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Balboa VS500Z HL/LF Codes


dwise

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Question:
 
I installed the Balboa VS500Z pack from Spaguts.com in August 2017. This weekend the control panel started registering code HL (Difference between temperature sensors and a possible flow problem) and eventually LF (persistent Low flow problems) The heater shuts off and the temperature drops significantly.
None of the issues Balboa suggest seem to be present. Water level is normal, pump seems primed, changed filter.
 
I can keep resetting the pump and it will eventually heat back up, but I have to be in the tub hitting the pump button every 5 minutes or so to make that happen.
 
Any other options, recommendations to get this cleared?
 
Spaguts.com customer service sent 
Thank you for your inquiry.
 
If your heating pump is Pump1 and you used the provided pump cord, then there should be four wires connected to the motor.  When the spa needs to heat the water, it will activate the low speed circuit and supply 240V between the white and black wires.  If the voltage is present and the motor is not running, then there is an issue with the motor.  
 
(not too clear on what they are suggesing I do here) 
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It may be that the motor in the pump has a problem and it is tripping the internal thermal shutoff switch.  I've seen this before.  It may be that the motor is actually overheating, or that the thermal cutoff circuit is malfunctioning.  Either way, you're going to need to either repair or replace the motor.

What happens is the motor thinks it's too hot and shuts down.  The spa pack, meanwhile, has the heater circuit turned on and is expecting water flow.  Since the heater is on, the water in the heater quickly begins to boil, and the sensors report an HL error.  The board turns off the pump and waits fifteen minutes (or whatever it's reset time is).  Then it tries to turn the motor on again, which works because the motor has cooled off a bit.  The motor runs a few minutes and trips the overheat sensor, triggering another HL error.  Eventually, after too many HL errors, the spa shuts down.

If the motor is actually overheating, it will be hot to the touch.  Unbearable to touch for more than a second or two.  It's normal for a motor to be warm (around 120 degrees F) , but not painfully hot (I've seen 160 degrees F).

Dave

 

 

 

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