Intermittent loss of light switch functionality - Hot Springs Envoy

[RGrove]

I have a Hot Springs Envoy.  Lately, I have been having a problem with the lights not functioning.  Neither the remote nor the switch on the tub will turn them on.  If I reset the tub by throwing the circuit breaker, I will be able to turn the lights on, but eventually, both the switch and the remote’s ability to turn them on will stop functioning again.  The period of time that the reset works varies, sometimes for a few hours, sometimes only seconds before I lose the ability to turn the lights on.  I have also noticed that if I can’t turn on the lights, the remote will also not be able to access my Ace (saltwater system) screen.  (There is no physical switch to control this system, as there is with the lights.). 

As far as I know, no other functionality is lost when the ability to switch on the lights is not functioning.  Any thoughts on what might be causing this or how to troubleshoot this issue?

TIA.

Randy

[Couch67]

hi, I'm not familiar with your brand of tub but my older tub had similar symptoms. Turned out to be that the connectors from the light controller that branched out to the lights were corroded.  You can test this by locating your light controller, and when they turn off, wiggle the connectors to see if the lights turn on again. If that doesn't work, it could be something like a flaky relay or other component on the controller board.

In my tub, the connectors were were cheap, non-waterproof  and had simply failed  due to the hot, humid environment.  My case was extreme because the problem existed at pretty much each light location. I ended up ripping out most of the led wiring, bought replacement connectors (digikey) and soldered up new cables.

I still had the issue of corrosion at each led connection and the lighting controller. I cleaned each up with a fine sandpaper best I could, and a few blasts of contact cleaner. Added dielectric grease to each connection in hopes it it slows down the corrosion.   Lights now work (not all the RGB combinations but most of them at least).

[RGrove]

Thanks, I will try to try check this out if it ever quits raining here.  But given that every time this occurs I can temporarily correct the problem by simply by turning the circuit breaker off for a few seconds it seems unlikely to me that corroded connections are the issue.  But I will fully admit that I am not an electrical or electronics expert of any kind, so perhaps the sudden surge of voltage after the circuit breaker resets is enough to temporarily overcome a poor connection?  

Also, to be clear, my issue is not that some of the lights don’t work, it is that I lose the ability to turn them on at all.  Once I reset using the circuit breaker, they will all come on if I turn them on.  But after some period of time, the switches (both the physical switch on the tub as well as the light switch icon on the touch screen remote) will again become non-functional.  Also becoming non-functional is the remote’s ability to access my Ace system control screen.  And although I am not 100% sure about this, I believe the Ace system itself stops sanitizing.  I say this because it seems as though I am having to manually add chlorine much more often since this started occuring.  Although that sympton may be simply that I am probably approaching time to drain and refill with new water.

Randy

[castletonia]

Does the remote lose the water care button for ACE or is it just not responsive?  If you lose the water care button for ACE when this occurs, then yes, it stops sanitizing because the control box does not recognize that ACE is even installed.

I believe you have 4 different zones for your lights, all of which are separate plugs on the circuit board.  I would start by unplugging each zone one at a time and see what happens.  If there is a short in one of the lights or light zones, it can cause other components to freak out and not work.  

[RGrove]

The ACE icon is still evident on the remote, it is just non-responsive.  The light icon will bring up the light control screen, but no lights come on, regardless of how many times I attempt pressing the power icon on that screen.  I also don’t think it matters which color combination I try, but I might not be correct on that count.

If I reset via the main circuit breaker, everything including the ACE control screen will work properly for some period of time.

Rain has stopped today so I’m going to tear into this thing and implement some of the suggestions above.  Greatly appreciate the recommendations and I will report findings once I have done some investigating.

 

Randy

[RGrove]

No corroded, short or loose connections found, disconnected the light zones one at a time and no improvement.  I have a call in to the nearest Hot Springs retailer to schedule a technician.  According to the guy I talked to, it will probably be a couple of weeks before they have someone coming my way (I live about 40 miles from their location).  Hopefully they will call back with a firm date on Monday.

 

Randy

[castletonia]

Try unplugging the ACE controller from the circuit board.  

[RGrove]

I will try that (unplugging ACE controller), but am out of town for the next couple of days.

Still awaiting a confirmation of service call.