Hot tub shuts down after 4 seconds on.

[JJACARS]

I have a Hot Springs Classic F 2000 model. I wired it up and filled it with water. I turn the power on and everything works for about 5 seconds and then is shuts down completely. No tripped breakers and I still have power on the wires coming into the board. After about 3 or 4 minutes the tub comes back on just to shut back down after 5 seconds.  The only thing that feels hot to the touch is the transformer. No codes. When it comes on, I can run jets, heater, and circulation pum. Again, 5 seconds and it shuts down. Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong without replacing high dollar parts and still have the same problem? Thanks for any help.

[JJACARS]

The control box is an IQ2000. I went by the manual and ran #8 wire to the sub box that came with the tub. Main breaker is 50 ground fault and sub box has 20 ground fault and 30 ground fault. I ran the wires from the 20 and 30 amp breakers to my control box just like the manual showed with the white wire hooked to the load side of breaker. After I filled the tub and made sure filters were good and all air bubbles gone, I turned on the power. My heater came on, no reset was tripped, my circulation pump came on and pushed water great. Everything looked fine, then after 5 seconds, shuts off. Wait few minutes then back on, just to shut down again. When tub shuts down, I still have power going to my control board. Never trips my breakers.
Hopefully someone has been through this and can help me out. I've looked at the IQ2020 boards and they are expensive. I will hate to spend that on a board and it not be the problem. The guy I bought the heater from only cut breakers off and drained it. Never unhooked the wires from the board so I know all them wires are like they were when it was running. I only traced each wire from the board and hooked it to the breakers like the manual said. I know my 30amp is for the blower motor and the 20amp is for the rest. Everything looks fine.
I can't seem to put my finger on what's going on. Only the transformer gets hot on the board before it shuts down is all I can tell. No flashing codes. No tripped breakers. Thanks for any help.

[Tman122]

The control box is an IQ2000. I went by the manual and ran #8 wire to the sub box that came with the tub. Main breaker is 50 ground fault and sub box has 20 ground fault and 30 ground fault. I ran the wires from the 20 and 30 amp breakers to my control box just like the manual showed with the white wire hooked to the load side of breaker. After I filled the tub and made sure filters were good and all air bubbles gone, I turned on the power. My heater came on, no reset was tripped, my circulation pump came on and pushed water great. Everything looked fine, then after 5 seconds, shuts off. Wait few minutes then back on, just to shut down again. When tub shuts down, I still have power going to my control board. Never trips my breakers.
Hopefully someone has been through this and can help me out. I've looked at the IQ2020 boards and they are expensive. I will hate to spend that on a board and it not be the problem. The guy I bought the heater from only cut breakers off and drained it. Never unhooked the wires from the board so I know all them wires are like they were when it was running. I only traced each wire from the board and hooked it to the breakers like the manual said. I know my 30amp is for the blower motor and the 20amp is for the rest. Everything looks fine.
I can't seem to put my finger on what's going on. Only the transformer gets hot on the board before it shuts down is all I can tell. No flashing codes. No tripped breakers. Thanks for any help.

No codes huh? When the circ pump is running and the heater is working for the 5 seconds is there good flow from the jet in the footwell?

[JJACARS]

How great is it supposed to be. I see movement, but not like really great force.

[JJACARS]

Looks like I have a problem that no one can solve. I'm still at a load on this one.

[Tman122]

Well without a code and on that controller I am confused. If it is shutting down and the heater and circ pump are working for the 5 seconds first you have to think low flow or overheat. But those both throw codes.

[JJACARS]

Yeah, with a code it will make things a lot more simple. Guess I'm down to being a parts changer now. Guess I'll start with the thermistors and work my way towards circulation pump. If none of this works, guess I'll have a great big parts washer for the garage. LoL

[JacuzziJack]

Simple thing, but are 'all' the valves open? Is it possible one of the blades inside came off the handle and is still in the 'closed' position even though the handle is 'up'?

I would go and watch all of 'The Spaguy" videos on youtube. He pretty much addresses most and all common problems, including how to fix board-level problems in many cases, which could potentially save you a bundle.

Let us know what it turns out to be.

[JJACARS]

I will check. Thanks!

[Jacuzzi Jim]

  Can you hook the circ pump to direct power, I am assuming it's 220v?    Interesting to see if it runs or just kicks on then shuts off.   With the laing circ if the pump does not have enough flow it will run for about a minute then shut off, after another minute or so it will kick back on and try again.      If it does run the heater should kick on and the spa main pumps should run.   If it does run, but nothing else works something else is going on, but you have eliminated a bad circ pump
 
Just a thought and might be worth a try.   Should be a couple of leads on the terminal block you could run direct too. 

 Just a note..  I am not held responsible should you electrocute yourself and die if you don't kill the power first.   

[JJACARS]

I just wired it up straight.  220v.  It runs nonstop. The bottom of tub, footwell shows where it's pushing bubbles, but I don't know how much force it should have.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 Most circ pumps have their own filter, remove the filter and put your hand on the suction side where the filter was.  It should have enough suction to hold your hand down.  If so the pump sounds fine.   I would check or replace flow switch or pressure switch next.  They are relatively in expensive parts.   If it doesn't work after that, maybe replace the high limit after that probably the board. Really odd there are no error codes. 

  Tman thoughts?

[Tman122]

Most circ pumps have their own filter, remove the filter and put your hand on the suction side where the filter was.  It should have enough suction to hold your hand down.  If so the pump sounds fine.   I would check or replace flow switch or pressure switch next.  They are relatively in expensive parts.   If it doesn't work after that, maybe replace the high limit after that probably the board. Really odd there are no error codes. 

  Tman thoughts?

I mean yea, that's how I would start but again no codes throws me. Maybe hook the circ pump back up as it is supposed to be and start disconnection other stuff one at a time. Start with the main pump, then do Ozone if equipped. Turning it back on each time you disconnect something. I think that tub is supposed to run a purge cycle right after initial fire up. Could be it is trying to run that purge cycle and soon as it tries it shuts down. But you would think a breaker would trip. After that try each sensor because they are cheap.

I want to say board right away but they are expensive so last resort. What happens when you try the main pump as fast as you can after you turn it on?