Hot Spring Sovereign - 1998 - No Heat - Led Dark

[wandering_burr]

My 1998 Hot Spring has been empty for 18 months and on refill there is no heat. The IQ2000 shows the red LED is dark and I'm not sure where to start troubleshooting.

No airlock, wires seem connected well, I cycled the power, no change.

Thermistors?

[MileHghSpaGuy]

I am confused when you say it shows the LED Light is dark...are you saying there is no power to the controls? Have you tested to make sure you are getting current to the spa and checked your fuses?

Do you have a meter?

[wandering_burr]

Sorry about the incomplete description.

There is power to the tub, jets and circulation pump are working. Power light is steady Red on the control panel.

What I was trying to communicate is that when I opened the IQ 2000 there is a red LED next to the word 'Heater' which is not lit. The green LED next to 'LIM Ok' is lit. All of the online troubleshooting I've seen is for boards that have the 'Heater' indicator on the board lit up. FOr some reason the IQ2000 seems to think the heater should not be on.

[MileHghSpaGuy]

So the pump is running, the water is cool and the heating light is not activating? I do less on hot springs then the other brands but most common error is a flo problem. If the small circulation pump is running and pushing water I would first check the pressure/flo sensor would be most common. You might also pull the filter that it is pulling from circ pump and see if maybe its just pulling less water then the sensor likes.

Right now the controls are not telling the heater to turn on for a reason, that generally means you are not getting flo through the heater properly...once you have proper flo the indicator light should come on. If we find its not those sometimes it can be a board issue, but sensors, pump and filter most common reasons.

[wandering_burr]

I removed the filters already, i can see water circulating up through the bottom drain but don't know if it is enough to trip any flow sensor. Where on a 1998 Sovereign would I find a pressure/flow sensor and how would i test it?

[PreservedSwine]

The 98 didn't have a flow/pressure switch.

You probably have a bad thermistor (38415).

Did you make sure you're not in "summer mode?"

[wandering_burr]

Yes, i confirmed that the summer mode is switched off. I noticed one other symptom that may or may not be related. The Temp control on the front panel works fine with the single exception that the Temp Up button has no effect. The spa is at the default 80 degrees and the adjustment button does nothing. Would a faulty control head explain the lack of heat or is this likely a totally separate problem?

[Hot Spring Official]

Hey wandering_burr,

I agree with PreservedSwine and would start at the thermistors.

Thanks,

Steve

---Hot Spring Spas---

[wandering_burr]

is there a good way to test the thermistors?

[PreservedSwine]

Just use an OHM meter. they should be roughly the same.

But not being able to turn the heat past 80 is going to be an issue. You can try removing the control head from the faceflate, and push the button directly. Maybe you just have a sticky faceplate. If not, new control head will be needed.

[wandering_burr]

thanks for all the help. i will work on this over the weekend.