Power Light Blinks: 2000 Hot Springs Landmark

[RayandPaula]

Hi,
I have a 2000 Hot Springs Landmark spa. The spa was up to temperature showing the green temperature light along with the red power light. The filters are clean and there "has not" been a power failure. This happens with or without turning on the jets.
Does anyone know what would suddenly cause the red power light to begin blinking? This has happened numerous times before. The power & heater electrical breakers "are not" tripping. The only fix I have found is to perform the following steps;
1) Turn both breakers off (Power & heat).
2) Wait five to ten minutes and flip the power breaker on.
3)Wait another five to ten minutes and flip the heater breaker on.
Sometimes I have to repeat these steps in order to get it back to regular operating status.
Once corrected, everything would be fine for a couple days and then for some reason the power light begins to flash again. I'd like to add that I have upgraded the factory heater assembly, Thermistor, Control thermostat & Thermistor, Spa high limit back in May of 2008. Your help would be most appreciated. Thanks, Ray

 

[Isaac-1]

This is a heater overheat warning, most likely you either have a temperature sensor problem, or a low flow condition possibly caused by a dying circulation pump. I would try to confirm good flow and go from there, if it is the pump it might just be a stuck or clogged impeller.

Ike

 

[RayandPaula]

Hi, Thanks for the reply...... This may very well be the problem. Once the weather breaks here in Michigan I will remove the access panel and look things over. I know this hot tub has two pumps, but I don't know how to tell one from the other and how to access them. Do you know of any diagrams that are available for my hot tub? If so, please let me know. Your help is very much appreciated. Thanks, Ray

 

[Isaac-1]

You really have 3 pumps, 2 jet pumps and 1 small circulation pump, it is the circulation pump we are concerned with now. Looking in the 2000 owners manual http://www.hotspring.com/sites/defa...manual/hot-spring_spas_owners_manual_2000.pdf you can see the equipment layout on page 6, your circulation pump looks to be easy to access at the front just to the right of your heater. Much easier location than when I had to change mine on my Jetsetter where it is mounted behind the heater. If it is the original pump it will be a Silentflow 5000, the new replacement pump introduced in 2008 is referred to as an E5 or SilentFlow 5000 E5, it is much smaller than the older Silentflow 5000, it also draws less power, flows 20% more water, and has a tool-less screw off impeller section, but still is a drop in direct replacement. Changing them out is fairly straight forward, and there are several youtube videos that will show you step by step how to do it, just search on hot spring circulation pump at youtube. The one thing that I did find surprisingly difficult when I changed mine out was getting the strain relief plug to come out of the control box where the wire goes in, it should be a simple twist 90 degrees and pop out design, but mine was very tight and I did not want to break the expensive plastic control box, still after a few minutes working on it with some pliers I managed to get it out.

Ike.

 

[RayandPaula]

In a word.... Awesome! I can't thank you enough for all your help. This is the first thing i'm going to look at. It will probably be awhile before i can get to it, but I will report back here to let you know. I can't thank you enough..... I sincerely appreciate it, Ray

 

[RayandPaula]

If my circulation pump is slow and/or partially plugged, etc. would it trip even with the heater being off? In other words, i'm thinking of turning on the power to the pump, but leaving the heater off to see if it trips. Thanks again for all your help. Ray

 

[Isaac-1]

If the heater is off it should not trip on overheat warning due to a slow circulation pump, it may still trip if the problem is in the controller or the sensors though. I think the only way you would be able to turn the heater "off" though is by unplugging it since if it is like mine the thermostat has a minimum temperature setting around 80 degrees. I am not sure if yours has the first generation IQ-2020 controller which was introduced in 1999-2000 depending on model, or the IQ-2000 controller like my 1998 Jetsetter, but I think they are both the same regarding the thermostat.

 

[RayandPaula]

Thanks for the reply..... My heater is on a separate 30amp breaker. Currently I only have the circulation pump on. I checked to see how much suction there is by removing the filters....... currently very, very little. It appears that the circulation pump is plugged/dirty therefore once the weather warms up I'm going to dig into it. Your diagnosis seems to be spot on. I can't thank you enough for all your help! I will report back here once I go through everything. Thanks again, Ray

 

[Isaac-1]

I went through the same thing my self a few months ago, so the least I can do is pass on my experience

Ike

p.s. I saw a night and day difference in the flow after adding the new style E5 pump which Hot Springs claims flows 20% more than the old style and consumes less power

 

[RayandPaula]

Thanks, I'll definitely take a look at the new E5 pump you mentioned. Thanks again, Ray