brunp Posted March 25, 2021 Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 I have a 10 yr old Arctic Spa - Cub model and as I was going out to do a empty/refill on the tub, I noticed the power was off. Some event within the past week tripped the breaker. So, I went back to the junction box, filled the switch, and not even 5 minutes later, the breaker tripped. Any suggestions on how to diag the issue? What should I look at first? Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDspaguy Posted March 25, 2021 Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 Systematically disconnect components, one at a time, until the breaker holds. Then describe what you did and what you found. It might not be the thing you unhooked. Post a pic of the equipment area and heater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianSpaTech Posted March 25, 2021 Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 5 mins is about how long it takes the heater to fire up so I would start there by disconnecting the wires from the circuit board and give it a try. Where are you located? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDspaguy Posted March 25, 2021 Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 34 minutes ago, CanadianSpaTech said: 5 mins is about how long it takes the heater to fire up so I would start there by disconnecting the wires from the circuit board and give it a try. Where are you located? On most circuit boards one leg of the heater is on at power-up. If it has a ground fault it will trip immediately while your hand is still on the breaker from resetting it. 5 minutes after start-up is the beginning of the filter cycle on non programmable systems. This is when the ozone turns on as well. It may (should) start heating before this. If disconnecting the heater stops the tripping it is probably the breaker, not the heater. Test the heater terminals for continuity to ground to verify before buying a heater. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brunp Posted March 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 I do remember having to replace the little metal heat sensor element a while as it was getting the High temp error. After that, it worked. i will do as suggested and disconnect the heater first and isolate the component that is not working. I live in Ottawa, Canada. Thanks Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDspaguy Posted March 25, 2021 Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 57 minutes ago, brunp said: I do remember having to replace the little metal heat sensor element a while as it was getting the High temp error. After that, it worked. i will do as suggested and disconnect the heater first and isolate the component that is not working. I live in Ottawa, Canada. Thanks Paul Another one!?! It's a Canadian population explosion! You guys need to have a g2g (get together) at Kurt's place and drink a few. (They have beer up there, right? And not just in popsicles?) (Probably maple flavored.) (That would go good with chicken and waffles! Do they have waffles in Canada? Probably hard to mix the batter with frozen ingredients. And I don't think chickens can live in the arctic. Maybe goose eggs are freeze proof? 🤔) Sorry, just thinking out loud...😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianSpaTech Posted March 25, 2021 Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 3 minutes ago, RDspaguy said: just thinking out loud So American 🙃 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianSpaTech Posted March 25, 2021 Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 Being Canadian is like living above a meth lab. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDspaguy Posted March 25, 2021 Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 Let's see... New York, Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis... You're right! You DO live above a meth lab! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brunp Posted March 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 7 hours ago, RDspaguy said: On most circuit boards one leg of the heater is on at power-up. If it has a ground fault it will trip immediately while your hand is still on the breaker from resetting it. 5 minutes after start-up is the beginning of the filter cycle on non programmable systems. This is when the ozone turns on as well. It may (should) start heating before this. If disconnecting the heater stops the tripping it is probably the breaker, not the heater. Test the heater terminals for continuity to ground to verify before buying a heater. I disconnected the main positive/negative heater terminals. So far 5+ minutes and breaker no tripped. What do I test in terms of continuity to ground? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brunp Posted March 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 I did an Ohm resistance test and it appears the heater is dead. No read-out from the Ohm setting on my multi-meter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDspaguy Posted March 26, 2021 Report Share Posted March 26, 2021 Oooohhh... it's a Gecko... that explains it.😉 57 minutes ago, brunp said: I did an Ohm resistance test and it appears the heater is dead. No read-out from the Ohm setting on my multi-meter. That's a dead heater, unless there is a hi-limit in that heater box. Are there any little buttons on the heater box? If you are a handy guy, you can replace the element for much less than the whole heater. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brunp Posted March 26, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2021 5 minutes ago, RDspaguy said: Oooohhh... it's a Gecko... that explains it.😉 That's a dead heater, unless there is a hi-limit in that heater box. Are there any little buttons on the heater box? If you are a handy guy, you can replace the element for much less than the whole heater. I can do lots like restoring and rewiring my car, building decks, doing home electrical when required. The desire though to replace an element within the housing is not high on the list. Besides, that heater element is likely 10 years old, might as well get a new one with the 5-year warranty from Arctic Spas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDspaguy Posted March 26, 2021 Report Share Posted March 26, 2021 Up to you. Let us know how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brunp Posted March 29, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2021 I have to wait until mid-week for a new heater element. I disconnected the heater for now and turned on the hot-tub to have some sort of flow during the colder nights. I don't want the pipes to freeze and am at around 69 degree's, so I set it to 62 for now. Will continue to monitor until I can replace the unit. Paul 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.sebens Posted March 29, 2021 Report Share Posted March 29, 2021 4 hours ago, Adam8118 said: That's a heater problem. I had the same issue few months ago and I changed the heating element. Though, I followed the guide I saw on this website Hot Tubs And Swimming Pool. RDspaguy thanks for the guide. It seems like you are shanelessly promoting your own website to increase traffic. Your username is adam and the website is owned by Shelly Addams. Maybe this isn’t the case but your only posts have been directing to that website. Maybe you know your stuff, but people aren’t coming on here to just be pointed to another website. Instead of using your website link just answer their questions. I could of read this wrong but this is what it seems like to me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cranbiz Posted March 29, 2021 Report Share Posted March 29, 2021 I also feels like something is fishy. Every post he's made refers people to that website. Infinite ohms on the heater is not a good sign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.sebens Posted March 29, 2021 Report Share Posted March 29, 2021 Here’s a reverse image search of the girl owner of the blog site he’s posting. I’m guessing any information is just stolen as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDspaguy Posted March 29, 2021 Report Share Posted March 29, 2021 So report him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianSpaTech Posted March 29, 2021 Report Share Posted March 29, 2021 Seems like some good related information. If it helps it helps. Might not help you but might help someone else. I refer people to web sites all the time as long as I feel the information is relevant to the person seeking help. First thing I learned in Kindergarten... Sharing...2nd thing... get your f'n own...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianSpaTech Posted March 29, 2021 Report Share Posted March 29, 2021 1 hour ago, d.sebens said: RDspaguy thanks for the guide. @RDspaguy you started it...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDspaguy Posted March 30, 2021 Report Share Posted March 30, 2021 5 hours ago, CanadianSpaTech said: @RDspaguy you started it...lol Me??? I don't even know what guide he/she was referring to. I can't help it if I stand out and get noticed, it just happens...😉 5 hours ago, CanadianSpaTech said: I refer people to web sites all the time as long as I feel the information is relevant to the person seeking help. Yes, but you don't join a forum and post the same link in every single post you make. I am inclined to agree with @d.sebenshere. It's one thing to throw your site out there in the course of helping someone, but to jump in on a bunch of threads just to post your link is a bit like the shameless promoting he/she was accused of. I don't have any problem when @spokanespasposts his link for board repair. He helps people here sometimes. I doubt we'll ever hear from @Adam8118again. Or he/she will have a different name. @Adam8100 is also a user name here. Coincidence?...🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted March 30, 2021 Report Share Posted March 30, 2021 I will take care of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted March 30, 2021 Report Share Posted March 30, 2021 Stock photo on the website and Nigerian IP addresses (perhaps a VPN). Website had a lot of grammatical errors which make me think English is not the native language and seems to confuse spas (as in a commercial establishment offering health and beauty treatment) with spas (as in a hot tubs). Website domain registratoin is only about 1 month old and there is nothing posted in the pool section of the site. There is a lot of misinformation, some of it dangerous such as putting trichlor tablets in the skimmer basket which is a great way to ruin cartridge filter endcaps and pump seals. I love the write-up about converting from chlorine to bromine and the advice to drain first because of dangerous chemical reactions between chlorine and bromine. WTF? All taken care of. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted March 30, 2021 Report Share Posted March 30, 2021 13 hours ago, RDspaguy said: @Adam8100 is also a user name here. and they were banned in 2013. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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