Hot Tub Forum

Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: 38super on September 09, 2006, 11:41:20 pm

Title: Dead tub on FIRST DAY
Post by: 38super on September 09, 2006, 11:41:20 pm
Thur. I received my new Calrera Tahitian . It was very cool to see them lift this
spa onto a 12 foot deck. Fri. I had electric come out .. did a great job
Today had deck reinforced with three more 6" posts . Went to give it a go after filling
for a few hours and   nothing ....or almost nothing.
First no bubbles at all . I hear the pump but nothing. Pump #1  a few jets start but only a few .
I push #2 button and I just get a little water from the neck jets and that’s about it .
Push it again   no change   Temp light is blinking. I called service dept to see what I was doing wrong. Got hold of manager told him what happen said right off electrition had screwed up and
and if did they would bill him for call Said was hooked to 120 v not 230 . I put a meter
got 230v at poles 1..3... I said what someone out here ....manager  said no service on Sun so have to wait till Mon.  I think Sales person  should have come out at least. Sat about 3 pm and only 10 miles away. Left me with bad feeling about service
Title: Re: Dead tub on FIRST DAY
Post by: Cola on September 10, 2006, 12:10:21 am
Well you did get the tub on Thursday and on Saturday at 3PM you want somebody to come fix it.  I am in the industrial machine service business and I have the same bunch of guys that like to call on Fridays only at 4:00 PM.  The machine has been acting up all week and they call Friday before they go home for the weekend.  The sales guy is not licenced or authorized to work on the electrical system.  The service guy has just worked a long week and is probably spending some hard earned time with his kid and you don't have hot water.  As much as he cares about his job, half of the tubs that they deliver probably get hooked up on weekends by weekend warriors and they get called out all the time.  When my customers have a true emergency, I go out after hours.  You just paid good bucks for a tub and you are pissed, I'm sure, but look at their side of it too.
Sorry about your tub.
Steve
Title: Re: Dead tub on FIRST DAY
Post by: Reese on September 10, 2006, 12:37:17 am
Are you sure this is not an airlock?  If everything lights up, the motors run, and the breaker doesn't trip... I don't see why it should be electrical.  Airlocks are pretty common on fill-up, especially if you didn't fill the tub through the filter compartment.  If this is a possibility and you want to try to get some hot water yet this weekend, here's how to address it:

First, check your manual -- it should have a procedure for filling and maybe one addressing this.  Some tubs have a bleeder valve.

Second, most tubs have a priming cycle built into the electronics.  Try powering down and restarting it 3 or 4 times to get the pumps to "burp".

Third, try removing each filter, put a hose down in the fitting, fill the rest of the opening with a rag to prevent back flow and turn it on full blast.  The idea is to force any air out of the system.  You can also try a plumber's helper/plunger on each line.

If that doesn't do it, look for a place that you can bleed the pipes by cracking a clamp/fitting/union open.  On my tub, I just have to loosen the hose clamps on the circulation pump lines.

After doing all that, try restarting the tub a couple more times.  Good luck!
Title: Re: Dead tub on FIRST DAY
Post by: Spiderman on September 10, 2006, 10:46:47 am
If you have a blinking temp light here's the probable causes:  Dirty filter, low water level, pressure switch problem, or temperature sensor problem.  Did you fill the tub with hot or cold water?  Hot water should not be used to fill the tub.  Trying disconnecting the power supply for at least 30 seconds and then re-apply the power.  

Or you can turn off the power to the spa at the breaker and remove the equipment compartment doors.  Loosen the union on the top of the pump to allow the air to escape.  When water is present, hand tighten the union.   Then turn the power back on, activate the pump and check to make sure the union is tight enough to keep it from leaking. If you don't want to do this or you feel uncomfortable doing it, call your dealer.  Good luck!
Title: Re: Dead tub on FIRST DAY
Post by: Reese on September 10, 2006, 11:21:52 am
Quote
If you have a blinking temp light here's the probable causes:
On my tub the temp light blinks at fill because the water is colder than parameters.  It goes away as the tub warms.  However, Spiderman reminds me of a question that should be addressed: are you getting any other error codes, like a flo warning?
Title: Re: Dead tub on FIRST DAY
Post by: hottub.pool_boy on September 10, 2006, 02:43:12 pm
That's why we do all the startups. Period.
Title: Re: Dead tub on FIRST DAY
Post by: Chas on September 10, 2006, 04:18:40 pm
Air lock. Most likely.

Keep shutting off power and restarting, try the thing with the hose in the filter - if all else fails, release one of the unions on the jets pumps to bleed the air and get them going.

Title: Re: Dead tub on FIRST DAY
Post by: Amanda_Panda on September 10, 2006, 05:12:47 pm
As already mentioned, you may have an airlock which more than likely would be fixed by doing the things mentioned above. That is the first thing I thought may have happened when I read your post. I'm sure it wouldn't be a dirty filter since you are just starting up. If bleeding the lines or forcing water through the filter area doesn't work,  then it's up to service I would think. I can understand your frusteration. Being in the industry, I go through all of the information prior to delivery to make sure that an air lock won't take place and cause difficulty at the time of start up. Best of luck to you.  
Title: Operator Error... Probably not the tub's fault...
Post by: ndabunka on September 10, 2006, 10:41:46 pm
As others have said on here, this "sounds" like an error upon fill up.  You do need to make certain that you have water flow available or the system won't start.  That's a "feature", not a problem.  You wouldn't want to burn out the heater element by allowing it to run when there is only a pocket of air around it instead of the water that suppose to be there now would you?  The "hose trick" is to run the hose into the pipes and FORCE water into the system.  Do a search on here and you can find more details. Betcha that'll fix er up!
Title: Re: Dead tub on FIRST DAY
Post by: Vanguard on September 12, 2006, 02:56:39 am
So, did you ever get it started?  
Title: Re: Dead tub on FIRST DAY
Post by: Chas on September 12, 2006, 10:08:23 pm
Yes, they did. Look for another thread called,

"Back from the dead."

It was connected wrong and is now working fine.

 8-)