Need Help w/ Hot Spot Relay Spa Problem

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Yahooin

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Sep 2, 2020
3
Brentwood, NH
So the frustration level is getting a bit high right now. I'm the typical DIY type and have experience in many areas. I've recently gained a lot of experience with our spa. It's a 2013 Hot Spot Relay. Recently pump 1 began to hum instead of turn on when I hit the jets button the first time, eventually popping the circuit breaker. This is the pump one low setting. If I hit the jets button to go into the next three settings (pump one high, all pumps, pump 2 high, etc...) they all worked just fine. Initial findings on the internet stated that the solenoid on the pump may be bad. So I replaced it. While in the spa I checked it's rotation of the pump and impeller to make sure they were good, they were. When I started it back up, same thing happened but the circuit breaker did not pop.


So, back to research. It was mentioned that the control pad mounted on the top of the spa could be bad. This was not a surprise as some of the digital display had gone out so I was going to replace it anyway. I bought a new one and installed it, didn't change anything.


So I went back to the pump itself and just decided to buy a new one. That didn't work either. So now I have a spare pump... lol.


I found that the fuses on the control board could be bad. Replaced them, no change. Then I found the control board itself could be bad (relay or other component on it). Bought a new one. It arrived DOA. Second one came in and I installed it. Now when I press the jets button once it makes the normal click sound and it does not hum. Instead it does nothing and the display eventually reads ========== . It also does this on every jet mode, just a click (relay) and nothing and the display goes ========. So I looked at the manual trouble shooting guide and it tells me that it means the pressure switch is bad. I found some tricks on the internet to make sure it's not just an air pocket. They didn't work. So I got a new pressure switch. It is now installed and - nothing changed. Still getting the =========== on the display.


So I am now in ??? mode. I've confirmed several times that I am getting the proper voltage to the control board. It's all properly grounded. Any suggestions??? I had to replace the heater a few years ago. Could it be the heater again? I've replaced everything but the #2 pump at this point. I'm completely baffled. $825 spent so far, which isn't horrible but I just don't want to throw more money at it.


Any help would be greatly appreciated 🙂1599081604495.gif
 
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Welcome to TFP :)

I was in your spot and finally called the local spa and hot tub service company and they came out and had it fixed in an hour.... sometimes it pays to know how to work on these things.. Mine ended up being the controller and another part in the electrical not working... Mine was another type of hot tub but I know where your at :)
 
Yahooin said:
So the frustration level is getting a bit high right now. I'm the typical DIY type and have experience in many areas. I've recently gained a lot of experience with our spa. It's a 2013 Hot Spot Relay. Recently pump 1 began to hum instead of turn on when I hit the jets button the first time, eventually popping the circuit breaker. This is the pump one low setting. If I hit the jets button to go into the next three settings (pump one high, all pumps, pump 2 high, etc...) they all worked just fine. Initial findings on the internet stated that the solenoid on the pump may be bad. So I replaced it. While in the spa I checked it's rotation of the pump and impeller to make sure they were good, they were. When I started it back up, same thing happened but the circuit breaker did not pop.


So, back to research. It was mentioned that the control pad mounted on the top of the spa could be bad. This was not a surprise as some of the digital display had gone out so I was going to replace it anyway. I bought a new one and installed it, didn't change anything.


So I went back to the pump itself and just decided to buy a new one. That didn't work either. So now I have a spare pump... lol.


I found that the fuses on the control board could be bad. Replaced them, no change. Then I found the control board itself could be bad (relay or other component on it). Bought a new one. It arrived DOA. Second one came in and I installed it. Now when I press the jets button once it makes the normal click sound and it does not hum. Instead it does nothing and the display eventually reads ========== . It also does this on every jet mode, just a click (relay) and nothing and the display goes ========. So I looked at the manual trouble shooting guide and it tells me that it means the pressure switch is bad. I found some tricks on the internet to make sure it's not just an air pocket. They didn't work. So I got a new pressure switch. It is now installed and - nothing changed. Still getting the =========== on the display.


So I am now in ??? mode. I've confirmed several times that I am getting the proper voltage to the control board. It's all properly grounded. Any suggestions??? I had to replace the heater a few years ago. Could it be the heater again? I've replaced everything but the #2 pump at this point. I'm completely baffled. $825 spent so far, which isn't horrible but I just don't want to throw more money at it.


Any help would be greatly appreciated 🙂View attachment 160778
Click to expand...

If you have an ohm meter you can test your heating element. Shut off the breaker, disconnect at least one of the wires to the element and take an ohm reading across the two element terminals (should be aprox 10-15 ohms) . You can also test from each terminal to ground and see if you have a reading. You shouldn't have any conductivity between the heating element terminal and ground.
 
@Yahooin I highly doubt it has anything to do with your heater. If you look at the circuit board you can see your heater runs off a different relay than your pumps do and is likely on a completely different circuit. I'm not sure how your tub is set up but on mine the two jet pumps are driven off a 20A GFCI and the heater is driven off a separate 30A GFCI; the two circuits are completely independent. It may be different on your tub.

Hot Spot is made by Watkins, right? I suggest you call the tech support people at their head office and go through everything with them. They're supposed to be there for Watkins' technicians but they've always taken my calls and have been very helpful to me every time I've called them even though they know I'm just a consumer/end-user and not one of their techs. I will PM you the number you call to get to their tech support people.
 
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Just going through the details of your case in my head. Correct me if I'm wrong but you have looked at every variable except two. You've replaced the relay, the pump, the mother board? and the control panel (although for reasons I can explain that couldn't have been it) and still you're having these issues. The one thing it seems like is that you haven't looked at the cable to motor 1 or that motor 1 is wired completely correctly.

The initial problem you described with the buzzing on low speed on motor 1 seems to me like it wasn't getting enough voltage to run the motor. Can you check to see what kind of resistance you've got through the wires going from the relay to pump 1, check the voltages you're getting at pump 1 at the various settings and then also check that the motor for pump 1 is wired up exactly the same way the motor for pump 2 is? You could also check to see what voltage is being sent from the pump relays when they are switched on. From looking at your motherboard, it looks like at least the heater is 240V. Is that correct? Same with the pumps?
 
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Hi DangerBoy. Sorry for the disappearing act. Shortly after posting my last reply I was diagnosed with skin cancer. Not a major issue as it was basal cell carcinoma. After two surgeries I developed a blood clot that became what's called a saddle pulmonary embolism. That was bad news. It almost killed me. I just got out of the hospital a little over a week ago and I'm now feeling a bit better. I will read over all your responses and get back to you soon.
 
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