hopoffbaby Posted December 28, 2018 Report Share Posted December 28, 2018 Hi All, We have a Hot Springs Sovereign from ~2006 (ish). It has decided to stop heating the water after a spa party :( The display flashes the green (ready) and red (power) lights after around 30 seconds from power on. According to the user manual: Quote If the spa is not heating, the red and green lights are blinking, but the pump and light are operating, then the pressure switch may be open. Opening of the pressure switch is normally a result of one or a combination of these problems: 1) a clogged filter cartridge, 2) blockage within the system plumbing, 3) power was not disconnected to the spa before it was drained, or 4) an air lock in the plumbing lines. Once the problem has been identified and corrected the pressure switch will close which will energize the heater. I have replaced the filters with new ones, and have tried bleeding air from the drain plug at the bottom. I have also used a plunger on the filter opening (where the silver ions go) and disconnected a few tubes around the small pump to try and bleed air (couldn't get most off as they clearly haven't moved for 10+ years). Still the lights mock us.... Inspired by this blog I tested the following (with the spa powered off) with a multi-meter, which to me I think are normal (although I am a rank amateur): Pressure Switch: 0 Ohms LimTherm: 12.2K Ohms RegTherm 12.1K Ohms The water temp is prob 25C at a guesstimate. One other thing i noticed is that the heater has a small leak in the plastic end cap as described in this post. Although this has been like this for at least 2 months and has worked fine throughout. The circulation pump is working, we have bubbles from the heat inlet. The jet pump also works. Any help would be greatly received. Cheers, hopoffbaby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopoffbaby Posted December 28, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2018 Update: After reading this blog I found out that the pressure switch can be bypassed for diagnostics. I did just that with a jumper cable at the motherboard contacts and hey presto, the spa starts to heat and the lights are back to normal. So it looks like there is an issue with the pressure switch. From what I can find, it looks like this is a integrated component. Does any one have an exploded diagram of the heater, or know of any way to service it. Failing that, is there likely any issue with leaving this bypass in place permanently? I have also noticed that when cleaning the filters, there is a LOT of white stuff that comes out of the filter with the silver ions cartridge in it. Is this normal? At the moment this junk is all over my patio... I can only imagine what the inside of the heater must look like. Cheers, hopoffbaby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopoffbaby Posted December 28, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2018 This post suggests that someone else has done this and that it should be safe. Anyone else tried this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cusser Posted December 30, 2018 Report Share Posted December 30, 2018 I have a 1988 CalSpa, and I've had to adjust the pressure switch a couple of times, pretty straightforward. Did you try running without the filter cartridge in place? For mine, I did find that replacement pressure switches are still available, as well as universal types I could add. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopoffbaby Posted December 30, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2018 12 minutes ago, Cusser said: I have a 1988 CalSpa, and I've had to adjust the pressure switch a couple of times, pretty straightforward. Did you try running without the filter cartridge in place? For mine, I did find that replacement pressure switches are still available, as well as universal types I could add. Hi, Yeah I tried without the filters with no luck. I have bypassed the pressure switch now and all seems ok. The pressure switch on ours is integrated into the heater, so the whole thing would need replacing. Do you think the universal ones can be added inline directly into one of the silicon hoses instead of the heater itself? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cusser Posted December 31, 2018 Report Share Posted December 31, 2018 I was thinking of tapping/threading in a pressure switch into a hard plastic pipe, something like this. And some are adjustable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suckerbait Posted November 29, 2020 Report Share Posted November 29, 2020 How did you bypass the pressure switch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopoffbaby Posted November 29, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2020 6 minutes ago, Suckerbait said: How did you bypass the pressure switch? I mentioned above that I just used a jumper to override it. Funny enough I have just refilled my spa after a few months of being drained. I have just designed this part and am 3D printing it. Should hopefully tidy it up a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suckerbait Posted November 29, 2020 Report Share Posted November 29, 2020 I saw that but cannot find the pressure switch on my 2008 sovereign. It looks a little different Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratchett Posted November 29, 2020 Report Share Posted November 29, 2020 42 minutes ago, hopoffbaby said: I mentioned above that I just used a jumper to override it. Funny enough I have just refilled my spa after a few months of being drained. I have just designed this part and am 3D printing it. Should hopefully tidy it up a lot What raw material are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopoffbaby Posted November 29, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2020 2 minutes ago, ratchett said: What raw material are you using? I'm printing this in Eryone PETG for the temperature resistance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suckerbait Posted November 29, 2020 Report Share Posted November 29, 2020 I'm not sure I understand that question. Can you tell me how you jumped the sensor at the motherboard. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopoffbaby Posted November 29, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2020 It's one of these plugs. I snipped the cable and soldered the wire together so it's already low resistance. Not 100% which it was. If I get chance to open up the spa tomorrow I'll take a pic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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