked in depth with hubby about this yet since he has other projects going on right now and isn't home much because of his job...darn Railroad!

Thanks again

A