Help, my actuator is not working!

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Yorker

Silver Supporter
Apr 22, 2017
489
Cathedral City, CA
We took a spa a few nights ago with no problem. This morning set it to Spa mode with the heater on, then a few minutes later I noticed a strong overflow from the spa to the pool (pool mode had kicked in, but at a much higher gmp/rpm than usual for pool mode). I turned off pool mode and spa mode continued to have this strong overflow to the pool. I gave up and just now took a look at it.

My set up is that actuator 1 and 3 should be pointing north when in spa mode and both pointed south for pool mode. Though currently when in spa mode actuator 1 is pointing north and actuator 3 is pointing south.

I thought the small pin on the front side of #3 may somehow have been knocked out of position, so I went to move it, and it literally fell off in my fingers. Attached photo shows a spring sort thing that slides out of the pin.

Question one:
Is there anything I can do to manually set actuator 3 to point in the correct position so we can heat the spa, then return to to its current position to filter the pool?

Question two:
Is this a repair I might consider to do myself?

Thanks!
York
 

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Rocket J - the possibility that the pin was just loose sounds very possible, though getting it screwed in is quite challenging as the space is SO small. It flicked out from my fingers and nearly loss the tiny spring. I'll try it later when the sun is not shining so harshly.
Wioreform - I took the cover off and tried using the handle to turn the knob to point in the opposite direction but did not want to force it. Am I doing something wrong?
 

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Last edited:
You need to take the entire Actuator off the valve. There are four screws that attach the actuator to the valve.
 
Update: DRAINED SPA
After fiddling with “trying” to screw the toggle switch back in … THEN taking the top off what I thought was the actuator “see previous photo” – this all was in hopes of moving actuator 3’s handle to point in the opposite direction in hopes to take a spa.

Wireform mentioned that I needed to remove 4 other screws which I did not get a chance to look at the videos they recommend … because … I tried using the app to put the it in Spa mode AND IT WORKED. The best I could imagine was that fiddling with the broken or “unscrewed” toggle switch on actuator #3 moved it to the correct position.

After the spa, time for bed and for the automated Pool Mode to kick in for 4 hours.

I wake up this morning and the spa is bone dry and the water has emptied into the pool.

In order for me to get the actuator handles to point in the correct direction to be in Pool Mode, I needed to change the direction on the toggle switch of the 1st actuator. After a few minutes I did see a trickle of water entering the spa, but no more.

Most Pressing Question - after emptying the spa, how long should it take before the spa should start to refill? I need to get the pool water to start filtering.

Again, thanks for your assistance,
York
 

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If the actuators are now working, go to your Easytouch panel and under Valves select Fill(Spillway). It will move the Return valve to all Spa and the Suction valve to Pool.
 
Thanks again Marty,

I'm not sure if the actuators are actually "working" but I was able to get them to point in the correct position for Pool or Spa Mode when using my phone. They just are not refilling the spa (unless it takes more than a few minutes for the pumps to prime).

In order to for me to get to "Fill" I need to set the Mode on the panel to Service. When I do that and set it to FILL nothing happens. Am I doing something wrong?
 

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No, that is right. The Return valve should have moved to Spa. You also have to engage the pump when in Service. You can use the Filter/Pump button.
You normally have some water going to the spa when in Pool Mode? Such that you have Spillover?
 
Yes we have a spillover. The pool fills from the spa and the spa drained into the pool.
1 - I would think it would need to be in Pool Mode to refill the spa. Is that correct?
2 - Does it take more than a few minutes for the pump to prime after a spa drain?
 
If you feed to the spa all the time, then there should be some water going to the spa when you run the pump in Pool Mode.

The pump should run just fine from the pool. It will not prime if you are in Spa mode and the spa is empty.
 
Your valve actuators must not be aligned correctly. One way to troubleshoot is to remove the actuators and set the valves manually.
 
They are pointing in the correct position for Pool Mode. Filling the spa with some water did the trick to prime. When the pump was put in Pool Mode, after a short time noises started happening and the spa started to fill. THANKS MARTY!

As long as Pool Mode will continue work and filter the water, I'll have time to look into the other issues. I think I have an idea or two, but for now I need some rest :-

Again, thanks everyone for your input!
York
 
For spillway mode to fill the spa, your left cva24 should have the off on the handle pointed right, closing pool return . Your right cva24 should have the off on the handle pointed left, closing spa suction.
You have a makeup line that will always direct some water in pool mode to the spa but how much would be related to how openor closed the blue ball
valve is going to pool return EquipmentPadv1~2.jpg
 
Great. I suspect your Suction valve from the spa is not fully closed when in Pool Mode. That might be something to check going forward.
 
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