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HELP!!! I can not figure out why I'm getting this OHH Code!!!


jpete4985

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Hey Guys and Gals,

I'm really hoping someone here can help me as I'm at a total loss... I recently moved into a new rental home and there is a nice 2006 Spa Coleman Hot Tub outback. It looks brand new. The owner of the property indicated it wasn't working but he would spend up to 200 on parts if I did the work to which I agreed to see if we can get it going. So first off it hasn't ran in about a year. The water in the tub is stone cold maybe 40 some degrees. When you power on the breaker the tub goes through what appears to be a self check and flashes 100 then 21 then 114 then 240 and then goes direct to an OHH (Overheat Code). I have verified  DIP Switch 3 is on and all others are off as shown on the panel diagram. My immediate thought was one of the M7 sensors on the inline Balboa heater were bad. After pricing the 2 sensors I decided to just replace the entire heater with both sensors. The new heater cam today and I installed with both new M7 sensors it just fine with no issues and sure enough it still loads to the OHH screen. I am completely locked out of the panel all it will display is OHH and there is no function. Here are a few more factors that may help someone with more knowledge than me come to a conclusion...

1.) I can't find a rest button anywhere other than the GFCI Reset on the breaker panel. I have looked on the board and all along the power in cord. Am I Missing Something?

1A.) I have hosed out the filter.

2.) When I leave the power to the tub even though the OHH remains on the tub does go into its standard cycle and powers on jets to circulate water every 15 minutes.

3.) If I switch on DIP Switch 10 I get message CFE then A10. Which I understand is a programing mode for the factory and not supposed to be used by the end user. I didn't mess with it to screw up programing but did this to verify the board is in fact communicating with the topside panel. In my logic this says the board is working at least somewhat.

4.) Could it be the sensor inside the tub? That will be a bear to change the way its on the tub so I'm hoping to stay away from that if it's not the likely culprit.

At the end of the day it's not my hot tub but I have a 2 year lease here and am willing to spend a few bucks to get it going. The one local spa place here charges 200 just to come out and have a look and then 150 per hour which I can't afford for just a diagnostic! Please help! I'd love to hear if you've ever experienced this or something similar and what the fix was.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Justin

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I'm not sure what you're referring to as "the other sensor."  Older Coleman tubs didn't use M7 packs, and homeowners and/or repair people will generally replace an old malfunctioning pack with a modern M7 retrokit, so if you see a sensor in a small plastic well it's probably disconnected from the original configuration and the repairman left it in place because he didn't want to plug the hole.  I wouldn't.

Given your description, I'm almost positive it's a circuit board issue.  An M7 pack goes through a 4-7 minute priming mode before it turns on the heater.  If you're going directly from displaying software codes to an OHH error, there is a logic issue in the board.  If their was a water flow condition, the OHH wouldn't show up for at least 5 minutes.  However, assuming you're not using a stopwatch and the times you're telling us aren't accurate:

OHH is caused by either bad water flow or a circuit board malfunction..  Generally bad water flow, although I have seen a few flaky PCB's over the years.  The two sensors in the M7 heater, which are identical, work together.  If one of them reports a temperature over 118 degrees, you're going to get an OHH error.  When the error first occurs, put your hand on the heater.  Is it hot?  If so, that means the heater kicked on and there was no water to dissipate the heat.  If it's cold, the circuit board is probably reading the sensors wrong.

If the heater is not hot:

Check the sensor connections on the circuit board.  They sometimes get dirty, which affects the conductivity, which changes the resistance of the wire, which will give a faulty temperature reading.  A common issue is white deposits on the pins.  WITH THE POWER OFF, I use a dental pick to scrape the pins till they are shiny.

If the connection is good, the heater isn't hot and water is flowing, the circuit board is probably the problem.

If the heater is hot, then you have a water flow problem:

The first thing to do is try running the tub without the filter in place.  There could be minerals dissolved in the paper that you can't see which are obstructing your water flow.  Remove the filter, turn off the power, turn it on again.

You said the jets cycle on every 15 minutes.  There are probably 2 or 3 pumps in there.  Is pump # 1, the one that is connected to the heater, operating?  Check for an air lock, which frequently happens after filling and is a common cause of OHH errors.  If you filled the tub by putting your hose in the footwell instead of the filter, that's likely an issue.

In answer to your other question, there is no reset button on the tub, it is designed to operate continuously.  You have to turn off the breaker and then turn it on again to reset it.

Dave

 

 

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  • 5 weeks later...

It sounds like there is a bad diode on the circuit board.  The failure often coincides with a sticking heater relay which causes the temperature sensors resistance to lower and therefore current to rise in the sensor comparator circuit.  This is a repairable failure.

Brandon@spokanespas.com

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  • 7 months later...
  • 10 months later...
  • 6 months later...

I am also getting the "CFE" error when I turn the breaker back on.  The heater is not turning on/heating.  Then all kinds of codes... A09, A10, 604, 605, 601, 601, 220, etc. when I turn the breaker back on.  Master Spa Legend Series LSX1050.  Bought brand new filters thinking maybe was bad filters.  Made sure water level is up.  This happened last year in winter also, its like it gets too cold and shuts down.  Calling Master Spa was no help, they didn't even know what some of these codes stood for.  It has some leaks so water sits at bottom of the hot tub, would that be somehow disrupting the heater.  Like causing something to freeze mechanically and then not work?  Because the leak never affects anything any other time (summer time).  

Did you ever get it working again?  

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Copied from Balboa website.
CFE or CONFIG ERROR Message
There is a "Configuration Error" (CFE) in the Dip Switches or Configuration Settings.

This Error Message indicates that the Dip Switch Numbers Displayed or the Configuration Setting Values Displayed on the Topside Panel, following the "CFE" Message, are in Conflict with each other. Contact your Dealer or Service Organization to check the Switch Numbers or Setting Values Displayed, and Correct as Necessary to Match the Equipment in the Spa System, or Continue for a Detailed Test Procedure.

1. Turn OFF the Power to the System and Turn it back ON again to put System into Priming Mode.
2. Press any "Cool", "Warm", or "Temp" Button to Exit Priming Mode.
3. After about 45 Seconds, Check for Error Messages on the Topside Panel Display. If there is No Error Message, Select "No Error Message" Below. If there is Now an Error Message, select Message Other than CFEor CONFIG ERROR below or contact your Dealer or Service Organization.

No Error Messages:
The "CFE" or "CONFIG ERROR" Configuration Error Appears to have been Corrected or is Intermittent.

If the Error Repeats, Retest the "CFE" or "CONFIG ERROR" Configuration Error or Call Balboa Technical Service for Assistance.
 
If there has been no change to the dipswitch settings you will probably be looking at a board issue.
If water in bottom of tub reaches any equipment it is definitely a problem. Could the water be getting deeper in winter because the location it is draining out gets frozen up?
Is there any sign of rust or corrosion on the board?
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  • 7 months later...
On 2/3/2018 at 2:23 PM, spokanespas said:

It sounds like there is a bad diode on the circuit board.  The failure often coincides with a sticking heater relay which causes the temperature sensors resistance to lower and therefore current to rise in the sensor comparator circuit.  This is a repairable failure.

Brandon@spokanespas.com

What is the value of D3 on Balboa M7 circuit board.  I can't quite read it without proper magnification.

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