Heater won’t turn on

[Dennis b mooney]

I have a 2012 vanguard spa that sat for 4 years in storage.   We set up and filled the spa as recommended through the filter housing.  I have tried wiring the high limit switch together at the board. Does not work. Circ pump is flowing and waterfall is running water and ozone is coming from bottom of spa.  Tested heater and it reads out at 10 ohms. Also replaced the two sensors as I felt that was a inexpensive maintenance type item.  All pumps work with no leaks but the ready light flashes all the time and if I leave high limit wired together the red light flashes all the time and the heater never turns on.  When I run the jets the heater light will stay on solid red until I shut the jets off.  But still no heat.  I do have a new heater that I am prepared to install but the old one seems to be tearing out ok.   Also the new heater does not have a high limit wire on the end as the original one does.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  
 

thanks,

 

dennis b Mooney 

 

[In Hot Water]

You may be confusing the pressure switch with the high limit. There are two sensors that thread into the top of the no fault heater. The threads and O rings are a different size so they will only go in one way. The wire coming out of the heater built in is to the pressure switch. If you shunt a high limit, the computer doesn't see a value it recognizes, and gives a watch dog error in the form of the flashing light. Please never alter a high limit, or tank thermistor. The new heater does not have a pressure switch, and should have a pressure switch shunt included. If not, you can tie together the pressure switch wire.

If this doesn't work, please Don't yell at me, I am fragile

 

 

[Dennis b mooney]

Your right I did confuse them.   I replaced both sensors. Hot tub still won’t heat unless lowest setting of the jets are on.  Green light still flashing on main control board. I believe it says ready next to it.  And the heater light is solid when the jets are on.  If I plug in the high limit wire that I wired together the heater light flashes and another red light to the left of the heater light and the right of the ready light comes on.  When all keys are shut off I still have good flow through the water fall feature and lots of bubbles from bottom of tub.   Only thing I can think of is it may be a short somewhere in the main board or the heater control board.  I am at a loss.  

[In Hot Water]

Let Us Recap.

High Limit cannot be shorted. It is a chip that changes it's resistance with temperature. If Shorted, the board will freak out and flash one of the lights indicating it's freaking out. Same with Tank Thermistor.

the Flow, or Pressure switch Can be shorted. We don't like it to be shorted, however Watkins apparently no longer cares if the Pressure Switch is shorted. I am assuming this is an IQ 2020 controller. Jump, or short the pressure, flow wires, re connect the sensors without being shorted (ever), and re boot. Inside the controller we also have little tiny LED lights that say "Limit OK" "Controller Unplugged" , "And Heater On". You need reading glasses to see all of this, and should NOT be in there anyway. (Disclaimer). A Picture would be nice, as would any input from other techs on this site. Also need to verify that without anything at all running, the 24 hour circ pump is. Forget the 2 speed booster etc. Remove all filters during any troubleshooting of any spa for flow, or heating issues.

As usual, If this doesn't work, do NOT yell at me, I am fragile
 

[Dennis b mooney]

[Dennis b mooney]

[In Hot Water]

If this was taken with the booster pump running, then it could still be a flow issue.

Was the pump engaged?