Caldera Paradise Hawaiian - Watkins heater relay board 77119 flashing/blinking red D9 LED light

[imlost]

I have a "free to me" 2007 Caldera Paradise Hawaiian hot tub that I've been trying to get going. Everything works (control panel, jet pumps, blower), but I've not been able to get it to heat. Here's what I've done:

• Replaced the OEM heater relay board with a new 77119 board. 
• Replaced the circulation pump (the old pump was not circulating water). 
• Replaced the heater and pressure switch with a new heater and flow switch (which effectively takes the place of the pressure switch). 

When I first replaced the heater and installed the flow switch, the green LIM light and red heater lights on the main board were on and solid, and the D9 light on the heater relay board was solid red. I was getting power to the wires that go to the heater, but the heater wasn't coming on (no hot water). So, I turned-off the breakers and went to Harbor Freight to get a clamp-style multimeter to test the amps in the heater wires, and when I came back, I flipped the breakers back on, and discovered the D9 light is now blinking red. Also, there's now no power going to the heater. Is my heater relay board dead, or can it be reset? Any ideas why I'm having these problems? 

Some background on the Caldera Paradise Hawaiian: It is a Watkins product, and so has (2) breakers: A 30 amp 220v breaker for the heater, and a 20 amp 220v breaker for the rest. It's the same basic setup as a Hot Springs spa, as well as others. 

Your advice is greatly appreciated. 

EDIT: I just want to add that the control panel is currently not showing any error codes - The "TEMP" light is solid, and nothing is flashing. 

[imlost]

Follow-up: I turned-off the breakers overnight & turned them back on... D9 light still blinking. I then tried cycling the breakers on/off 3 times, and let the hot tub run through the startup cycle (blower, followed by jet pump 1, followed by jet pump 2)... D9 light still blinking & no power to heater. Topside control panel is still displaying normal (no error codes or flashing). Frustrating. 

[RDspaguy]

Are you sure it's wired correctly? Post pics of circuit boards (old and new), wiring diagram, and equipment area.

Newer relay boards may not be compatible with older boards. @castletoniaknows more about that than I. 

[Scott Weiland]

Hi… I happen to be having the Same Problem with Mine… C9 is blinking Red and C10 is solid Green.. From what I am reading it seems to mean the Heater Control Board is Bad.. Are you Reading the Same?  Thanks

[Scott Weiland]

Any help would be appreciated 

[imlost]

13 hours ago, RDspaguy said:

Are you sure it's wired correctly? Post pics of circuit boards (old and new), wiring diagram, and equipment area.

Newer relay boards may not be compatible with older boards. @castletoniaknows more about that than I. 

Yes, I'm pretty sure it's wired properly. I have a pretty good understanding of this stuff. 

So, what I really want to know, is if the D9 red LED is flashing, is the heater relay board considered "dead"? It's my understanding that a lot of these boards are defective or become defective soon after installation. 

[RDspaguy]

2 hours ago, imlost said:

is if the D9 red LED is flashing, is the heater relay board considered "dead"? 

That's the million $ question. Wish I knew. Maybe our watkins guru, @castletonia, can shed some light.

2 hours ago, imlost said:

It's my understanding that a lot of these boards are defective or become defective soon after installation. 

There were some threads on the subject here, but I thought those issues were resolved on a later revision of the board. 

Have you tested the flow switch to verify it is closing? Checked for voltage to the heater, not just amp draw on the wire? Checked the heater for a (hard to find) high limit reset?

I work on all brands, but have pointedly avoided watkins whenever possible. They are too much of a PITA to work on.

Pictures help save us alot of questions, and can often be the only reason we find a problem. We ask the same thing of everyone. 

[imlost]

4 hours ago, RDspaguy said:

That's the million $ question. Wish I knew. Maybe our watkins guru, @castletonia, can shed some light.

There were some threads on the subject here, but I thought those issues were resolved on a later revision of the board. 

Have you tested the flow switch to verify it is closing? Checked for voltage to the heater, not just amp draw on the wire? Checked the heater for a (hard to find) high limit reset?

I work on all brands, but have pointedly avoided watkins whenever possible. They are too much of a PITA to work on.

Pictures help save us alot of questions, and can often be the only reason we find a problem. We ask the same thing of everyone. 

The heater, flow switch and heater relay panel are all new. The heater is a Liang, and the new ones have a reset button that is right on the top of the heater's j-box, so very accessible. It's not (and has never) tripped since I installed it. 

I haven't checked the heater or the flow switch ohms. I'm assuming these are good, as they are new (though I probably shouldn't). There's never been power to the heater (that I'm aware-of), probably because the new heater relay board has not been functional since I installed it. 

I've checked my electrical connections, like, a thousand times since I put this together, and I'm really sure it's correct. The 77119 board is wired as follows: H1 - white (from heater) H2 - Black from heater. The rest of the terminals are wired as follows: 

1 - 20a line (hot)(from 20a breaker)
H1 - Black wire from heater
2 - 30a line (from 30a breaker)
3 - 20a line
4 - 30a line
5 - 30a neutral

Ground wires are installed where they should be.

Here's the wiring diagram for the old heater relay board, followed by the wiring diagram for the 77119 board:

[IguanaDon]

Has ANYONE come up with a solution to this that does not involve soldering the board when you have the newer 77119 Heater Relay board?