Pressure Switch BLOG

Other Blog Subject Links:

Filters Heaters Ozonators PC Boards Plumbing Pumps Sensors Topsides

Pressure/Flow Switches

Click for

Ask the Expert

Click Here for Tutor

Click for Part

Question:

Our Answer

All functions on the spa (heater, air, water jets, filters) work when I energize the spa. When I turn it off the FLO message appears (steady, not blinking) after 10 seconds and locks the control board. I then have to turn off the electricity to the spa and reenergize it to heat and use it.

The problem is the pressure switch. You might be able to adjust so lets try.

Turn off main power. Open wood access. Strapped to the bottom of the control box is a steel tube; that's the heater.

On the left backside, screwed into the heater is the pressure switch. It has 2 wires coming out of it.

If it has a gray shell, remove and discard. If it has a piece of tape holding the black adjust wheel, remove and discard.

Turn the wheel one full turn clockwise. If it turns easy, that should do it. If not, hope. Turn and and see if that resolves the problem. If so, you will need to replace soon. The switch is getting bad and not responding quick enough for the pcboard. So you replace.

Ordered pressure switch. Please forward instructions on how to install. thank you

Changing Pressure Switch with Digital Topside.

Turn main power off. Remove wood access. Remove control box cover. You will see the heater tube running along the bottom of the box. Screwed into the middle is the pressure switch. Note the placement of the switch. When installing the new switch you have to end up with the switch in the same area.

You are going to turn the complete heater toward you. To do so, remove both bolts holding the copper straps to the pcboard. Now remove the two nuts holding these straps to the heater posts. WARNING !!! The posts on the heater are very thin and will bend and break. Use a wrench above and below the straps to loosen the nuts. You will see a place for the lower wrench that will steady the post and allow the tension to be on the wrench and not the post. If you have any questions, ask before.

Next you want to turn the heater. To do so, remove the bolt holding the heater that's located behind the heater posts. Loosen the other three bolts. Now loosen the ends of the heaters where they attach to the spa's plumbing. You should now be able turn the heater towards you and make the pressure switch available to unscrew. Unplug the two wires to the pressure switch. Put plumbers putty OR teflon tape on the threads of the new switch. Now place a LOT of paper towels or even a cloth towel over the pcboard to assure no water will squirt onto the board. Take a 1/2" open wrench and unscrew the old switch. Swap old with new and tighten to snug.

FYI: you only want to go one way when tightening. It's better to stop at the place you want to stop then try to go around one more time and not be able to. If you backoff (loosen), then there is a good possibility it will leak.

Attach wires either way and reverse. If you do get water on the pcboard, just let it thoroughly dry before turning on.

Problem:

#1 the control screen was flashing back and forth from the present temp to FLO. There was also no heat. The Heating element and flow switch was replaced. This appeared to fix the problem.

#2 however, after 3 days only FLO was showing (no flashing) and all the controls were inoperable. The pump motor was determined to have a bad winding. Will replacing this motor fix the problem? What motor should I use?

The solid FLO means the pcboard sees a failure with the pressure switch. Usually easy to correct by adjusting the pressure switch.

Turn off main power. On the left backside of the heater, screwed into it is the pressure switch.

If you have a gray shell covering it, remove and discard. If you have a piece of tape or metal clip holding the black adjust wheel, remove and discard.

Turn the wheel one full turn clockwise.

That should do it. If not, turn one more turn or go the opposite way (in case you are turning it the wrong way).

If that solves it and it's a new pressure switch, you are fine. If it's an old one, you will need to replace soon.

If the pump does NOT come on, pull one wire off the pressure switch and power up again. If the pump DOES come on, the heater will not come on unless you plug it in while the pump is running. If you run into this and adjusting doesn't do the trick, you need to replace the pressure switch.

IF unplug one wire and the pump does not come on, then the pump is probably a problem. But that should give you a flashing FLO, not a Solid FLO. Solid FLO either means the pressure switch is troubled or the pcboard itself. It's rarely the latter, likely the former.

have a Jacuzzi spa which I purchased in 1998. I have searched, but located no exact model name. The heater ur/cur model # is C2550-0535, Balboa model#50080,electrical rating 240v/5.5 kw (runs off standard household circuit also), serial #52898-0316; Spa Model #5000,000; another #h136000;another#h136-ccah.
In September 2004 I was experiencing problems with the spa not heating up. I purchased a new pressure switch and control panel from your company and it has worked since then, but did not seem to heat up as hot as it did when new. Now, as of recently it is only heating up luke warm and the light in the control panel is flickering on and off all the time.
I would suspect I need to replace the heater assembly, however, I'm not sure of which one from your parts list is the correct one. Any advise you could provide which may cure the problem; and the appropriate heater assembly part number to order, would be appreciated.

The "H-136" is the key.

OK, first thing to try is easy. Turn off main power and remove and leave the filter out. Turn on main power. When the unit comes on, does the heater light come on steady? If so, leave the filter out and let run for a couple days without. If it works fine now, replace filter.

Second, if not, walk me through what happens. Something like pump comes on but heater still flashes (that can be usually fixed by adjusting the pressure switch. To do so turn the black wheel one full turn counterclockwise and see it that works.)

Or spa heats up and then shuts off and then the heater light starts flashing. Anything like that. When the heater fails it usually just runs and runs with the heater light solid on or it pops the gfci. Since it's doing neither, I'm thinking either the filter will solve the problem or adjusting the switch.

first it would take a day and a half to heat up,then it started to take longer and longer,then it would never get up to temp.So i started checking stuff.The heater element was bad ( burned in two ) so i replaced it and now it does not heat at all.I have 120 to ground on either leg of incoming power.I have 120 to ground on each leg og heater element.Across the incoming i have 240,across the heater I get 0. and i do have 11 olms across the heater element.those are the tests i have done so far any suggestions ?????

Probably your pressures switch but try the filter first. Turn off the power. Remove and leave the filter out for this test. Turn power on. There should be a CLICK and the heater light should come on for about 5 seconds. Then another CLICK and the #1 pump comes on. Then about 5 secs the heater light should come on. Where in that sequence does the spa fail?


Everything That A Jacuzzi Brand Spa Owner Needs to Fix Their Spa