Catalina/ Balboa CAT200 Hot Tub Heater Issue: Continuous Heating Beyond Set Temperature

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uNikQC

Member
Mar 31, 2024
6
Canada
Hey everyone,

I'm facing a persistent issue with my Catalina/ Balboa CAT200 hot tub, and I'm hoping to get some insight from the community here.

The problem is that the heater in my hot tub doesn't seem to shut off at the set temperature. Even when I adjust the temperature to, say, 90 degrees Fahrenheit, the heater continues to operate until it reaches 104 degrees Fahrenheit, triggering an "overheat" error. Strangely, the temperature displayed on the control panel reflects the set temperature accurately.

I've tried troubleshooting by checking the settings and ensuring there are no obvious issues with the controls, but I'm still unable to resolve this problem.

Could anyone provide some guidance on what might be causing this issue and potential solutions to fix it? I'd greatly appreciate any insights or experiences you can share to help me get my hot tub back to proper working condition.

Thanks in advance for your help!
 
Welcome to TFP.

Sounds like a heater control relay has welded itself closed.

Find the wiring diagram which should be on the inside of one of the panels and post pics of that and any other labels you find.

@RDspaguy should wander by shortly and he may know what type of control board your spa has and if the relay is plug in or soldered to the board.
 
ajw22 said:
Welcome to TFP.

Sounds like a heater control relay has welded itself closed.

Find the wiring diagram which should be on the inside of one of the panels and post pics of that and any other labels you find.

@RDspaguy should wander by shortly and he may know what type of control board your spa has and if the relay is plug in or soldered to the board.
Click to expand...
There you go buddy ! thanks for the help
 

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@RDspaguy knows his way around the Balboa boards.

The wiring diagram shows squares which are the relays but does not say what functions they control. I would assume one of the relays in the upper right that is near the heater controls it.

I highlighted in red the relays in the picture below.

DO NOT DO ANYTHING UNSAFE. MAKE SURE ALL POWER TO THE TUB IS DISCONNECTED AT THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS BEFORE TOUCHING ANYTHING.

If you know how to do continuity checks using a multimeter you can probe each relay and check if the relay is closed. All relays should be open with the power off. If one shows continuity then that is probably the bad one.

Balboa Spa Board Relays.jpg
 
ajw22 said:
@RDspaguy knows his way around the Balboa boards.

The wiring diagram shows squares which are the relays but does not say what functions they control. I would assume one of the relays in the upper right that is near the heater controls it.

I highlighted in red the relays in the picture below.

DO NOT DO ANYTHING UNSAFE. MAKE SURE ALL POWER TO THE TUB IS DISCONNECTED AT THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS BEFORE TOUCHING ANYTHING.

If you know how to do continuity checks using a multimeter you can probe each relay and check if the relay is closed. All relays should be open with the power off. If one shows continuity then that is probably the bad one.

View attachment 561707
Click to expand...
I actually checked them right now, 2 of them shows connectivity
 

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ajw22 said:
Well that is likely your problem.

I have never handled a board to know what the replacement relay is. You need to know what the coil voltage is. It is a Zettler relay.

Somethings like this...

Balboa T-90 Type Relay SPST 15VDC 30A AZ2120-1A-15DF
Click to expand...
Alright, I'll try to find the missing information. They are mostly just removed and replaced with another one, right? like plug and play, no welding
 
I don't know if the relays are plug in or soldered.

Removing the board and examining it should give you the answer.
 
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uNikQC said:
Do you know by any chance which relays I need to buy,
Click to expand...

I don't know the coil voltage of the relays. You need to remove one and look at some of the markings.

uNikQC said:
and another question, should I change them all or only the 2 that are not working ?
Click to expand...

I would only change the 2. They probably do heavy duty with high amperage heaters while the others do light duty for stuff like lights.
 
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