External light / power indicator ?

[bachman]

Guessing this has been done if one has a tub and wants to glance out the window insuring the breaker is okay and power to the tub is constant.
Mine has no such feature but I hear the occasional hum of the low speed filtering , heat sampling cycle. I just wouldn't know it very promptly if the breaker tripped or there was another power issue.

Is this just a case of finding a simple source to tap off from under the panel ?

Mine is 240V  but maybe I can tie into something there? I've not had the panel off after dark to see if anything it lit under there. Now I'm wondering if the control panel is backlit all the time or just when the under water light is activated.

2004 Marquis Reward S.A.

Ideas welcome, Thank you !

[gmdodt]

I have constant gfi tripping problems and need to do this. Right now in have a baby cam in the cabinet that streams to a monitor/my phone so I can check without going out there. Still need to remember to check the monitor though. I didn't really wanna mess with any wiring until I figured out the gfi tripping problem though

[bachman]

Yes, in your case that seems very warranted.

I was thinking on remote water temp also.
Lacrosse has a set up for monitor from phone and it's less than $70 but I might be just as happy with a remote display in the house for occasional monitoring.
We don't travel that much or often and the kids walk thru or watch the house and "systems" as requested for us.

Here is the gizmo here :
https://www.walmart.com/ip/La-Crosse-Technology-Alerts-926-251031-HT-Wireless-Monitor-System/134058344?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=1172&adid=22222222227067944038&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=172762960556&wl4=pla-279826025255&wl5=9029025&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8453398&wl11=online&wl12=134058344&wl13=&veh=sem&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqceg7L3k3gIVi4bACh3q2gi_EAQYAyABEgJTWPD_BwE

[swilly1000]

Too much!

After reading your post I casually decided to check the WI-FI app on my phone and saw that the water temp had dropped to 93.  I'm wondering what's going on and then suddenly remembered that I forgot to put the cover back on.  I've been heating the neighbourhood the last 8 hours. That was a first....and hopefully last.

If you hadn't posted that bachman I wouldn't have noticed until tonight's soak and by then it would have been chilly in the tub. So thanks!

That device looks good but I'm thinking about a way to monitor the tub that doesn't involve breaking up a plumbing line.

[bud16415]

I suggested this to gmdodt a few months back when he first reported the intermittent GFCI faults and he was worried with cold weather having to check the tub often. The baby monitor proved the best setup for him as it also tracked what was on just prior to the fault.

If all you want is to know you have power and you have a single GFCI breaker (some tubs like mine have two) all you need to do is tap into one side of the 240v output of the GFCI. All 240v is two 120v legs sharing a common. The two legs are 180 degrees out of phase so you get 240v hot to hot and 120v hot to common. The hot legs are normally red and black and the common white. So red to white or black to white would light a small 120v water tight test light that could be installed in the side of the panel. I’m actually surprised they don’t come setup this way.

My panel actually has room in it for a single 120 breaker as well. When I installed it I thought about adding it for future runs, but I already had GFCI protected 120v outlets to the deck area.

[bachman]

Too much!

After reading your post I casually decided to check the WI-FI app on my phone and saw that the water temp had dropped to 93.  I'm wondering what's going on and then suddenly remembered that I forgot to put the cover back on.  I've been heating the neighbourhood the last 8 hours. That was a first....and hopefully last.

If you hadn't posted that bachman I wouldn't have noticed until tonight's soak and by then it would have been chilly in the tub. So thanks!

That device looks good but I'm thinking about a way to monitor the tub that doesn't involve breaking up a plumbing line.

Jeez, I hardly ever forget things .... lol.
That's a great testimony and example I hadn't though of,  "oops, the cover !!"
Nice you caught that 

[bachman]

Thank you bud , sounds pretty simple and I suspected something along those lines. Certain others have thought and used that idea if the tub isn't lit.
I'll see about adding a tiny lamp that is a convenient glance away at the tub to validate juice.

BTW -
Don't think I ever mentioned one of the hurdles (question at least) here at our place- Seeing if the hot tub would get along with our 100 amp service. I was all but certain we'd run into troubles and have to bump it up but nothing yet to cause a trip. May be a future plan or need though.
We are a house of two so I'm sure that helps.

[bud16415]

Thank you bud , sounds pretty simple and I suspected something along those lines. Certain others have thought and used that idea if the tub isn't lit.
I'll see about adding a tiny lamp that is a convenient glance away at the tub to validate juice.

BTW -
Don't think I ever mentioned one of the hurdles (question at least) here at our place- Seeing if the hot tub would get along with our 100 amp service. I was all but certain we'd run into troubles and have to bump it up but nothing yet to cause a trip. May be a future plan or need though.
We are a house of two so I'm sure that helps.

I don’t think you will ever have a problem. 100 amp is a good amount of power and the tub is on a 50a supply but rarely will ever come close to that. Heating alone is around 20a max I think. My tub has two breakers a 20a and a 30a the 20a just controls the heater. If my heater ever fails the rest of the tub will still work and will go into cold weather survival mode. It displays an alarm and it will continue to slowly pump water thru all the pipes on a timed cycle. In doing that it buys you a week or more in freezing temps to get it fixed.   

[bachman]

100 amp = whole house

Seen plenty of folks updating / upgrading to 150 or 200 when getting a tub but it's not a project or expense I care to push for until or unless needed.
*Great concept having the pumps still good even if the heater trips.

Related; 
My hurried plan to get my tub was not intended but rather taking my time on a landscape concept with future option for a tub and area pre planned. When it came to be a free donation, and shortly afterward, finding out his breaker tripped and the heater went out, I contacted Marquis directly to see what their thoughts were on freezing. With the pumps still operating and the heater unplugged, they felt the risk was zero to minimal unless a many-days deep freeze moved in.
Thankfully, that put the owners mind to some ease so I could get things ready and bide a few more days of time needed.

Admittedly, I was a week or more behind my plan due to a cold or flu bug and it put me working in the 4 or 5 day cycle of cold winds, snow and freezing rains to work the earth, pavers and wall block. Home Depot landscape dept was suspiciously quiet except for my shopping and loading up but I had to keep moving. I felt like a guy looking for his lost winning lottery ticket - time running out ?
Paying for professional tub movers, I didn't want it just anywhere b/c I wasn't ready. I needed the pad to be ready for exact placement.

Now, no real deadlines per se for continuation on landscape appeal.  Getting fat and lazy so maybe it's time I'm fitted for a Santa Suit. 

Happy / Safe winter, Thanks Giving and holiday season to all.

~ bach