Something leaking from hot tub cover??

[DLerch]

Opened hot tub for the spring. Went to lift cover, and it had obviously retained water, a lot of water. So sat it out in sun to dry to clean out tub. Even though I empty it for winter, there is still a little water that gets in that needs scooped out etc.

When cleaning it, getting the water out of the bottom, there was a bit of gelatinous material in the water...nothing too concerning, but strange nonetheless.

Got it cleaned out, filled, and turned on, and put the now dried out cover back on. Checked it 24hrs in, and it was at about 92 degrees. Which was close to the set temp of 96. When I went to check it again the next day, the water was warm, but the tub had kicked off. Which isn’t really a big deal, as hot tubs are temperamental machines anyway. So I went to hit the breaker...it trips immediately. Hit breaker again, trips immediately. Now we have problems.

I go back out and take the cover off tub to start assessing the situation. What I find is concerning. There is a film on the water surface, and what look like jellyfish like globs of the aforementioned gelatinous material throughout the tub. I mean it’s bad. Nothing like I’ve ever seen in the 12yrs of owning hot tubs.

So I started to think about what I could be looking at? I figured it was some sort of material used in the cover itself, that is now leaking into my tub. My thoughts being that the water soaked cover I found when I went to open the tub, was at one time a frozen solid cover during freezing temps over the winter. Hence the freeze, breaking down/destroying whatever is in a hot tub cover, and now said material was leaking out, and into my hot tub. Leaving me with a gelatinous disaster. I included a few pics...

Not only all this, my belief is that what ever this material is, it is has now gotten into the inner workings...ie filtration/heating systems of the tub. Which in turn is constantly tripping the breaker.

I guess my question(s) are; has anyone dealt with this, and does anyone know what is the material is that’s leaking from my cover into my tub??

I have a call into my “tub” guy...but, needless to say...being the time of year it is..it’ll be a little while before I see him...

Anyone??

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

Let’s call our tub guy @RDspaguy

I think that cover needs to be replaced and the water dumped and refilled.

Usually GFCI trips are caused by heater rot or a motor leaking.

 

[RDspaguy]

The cover is styrofoam, plastic, and vinyl, and did not cause this. It is most likely bacterial growth and biofilm resulting from the water in the tub itself, and maybe in the cover as well.
Use ahhsome. If your cover is holding water it needs to be replaced.
This stuff will not cause the breaker to trip. A tripping breaker can be the breaker itself, improper wiring, improper set-up (dipswitches), leaks on electrical components, faulty equipment, or heater corrosion.

 

[DLerch]

Well, I’ve been a hot tub owner for 12+yrs...so I’m quite aware of the usual reasons a breaker trips etc

I realize what I’m describing is outside the norm, hence the reason I’m here. I’ve replaced heaters etc...and the water itself was just put into the hot tub. And it’s the same water we drink/bathe in. And there were NO chemicals put into tub yet, so the “bacterial growth and biofilm” had no time to grow to what was seen in the tub. Besides the fact it’s a translucent material, and obviously any form of “bio” growth would have a color to it...most likely green etc..

As for the heater...think for a moment what I’m describing, a gelatinous almost jellyfish type material. It’s not hard to imagine if a hot tub was running while a bunch of jellyfish were floating in it, that there would be a resulting breaker trip as the jellyfish clogged things up...

I was here to see if anyone ever dealt with a tub cover that was water logged, that froze/thawed, froze/thawed etc multiple times over the winter, and the resulting breakdown of a tub cover’s materials.

And I have my answer, no one here has dealt with it, but I can see the “gel” leak out into the tub when I lift the cover to look at the water inside the tub....so I’m not “imagining” this scenario...

 

[RDspaguy]

Well, I’ve been a hot tub owner for 12+yrs...so I’m quite aware of the usual reasons a breaker trips etc

Just trying to steer you in the right direction.

realize what I’m describing is outside the norm,

Not really. It's quite common when starting up a spa after it has had water setting in it.

the “bacterial growth and biofilm” had no time to grow to what was seen in the tub

It had however long the water was in the bottom, and the pipes. The water you added has nothing to do with it.

Besides the fact it’s a translucent material, and obviously any form of “bio” growth would have a color to it...most likely green etc..

You sound very sure for someone so wrong.

As for the heater...think for a moment what I’m describing, a gelatinous almost jellyfish type material. It’s not hard to imagine if a hot tub was running while a bunch of jellyfish were floating in it, that there would be a resulting breaker trip as the jellyfish clogged things up.

I guess you've solved it then. Jellyfish make breakers trip. I'll be sure to include that in my next training course.
I

was here to see if anyone ever dealt with a tub cover that was water logged, that froze/thawed, froze/thawed etc multiple times over the winter, and the resulting breakdown of a tub cover’s materials.

You found someone. You just don't like what I had to say. Styrofoam. Vinyl. Plastic.

And I have my answer, no one here has dealt with it, but I can see the “gel” leak out into the tub when I lift the cover to look at the water inside the tub....so I’m not “imagining” this scenario...

Bacterial growth in stagnant water inside the cover. Try google if you don't believe me. After all, Ixve only been fixing them for a living for 26 years, so what do I know?
Best of luck!