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Hi-limit temperature probe replacement


Costas

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Hello everyone. I have 2004 Artesian Piper Glen. Few years ago, I’ve got three dots error which was fixed with the new flow sensor. Now the problem came back. I tried to change the sensor again, but it didn’t work. Even I bypass the sensor connecting 2 contacts together, 3 dots are still there. I can hear the heater is working with no call for heat on display. When I reset the hydro, the circulation pump starts working and the heater goes nonstop until the temperature in the tab reaches the maximum (around 41.5C). Then the heater shuts off and the temperature goes down until I reset the breaker again. All this time 3 dots are flashing and red led displayed. According to SC-CF&SC-MP service manual my next step should be a replacement of the hi-limit temp sensor. My probe connector has 4 pins although just 2 wires. All the sensors for sale out there have 2 female pin for 2 wires. So I have to pull the sensor out to find out exact specification. Maybe someone knows what sensor I need? How exactly can I get it out? Anything to unscrew? Should I drain the water before?

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The high limit sensor is the yellow sticker bottom right. Some are changeable and some are fixed to the circuit board and can't be replaced easily. Remove the black face cover and post photos. Try and back off the butterfly nut and lift the sensor up of the heater tube and see if there is a change. Here is the correct Service manual for the Gecko MSpa pack See pages 13-17 if red LED on the circuit board is lit:

https://www.geckodepot.com/fichiers/documentsProduits/GDA/en/Serv_Man_M_CLASS_EN.pdf

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These are the pics without the black cover. To take it out I had to remove few connectors. When I connected them back my display stopped working. Doesn't show anything, so I cannot proceed further till I figure out how to revive it. Also I thought the temp probe is the one which goes into the pipe of the tub body. Am I wrong?

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You have the red LED (top right on an M-class system) and that indicates a Hi Limit Error/issue.

Watch the 3 dots error video and then the 3 dots: HL Condition video in the "System Error Messages" section Here: https://www.geckotv.ca/protipsindex#systemerrormessages

Have someone else turn the power back on so that you can watch the temperature readout on the topside display. Does it immediately go to 3 dots flashing and does the red LED light up?... or does it read the correct temperature and then climb up past 110 degrees and the 3 dots is displayed and the red LED lights up? 

Next try and (power off) disconnect the red and black wires going from the heater to the circuit board (bottom left) so that the heater element will not receive 240v power on restart and do the same test as above. Post results. Basically it should not reach the high limit temperature and throw an error. The red LED should not light up without the heater heating... or as I said before you can back off the butterfly nut holding the hi limit sensor against the heater tube and take the sensor away from the heater tube so it will only detect ambient heat and not the temperature in the heater tube. Should get same result as disconnecting the red and black wires.

As mentioned some Gecko packs the hi Limit sensor can be removed and replaced and look like the photo below and some can't be removed. If your can't be removed they say you have to replace the entire circuit board (VERY expensive). When I have been in this situation I take my board to my local Electronics repair guy and have him retro fit in the new style sensor but I am very lucky to have a local guy that knows his stuff and can make these types of changes.

You can also call Gecko Tech Support and they will help you out to confirm/deny my prognosis if you want a second opinion.

Where are you located?

image.jpeg.720bcb1ab3dbf640c94889806c7fda4d.jpeg

 

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I got my top display back to work. 3 dots and red LED are on as soon as I turn the power on. This is how my hi-limit sensor looks like. I'm not sure if I can lift it up from the heater without damaging it. While I was playing with it I found out that it's not securely connected to the board. When I press on it towards the board I hear the click, when I remove my finger - it clicks again. Maybe this is the problem?20230219_103256.thumb.jpg.047de55862342a463cc6bbe4ea8e9fee.jpg

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Thank you CanadianSpaTech for your help. Looks like the problem is in hi-limit sensor disconnected from the board. The foam tip of it was so deteriorated, so just  fall off. This is the old style which I have to solder to the board 9200-100181. Gecko doesn't sell them anymore. They are saying that I have to change the board and get new one 9200-100318. Is anyone had an idea where can I get mine? They're still out there, 6 has wholesaler in Australia but doesn't deal with the public.

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The 2 pins are the important part. If you can't find one I would chance buying a newer style and finding a way to remove the old and making a new one work. Clip away the plastic around the pins trying to make it work. A professional electronics repair person might come in handy here. Gecko will always say it needs a new board. JMO

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Finally I've got the response from Gecko. As anticipated, the only option is to change the board. I contacted Australian store and for $110 they sent me hi-limit sensor which I need. Now I have to solder it to the board. Anyone can point me to the tutorial how to disconnect  and take out the board from the pack? As I understand, I have to solder from opposite site.

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  • 1 month later...

I soldered the new hi-limit probe, but the red LED on the board still on. The only cause of it is faulty pressure switch. My M-pack has a lain heater which goes around the box. There's no visual pressure switch. I asked the gecko tech about location - useless, sent me to talk to Lain. Anyone knows where's might be?

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First verify your circ pump is working and  moving water. Likely has a flow switch and not a pressure switch. You can follow the wire from P10 to the flow switch. For this test (power off) disconnect the heater from the circuit board so that the heater will not get power when doing this test. Power back on... Disconnect P10 from the board. You will see 2 small pins coming off the board where P10 connects. Use a flat head screw driver to touch the 2 pins at the same time... does the red led go away? If so you likely have a bad flow switch. You could also cut the wire going to the flow switch and join the 2 wires together for the test. 

What a flow switch looks like and it will be located past the heater tube. 

image.jpeg.5b3e690b76df13aa40f91eed76f931bd.jpeg Inside the clear housing you will see a post pointing down on the right and a toggle on the left in photo. Verify the toggle is pushed up against the post when the circ pump is running. The flow switch protects the heater from firing when there is no flow of water. If the circ pump is not pushing the toggle up against the post and making a connection the heater won't turn on and a flow error will display. 

 

What we don't want is for the heater to engage while doing the test and there is no flow of water it will boil the water that is in the heater tube in a fraction of a second and if left for more than that fire will likely be next. Think Nuclear Meltdown... Why I told you to disconnect the heater.

Please know your limit and stay within it. If the least bit unsure about ANY of this call a professional.

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Great, thanks. Looks like my spa doesn't have the pressure switch, only flow switch. That was the first thing I changed before looking further to hi-limit sensor. Didn't help. I bypassed flow switch connecting black and red wires, but red light and 3 dots flashing was still on for a few days. This morning i checked: the LED light was on and 3 dot stopped flashing, the tub was heating up over the set temperature and the flow was extremely slow. The flow switch stays after the heater so it was just half full with water and mostly with hot steam with no contacts working. Although 3 dots didn't flash. I reset the pump: flow switch is full of water now, working but 3 dots are on and heater is off (the sign call for heat is on). The tub lives its own life, sporadically heating on and off. I'm out of any ideas what to do.

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