Spray On Foam Insulation Problem

[Keats]

18 June 11 (Happy Father's Day tomorrow everyone)

I wrote a lengthy message a few weeks ago about my spa having a GFCI breaker tripping problem.

After lots of tests and digging into the control panel, I isolated the problem to my heater. As soon as I completely disconnected the

heater assembly, the spa ran and no breakers tripped. So I buttoned it up and had out of town guests in for a few days and now everyone's

gone and I'm back to fixing the spa.

I removed the heater assembly from below the spa control box today. Quite a job to say the least. I've got it sitting here on my desk and

it's a Balboa model # 58015. It's 15" long and the I.D. is just slightly better than 2". However the label on the heater reads as follows.

Htr 5.5KW 15" 1-1/2" 825 INCLY. From my searches on line, this is a 2" heater. I do not know why it reads 1-1/2" on the label. The replacement

should be a #50096. I'm guessing that this is the new number for the Balboa? It should come with the pressure switch on the end.

So now my newest concern. I have a leak. It's not huge but is has been going on for some time now. Water shows up under the spa and runs along the

bottom edges and is staining my "Kool Deck" a nice shade of green. So now with the side panels off and the underside of the spa exposed, how

do I remove the spray on foam insulation to allow me to inspect the various suspect jets from the back side. Master Spa sprayed everything with

a 2-3" thick insulation and we've been picking at it with various tools trying to remove it. This is a real pain in the butt. Does anyone know

of a solvent that might dissolve this spray on foam insulation? This is the same crap that builders spray into wall crevices before applying

new drywall. "This Old House" uses it all the time. This foam is a plastic material so it must be like other plastics in that it will melt.

I've tried Mineral Spirits and Acetone and neither worked. I'm reluctant to try heat because the jets are plastic and I sure dont want to

damage them.

If anyone has any ideas, please let me know. I'm also open to suggestions for where to buy a replacement heater assembly without having to

get a mortgage to pay for it..

Thanks for taking the time to read this and have a great day. I'd post some photos if I knew how to do that. Hint Hint..

Keats

Phoenix

[Roger]

18 June 11 (Happy Father's Day tomorrow everyone)

I wrote a lengthy message a few weeks ago about my spa having a GFCI breaker tripping problem.

After lots of tests and digging into the control panel, I isolated the problem to my heater. As soon as I completely disconnected the

heater assembly, the spa ran and no breakers tripped. So I buttoned it up and had out of town guests in for a few days and now everyone's

gone and I'm back to fixing the spa.

I removed the heater assembly from below the spa control box today. Quite a job to say the least. I've got it sitting here on my desk and

it's a Balboa model # 58015. It's 15" long and the I.D. is just slightly better than 2". However the label on the heater reads as follows.

Htr 5.5KW 15" 1-1/2" 825 INCLY. From my searches on line, this is a 2" heater. I do not know why it reads 1-1/2" on the label. The replacement

should be a #50096. I'm guessing that this is the new number for the Balboa? It should come with the pressure switch on the end.

So now my newest concern. I have a leak. It's not huge but is has been going on for some time now. Water shows up under the spa and runs along the

bottom edges and is staining my "Kool Deck" a nice shade of green. So now with the side panels off and the underside of the spa exposed, how

do I remove the spray on foam insulation to allow me to inspect the various suspect jets from the back side. Master Spa sprayed everything with

a 2-3" thick insulation and we've been picking at it with various tools trying to remove it. This is a real pain in the butt. Does anyone know

of a solvent that might dissolve this spray on foam insulation? This is the same crap that builders spray into wall crevices before applying

new drywall. "This Old House" uses it all the time. This foam is a plastic material so it must be like other plastics in that it will melt.

I've tried Mineral Spirits and Acetone and neither worked. I'm reluctant to try heat because the jets are plastic and I sure dont want to

damage them.

If anyone has any ideas, please let me know. I'm also open to suggestions for where to buy a replacement heater assembly without having to

get a mortgage to pay for it..

Thanks for taking the time to read this and have a great day. I'd post some photos if I knew how to do that. Hint Hint..

Keats

Phoenix

I cut it with a key hole saw and a hot knife. Chip it out, pry it out, whatever it takes. Once you get going it comes fast. As your cutting and get the feel for it you can easiely tell the difference between PVC and foam.

[Keats]

18 June 11 (Happy Father's Day tomorrow everyone)

I wrote a lengthy message a few weeks ago about my spa having a GFCI breaker tripping problem.

After lots of tests and digging into the control panel, I isolated the problem to my heater. As soon as I completely disconnected the

heater assembly, the spa ran and no breakers tripped. So I buttoned it up and had out of town guests in for a few days and now everyone's

gone and I'm back to fixing the spa.

I removed the heater assembly from below the spa control box today. Quite a job to say the least. I've got it sitting here on my desk and

it's a Balboa model # 58015. It's 15" long and the I.D. is just slightly better than 2". However the label on the heater reads as follows.

Htr 5.5KW 15" 1-1/2" 825 INCLY. From my searches on line, this is a 2" heater. I do not know why it reads 1-1/2" on the label. The replacement

should be a #50096. I'm guessing that this is the new number for the Balboa? It should come with the pressure switch on the end.

So now my newest concern. I have a leak. It's not huge but is has been going on for some time now. Water shows up under the spa and runs along the

bottom edges and is staining my "Kool Deck" a nice shade of green. So now with the side panels off and the underside of the spa exposed, how

do I remove the spray on foam insulation to allow me to inspect the various suspect jets from the back side. Master Spa sprayed everything with

a 2-3" thick insulation and we've been picking at it with various tools trying to remove it. This is a real pain in the butt. Does anyone know

of a solvent that might dissolve this spray on foam insulation? This is the same crap that builders spray into wall crevices before applying

new drywall. "This Old House" uses it all the time. This foam is a plastic material so it must be like other plastics in that it will melt.

I've tried Mineral Spirits and Acetone and neither worked. I'm reluctant to try heat because the jets are plastic and I sure dont want to

damage them.

If anyone has any ideas, please let me know. I'm also open to suggestions for where to buy a replacement heater assembly without having to

get a mortgage to pay for it..

Thanks for taking the time to read this and have a great day. I'd post some photos if I knew how to do that. Hint Hint..

Keats

Phoenix

I cut it with a key hole saw and a hot knife. Chip it out, pry it out, whatever it takes. Once you get going it comes fast. As your cutting and get the feel for it you can easiely tell the difference between PVC and foam.

Thanks, I've been doing that. Just wanted something a bit easier.

Keats

[Dnepr Dave]

There are solvents that will dissolve polyurethane, but they are very nasty and you don't want them around you! Like Roger said, cut and chip it out, it is pretty soft and manual removal is not too difficult.

Dave