Troubleshooting Your Spa

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Table of Contents

  1. No Heat
  2. LED Flashing
  3. Jets Weak or Surging
  4. No Jets
  5. Spa Inoperative
  6. Erratic Water Temperature
  7. 20 AMP Breaker Trips
  8. 30 AMP Breaker Trips
  9. No Ozone
  10. No Light
  11. Auxiliary Panel Not Working / Spa Ghosting

No Heat

SYMPTOM: SPA WATER IS NOT HEATING

The spa does not heat and the water temperature continues to decrease.

The spa water is heated through the combination of the spa’s circulation system, control thermostat and electric heater.

Most Common Causes

Dirty or Clogged Filters or Heater Intake Screens

Non-operative Control Thermostat

Non-operative Heater

Non-operative Heater Relay

Source Voltage problem (230 Volt Model only)

Spa Owner Verification
  1. Remove any debris from heater intake and discharge screens (If equipped). Customer should clean the filters by soaking them in a filter cleaner/degreaser.
  2. Turn the spa’s temperature all the way up to ensure that the heater is on and check the heater return grate to see if warm water is coming out.
  3. Verify heater is plugged into the control box.
  4. Verify the summer mode switch (if applicable) is in the off position.
  5. Verify the Heater Thermal Cut-off (on No Fault heater only) is not tripped (reset button located on the heater).
  6. On 230 volt models only; check the 30 amp GFCI breaker in the subpanel. Verify it has not tripped. If the breaker trips repeatedly or will not reset, service is required.
  7. If none of the above correct the problem, service is required

 

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LED Flashing

SYMPTOM: LED FLASHING

The Power On LED flashing indicates that the spa High Limit has tripped. The spa High Limit trips as a result of the spa water temperature exceeding the safety temperature limit of 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Most Common Causes

Spa Owner Verification
  1. Reset the high limit by tripping the spa’s GFCI, waiting 60 seconds, and resetting the GFCI.
  2. Access the equipment compartment. Verify the control panel cord is connected to both the control box and control panel
  3. Ensure that there are no floating items (thermometers, leaves or other debris) in the spa water.
  4. Lift the filter compartment lid, unscrew the filter standpipe cap(s) and remove the spa’s filter(s).

    DO NOT REMOVE THE FILTER STANDPIPES.

  5. Turn the spa’s temperature all the way up to ensure that the heater is on, and wait for 15 minutes to see if the heater high limit trips again.
  6. If the high limit does not trip again, correct the problem by cleaning and replacing the filters. In fact, with the filters removed, now is a good time to clean the filters regardless of whether it resolves the problem or not. Follow the instructions listed in the spa’s owner's manual.
  7. If the high limit trips after the filters are removed, service is required.

 

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Jets Week or Surging

SYMPTOM: JETS WEAK AND SURGING

The jet pump provides power for the hydrotherapy system by recirculating water from the spa, through the skimmer and filters, and forcing the water through the hydrotherapy jets.

Most Common Causes

Spa Owner Verification
  1. Is the water level located up to the mid tile level or 1.5" above the highest jet if no tile is present?
  2. Visually inspect the skimmer weir to ensure it is not sticking.
  3. Ensure that there are no floating items (thermometers, leaves or other debris) in the spa water.
  4. Lift the filter compartment lid, unscrew the filter standpipe caps and remove the spa’s filters.

    DO NOT REMOVE THE FILTER STANDPIPES.

  5. Again, ensuring there are no floating items in the spa water, activate the jet pump and inspect the jet pressure.
  6. If the jet pressure returns to normal, correct the problem by cleaning and replacing the filters. In fact, with the filters removed, now is a good time to clean the filters regardless of whether it resolves the problem or not.
  7. If the jet pressure does not return to normal, service is required.

 

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No Jets

SYMPTOM: NO JETS

The jet pump provides power for the hydrotherapy system by circulating water from the spa, through the skimmer and filters, and forcing the water through the hydrotherapy jets.

Most Common Causes

Spa Owner Verification
  1. Verify the spa lock is turned off.
  2. Attempt to activate the jet pump using the jet switch.
  3. Attempt to activate the jet pump using the clean switch. If the jet pump does activate, service is required.
  4. If jet pump fails to operate with any of the above steps, service is required.

 

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Spa Inoperative

SYMPTOM: SPA INOPERATIVE

This condition exists if the spa’s control system does not respond to the control panel's settings or commands.

Most Common Causes

Spa Owner Verification
  1. Is the Power-On LED flashing? If yes, see the Flashing LED instructions.
  2. Is the control panel locked? If yes, unlock the control panel (see owner's manual for instruction).
  3. Try to activate the spa’s light and or jets.
  4. Is the GFCI tripped? If so, reset the GFCI. If the GFCI trips repeatedly, service is required.
  5. Is the house breaker, located in the main electrical service panel, tripped? If yes, reset the breaker. If the house breaker trips repeatedly, service is required.
  6. If spa is still inoperative, service is required.

 

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Erratic Water Temperature

SYMPTOM: ERRATIC WATER TEMPERATURE

An erratic water temperature condition exists when the spa’s water temperature fluctuates more than two or three degrees without any adjustments to the spa’s control thermostat.

Most Common Causes

Spa Owner Verification
  1. Verify the Summer Mode Switch is in the off position (if applicable).
  2. Ensure that there are no floating items (thermometers, leaves or other debris) in the spa water.
  3. Lift the filter compartment lid, unscrew the filter standpipe caps and remove the spa’s filters. Clean the filters by soaking them in a filter cleaner/degreaser.
    DO NOT REMOVE THE FILTER STANDPIPES.
  4. Turn the spa’s temperature all the way up to ensure that the heater is on and check the heater return grate located in the footwell to see if warm water is coming out.
  5. If cleaning the filters does not resolve the erratic temperature problem, service is required.
 
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20 AMP Breaker Trips

SYMPTOM: 20 AMP BREAKER TRIPPING

The 20 amp breaker located in the homeowner’s electrical sub-panel supplies source power to the spa. This breaker will typically be a dual function component. It functions as a safety device for over amperage conditions as well being a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI). If the 20 amp breaker trips, both conditions must be taken into consideration.

Most Common Causes

Spa Owner Verification

  1. Attempt to reset the breaker.
  2. If the breaker resets, test the GFCI function.

    - Push the test button on the breaker. The breaker should trip.

    - If the breaker does not trip, service is required.

  3. If the breaker does not reset, service is required.

 

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30 AMP Breaker Trips

SYMPTOM: 30 AMP BREAKER TRIPPING

The 30 amp breaker located in the homeowner’s electrical sub-panel supplies source power to the spa. This breaker will typically be a dual function component. It functions as a safety device for over amperage conditions as well being a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI). If the 30 amp breaker trips, both conditions must be taken into consideration.

Most Common Causes

 

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No Ozone

SYMPTOM: NO OZONE BUBBLES OR NO OZONE IS BEING PRODUCED

No ozone bubbles can be seen coming from the heater return or Ozone is not being produced.

Most Common Causes

Spa Owner Verification
  1. Check to see if ozonator is installed on the spa (Not Factory Installed)
  2. If ozone bubbles are NOT present or the flow of bubbles is low, ask the spa owner to check the following items:
  3. If the ozonator does not appear to be producing ozone, have the spa owner check the following:
  4. If the above do not correct the problem, service is required.

 

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No Light

SYMPTOM: NO LIGHT

The light source is a specially designed low voltage dimmable LED light assembly.

Most Common Causes

Spa Owner Verification
  1. Verify spa lock is turned off.
  2. Press the light + button on the control panel, until the dimmer is all the way up. If the light does not come on, service is required
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Auxiliary Panel Not Working/Ghosting

SYMPTOM: AUXILIARY PANEL LIGHT CONTROLS ARE INOPERATIVE

The spa functions can be activated from the main panel, but cannot be activated from the auxiliary panel or the spa is turning on by itself.

Most Common Causes

Spa Owner Verification

  1. Verify the Spa lock is turned off.
  2. Operate the desired controls from the Main Control Panel. If the controls work properly at the Main Control Panel go to the Auxiliary Control Panel.

    NOTE: The main panel must be operating properly for the auxiliary panel to work.

  3. Operate the desired controls from the Auxiliary Control Panel. Ensure that the buttons are being fully depressed. If the controls do not operate properly, there is a failure in Auxiliary Control Panel or IQ Control Box.
  4. Service is required.

 

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Watkins MFG.
Copyright © 1999  [Luxury Pool & Spa]. All rights reserved.
Revised: July 23, 2010 .