Our call center at In The Swim is busy this time of year – not only with pool calls, but from spa and hot tub owners.
With the holidays upon us, it’s high season for spas and hot tubs – and when they aren’t ready for friends and family to enjoy, a mild panic ensues.
From our call center help files – here’s the Top Ten answers to the question of “Why is my hot tub not working?”
Air Lock
An air lock is when air gets into the pipes, and due to the plumbing configuration, becomes trapped in the pump. It can happen after draining and refilling a spa. An air lock causes the pump to spin dry, which can overheat and become damaged. And when the pump is not pumping, nothing works, and the spa cools down.
Some spas have an air bleeder assembly after the pump, but for most spas, the most direct way is to loosen the union on top of the spa pump – just enough until you begin to hear air hissing out of the union and water rumbling through the pipes. When water begins to drip from the loose union, tighten it up quickly.
A pair of large channel type pliers, or a strap wrench can be used to encourage unions to open. In a pinch, a pipe wrench can also be used, gently. Don’t use a screwdriver and hammer to loosen, if you can avoid it. When tightening the union, don’t over tighten, and be aware of the o-ring and careful that it hasn’t come out of position.
Air Leak
An air leak is a leak before the pump, on the incoming, vacuum side of the pump. Most air leaks occur at the union in front of a pump, either loose or with a misaligned o-ring.
If your spa pump draws in enough air, that will diminish flow rates to a point where the jets are weak, and the spa heater won’t come on.
Air leaks on spa pumps will draw air into the pump when the pump is on, and will leak water when the pump is off. Look for any drips on the union or valve(s) in front of the pump to locate an air leak.
Low Water Level
Another cause of “My hot tub stopped working” calls is simply low water level. In my own spa, I need to add water to my spa about once a month. Evaporation and drag off can quickly drop the level.
When water gets so low that the skimmer starts sucking air, this can cause the same effects of an air leak described above. Skimmer baskets and skimmer weirs can also mis-align, blocking water flow into a skimmer.
Some floating bromine feeders or mineral sanitizers, or large thermometers can block the skimmer flow if their size and level in the water is just right.
No Power
Check the main circuit breaker for the spa, and any secondary disconnect boxes, and attached GFCI outlets – to be sure everything is in the ‘On’ position, and not tripped.
“The problem lies – where the power dies” – is an old electrician’s motto. If you have no power to the pump or no display, and you have power up to the spa, it could be stopped at a faulty transformer or contactor.
It can also be from loose wiring connections to the spa pack. Voltage variation, of greater than 10% can trip breakers or prevent operation. Finally, a short in the circuit, from damaged or grounded wires, could keep a hot tub from working.
Broken Pump Impeller
It’s not usually the cause of a hot tub not working, but in rare cases of a broken spa pump impeller, the motor will start and sound fine, but no water is pumped. All valves are open, and no air lock exists.
Replacing a spa pump impeller is not overly difficult, and is made easier when you replace the entire wet end, since one should also replace the shaft seal and gaskets whenever replacing an impeller.
Close the incoming valves, and remove the spa pump unions. In most cases you can replace a wet end without unbolting and unwiring the motor. You’ll need a flashlight and your full set of hand tools.
Burned Up Motor
There is a particular smell to a burned motor, it smells… burnt, in an electrical sort of way. It’s not common for a spa motor to die, but with a lifespan of 7-9 years, it will happen – sooner or later.
A noisy motor is another spa pump problem, caused by worn bearings inside the motor. Spa pump motor bearings can be replaced, a new motor can be installed, or installing an entire pump and motor will fix a noisy motor.
Replacing a spa pump complete is less complicated when you replace with an exact duplicate pump. If you replace just the motor, and keep the same wet end in place, be sure to replace with exact HP, SF and speed rating.
Closed Valves
This happens more often than you think, especially when the spa or hot tub is used by several groups of people, messing with things.
The valves I speak of are usually “Slice” valves, also called Guillotine valve. There is usually one on each side of the pump, to allow the pump or heater to be removed for service or replacement.
In some cases slice valves can close by themselves, if they are loose and subject to heavy vibrations. There are locks that can be installed, simple plastic pins to keep the handles locked in the open position.
Clogged Filter
If your display panel gives you some error codes like FLO or PRS, the flow rate problem could be in your spa filter cartridge. Try a strong hosing first to remove debris. For oils or minerals, use a pool filter cleaner specifically made for cartridge pool filters.
Eventually, all cartridge filters will need to be replaced. Each time they are cleaned, they lose a bit more of their ability to trap small dirt and contaminants.
Besides a dirty filter, be sure that other things aren’t clogging the works – some floating item sucked into the skimmer or plastic film or heavy paper sucked over the drain cover.
Faulty Controls
On older spa with air controls, the buttons can stick, the hoses can detach, or they can be found in disrepair or with holes. Fortunately, hose replacement is easy to find at any hardware or home store.
Newer spas are circuit board controlled, with equipment like the blower, heater and pump run through relays and clipped plugs. Check to inspect all wiring and connections, looking for anything that looks damaged, corroded or loose.
Circuit boards also will fail eventually, like every other electromechanical device on a spa or hot tub. They are not usually repaired, unless you happen to be a electrical engineer.
Faulty Heater Element
Finally, in our list of ten answers to the question of my hot tub is not working – I give you “My spa heater is not working!”. A lot of times, this is what folks really mean when they say their spa is not working.
The first response is always, is the pump running and the filter clean? Are any error codes displayed, like OH for overheat or FLO for flow rate? Most spa heater problems are not actually heater problems, but flow problems.
However, the heater element tucked inside of your spa heater will eventually crack and short out, or otherwise give up the ghost. Heater elements can be replaced with exact duplicates, or the entire heater unit can be replaced.
When your hot tub or spa is not working, I hope you’ll visit our HUGE Spa & Hot Tub Parts department – we have over 70 category of spa and hot tub parts, controls and components to get your hot tub working again!
Hi I have a Artic coyote HotTubs. The problem is is the error code FLO I have tried everything suggested even replaced the water pressure switch but this has not worked. The pump itself is brand new and the tub heats up the problem comes back when it goes on to circulation so now I am at a loss please can you help me with this problem many thanks Martin.
Sounds like maybe the heater only works when the jet pump is on, and not when the circulation pump is only running? That sounds normal. The circ pump may not even be connected to the heater. Try removing the filter cartridge and see if the heater will stay on and not give the FLO error. If the jet pump seems like the flow rate is less than before, it may have a clogged impeller, or maybe some valves are partially closed, or the filter cartridge is clogged with oil and/or scale. If you have the ability to shut off some banks of jets, make sure all jets are pushing water (not restricted).
Pump 1 surges between low and high speeds, and when this happens, the topside panel locks/freezes up. Here is a Youtube video of the spa doing this:
I have to shut the spa down at the circuit breaker. I have treplaced the topside control panel and this has not fixed the problem. I have done a thorough cleanign with a “purge” like product, check the wiriing and some other things.
Yesterday, it seemed to be working fine but when my wife an I got into the spa, it started doing it again. Then it started going from off,, low, then high speed. Then, pump 2 came on all by itslef. And some other strange things. Then, it worked properly.
Very strange.
Can you help?
OK I watched the video, and it does seem like the pump is drawing in air, that would be found before the pump, usually a union o-ring, or the pipe that threads into the pump, or a bad shaft seal, usually if leaking air while running, pumps will leak water when turned off, or drip at least. I read your notes that you checked it already. If not air, and not water in the topside (it’s new now), then I would think a problem with the main motherboard, possibly a relay or switch on the board.
I am not sure if this is the correct venue for this type of question and if not, I apologize in advance.
I have a jacuzzi spa and a few days ago the “Watch Dog Error (——)” displayed on my spa panel. I shut the breaker off for 15 minutes and when I turned it back on, the spa worked normally.
Yesterday, I went out to check on the spa and the OH error was showing on the panel and one of the pumps, the one that runs the filter, would not turn on.
Any thoughts on where I should start to troubleshoot this issue.
Thank you in advance for your help. Shawn.
Hi Shawn, OH is the Overheat code, when a temp sensor senses that the temp of the water (inside the heater chamber) is too hot, it will throw that code and shut down to cool down. Overheating can be caused by a number of things, starting with water flow, make sure the filter is clean or replace if it’s been a few years. It could also be a partially closed valve, or some clog or obstruction slowing down water flow. Secondly, it can be caused by defective elements (can be test with Ohm meter for resistance) or could also be a defective temp sensor. Extreme cabinet heat, (under the spa) could also do it in some cases, make sure ventilation is good.
[…] follow-up to my recent post “Hot Tub Not Working“, which addressed all the possible problems that could lead you to utter the phrase. Part II […]