Condensation, water or moisture from rain can penetrate into these boxes oner time. Could the heating element be bad even if it is getting power and the OHMs are correct? Has 2 buttons, a set and reset? Whether you have freshly plastered your pool and are satisfied with its color or are disappointed with the appearance, you want to know if it will remain the same. I checked the resistance between each of those and the ground like you said, and the multimeter showed OL. Now lets turn our attention to the accessories. Thanks, Short circuits may occur anywhere electrical parts are wet or wiring is loose. A short in the wiring is a fire waiting to happen. Motors can trip a breaker from internal damage, but it is rare and usually blows a fuse. These elements are pretty easy to change out so it shouldnt be too much of a problem is this is the cause of the breaker tripping. If you can find the offending part, it might be easier to replace than try to repair really depends on exactly what has failed. Check out the Ellements and Heater Assemblies here at Spa Parts Guy and compare, look for suggestion tips or contact us with your questions. Then restart the pump (either speed). If any of the electrical components are not working properly, it may be because the Hot Tub tripping the breaker. This can cause an excessive amount of current to flow through the circuit, which can overload the breaker and cause it to trip. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Hot Tub heaters can be corroded over time, which can result in a tripping of the circuit breaker. And of course, if any connectors are broken or damaged, youll need to replace them. Oftentimes, the Ozonator or air blower may become flooded when the check valve is damaged or the hot tub is overfilled. it out there, but many spa heaters, including mine, have an "overheat breaker" for the heater coil, which trips if the heater element gets too hot. Thanks for all the troubleshooting tips! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXewigGCfAo. In this scenario, it is best to replace the blower with a new one. In addition to tripping the hot tub breaker, a wiring short may eventually start a fire. If the meter is reading 240v, the element is the problem. Pros and cons. With power to spa off, turn the temperature down. If you are not sure, replace the valve. Some heaters unplug from their main source, the control box. Heater, motors, etc. (LogOut/ You can troubleshoot this issue by disconnecting the blower or ozonator from the breaker and flipping it. If the wiring is old, there is likely a chance it has burnt spots or melted rubber coating surrounding the wire. Firstly check the heater element (maybe corroded through, pitting, etc) - Spa Heater Troubleshooting. You may notice corrosion near the hot tub GFCI, as well as around the hot tubs components. To identify loose or damaged wiring, look inside the breaker box and spa cabinet for any breaks or worn areas of the component wiring. Matt Giovanisci is the founder of Swim University and has been in the pool and spa industry since 1995. With the spa on, test both of the leads on the element at the same time. Most likely, corrosion will occur around component connectors. If it immediately trips even though nothing is attached to it, your GFCI is most likely faulty and will need to be replaced. Age, power surges and even a lightning strike nearby can render the switch unusable. If the breaker trips, even with nothing connected to it, you need to replace the breaker. Dry Fire. If they are closed while the hot tub heater is on, it may cause significant issues with overheating. Breakers are designed to trip in the event of a short circuit to protect both the user of the Hot Tub but also the components in the Spa Pack. Are the power terminals the two little tabs on the near side of the heater? There are many reasons your hot tub could be tripping the breaker, because even well-kept hot tubs and spas can develop small issues that will turn into bigger issues if left unattended. A good element will read 9 to 12 ohms. Sounds like you are drawing to many amps, and hence tripping the breaker. . . You can eliminate the Heater as the cause or confirm it is the culprit, with just a few steps. The ohm reading should be very very high. For instance, if the pump wasn't well-primed before you turned the heater on . Just give the plastic plugs a firm, little push to ensure theyre snug. Once they get worn out, your breaker could start shutting off randomly. You will likely need to use a screwdriver to tighten the screws that keep the wires in place. What I would like you to do is isolate the heater and do an ohm test on it from the casing of the heater to every conductor. Completely reimagined, this boutique hotel melds iconic 1960's retro elements with a contemporary lodge aesthetic. Will it turn on again immediately? It may be located on the heater and covered by a rubber nipple. A hot tub cover can be helpful when the unit is not in use. I have a 60 amp Cutler Hammer GFCI that is tripping intermittently. Third: Once the heater is disconnected, Turn the power breaker back on. A wet motor will trip the gfci without damaging the fuse. If there is any damage to the wires, they will need replacing right away to prevent further damage. Electrical components may malfunction due to overheating, bad wiring, or damage to the component. In the order of a few ohms. Good luck, gfci trouble shooting can be a pain. If the air blower is damaged from the water, you may need to replace it as well. They shouldnt be there, it should be totally clean inside the control box. Baby it's cold outside. How to avoid frozen spa pipes. Lets just hope I can find a replacement for it. To identify the issue, disconnect all power to the heating element. I submerged my blower once by mistake, not a good idea! Signs of damage or signs of a mouse nest mean you should be looking closely for more extensive problems, such as chewed wires. My question is how can the heating element test good and still to the breaker? If the breaker does not trip, continue to step 2. Dont worry, a Hot Tub that triggers the breaker is not an unusual phenomenon and it is fairly easy to identify potential causes. From here, plug each component back into the breaker until you find the component that makes the breaker trip. When a hot tub breaker begins tripping, it may be a sign of loose connectors. It has 2 pumps, I replaced pump1, the one that heats the water and cycles on schedule last April. Occasionally, water may accidentally flow back into your hot tub's ozonator or air blower. Hi Louise, When this button is tripped, it will "click" in when you reset it. This is inevitable. Table Of Contents 1. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. A common reason for a breaker to trip is that there is a surge of power. Moisture could also be a reason your circuit breaker is tripping. Thanks for the help. Typically, youll see whitish powder or the appearance of rust around component connectors if corrosion is present. That makes me think the switch may not be calibrated correctly (pressure switches are adjustable and cannot be factory preset). Im having literally the same exact problem in my inflatable SaluSpa HawaiiEverything else runs fine, but all of a sudden when I turn on the heater button it trips the breaker, and like you said every video I can find on YouTube are for standard hot tubs. Because breakers are designed to trip in the event of a short circuit, short circuits are a common reason for hot tubs to trip the breaker. Wed love to walk you through troubleshooting the heater. Because nothing is built to be serviced these days it's almost certainly hooped. When it comes to hot tubs, the traditional method of keeping the water clean and [], Have you ever dreamed of having a hot tub in your backyard, but thought it [], If you're considering investing in a swim spa, one of the first questions that probably [], There is certainly a lot of confusion around Air Source Heat Pumps and which model [], When it comes to building a spa, there are many factors to consider. Also need to think about anything else also on that circuit also drawing power. It is important to note that it is never safe, or a good idea to replace a spa heater element. Both of these parts have non-return valves on (or should) which under normal circumstances do not allow water to enter into the components. Fortunately for you, its easy to determine whether your breaker is toast. To identify a bad heating element, disconnect the heater from the breaker and flip the switch. You may need to use a screwdriver to secure the screws within your Hot Tub Spa Pack to keep the wires in place. Press J to jump to the feed. What Are The Signs That A Hot Tub Heater Element Is Damaged? I know the three screws on the far end are the ground, it shows the ground symbol right next to them. If a dry fire occurs, you will need to replace the element, as well as the housing if it appears damaged. If there is moisture in the Hot Tub circuit breakers control box, this will cause the switch to trip frequently. Thus, it is important to keep the wiring dry and connectors tight. (LogOut/ To test if a bad heater is causing your tripped breaker, you can disconnect the copper tabs (or wires) from the spa pack to the heater element. Do this, flip the breaker to give it power and if the breaker remains on, then you know that the heating element is the part at fault. Careful though, you are talking 110/240V it is not like a battery if you get it wrong. The GFCI pops if there is any type of electrical short (such as water getting into the heating element, the reset on that can be in one of three places. Leakages from some plug and play hot tubs can also cause moisture problems. A hot tub tripping a breaker isnt an uncommon problem, and the potential causes are pretty easy to spot. Heres why: The pump in a hot tub is responsible for circulating water through the jets and the filtration system. For switching out electrical components, you should always call a professional electrician. Then you do you(rself in). Wiring Short: When two wires touch but theyre not supposed to, a surge of power causes your breaker to trip. Your hot tub's wires may come in contact with one another over time, causing a spike in power throughout the circuit and may even burn the wiring. 1. If you can confirm the heater itself is getting full voltage (the incoming voltage from the service panel, 120V or 240V), and not working, youve confirmed the heater needs to be replaced. Carefully inspect wire connectors, ground wires, the control panel, and anywhere you can see component wiring. Check seals on things like the Spa Pack there should be no water or moisture in there. The only other wire going to it is just past the two little tabs in the picture, theres a wire with a threaded end screwed into the side. I am wanting to megger some parts of the hot tub. Inspect the breaker box, then inside your spa cabinet for any obvious signs of corrosion. What is the difference between the Onda and the Comfortline Air Source Heat pumps? If it has extremely low or high readings, you likely have a bad heating element. Lightning strikes or frequent power surges can shorten their lifespan. Then chances are this video will help. The average life of a hot tub heater is about 5 years. Near your hot tub, inside a metal box probably attached to the side of your house, is your hot tub GFCI breaker. Bad heating element is cracked and leaking current into water and ground - tripping the GFCI in the plug. There must be a problem with the Heater, which makes a contact between the Water (Earth) and the Current. My bet, 99% the heater needs to be replaced. Because of that, rusting can occur remarkably fast. Additionally, if a leak caused the corrosion, you will need to repair the leak inside the hot tub. If I can help you in any way I would love to hear from you. The most frequent causes of your hot tub tripping the breaker are listed below Worn Hot Tub GFCI Breaker The power switch for your hot tub may have worn out, perhaps the most likely cause of the problem. Your next step is to decide whether you would prefer purchasing the complete Heater Assembly with Stainless Tube or just the correct eater Element. Testing for a broken heater is similar to testing for a faulty GFCI breaker: If your hot tub can now run without randomly tripping the breakers, then your heater is likely the problem. Once youve determined that the heater element is bad, you now need to decide if you need to replace just the element, or the whole heater assembly. You can end up with water in your blower if your check valves have failed and you dont have Hartford loops in your air lines. 4 Ways of Testing a Hot Tub Heater ElementIn this video, I'm going to show you how to test a hot tub heater element in 4 ways. Jed spent every year from the ages of 15 - 22 as a Lifeguard (Red Cross) and ages of 17 - 22 as a Certified Pool Operator (CPO). Test Water Heater Elements for an Electrical Short. This is a red button found on many spa packs. Secure any loose wires. There are a couple of ways to remedy this problem: Corrosion can wreak havoc on your spa's electrical system. Here's how to test if your GFCI breaker needs replacement: If the breaker trips again immediately, you probably need a new one. Im getting ready to read the comments now, hopefully theres some answers(Im just glad I FINALLY found someone else w the same problem lolI see this is a year old, were you able to get it fixed? If water is flowing back into the air blower or Ozonator, it is likely the reason why your hot tub is tripping the breaker. If youre unsure what to look for when identifying a tripped breaker, have no worries! Wires can accidentally touch each other in this manner if youve moved your spa, done work inside the cabinet, or if you have a pest.You can narrow down the offending wires by disconnecting each spa component one at a time. In short (no pun intended), it prevents you from being electrocuted in your hot tub when someone has a few too many margaritas and accidentally knocks your stereo into the water. . That GFI tripping could mean the heating element has been directly exposed to water inside via a seaping leak or something, which is causing the current that goes thru the heater, to find a path into the water and ground, and that gfi is doing it's job to protect you from the toaster in the bathtub effect. In one case, you're hoping it stays Vinyl liners have developed an unfair reputation for being vulnerable and weak. 4 KW Spa Hot Tub Standard Flow Thru Heater Element - For Gecko, Spa Builders, HydroQuip, Correctech # 254041, 59297 Balboa Spa Ozonator CD 120 / 240 Volt Pin Amp Plug 5' Ozone Tubing & Check Valve * Best Choice *, 3903-DF Tecmark / Tridelta Spa Pressure Switch 1 Amp SPST Includes Free Teflon Tape Sealant, C2450-1008ET Vita Spa Reflections Flow Thru Heater 4.5 KW 240 V Tube Length 17.5", Sloan Spa & Hot Tub L.E.D.