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Display 32F, new upper controls, new temp sensor


Tahoecoe

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2003 Sojourn HP @Home, Dimension One spa; third control pack, p/n 1782-1000 installed Dec 2010.  Symptoms:  set point is 102F, actual water temp per Thermapen is 102F, display shows 32F, pump/heater pulses on for a second then shuts off.  Did reset, let it cool to below 97F, then turned back on breaker.  Same symptom returned.  Part-monkey action to date:  (actually per recommendations from easyspaparts.com) - replaced upper display, p/n 01560-345-6C.  Wired it up, let it hang outside of tub cover for a few days, no similar symptom.  Installed/caulked it in, worked fine for 5 days, then same symptoms returned.  Then, got new temp sensor, 01560-79; plugged it in hanging over the edge.  Worked fine for several days.  Installed it in, with new wall-mount assembly/oring, repacked insulation around sensor.  Worked fine for about 5 days, then same symptoms returned:  display shows 32F, pump/heater cycles on for a second every  minute or so, set temp is 102, water temp is 102F.  

Ideas?

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It seems like every time you open the spa pack to change something, the problem goes away.  My guess is that you have either a loose wire or a dirty connection.  When you close the pack after changing a component, is the cover fitting neatly, or do you have to force it in?  Maybe you're knocking one of your sensor connections off?  Are the pins on the temp sensor receptacle on the circuit board dirty?  Try sanding them with a little emery cloth.

Just for kicks, try re-connecting the old temp sensor and see if the problem goes away or remains.  I'm just curious if the sensor was a problem, or if the connection had something to do with it.  Don't install it, just put it into the circuit board and see if it works when you power up the tub.

Circuit boards do go bad, but I've never seen a 5 day intermittent circuit board problem that temporarily corrects itself when a part is replaced.


Dave

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Dave, thanks so much.  

When closing the pack, I don't see anything that is getting pinched.  The cover fits without any resistance or interference, I don't have to force it, it closes easily.  

I did sand the temp sensor connector pins on the board.  I didn't bother trying the original temp sensor.  After 24 hours, the display is showing 102F, the set temperature.  So far so good.  I'll monitor for the next 4 days to get through the weird 5-day window of behaving.  Hopefully the dirty connectors was the root cause afterall.  (so glad I have a new temp sensor and upper display...)

On a side note, while having the breaker off for the last week, the hot tub had fun building up scale, bumps, a million little barnacles or whatever it is.  It scrapes off easily enough, but will require some elbow grease and a beer to get it all removed.  

Thanks.

Dan.

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Dan,

 

This is unusual, easiest way to test is plug in a sensor and toss it over the bar top and see if the issue remains after the 5 day window. These S-class packs  are pretty bullet proof, that being said, this is usually a sensor or the pack.  If you would like to discuss in depth, you can call me at (866) 418-1840.

 

Thanks,

Dennis

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Unusual indeed!  I tried that, with the new sensor, hanging over the edge, for a few days and no symptoms.  Installed the new sensor in the wall and within a day or two, the 32F was showing on the display.  

It's day three after sanding the terminals inside the connector on the board and as of this morning it was not acting up!  I'll follow up in a few days with a post-5-day report.

On the S-Packs, not so sure they are bullet proof, as I'm on my third unit.

Thanks Dennis, appreciate the input.

 

Dan.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Some more information:  the transformer is loose on the PCB inside the control pack.  The wires are tight, but the whole unit is wobbly on the PCB itself.   Secondly, when I manually turn on pump 2 by pressing the upper display, the temperature reading on the display starts going batty, 32, 99, 102, 32, etc.  That does not occur when I manually turn on pump 1.  

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Does pump two cause vibrations that might be reaching the circuit board?  There could be a bad solder joint on the transformer that's affected by vibrations.

If you disconnect pump 2, will the spa function normally?  That will take a few days to ascertain.

If you plug pump 1 into pump 2's socket, does the erratic change in the display stop?

if you trace the wires from the pump 2 socket to the circuit board, are the wires in good shape and are those connections on the circuit board clean?

Dave

 

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  • 1 month later...

Hello,

Late follow up due to holidays and a demanding 4 year old....

The symptoms are gone.  I did not disconnect either of the pumps.  The only thing I did was unscrew the mounting screws on the transformer to turn it around to get the part number.  (The 'looseness' I mentioned in an earlier post was simply just the mounting bracket that's behind the PCB).  Then jiggled the input/output wires on the transformer, trying to determine possible loose connections on the transformer itself.  Then screwed it back onto the mounting bracket.  It was extremely hot to the touch initially.  

And none of those symptoms have recurred since.  I'm trying to avoid being a part monkey and buying a replacement transformer just for the hell of it.  So as of now, all is good.

I suspect it might be some aspect of the transformer.  I did validate the output voltage was 12V and 16V per its configuration.  

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 year later...

Update 2-17-2019

The problem never really went away, it keeps recurring, of course intermittently.  

Currently upper control panel display shows 34, pump cycles on for 1/2 a second, turns off, this keeps recurring.  Actual temperature in tub is 114F !  

I'll check possible cold solder joints as Brandon recommends.

Something related to the overtemp sensor?  Even if the temperature sensor is not operating correctly, why isn't the overtemp sensor preventing it from overheating?

 

Thanks.

Dan.

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I had a problem twice with a Dimension One spa, once about 3 years ago, and then again two weeks ago.  The circ pump would constantly turn on and off and giving a flow error.  In my case, it wasn't heating, however, a bad flow switch will cause a Dimension One with an MSPA pack to cycle on and off.  To test that, just short the flow switch closed, after the power is applied to the tub.

Dave

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