OT Electrical Help for Jacuzzi Spa - Heater/Board

[HoosierBuddy]

Guys,

I have a rebadged 2006 Jacuzzi Spa that no longer heats. Can someone give me a little advice on this? And before anyone says, "Call the Man!"...I've called them, and they won't call me back!

So...here's the skinny.

The spa was found with the 240V breaker at the spa disconnect tripped. I flipped it back and the spa came on, control panel lit up, pump came on for a heat call...everything appeared fine....but the water wasn't any warmer after 2 hours (80-degrees should be 101).

So...I (with power off when needed) removed the front cover of the spa. Removed the cover off the control box and noted important things:

1. There is 244 V at the "Heater Input" terminals on the circuit board.
2. There is 0V at the "Heater Output" terminals adjacent to these on the circuit board (cycled the thermostat from 70 degrees to 90. Heat Call lights up on the control panel...but no voltage appears at the "Heater Output".
3. There was smoke on the wire leaving the outboard "Heater Output" terminal and some on the circuit board adjacent to and above these terminals.
4. When disconnected, the 5.5 KW heater assembly checks about 11 OHMs across the 2 wires that connect to the circuit board.

Now...assuming the clowns at the spa/pool repair places won't call me back (I'm an hour from any of them BTW)....

I've been on-line and I can buy the entire circuit board for $200. The heater is a little trickier. It looks like the element runs about $80 or the whole heating module is about $150.

That being said...I think 11 Ohms may be about right for a 5.5KW element heater and 240V???

What do you guys think? Replace the circuit board and hope I don't burn up the new one? Replace the circuit board AND the heater? Something else?

I'm leaning towards trying to get the spa guy to talk to me for 1 more day and if that fails to go ahead and order a new circuit board and swap it in hoping for the best.

Phil

 

[pattenp]

Well based on what you're saying sounds like the control board is the problem and replacing it should fix the problem. Are there any relays or parts on the board that you can tell are bad? Without seeing what's what it's hard to say for sure that there is not something else going on that may have caused the board to fail.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

Well based on what you're saying sounds like the control board is the problem and replacing it should fix the problem. Are there any relays or parts on the board that you can tell are bad? Without seeing what's what it's hard to say for sure that there is not something else going on that may have caused the board to fail.

Picture of the replacement board from the online sales place.

There are 4 terminals under those big boxes (relays?) on the right/bottom. The smoked one is the one further to the right.

I don't know if this is related or not...but we have had storms. Our coffee maker was DOA 3 days before this and we lost a PC power supply that same morning. Again...don't know that 1 thing = the other thing.

BTW...fuses on the board check good.

Phil

 

[pattenp]

It is a very good possibility the storm toasted the control board. I know $200 is a big gamble but I think replacing the board is the fix. But that is easy for me to say since it's not my $200.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

It is a very good possibility the storm toasted the control board. I know $200 is a big gamble but I think replacing the board is the fix. But that is easy for me to say since it's not my $200.

Gotcha.

Yeah...it's not the $200. It would be the $200 after that if the new board goes the way of the old board. If that's all it took, it'd be a bargain.

Phil

 

[offroadsteve]

I'm inclined to agree with pattenp, its hard to tell from a distance, and without even any pictures (my firewall blocked your circuit board picture) sounds like the circuit board is your problem.

an Ohm's law calculation of Resistance = Volts^2 / Watts shows that the resistance of your heater elemet is theoretically 10.5 ohms, which is basically what you measured. I don't think the element is your problem.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

I'm inclined to agree with pattenp, its hard to tell from a distance, and without even any pictures (my firewall blocked your circuit board picture) sounds like the circuit board is your problem.

an Ohm's law calculation of Resistance = Volts^2 / Watts shows that the resistance of your heater elemet is theoretically 10.5 ohms, which is basically what you measured. I don't think the element is your problem.

Thanks guys. I ordered the replacement circuit board and plan on giving it a shot. About 30 minutes after I ordered it...the spa place called back. If this doesn't work, I'll follow up and let them fix it. I'm assuming they'd charge a couple hundred just for their drive down and diagnosis (it's about 130 mile round trip to their store).

Phil

 

[pattenp]

Best of luck and hope you only need to spend the $200 once.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

Guys. Thanks again for all the advice. And to wrap this thread into a tiny-neat-ball:

The spa is fixed. I ordered the circuit board from spaandpoolsource.com. It was a shade under $200. Shipping from California to Indiana was about 5 days. The part arrived yesterday wrapped up in a "if you cut this wrapper you own this board so don't even think about trying to return it" bag (I'm serious about that part...and I assume they are too.).

I simply swapped a wire over at a time from the old board until everything was moved. Changed the jumper settings to match the old board. Buttoned it up and closed the 50A breaker. Within 3 hours it went from 68 degrees back to the 100-degree set point. This morning I checked and it was still 100. So...stick a fork in this one.

After having that spa panel off, I have to say I'll probably never try to hire a spa technician again. It's pretty modular. A circuit board. A heater. 2 motors/pumps. The circuit board was as far out of my "comfort zone" as any any of it. The plumbing and pumps and motors would be right in my wheelhouse.

Bottom line...the circuit board LISTED for $400. You figure the repair guy is going to charge you that + labor...I figured I saved $500 given I'm a 2 hour round-trip from the nearest servicing location.

Phil

 

[pattenp]

That's great. Another DIY success story.