Hot Tub, Spa, Whirlpool Bath Diagnosis & Repair

Troubleshoot & Repair Spas / Hot Tubs & Whirlpool Baths

American Standard Jet Tub 6060 Trips Circuit Breaker & Blows Capacitor

I have an American standard jet tub model 6060, it came with the home I just purchased, as is, it trips the breaker, upon inspection I found the start capacitor was blown out at the bottom, it was around a 30 microfarad

I could only get a 50 the day I looked for it, I replaced it and filled the tub, it worked about three minutes and tripped the breaker, I smelled an electrical smell and heard water dripping in the back under the seat area, I’m not sure if it has blown the capacitor again, if so are there any common problems that cause this? On 2022-04-18 by Ken

by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - failing or seized or shorting motor itself can blow the capacitor and trip the circuit breaker

@Ken,

Yes, a failing or seized or shorting motor itself can blow the capacitor and trip the circuit breaker.

Newly Installed Ariel Whirlpool Tub Trips Circuit Breaker

I purchased a Ariel whirlpool tub last year and hired an electrician to provide 240 volt service to my bathroom. After plugging the unit in I noticed the breaker automatically trips off even before the tub can be powered on. Do you have an idea of what may be causing this issue ? On 2020-05-27 by chris

by (mod) -

Chris

If the circuit breaker for a dedicated whirlpool tub trips before you even turn on the unit, I suspect a wiring error and a short circuit.

Watch out: leave the circuit off to avoid a fire or shock hazard, and ask your electrician to sort out the snafu.

How to diagnose cause of dead touch screen panel on Ariel Whirlpool Tub

My control panel touch screen is not working on my Ariel whirlpool. I can't turn it on. What's wrong? There is power to the circuit board from the gfci. On 2021-03-25 by Mark

by (mod) -

@Mark, the most common cause of a dead or blank display screen is loss of power to the screen. If you have power to the control board of could be that a cable is damaged or cable connection is damaged or loose.

How do I Fix a Jacuzzi Tub that Won't Turn Off?

How to repair in home jacuzzi when it will not turn off? On 2021-03-09 by Joyce

by (mod) -

@Joyce,

First, locate the emergency or service switch so that you can turn off the Jacuzzi immediately - for safety; that may be in the room where the Jacuzzi is located, or inside an access panel giving view of the motor and pump etc., - or if you can't find that switch, turn off the circuit in the electrical panel

Next look at the air-button and tubing that control the on-off switch and replace any damaged, kinked, leaky components
or
you may need to replace a motor control relay

Hot tub turns itself off after 30 minutes

What causes jet tub to stop after approx.30min. of use? On 2017-04-18 by Ike Burant

by (mod) What causes jet tub to stop after approx.30min. of use?

A timer, or perhaps a motor that's overheating.

What Causes & How do I Fix Clogged Jets on my Whirlpool Spa Tub?

Bathroom American whirl pool Saint Croix all jets work except top two of the back any idea of possible cause? On 2022-04-07 by Karen

by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - common reasons and cures for faulty whirlpool jets

@Karen,

The most common causes of trouble when some whirlpool spa tub jet work normally while others are weak or off completely

are

1. Someone has closed the jet control or the individual jet control is broken

2. The jet itself is clogged with hair, sludge, debris. Just how jets can be cleaned, perhaps requiring some dis-assembly, is brand and model dependent.

In addition to manual dis-assembly and cleaning of the clogged jets,some sources suggest filling the tub to several inches above the highest jets, then running the pump for an hour - but I’m doubtful that this will accomplish anything if your jets are totally blocked.

3. A crimped or clogged tubing line between the pump and the jets.

Here are the details for cleaning the two bad jets - from the manufacturer of your American Whirlpool tub:

CLEANING WHIRLPOOL TUB JETS

To REMOVE the jet insert, use the palm of your hand to exert pressure on the face of the jet. Turn counterclockwise until the jet ‘clicks’. Gently pull the jet assembly from the housing.

To REMOVE the smaller adjustable jet insert, wear latex or rubber gloves. Turn counterclockwise until you reach the stopping point. Exert more pressure to turn past the
stopping point and as the jet ‘clicks’ pull the insert toward the center of the spa. Gently pull the jet insert from the housing.

To CLEAN the jet insert and housing, use a pressurized hose and spray the inside of the jet. Soak the jet in a diluted spa cleaning solution, rinse. Wipe the inside of the housing to remove any debris.

To REINSTALL the jet, line up the tab on the backside of the barrel with the groove in the body. Use the palm of your hand to gently tap the jet until it snaps into position.

Source: AMERICAN WHIRLPOOL OWNERS MANUAL [PDF] (2021) MAAX Spas Industries Corp.. Customer Service 25605 South Arizona Avenue Chandler, Arizona 85248 www.maaxspas.com retrieved 2022/04/07 original source: https://americanwhirlpool.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2021-American-Whirlpool-Owners-Manual.pdf

Or see these instructions that IMO have better-illustrated instructions and that may pertain to older models:

AMERICAN WHIRLPOOL OWNERS MANUAL [PDF] (2017) Op. Cit.

Diagnose & fix wet water jet pressure

We have a corner bath with water jets 6in all it is a few years old now and the pressure when we turn the jets on is quite poor it used to be very powerful any ideas please On 2018-06-25 by peter

by (mod) -

The jets themselves can become debris clogged as can the tubing, or the tubing can be kinked or leaky.

If by inspecting inside the tub you see that there are no leaks anywhere I would suspect that the pump impeller is damaged or debris clogged.

How can I clean out Crud that Got Sucked INTO the Jacuzzi Jets during tub cleaning?

Shile cleaning out the jets in jacuzzi oasis tub, a couple of the little white things that sit in the jets got sucked in.....what do i do? On 2018-02-15 by Dan

Followup by Dan

never mind.....used a shop vac and sucked them back out the way they went in....thanks anyway

by (mod) -

Good going, Dan, I'll keep this note here as it may help other readers.

Whirlpool Bath Tub Temperature Won't Get Hot Enough

We have a whirlpool bath tub. I have the water heater set to 120 degrees. The hot water in the sink next to the tub flows at 117 degrees. The tub won't ever get above 95 degrees. ? On 2022-02-28 by Michael

by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - water temperature doesn't match the set temperature in whirlpool bath tub

@Michael,

Look for

- un- insulated hot water pipes in a cold area

- a separate water heater for the spa

- an anti scald valve needing adjustment

Jacuzzi Tub Will Heat Up but Won't Stay Hot

Jazuzzi Z135 unit. Hot tub set at 102, will heat up if I hit button for circulation/jets but temperature keeps dropping on it's own.

I replaced the 96" thermometer line, I assume the heater is working since it will heat.

The board looks clean, no burns or warping. Why would the heat drop? On 2018-05-09 by John W.

by (mod) -

Heat will drop, as you doubtless understand in concept, because heat is being lost out of the water: to the air above, through the tub sides, or through piping passing through cooler air.

But I suspect as well that your heater is not working properly because of a control failure: the problem could be a temperature sensor that's not working properly or that is intermittent in its signal to the heater. Start by making sure that all of the wiring and sensor connections are clean and snug.

Where to find a replacement double water inlet valve for a Spa or Hot Tub

I am searching for an exact or very similar part that matches this! I have found several that look like it could be it, but are for refrigerators and such.

It's commonly called a double water inlet valve or double solenoid. I believe it controls the air flow. It has 4 wires that connect and then plug into the button on the tub. Thank you! On 2021-02-27 by Dorothy

Reply by (mod) - How to find the right hot-cold water inlet solenoid valve for your hot tub

You're showing a dual solenoid water inlet valve used to opeart your hot tub.

I did not find an exact match for your double water inlet valve for your spa tub, so while you might find that as a generic part, typically I'd start by looking for the brand and model of your hot tub so that we can go right to the manufacturer for exactly the right part.

Also look on the valve itself to see if you can spot a part number.

Where to Find a Jacuzzi Repair Technician?

We are looking for an in pool Jacuzzi technician in the San Diego California area who could check our heating unit and help us turn it on again.

It is an older model and hasn’t been turned on for a while. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks! On 2021-08-05 by Jamie

by inspectapedia.com.moderator

@Jamie,

A simple web search for "San Diego California Jacuzzi service company"

finds what we show below.

But depending on the kind of heater your Jacuzzi is using (electric, gas, solar, oil) you might need a heating service technician or an electrician.

Spa / Whirlpool / Jacuzzi Motor Troubleshooting

Cabrillo Tub Motor Won't Turn On

Just installed Cabrllo model 025-0142R/L. Filled with water pushed on/off button to turn on and nothing happened. Did not come on On 2017-12-28 by Marty

by (mod) -

Check that the circuit powering the spa tub is on

Check that electrical power is provided at the inlet connections to the pump relay

Check that wiring is correct, all connections made as per the IO manual, then

Check that the air tube from the ON/OFF button to the electric switch is connected securely at both ends and not kinked

Watch out: if you're not trained in proper and safe electrical work you or someone else could be shocked or killed.

Jacuzzi LE35 Tub Motor Hums but Won't Start

I have a jacuzzi tub model LE35 and when I push the start button I hear the motor hum but the motor doesn't run it just hums
Any help ? On 2017-05-02 by Steve

Reply by (mod): electric motor failure diagnosis

Watch out: if an electric motor hums and won't start, turn it off immediately to avoid further damage or unsafe conditions.

See Table A in ELECTRIC MOTOR DIAGNOSTIC GUIDE for our list of reasons a motor won't start.

Often the problem is a bad electric motor start capacitor. For that repair see CAPACITORS for HARD STARTING MOTORS

Jacuzzi Motor Starts but Won't Stay On

When I push button to start jets in my spatub it won't stay on. I replaced the button but that's not it. Jets and everything else works great. On 2017-11-29 by DEBORAH

by (mod) -

If the motor starts but won't keep running I suspect a seizing motor or perhaps a bad electrical relay switch.

The button is usually an air-switch that in turn operates the on-off relay switch at the motor.

Watch out: DO NOT try working on electrical stuff yourself as you could be shocked or killed.

Can you test a hot tub motor without water in the tub?

Can you test a tub motor without water in the tub? On 2020-03-23 by halmitch

by (mod) - not without some extra steps to avoid damage

Hal

You can remove the motor from the pump assembly and test it on an electrical test bench to confirm that the motor works normally;

that won't test the water pump component or impeller itself - for which water is needed.

Is it ok to run the spa or hot tub motor without water?

Is it ok to run the motor without water On 2020-06-06 by Kris

by (mod) - No

Kris

Thank you for asking a helpful question: is it OK to let the spa or hot tub or whirlpool bath pump run dry?

Answer: No. You should avoid any prolonged running of the spa or hot tub motor for more than a couple of minutes or you risk permanent damage to the pump bearings or impeller assembly or motor.

I don't know your specific spa motor brand and model but at least some pumps will be damaged if run dry for any length of time.

However a spa pump is usually designed so as not to be damaged by temporary dry running such as might occur for example during pump priming or if the pump is air-bound or air-locked, a common problem with spa systems.

Here is an example warning about avoiding damage to the spa pump by dry-running, excerpted from the

2019 Legacy WHIRLPOOL SPA OWNERS MANUAL [PDF] available here, original source: Master Spas 6927 Lincoln Parkway, Fort Wayne, IN 46804 Tel: 800.860.7727 Email: CustomerService@MasterSpas.com retrieved 2020/06/06 original source: legacywhirlpool.com/documents/owner-manuals/2019-legacy-whirlpool-owners-manual.pdf

Watch out: IMPORTANT: A pump should not be allowed to run continuously without priming for more than 2 minutes.

Under NO circumstances should a pump be allowed to run without priming beyond the end of the 4-5 minute priming mode

Doing so may cause damage to the pump and cause the system to energize the heater and go into an overheat condition.

Low Water Message at AquaGlass Jacuzzi, tub won't turn on

I have an older AquaGlass jacuzzi bath tub. There is a low water level message displayed on the touch pad and my tub won't turn on.
I soaked the tub with 4 gallons of vinegar in the tub filled with water but the tub still won't turn on.

Is there anything else that I can do to fix a low water level on the display? I know the parts are discontinued. Can anyone recommend a plumber in
Northern NJ that worked on Aqua Glass that knows how to fix this problem? On 2020-01-21 by Dave

by (mod) - bad water level sensor in the whirlpool tub.

Hi Dave,

Indeed this sounds like a bad water level sensor in the tub.

Remove the access panels to look inside. If you can see the sensor from that interior view, check to see if a simple plastic air tube connects the sensor to a control board or panel or switch. If so check that the tube is not kinked, damaged, or clogged - or just replace it.

If that doesn't fix the problem then either the sensor at the tub or the control to which the sensor tubing connects needs replacement.

Brown crud is coming out of the Jacuzzi Tub Jets

Brown spongie particles emitting from the jets - On 2019-11-24 by Dawn

by (mod) -

Dawn that sounds like biological contamination, perhaps an algae or fungal growth. Your spa piping and jets need to be cleaned and sanitized.

I'd also take a look at the routing of the tubing that conducts water to the jets. On many of the tubs that I've inspected the tubing had bends or loops that would hold water long after the tub was turned off - a not-surprising source of accumulated debris and biological growth.

Sandy Particles Come out of Tub Jets

When we turn on the jets- a gross sandy like and flakey substance shoots out of the jets. Thank you! On 2020-11-20 by Ashley

by (mod) -

Sounds as if your hot tub jet and tubing system need cleaning;

Also do you have hard water? Is your water softener working?

Less likely, but on occasion, I've found small plastic particles from a damaged pump impeller assembly or from a deteriorated plastic dip tube in a water heater that may be sent on to the hot tub