Hot Tub air lock question, NF

[chris.brock]

I don't like posting NF questions, but the knowledge on here is too valuable to ignore.

 

My heater died. It wasn't much more money to buy a whole new heater, spa pack and pump. That's what I did. Now I have all new, up to date mechanics in there.

 

I got it all plumbed in and wired up, without electrocuting myself. The plumbing is different than what would come from the factory. I think that's part of the problem.

 

I am getting a flow error message. There was lots of air in the system initially, I got most of it out. I can't get enough out though. I've watched all the Youtube stuff and tried bleeding everything, tried everything else too.

 

I'm hoping somebody has crazy trick to get the air lock out?

 

 

 

[ecmilley]

Try loosening drain on pump a bit. Or undo fitting a bit on pump outletm

always fill mine through filter never an issue.

Suprised the spa pak was cheap. My heater went last year and was $80 spa paknwas 1000.

Does it have a

prime function?

[chris.brock]

A replacement for my obsolete heater was $550!

 

Whole new system was $720.

 

Tried bleeding the pump screw. Filled it through the filter, yes.

 

What's a prime function? Pretty sure it doesn't have this.

[cheaptackle]

I see one heck of a kink in the clear braided flex hose beside the pump motor - sure doesn't seem right to me...

 

Michael

[chris.brock]

I see one heck of a kink in the clear braided flex hose beside the pump motor - sure doesn't seem right to me...

 

Michael

 

The old system had a small circulation pump and a big jet pump.

 

My new system just uses 1 pump. That kinked hose is the way I closed off the old circulation plumbing.

[cheaptackle]

OK - it sure looks outta place but I get it. It's real hard to tell from the picture but it's just because I'm old school in some ways that would have been the first thing (the kink) I would have addressed.

Is there a plug on the pump discharge you can loosen to bleed air? Or another one on the intake to prime it (pour water in while pump is running)? Those are more well pump tactics but who knows?

The only other thought I could offer would be a restriction on the intake of some sort. It seems to me that the pump SHOULD self prime if the tub is full (if piped properly) but again it's a best guess sitting here looking at a picture without diagrams to compare to.

You might want to take/send your picture to where you bought the package and see if you've got it set up right. Good Luck!

 

Michael

[chris.brock]

I appreciate your help Michael. The pump only has a bleed, there's nowhere to add water to prime it.

 

It seems to me that the pump SHOULD self prime if the tub is full (if piped properly)

 

Me too? /\ /\ /\

 

But all that plumbing in the picture is new and done differently than what was coming from the factory. I'm guessing my set up doesn't prime well.

[ecmilley]

something looks off there that one pipe to the pump looping to the spa pak looks like its causing the majority of your problems maybe plumbed backwards?

[chris.brock]

something looks off there that one pipe to the pump looping to the spa pak looks like its causing the majority of your problems maybe plumbed backwards?

 

It's plumbed the right way, the pump pushes water through the heater (it doesn't suck water through)

[G.mech]

I'm kind of surprised it won't self-prime but the pump does discharge out the top and then turn back down to the heater which will make it prone to air lock and very hard to bleed the air out. Try plugging off the jets in the tub and hook your shop vac to one of them, it will likely pull the water up and around the loop allowing the pump to prime (you wanted a crazy idea right??). if that's the problem you may have to add an air vent to the line between the pump and the heater for when you re-fill.

Edited December 5, 2015 by G.mech

[livinisfishin]

Is the flow switch in the right way? Is it making contact ?Is there any dip switch or jumper settings on the spa pack that need to be changed?

Edited December 5, 2015 by livinisfishin

[chris.brock]

I'm kind of surprised it won't self-prime but the pump does discharge out the top and then turn back down to the heater which will make it prone to air lock and very hard to bleed the air out.

 

I'm thinking that loop is causing the trouble too. I bought stuff from the pool shop. I can cut that hose in the loop and add a T junction with one of the junctions having a screw cap so I can release air or even fill the tub from there.

 

If I try that, I have to drain the tub, do the work then fill'er up again, urghhh.

Edited December 5, 2015 by chris.brock

[sofabed]

Is your flow switch a device with a paddle in the pipe which swings in the flow direction to indicate flow? If it is a few air bubbles are not going to cause a flow issue however it may burn your heater out. The pipe could be half full and still trigger the switch to indicate flow. Have you verified it is installed correctly and swings freely. The most switches need to be mounted on top of the pipe to work properly and there should be a flow direction indicated on the flow switch. Also most switches have a form "C" contact in them and have 3 wire connections. Make sure its wired to the common and the normally open contact. I don't have a hot tube so I am not sure how they are installed in the tub lines and I can't see the switch from the picture.

[Andy]

Crack open the union at the top of the pump's wet end where the water leaves the pump to go to the heater. Water should flow out like crazy outof there sooner or later. Once water flows from there free of air, tighten the union and you should be good to go. If water doesn't come out of there, the water is not reaching the pump in the first place. (eg, a gate valve is still closed)

[simonl]

You mentioned that your old set up ran a circ pump....any chance that your new pack is still programmed to look for a circ pump configuration? If it is the call for heat would disable the heater with a flo error as the flow switch senses no pressure or flow....if the pack is configured to recognize your new set up, the call for heat would first power up the large pump, creating pressure or flow, then turn on the heater,

 

Spa packs are fairly generic(balboa and Gecko etc..) but they all need to be configured, either thru dipswitch settings or program keys on the topside controller, to reflect the installed hardware. ie 1pump or 2 pump, single speed or 2 speed pumps etc.

 

If it is configured properly and you are in fact experiencing a simple air lock, the key is finding where it is locked. In your set up as in the pictured I would suspect either in the pump or because of the numerous 90 deg elbows rather than sweeping turns with flexpipe, right in the heater tube. In any event, with the pump running. crack the outlet union until just water is spraying out. If not solved, with the pump running, crack the outlet union on the heater tube looking for the same. Some air locks can be persistant and require several tries or burps before just all of a sudden taking off. Also shut power off between tries to erase the FLO error.

[chris.brock]

The spa pack is super adaptable. I configured all the settings.

 

I drained it and made this to compensate for the 90 degree elbows.

 

 

 

I filled it through the cap on the new plumbing, it primed great and I was sure there was minimal air in there. I still got the FLO error message. I was confident there was plenty of flow so I jumped (by passed) the pressure switch and it's been working fine for about a week. The guy I bought the equipment off of is sending me a new, adjustable pressure switch I will install later.

 

Thanks for all the replies guys.

[Sinker]

Sweet....whens the hot tub party? lol

 

S.