Mick Cheesehead Posted January 11, 2023 Report Share Posted January 11, 2023 I have a Hot Springs spa. 2007 Sovereign model. When I refill it or if it is really cold, it pops the circuit breaker. It seems when the heater has to work a little harder it pops. When it is up to tempeture it is fine. My local dealer said it would be $200 to come out and look at it. If the heater needed to be replaced, it would be $700. I can get a new heater for $300 and install it myself. Is it possible there is something else wrong and not just the heater? If so how do I check it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDspaguy Posted January 12, 2023 Report Share Posted January 12, 2023 Which breaker is it tripping? Post pics of circuit board and wiring diagram. In most cases a faulty heater will trip the breaker immediately, not run for a while first. Check and tighten the breaker terminals. Often a loose wire can cause this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Cheesehead Posted January 12, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2023 Only one breaker trips. It is for the heater. The pumps still run when the breaker is tripped. Like I said, Moet of the time it is just fine. Occasionally it will trip and when I refill the tub with cold water, it trips quite a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDspaguy Posted January 13, 2023 Report Share Posted January 13, 2023 My money is on the breaker. Check for loose terminal screws, if it keeps happening get a new breaker. Intermittent unpredictable tripping of the gfci is the most difficult thing to troubleshoot in a spa. But most of the time it's a bad breaker. When guessing (which we are) that's the best and cheapest place to start as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Cheesehead Posted January 14, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2023 Thank you. I will check the breaker today. Since there are 2 breakers in the box, I will see if they are the same and if they are I will switch them around. There are 3 lights on the circuit board. Two red and one green. Is that normal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDspaguy Posted January 14, 2023 Report Share Posted January 14, 2023 7 hours ago, Mick Cheesehead said: will see if they are the same They're not. 7 hours ago, Mick Cheesehead said: There are 3 lights on the circuit board. Labelled "lim ok", "htr on", and "control unplugged". Control unplugged should not be lit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Cheesehead Posted January 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2023 RDspaguy; Thank you for your help. I have gotten a new breaker. To soon to tell if it is still acting up. I will be gone for a few weeks. I will update you when I return. Thanks again. Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Cheesehead Posted February 15, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2023 The new breaker is still tripping. 😞 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay G Posted February 15, 2023 Report Share Posted February 15, 2023 Have you taken the heater out of the loop for testing? I'm guessing you're in wisconsin from your name and it's a bit cold right now to take the heater off, but if you can and the breaker doesn't pop.. well, there's your answer. heater is bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Cheesehead Posted February 15, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2023 This Cheeshead retired in South Carolina and sold my snowblower. I will try to unplug the heater this weekend as I am going out of town again. Do you know which wires are for the heater? I'm guessing the H2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay G Posted February 15, 2023 Report Share Posted February 15, 2023 Nope, I don't have a clue. Someone will know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianSpaTech Posted February 16, 2023 Report Share Posted February 16, 2023 white H1 and black H2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Cheesehead Posted February 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2023 Thank you. That is what I thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Cheesehead Posted February 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2023 My H2 is white and H1 is black. When I put them back, should I switch them or leave them as they were. Or is that what is causing my curcuit breaker problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianSpaTech Posted February 16, 2023 Report Share Posted February 16, 2023 3 hours ago, Mick Cheesehead said: My H2 is white and H1 is black 5 hours ago, CanadianSpaTech said: white H1 and black H2 I might have got them backwards. 🤷♂️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Cheesehead Posted February 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2023 This is how they always have been. I will return them to the same places. Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Cheesehead Posted February 23, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2023 OK guys. It was disconnected for the weekend. The circuit breaker did not pop. The end of the white H2 was a little corroded so I clipped it to fresh metal. Still the same result. Circuit breaker pops till it is up to correct temp then it's OK. Is it the heater??? I did replace the smaller circuit board a year ago. Is it possible the board went bad again??? I will replace the heater when I change the water again if that is the consensus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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