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Pools & Spas Home Repair Electrical Wiring

Troubleshooting a Circuit Board on a Hot Tub

last year

I have a 1997 Hot Springs Prodigy (Model H) by Watkins Manufacturing. About six years ago, the circulation pump stopped working. I don't remember if the jet pump also stopped working or continued working properly.

I'm debating whether to (i) remove and test the two pumps, which I suspect are easy to test but inconvenient to remove, or (ii) test the circuit board, which is easy to remove but I suspect more challenging to test.

I'm very interested to know anyone's or everyone's thoughts on the best way to approach this.

I would also greatly appreciate any suggestions on how to test the circuit board.

Thanks for putting yourself out there to answer questions like these.

Sincerely,

gfr92y

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Comments (3)

HU-867564120
last year
The primary test to make is whether the pump(s) are getting power when they should or not. Checking power to the pumps is fairly easy. Test them in-place, no need to remove them, just carefully and safely expose the pump power connections. This could be done either at the pump or at the control bard connections. When the pumps should be working (my circulation pump is on 24/7 and the jet pump is manually turned on or cycles every 6 hours), check for voltage on the supply wiring with a voltmeter. Voltage present, pump is bad. Voltage not present, control board is bad.

About the only thing a DIYer could check on the control board is the integrity of the relay coil supplying power to the pump, but that would be for a serious DIYer/electrical technician to perform. Other than that, a bad board will be replaced, even by professionals.
toxcrusadr
last year
Not to be fussy about it but boards get replaced because no one wants to take the time to troubleshoot them, so they throw the whole thing away. Sometimes (not always) it is an easy and inexpensive fix.

I'm no electronics expert but if I had a bad board I'd be checking not only relays but looking for overheated spots, bulging capacitors, etc.

I'd be surprised if you can even get a replacement board for a 25 year old hot tub. Not that I'm happy about that, just saying.
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when we built our house 6 yrs ago, it was with the intent that we would be living there until we retired. Things in our life have changed dramatically since then. At this point, there isn't anything we are going to do to put in a shower, though I guess its possible. There is 6 inches of empty wall space at the front of the tub where the niche is. You could take that out, rip out the drywall and extend the plumbing to make a shower and finish it off with cement board and tile. There is no way we are going to do that. We do have a hand held shower mounted to the tub with the roman faucet that I use all the time for washing my hair, the dog, and rinsing the tub. 2 of my husbands sisters and their families have tub/shower on the main floor, but all go down to the basement to shower. Now that makes no sense! chisue -- sounds like your tub has airjets? Ours isn't. We do use a water softener. I don't know what we could do to prevent the flakes of whatever coming off the pipes. I would want a soaker tub next time instead of the jetted tub. So..... may the chips fall as they may... not spending anymore money on this house.
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wdccruise
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There are a number of Watkins circuit boards on ebay.

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