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Old Hot Springs hot tub. Not sure what to do.


Miteykwin

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My parents had an old Hot Springs brand Sovereign model hot tub on their patio that they wanted me to move to make room for a storm shelter. They had used it until about 5 years ago. I thought, since I'm moving it, I'll just take it to my house. It works somewhat but I don't know how to use it I guess. 

 I think it's a 1991 model and I can't find much info about it. Even the lady at the local store isn't sure.    The water gets hot but it seems to only heat if the jets are running sometimes. Then sometimes I won't run them and thenwarer is boiling hot. Sometimes I don't run them and it's ice cold. There is a thermocouple looking wire hanging loose in there. I'm not sure where to put it and I don't know how to use the controls evidently. It'll be hot as hades and I'll turn the thermostat to a lower number and 2 days later the water is still hot as hades. 

 I can hear it hum when I plug it in and don't have jets going. Is there a place to turn on the heater only?  How does it heat the water if the water isn't circulating?   What do I do with that wire that I assume is some kind of thermometer?  My parents really can't remember how it worked. It just did, they say. 

Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks

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The circ pump is a tiny pump with 3/4" tubing that connects to a heater, which would be stainless steel tubing.

If you post a photo of this "thermocoupling" you see, someone here can probably identify it. 

You said it only heats if the jets are running sometime.  Then you said f the jets are running, it gets boiling hot.  Then when you turn the jets off it gets ice cold.  Those are difficult symptoms to understand.  Depending on the outdoor temperature, it could take days for a hot tub to drop from 104 degrees to "ice cold."

I suggest you get a thermometer so you can see what the temperature is.  "Boiling hot" to me means 212 degrees, but my guess is your tub isn't boiling.   "Ice cold" to me is 32 degrees, but you wouldn't get me into a hot tub at 70 degrees because it would be too cold. 

Dave

 

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 Yes, Dave. I was exaggerating on the temperatures. Yes, we have a thermometer and it has shown as high as 109 degrees. Not truly boiling but too hot to get into.  And no, the water wasn't truly ice cold but 60 to 70 degrees feels very cold.

  I had tried to send some pics but they were too big. I finally got one that was a small enough file size that I could upload it. The thermocouple looking thing is to the right. 

  Thanks

IMG_2637.JPG

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   I agree that the circumstances are hard to understand. I have no idea what is going on.  I don't know what I'm doing. I've never had a hot tub before. And yes, sometimes several days do go by in between times that I check the temps.  I think I have an idea how it's supposed to work but I don't know why it's not.

  Thanks again

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That is a bulb on the end of a copper capillary tube.  It's either a hi limit sensor or a thermostat.  Follow the capilary tube to the other end.  If it goes to the temperature knob, it's your thermostat.   If it's a hi limit sensor, it would go to a doohikey mounted on the circuit board. 

Because of your erratic temperature control, It sounds to me like it's yoiur thermostat and it's responding to the temperature in the cabinet, instead of the water.

The temp sensor is usually mounted under a little metal flap on the heater.  Your tub may have two bulbs mounted there, one for the hi limit sensor and one for the thermostat.

This is not a Hotsprings heater, but it gives you a general idea of where that thermostat should go.  In the top photo, on the left side of the heater can, notice the metal piece held on by a nut.  You will have something similar to that to put the thermostat bulb in.  It may be wing-nutted on, or it may be held in place by friction:

   https://www.spapumpsandmore.com/Heater_Info_on_Spa_Heater_Elements_Spa_Heaters_H_p/heaterinfo.htm

 

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  The other end of the bulb goes into the metal cabinet inside that everything plugs into. ( Pic with wires and stuff)  Not sure where it goes after that. I haven't taken that cabinet apart yet.  On the end of the heater is a hole that the bulb end of the copper wire fits into. I'm not sure if that's where it goes but, it fits in there pretty well. You can see the hole in the other pic. 

 Thanks again

IMG_2652.JPG

IMG_2653.JPG

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  • 2 years later...

Hello,  You may have resolved this already.  I have the same year sovereign spa.  You are correct, push the copper capillary tube

into the end of the heater until it stops.  You can seal around the hole with some play dough to keep it intact.  Should solve

your problems with erratic temps....

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