Weird Heating Issue

[Bobman58]

I get 11 ohms across the two poles of the element.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 Un-hook the heater element leads from the circuit board and see if you have 220 there, or really just check it with the leads hooked up.   If 220 at both or 110 @ each one, it's a bad heater. 

[Bobman58]

Watched a YouTube vid. The guy describe what I'm experiencing. Pump on, heat indicator lit but tub is not heating. He says likely the circuit board. Thing I don't get is how can I have 120 volts going to each pole on the element and it still isn't heating up unless the element is bad? I checked though, it's not grounded out, not tripping the breaker and I'm getting 11ohms across the contacts. Just what he said it should be. Thinking about buying the board but they are expensive. Still be in it for less than a service call.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 If the board is sending 220 to the heater, I don't think it's the board.  @ 40 bucks for a heater I'd be trying the heater first.

  Tman?   

[Bobman58]

Good point. Somebody's got a brand new board on eBay right now for $80. Tempting but if I don't need it... What are the chances that it might go out in the future? Meanwhile I'm thinking I may have to buy the element as well.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

   Personally I would replace the heater first and see what's next.   If you replace the board and it still doesn't heat then your doing the heater anyway, up to you at this point..     An 80 dollar circuit board from Ebay who knows where it came from.   Sounds to good to be true.

[Tman122]

If the board is sending 220 to the heater, I don't think it's the board.  @ 40 bucks for a heater I'd be trying the heater first.

  Tman?

Sorry was fishing, yes I say do heater first also. If you have 220 across the heater inputs then you check ohms to get resistance which is measured through the heater. What does the tech manual say for ohms? Then you will know for sure but heater elements are cheaper than a board and depending on the heaters age? I'm sorry what was the brand and age again?

[Bobman58]

It's an old Jacuzzi tub. It's dated 98 on the label inside( I know, surprising anything works after that long). Talked to my son( the elect engineer) this morning, he set me straight on my multimeter use. Says it's basically useless for measuring amps because it has a 10 amp limit but I can test for voltage or continuity. I'm going to focus on the element today and see if I can be fairly sure it went bad before I order one.
Is there a way to Hotwire the element to see if it heats?

[Bobman58]

Ok so I have elect(120v) going in one side of the element and back out the other. The relay on the "out" leg closes but for some reason is not completing the circuit so the element will energize. Looks like something on the board to me. I pulled the board to get a look at the backside and nothing really jumps out at me.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 If you touch them both  on each lead do you get 220?   If so it's a 99.99% chance a bad heater, or replace the board then you can get and realize it's a bad heater element and replace it.  Pretty much done with it at this point..

[Bobman58]

Jim, I appreciate all the help. I really do. I don't have 120 on both contacts to the heater. After removing the nuts and separating the copper tabs from the heater I only have power to one side. I assumed power came in one side, through the element, out the other pole and completed the circuit somewhere else to energize the heating element. Is this not how it works? I'm not an electrician but I thought that's how all circuits worked?

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

The only thing your "test" is showing is that heater has continuity. The PROPER and only way to test is to put the leads, one on each heater terminal and see if you're getting 240v. IF you're getting 240v and it's not heating, you have a bad element. If it's NOT getting 240v (typically it'll read 0), the problem is elsewhere. Could be a bad board, could be any number of other things. Bad pressure/flow switch, dirty filter, or.......................

[Bobman58]

This tub can be wired to run either 110v or 220v. Can I run jumper leads from the power coming in straight to the heater to see if it warms?

[Tman122]

Is it wired for 110 or 220? Cause now we have a different scenerio than Doc just said. If it's wired for 110V then you have to check across the heater terminals for 110 volts. If it has 110v when it is calling for heat the element is bad. If it doesn't have it then the board is bad. 220 same except 220 across the heater terms. Resistance will verify it but no one ever does that cause it will only show the progression of failure in the element and those specs are hard to obtain for that particular heating element.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

Is it wired for 110 or 220? Cause now we have a different scenerio than Doc just said. If it's wired for 110V then you have to check across the heater terminals for 110 volts. If it has 110v when it is calling for heat the element is bad. If it doesn't have it then the board is bad. 220 same except 220 across the heater terms. Resistance will verify it but no one ever does that cause it will only show the progression of failure in the element and those specs are hard to obtain for that particular heating element.

  Plus one.   And he just threw a monkey in the wrench, good catch!   Changing to 220 on a 110 conversion spa only changes the element, 2.5kw to a 5.5kw I believe and ups it to 220?   It's been awhile..