I have a 3 month old cal spa. Tripped breaker. Opened panel to find wire melted on heater sensor. Image attached. Looking for advice on what would cause it. No water in area, no wiring issue. Just an odd case. I wonder if the circuit board could have caused it or is it the heater and/or sensor?
3 month old spa, tripped breaker, lead from heater to circuit board melted.
- Thread starter Jayman049
- Start date
Jay,
I suspect the connection was never good.. Maybe loose or dirty/corroded.. This causes a small resistance, which becomes hot which increases the resistance and pretty soon you end up with the mess you have.. It should be repaired under warranty.. Nothing you did caused the problem.
Thanks,
Jim R.
I suspect the connection was never good.. Maybe loose or dirty/corroded.. This causes a small resistance, which becomes hot which increases the resistance and pretty soon you end up with the mess you have.. It should be repaired under warranty.. Nothing you did caused the problem.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Hi Jim, Thank you so much. I am aware it will be repaired under warranty. I just am impatient. The warranty people say mid December, I just managed to get water all dialed in, no with no circulation I worry about having to start over. So I thought if it’s the sensor and or wire, I would just replace it and accept the warranty myself. Getting service is the issue not the work or paying.
- May 23, 2015
- 24,403
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
That's not the heater sensor wire, it the heater power wire. Something shorted out there and that's what tripped your breaker. They should replace the entire heater assembly as something is not right.
@RDspaguy - looks like a failure "right out of the box" ... what would you advise as an appropriate request for warranty repair?
@RDspaguy - looks like a failure "right out of the box" ... what would you advise as an appropriate request for warranty repair?
It looks like that nut is not tight. Your heater element is probably going to need replacement just from the damage at the threads. How does the other end of that wire look? Any other visible damage?
Has anyone worked on it? Who wired it, an electrician, the dealer, or someone else? Is it on a gfci breaker?
There is no reason for that to be loosened other than heater replacement or testing. I suspect it is a manufacturing mistake, if it is on a properly wired gfci breaker.
I'd suggest you call your dealer.
Has anyone worked on it? Who wired it, an electrician, the dealer, or someone else? Is it on a gfci breaker?
There is no reason for that to be loosened other than heater replacement or testing. I suspect it is a manufacturing mistake, if it is on a properly wired gfci breaker.
I'd suggest you call your dealer.
Joyful Noise - Thank you so much. Now I know what it is and that I need to fix the whole heater
Hello RDspaguy -
Electrician wired it. Yes correct uses GFCI and it’s that gfci breaker that throws. He nor I loosened that nut and it is slightly loose. The ring is also no longer able to be used on the wire near the nut way too loose. The other end is perfect. Same with the other lead. Thank you for your input. I will warranty it.