1994 Soverign Hot Springs Safety Switches

[jdavis]

Have 2 mechanical switches that are bad. The switches are just ahead of the circuit board. What do the safety switches do and what would I order to get new ones. I put in new circuit board and found out no power when running through switches but when bypassing switches I have power and everything works but shuts off in 10 minutes or so only the easily start again. Need ideas and suggestions. Thanks.

[PreservedSwine]

On a 1994- you have a heater high limit, and a spa high limit. They shouldn't do anything when you press the buttons- they'll only trip automatically, and once tripped- you re-set them by pressing the button once- it will click, once- and then go back to being non-responsive.

They each have capillary tubes attached- These are not ground wires -one (the heater high limit) goes into the heater drywell, the other (spa high limit) into the plumbing via a drywell located on the bottom of the frame on the door side. They're very easy to troubleshoot- simply ohm them out- when tripped- Open line, when not tripped- no resistance. They "trip" when either the water inside the heater is over ~118F, or the spa water is over ~112

Additionally- in 1994- they used a magnetic door interlock on the door... unless the door was closed- all power is shut off to the unit.

[jdavis]

Thanks for the follow-up. Some additional questions:

1. Can I get these from backyard plus or hot springs parts. What name to use when ordering?

2. The spa turns off after 5-10 minutes then you can turn back on runs fine then turns off. Is this related to these switches?

Thanks again for the responses, very helpful.

[PreservedSwine]

Thanks for the follow-up. Some additional questions:

1. Can I get these from backyard plus or hot springs parts. What name to use when ordering?

2. The spa turns off after 5-10 minutes then you can turn back on runs fine then turns off. Is this related to these switches?

Thanks again for the responses, very helpful.

1) Yes- I'd use backyardplusDOTcom (part numbers 30208 and 30209)

2) What do you mean by "turns off?" Do you mean the jets just shut down, and pressing the button gets them going again? Or do you mean the entire unit (including the 24/7 circ pump) loses power, and resetting the GFCI is necessary? Or one of the high limit trips after a few minutes? Need to know exactly whats happening to offer any tips...

If the pump just shuts down- you have two buttons- one marked "jets" and one marked "clean-up cycle." The "clean-up cycle" button turns the jets on for 10 minutes- then they shut off. Perhaps that's what's happening?

[jdavis]

Thanks for all the follow-up and advice it is very much appreciated. I can get the parts (one of the parts below). My question is:

1. Are they really needed.

2. If so can I install easily. I see they have probes. (not sure if I can install probes).

Thanks again.

[PreservedSwine]

Yes, they're really needed.

The "probes" are capillary tubes- don't damage them. They;re hollow and filled with micro-fluid to detect temp changes. They simply run to the heater thermowell (just pull it out) and a thermo-well on the door frame at the bottom. Just pull them out. Is it easy? For some people, yes, I'd say this is fairly easy- but as with all things mechanical, depends on you.

[Sailing_Faith]

FWIW,

First, isnt it great we are still using these spas? I have an old soverign, that I use all the time! Glad yours is still in in sevice, hope you get your issue resolved.

The 'door interlock' is easily fixed by taking the magnet off of the door and tapeing it to the pick up. Mine has been like that since I got it.

Also,

I know mine will 'run' for about 5 min as you say, if I drain and refill without 'burping' the heater. I think what happens is the heater core has air, and goes into an overtemp. What I do to keep this from happening is to lift it up while the spa is starting up (like after a re-fill). I tilt it back and forth to rid it of any air bubbles.

Good luck!

[Chas]

The only time I have EVER seen both of these go out at the same time is if somebody thought they were ground wires and cut them.

Are you SURE you have two bad ones here? To test them, find the rating temp on the switch itself - usually around 120 degrees for the tub hi limit, and up to a max of 150 for the heater hi limit. Find out which is which, and gently put the probe into a cup of water slightly above that temperature - a coffee mug of tap water in the microwave oven and a good thermometer will be needed here. Just a couple of degrees over the rated temp should trip the switch.

Let the cup sit with the probe in it for several minutes and it should cool off all by itself, to just below the temp rating. At that point, pull the probe out for a minute, and try the reset. Then put the probe back into the water and it should stay set. Most of them will not reset unless you let them cool off a bit first. If they reset and then trip right away, let it cool some more.

[jdavis]

Thanks to everyone for responding. The switches were rusted out due to water that came up on spa during hurricane flood. I ordered new ones. Thanks for all replies.