Spa Draining Issue

[desertpurplehaze]

Hello all,
I was hoping someone could assist. I have had intermittent issues when turning on my spa where it drains all the water and the jets dont turn on. It seems the problem has become more and more frequent to the point that it is now consistent draining when I try to turn it on. Basically all I am doing is turning on the pool pump and then engaging the spa for this behavior to occur.
Any ideas as to why this would be an issue?
Any ideas of what to check for failure on a case like this?

Any input is much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[desertpurplehaze]

I had one pool guy tell me that it was a bad actuator. It seems to me based on what I have read that if the actuator is bad it would always drain and not be intermittent.
Thoughts?

Hello all,
I was hoping someone could assist. I have had intermittent issues when turning on my spa where it drains all the water and the jets dont turn on. It seems the problem has become more and more frequent to the point that it is now consistent draining when I try to turn it on. Basically all I am doing is turning on the pool pump and then engaging the spa for this behavior to occur.
Any ideas as to why this would be an issue?
Any ideas of what to check for failure on a case like this?

Any input is much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

Can you provide pictures of your setup?

So you are saying that when you put it in spa mode and turn the pump on the spa drains quickly? That does sound like the return valve/actuator is not turning to the spa side, but the suction valve/actuator is.

 

[desertpurplehaze]

Here are 2 pics

 

[jblizzle]

Well the suction actuator is right in front of the right pump (picture shows in pool mode).
The return actuator is barely in the 2nd picture at the bottom and I can not see the handle.

Do they both turn when you switch to spa mode?

 

[desertpurplehaze]

I cannot add more pics as it tells me I have exceeded my quota.
When I turn it on, I only see the suction actuator move from SPA off mode to on. The return actuator does not move?
Does that speak to why it would drain? Also, would it be recommended that the return actuator that does not go from pool to therapies be replaced?
Thanks again for the insight.

Ryan

 

[jblizzle]

To post more pictures, you either need to raise your storage allotment by Becoming a TFP Supporter or follow the How To Post Pictures tutorial.

Of course that would make the spa drain ... because you are not pump water back into the spa. There is a switch on the back of the actuator, flip it and see if the actuator moves or not. Either the actuator is bad, there is a bad connection, or the automation system is not sending out the power.

 

[desertpurplehaze]

Yeah if I set that switch to manual on it actually turns the jets in the spa on. Since it will actually move in manual it would lead me to believe that the issue is with the wiring or the remote system itself and not the actuator. Would you agree with that or am I missing something?
Thanks,
Ryan

 

[jblizzle]

Where was the switch when you originally touched it? It was not in the middle was it?

Since it moves, that indicates that the actuator is fine. So either one of the power wires is bad or there is a bad connection in the panel or the controller lost its programming and does not try to turn the valve or there is something wrong in the controller.

 

[desertpurplehaze]

As i was standing over it, it was all the way on the right, when i flipped it to left it turned the spa on. Middle is the off position as i understand it.

 

[jblizzle]

OK, I just wanted to make sure it was not in the OFF position for some reason and thus not moving.

I would disconnect and reconnect the plug from the actuator to the controller, maybe a bad connection. And inspect the wire for an damage (animal chewing, etc). After that, it gets harder to troubleshoot.

 

[desertpurplehaze]

Ill do some checking on that.
Thank you very much for all the assistance on this.
Ryan