Step by step diagnostics if your Mr. Steam or other steam generator won't turn on.
This article series describes in detail how to install, maintain, or troubleshoot residential steam bath generators.
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Thanks to several readers who asked about and discussed how to troubleshoot loss of electrical power at a residential steambath generator. Here we describe the basic troubleshooting procedure if your Mr. Steam or similar steambath generator simply won't turn-on.
2021/04/30 Lisa said:
How do I get Mr steam back on if unplugged?
@Lisa,
Thank you for a helpful Mr. Steam generator troubleshooting question about power.
How to get power back on at a Mr. Steam steam generator:
I’ve turned power on and off and un-plugged and re-plugged a steam generator enough times that I figure the unit ought to go on when it is connected and electrical power is “on”. So here are some basic troubleshooting steps:
Watch out: if your investigation shows that the problem was a tripped circuit breaker, and if the breaker trips off again, leave the unit OFF and get help from an electrician, as the system is telling you that something is damaged and the unit is not safe to operate.
Try these troubleshooting steps, also post a photo of your steam generator and its control lights and I may be able to comment further.
Let me know how this works for you and we’ll take it from there.
More steam generator diagnostics, including the Mr. Steam electrical checks shown just below, are given in your Mr. Steam generator manual or in the company’s separate troubleshooting guide.
If you don’t have those documents you will find links to them as free PDF downloads along with company contact information in this article series.
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If you don't have the
Also see
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Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.
On 2021-01-18 by (mod) - If the iSteam (touch screen control) START button is not turning the steam unit on
Mr. Steam offers a large collection of troubleshooting guides at https://www.mrsteam.com/virtual-tech/ where we find this advice that confirms my suggestion to check further for a problem with the controller cable:
When NO lights come on advice in this Mr. Steam troubleshooting illustration is offered
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Product: Residential Generators
If the iSteam (touch screen control) START button is not turning the steam unit on, an incorrect control cable may be the problem.
1. Go to settings and click “DISPLAY”
2. Bring your brightness down to 10 percent and press SAVE.
3. Go back to the home screen and press the START button.
If the steam unit has turned on this could indicate an issue with the control cable. A simple fix to this solution is to install
the retrofit cables. (PN 104128).
4. Turn the power OFF to the steam unit at the main
breaker.
5. Unplug the control cable at the steam generator side and attach one of the adaptor pieces to the
cable.
6. Plug the cable with the adaptor back into the unit.
7. Remove the control from the wall.
8. Unplug the cable from the control and attach the other adaptor piece to the end of the cable.
9. Plug cable with adaptor into the control.
10. Turn power back on at main breaker.
11. Test your control to ensure it turns on at the START button.
12. Reinstall your control on the wall. Make sure to use silicone when installing controller.
If you don't already have it, here is the iSteam3 CONTROLLER INSTALLATION MANUAL [PDF] https://inspectapedia.com/plumbing/iSteam3-Controller-Installation-Manual.pdf
but you may note that there are no troubleshooting or diagnostic guides in that document.
@Arnie001
the next step for you is to check the control cable between the Mr. Steam unit and the control panel mounted in the steam room.
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Or contact the company at
hello@mrsteam.com 43-20 34th Street, Long island City NY 11101 800 767 8326 fax: 718 472 3256
www.mrsteam.com 9410 S. La Cienega Blvd., Inglewood CA 90301 800 727 8326 fax: 310 216 2944
On 2021-01-18 by Arnie001
Thank you for the quick response. I have checked both ends a few times.
When you unplug the iSteam3 the board seems to restart. Lights go off and come back on about 30 sec later.
On 2021-01-18 - by (mod) -
@Arnie001
It's possible that the connector at the control panel or the other end of the cable at the circuit board is not properly connected so that's probably the first thing to check.
On 2021-01-18 by Arnie001
Hello I have a Mr Steam iSteam3 that does not display anything (completely blank). I test the unit with the test button and everything seems to work fine. What could I try?
On 2019-11-19 - by (mod) - green water-indicator light won't come on until ...
Robert
The green light won't come on until the steam generator thinks that it's full of water and the water is either hot or ready to be heated;
The lights normally come on in this order (they will not come on all at the same moment)
this may vary by model)
Green LED = power is on
Yellow LED = water level is ok
Red LED = contactor relay is on (heating)
There is not an internal circuit breaker but there are internal relays and switches.
If the unit has power, check that it's got water. Try opening the flush valve.
On 2019-11-19 by robertwgrossjr
My unit has power but the green indicator light do not light up or will the unit turn on
Does the unit it have it’s own internal circuit beaker ?
Thanks
On 2019-11-01 by (mod) - Inspect & test the steam generator control switch before replacing it
Hi Terry
In my experience the probability of a control failure would be in this order
1. an electrical wire connection at the switch or at the steam unit control circuit board
2. a failure in the control itself, perhaps from leaks or corrosion
3. damaged control wire between switch and steam generator
It's almost certain that Mr. Steam can sell you a new control switch; you might need to run new wiring too or change connectors on the old wiring. But before going to that expense you could try
1. Check the control wire connections at the control board in the steam generator
2. Carefully, with POWER OFF to the system, remove the switch and disassembling it to see if there is obvious damage to the switch or its connectors.
A replacement control switch such as the Mr Steam 104232RD-PC shown here retails for about $90. U.S. but before ordering a switch check with the manufacturer to be sure it is compatible with your steam generator model.
On 2019-11-01 by terry
i have a Mr. Steam unit it is approximately 14 years old. it has a bubble pressure switch in side the shower that turns on and off the steam unit ,
recently it would the steam on turn but when pressed to turn off it would not work and i had to go the beaker box and kill the breaker to turn off the steam unit , after a few weeks when the bubble switch is pressed it wont turn on and the breaker is ok
what could be malfunctioning ? the switch ?
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