Basic Hot Tub Troubleshooting

Technical

Most common start up issues:

GFCI Breaker trips immediately when turned on:

This is one of the most common errors electricians make when connecting power to a hot tub.

Wiring a GFCI breaker is different than a regular breaker.  A GFCI breaker has 3 load positions.  Line 1, LIne 2 and NEUTRAL.  It is unusual to connect a neutral wire to a breaker but there is a specific position for it on a GFCI breaker.The curley white pigtail connected to a GFCI breaker, goes to the Neutral bus bar.  But the LOAD neutral, the white wire to the hot tub, goes into a specific position on the breaker itself.

If the Load neutral is connected to the neutral bus bar which is the "ordinary" place one would put a load neutral,  the GFCI will trip immediately upon energizing!

Solution:

Move load neutral from neutral bus bar to the neutral position on the GFCI breaker. Curley pigtail stays on Neutral Bus Bar

Pump Runs But Is Not Pumping

Problem is air lock in pump.

Solution:

Turn power off! Loosen the suction pump union (the connection on the very front of the pump)  This is a compression fitting utilizing an o-ring.  Shake the fitting a bit after loosening to unseal the oring from the plumbing.  IF the problem is an air lock, you will hear air hissing out of the connection.  Once it starts leaking, let it go for a second or two then tighten the union fitting back up (HAND TIGHT ONLY)  And try again.

Jets surge when pump comes on

There is not enough water in the hot tub.  Fill to fill line, at least halfway above the skimmer bottom opening.

Jets with pump on high speed don't seem to have enough force

Soulution:

Adjust air control knobs on the side of the hot tub.  Hydrotherapy is a mixture of air and water.  The water pulls the air into the jets by venturi action. If the air controls are closed, the jets cannot draw air.  Once the air controls are opened, you will notice a great improvement in the force of water exiting the hot tub jets.

Only sections of the hot tub are working

You will probably find that you have "diverter" valves located on the top of the hot tub.  These valves allow the user to concentrate force in one area, another area or all areas controlled by that particular diverter.  Experiment with the positions for the results you desire.

Hot Tub Leaking

Observer the equipment area when filling to watch for leaks.  Knowing at what point of the fill the water leak is noticeable will be an important clue.  Check the obvious first.  Any union type fittings can be tightened but only hand tight.  Each pump has two, the heater has two.  Some hot tubs are equipped with drain valves, make sure it's not just an open drain valve.