Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: tvaughan on January 08, 2007, 09:45:00 pm
-
My heater stopped working on the 4th of Jan. I've contacted my dealer (Hot Springs, never again) and they say they are just too busy to get here to help me out. It's still under warranty. The dealer has just advised me to not drain the tub but to just keep the 30am breaker off and says the circulation pump will keep the tub from freezing. It's suppose to be 24f degrees tonight and for the next 3 or 4 days. I'm really starting to worry about the tub freezing up. It's a 2004 Hotsprings Grandee.
There are no lights flashing,the breakers have not poped. The heater is just not working. The water was at temp on the 2nd our last use. We went to use the tub the afternoon of the 4th and found that the heater was not working.
I can't even tell if the circulation pump is working. Is there any easy way to check the circulation pump out. It's about 31f out side now.
I've called the dealer again today and they still say they can't get to me. It's 35 miles away.
I'll never purchase a HotSprings product again. A warranty is no good if the dealers will not honor it.
-
Is the whole tub shut down or is it just the heater? If it's the latter, I would run the pumps as much as possible. They will give off some heat and moving the water around will help a little too.
-
Do you have bubbles coming off the floor?
Have you tried resetting?
Which lights are blinking?
Once again we see the importance of the dealer. :(
-
Do you have bubbles coming off the floor?
Have you tried resetting?
Which lights are blinking?
Once again we see the importance of the dealer.
Nope,, no bubbles that I can see..
Yes I've reset.... This happened on the 4th of Jan.
There are no lights blinking. The Heater is just not working...
The breakers never cut off.
The filters are clean. The water was at temp on the 2nd. Last Time Used. When going to get in the tub on the 4th. Heater was not working.
yep... I've been very happy with the tub for 3years now. The Dealer has been a problem since the week after I gave them the Second half of the purchase price. Oh well,, I knew I should have gone with another brand..
-
Where are you located?
Free advice from a lawyer? I would fax them a letter briefly outlining what is gone on, (IE: heater out on the 4th. 1st call to dealer on 5th, etc) and request they expedite their service call due to it being the middle of the winter. In the alternative, ask that they arrange for an external heater to protect the tub until they can repair it. I've never seen one, but I hear they exist.
Generally, I have found that once a problem is put in writing, it gets much more attention than before. Worth a try. And I really think they have had more than enough time to arrange their schedule to take care of emergency situations like yours. You might also want to contact Hot Spring corporate and discuss their assigning your repair work to another dealer in the area. So sad.
-
Thanks.. That's a good suggestion. I did contact Hotsprings customer service this afternoon. There hasn't been a reply except for the email saying that my request for service was being processed.
I'll fax the dealer right now.
Thanks..
-
And you can phone Hot Spring customer service @ 1 800 999 HOTT.
-
Didn't someone on this forum recently mention a "Bucket Heater"?
I would have one FedExed if I were you.
And as HTD just mentioned above, I would call Watkins directly and see what they are willing to do.
-
Is this your first problem?
How has the dealer been up to now?
If the dealer has always been responsive in the past
then it may just mean they are "swamped" this week.
Also e-mail the dealer.
Later they could claim they never got the fax, but if you can get them to
respond to an e-mail then you would have dated documented proof [/u]
of your problem and their response.
Also a letter via certified mail is good too.....but IMO e-mail is best.
Let us know how it turns out.
Good luck......(I bet HS will come through for you)
(http://graphics.userfriendly.org/images/baltimore_button.jpg)
-
Is this your dealer?
Syracuse Pool Center, Inc.
Address:
6176 South Bay Road
Cicero, NY 13039
Phone:
315-699-5211
-
Is this your first problem?
How has the dealer been up to now?
If the dealer has always been responsive in the past
then it may just mean they are "swamped" this week.
True, but heater problems in winter weather/locations should be top priority.
-
What's up with the HS website? This morning, it makes me put in all my info just to go anywhere else on their site. I hate that! :P
-
.... Oh well,, I knew I should have gone with another brand..
Sounds like a dealer issue, not a brand issue. No?
-
you've been happy with the tub (brand), but the dealer's a moron....sounds like the brand's not the issue, just the area rep....
I'm along on the "get a hold of the manufacturer" and "email the dealer" train....if you email the dealer and they send you an excuse back, you can forward that to watkins...maybe that'll be enough to light the fire?
Good luck!!
-
You might consider getting a stock tank heater or something similar that you can put into your water if you're worried about freezing before you can get the heater repaired.
I don't think they cost too much, should run off 120V, and might let you get some sleep.
Living in the freeze belt, I certainly consider a non heating spa in January to be a priority.
Prime example of how a the image and reputation of a perfectly good product can be tarnished by a bad dealer.
-
Before you panic too much, go out and turn on the jets. All of them. They will shut off in about two hours by themselves, but in that time they should raise the temperature by several degrees.
You didn't mention what the temperature of the water is now - but if the heater is not working STOP lifting the lid. Fasten it down and check the temp by the finding out at what temp the green "ready" light comes on.
You may have nothing to worry about - most HS tubs will easily stay in the 90's with nothing more than the circ pump running. A bit lower in freezing conditions, but nowhere near the danger zone.
To know if your circ pump in running, look for ozone bubbles coming from the bottom fitting of the tub, or if you don't have an ozone system, look for a gentle disturbance of the water's surface with all jets off. Did you see any of that when you were in the tub on the 4th?
If it's still circulating, you should be fine.
Send an email to the dealer. I'm sure you are worried, but relax - these things happen. Let the dealer know you are concerned, in writing, and they will do what they can.
8-)
-
:) Dealer called this morning.. They are on their way here right now..
Says it will be fixed today before he leaves. So far it looks like the circulation pump has kept the tub from freezing up. I'm thinking maybe they were just swamped. I'll talk to the tech about it when he gets to the house.
Yes... we've been very happy with the tub so far. This is the first problem.
Maybe I was just in a panic due to the weather and thinking that the tub might freeze. Still don't understand why they said they needed water in the tub to fix the heater though. Seems like it would have been safer to leave the tub drained...but,, I don't know. Just hope it gets fixed today..
Thanks everyone... I'll post when it's finished...
-
:)
Maybe I was just in a panic due to the weather and thinking that the tub might freeze. Still don't understand why they said they needed water in the tub to fix the heater though. Seems like it would have been safer to leave the tub drained...but,, I don't know. Just hope it gets fixed today..
They want water in the tub to CONFIRM it's the heater that is the issue and not the circ pump (no bubbles might mean that's your porblem) or something else. It should be simple to confirm.
-
Wonder what they were "swamped" with? I would have to believe that a no heat situation in a freeze zone would take priority.
-
:) The tub is fixed. The heater was fine. There was a relay on one of the circuit boards burned out. That circuit board was replaced the heater was checked and everything seems to be fine now.
The service manager told me that he was very sorry that it took 5 days to get to me but that he was sure there was no danger of freezing. He explained that he had already scheduled out until tuesday. He explained that if he had any doubt about the freezing issue it would have been treated as an equipment emergency.He also assured me that everything is good now and just to relax and enjoy the tub.
There was no FEE at all. Not even a trip fee. I did give a nice tip to the tech because I do appreciate the work and the way he handled the situation. He was very nice and explained how the system works and why I had no real need for panic. I must say that if I were to have this situation again I would not panic as I did. He doesn't know what caused the relay to burn out. It seems there could have been many reasons for it to burn out.
He did seem to be at a loss as to why the 30am breaker didn't pop. He tested the breaker and it works fine. That circuit board was cooked.
Now I'm just waiting for the water to heat up. I know that's going to take awhile. It's at 72f right now. But it's heating
I am very :-[ (embarrassed) about bad mouthing the dealer as I did. I should stop to think that the other people waitng for service feel that their problem is just as important as I feel that mine is. I'm sorry for that. I'll try to stop and think about that next time.
Now... I have to say.. I am very glad i purchased the Hotsprings.
I'm Happy Again.
Thanks to everyone.
-
good to hear it is fixed. Run the pumps and it will heat a little faster.
-
tvaughan, i'm glad you're back running. Sounds like you have a good dealer after all.
-
I am very :-[ (embarrassed) about bad mouthing the dealer as I did. I should stop to think that the other people waitng for service feel that their problem is just as important as I feel that mine is. I'm sorry for that. I'll try to stop and think about that next time.
Now... I have to say.. I am very glad i purchased the Hotsprings.
I'm Happy Again.
Thanks to everyone.
Good job by your dealer, and GREAT job by you. Thanks for the followup post, it was very well done.
Enjoy your tub!
8-)
-
And they all lived happily ever after. ;D ;D
-
Tvaung.
I here ya. I am a pro at putting my foot in my mouth. But I've found most folks around here, if you're a geniue person, and not take yourself too serioulsy, they'll put up with ya. ;)
Glad to hear the tub is all set.
-
congrats on getting the tub fixed and getting your peace of mind back! If the dealer was a schmuck earlier in your experience, I don't think it's wrong to assume that he's still one. ;) BUT....now that this problem has been addressed and fixed, it seems like he's stepping up to the plate, you might have to give him another go-round before final decision. ;)