Help! Something broke *Update-Circ pump

[Constance]

When I reset the breaker to the spa- it has power for a few seconds and then trips the breaker.  I had the electricion come out today and everything is OK with the power to the tub.
BUT-- when I called my dealer--he wants a $125 service fee to come look at it to assess the problem.  The spa is a Sweetwater and ONLY one year old!!!  Is that a usual fee on a tub with a full warrantee???
He told me I could trouble shoot it myself and instructed me on how to pull the wires from the circuit board to find out which of the components is failed.  He can then send me the part to fix it myself.  I just questioned if this is standard???
He said the ozonator or circ pump are the usual things to go out.  The ozonator he said is not under warrantee and would be $300+ to replace.  Are there certain ozonators that someone recommends over another?

I'm just so thankful that it's not freezing outside and that I'd be risking the spa freezing up until I can get this resolved!!  I guess then I'd be just stuck with the $125 fee without question.  
Thanks for any input!!  
Connie

[Ehizzle]

This situation sounds rediculous.  How far away is the dealer? I don't believe your ozone going out would cause it to trip. I don't know about Sundance but heaters are the first thing I think of when it's the breaker tripping. Main thing is do you live real far away from your dealer or what cause that is horrible service if not.

[Wisoki]

Constance, 125 is quite a bit, but there are no rules as to how much a dealer can charge for a service call. If that's what their market bears, that's what you pay. That said, ozonators certainly are a cause for gfci trip. If you are so inclined, get into the panel and disconnect the ozon from the board. Turn the spa back on. If the circuit holds, then you know it is the ozone. The spa will work fine and you can assess weather or not you want a new ozone later. I seriously doubt you will notice a dramatic increase in chlorine use. If the breaker does not hold, then remove the heater leads from the circuit board and turn the spa on again. Again, if the curcuit holds, it's the heater and you will need to get the dealer out for service. If not move on through each component until you find the culprit. Good luck with this. Sorry to hear you dealer charges so much for trip/service fees, but is entirely within their right to charge what ever they feel are reasonable fees.

When I reset the breaker to the spa- it has power for a few seconds and then trips the breaker.  I had the electricion come out today and everything is OK with the power to the tub.
BUT-- when I called my dealer--he wants a $125 service fee to come look at it to assess the problem.  The spa is a Sweetwater and ONLY one year old!!!  Is that a usual fee on a tub with a full warrantee???
He told me I could trouble shoot it myself and instructed me on how to pull the wires from the circuit board to find out which of the components is failed.  He can then send me the part to fix it myself.  I just questioned if this is standard???
He said the ozonator or circ pump are the usual things to go out.  The ozonator he said is not under warrantee and would be $300+ to replace.  Are there certain ozonators that someone recommends over another?

I'm just so thankful that it's not freezing outside and that I'd be risking the spa freezing up until I can get this resolved!!  I guess then I'd be just stuck with the $125 fee without question.  
Thanks for any input!!  
Connie

[Spatech_tuo]

BUT-- when I called my dealer--he wants a $125 service fee to come look at it to assess the problem.  The spa is a Sweetwater and ONLY one year old!!!  Is that a usual fee on a tub with a full warrantee???Thanks for any input!!  

Connie

Will you be charged that fee if they find the problem to be a warranteed item? If it is not a warranteed item is that charge cover labor for a certain time or is it a trip charge just to come out (or some combination)? I know some have a trip fee regardless of the item being under warranty or not but $125?

As far as what's tripping the spa, the ozone is definitely a prime suspect along with the heater and then maybe a pump? You could disconnect one at a time and find out if you knew how (not too difficult).

[Ehizzle]

Do you guys find ozonators to do this often?  I dont hear about it much here. I suppose any of the electrical components could cause this but I wasnt aware it was very frequent with ozone.

[Wisoki]

I'd say it's as common as any other component on a spa that might go bad.

Do you guys find ozonators to do this often?  I dont hear about it much here. I suppose any of the electrical components could cause this but I wasnt aware it was very frequent with ozone.

[Constance]

The dealer is about 1 hr 15 min away and the $125 fee is a flat rate eventhough it maybe warrantee work.  I was very, very suprised to fine that there is a service fee on warrantee work.  I know  on other products like refrigerators ans stoves there is no fee and the tub costs MUCH MORE than those products.  Sundance is suppose to be one of the main quality spa manufactures, so I had expected that quality service went along with it.  I don't want to say anything bad yet about Sundance--perhaps it's just my dealer not being satisfied with what Sundance pays him to do warrantee service work, so he has his own little rules.
I tried to pull the connectors for the ozonator, but was unable to get them off.  My husband is going to try when he gets home from work.  I didn't want to break anything.  The salesman didn't think it was the heater since they are made of titanium and aren't usually a problem.
The salesman didn't act either like I necessarily needed to replace the ozonator if that was the problem.  REALLY?? I don't know a whole lot about them.  We don't have a heavy use of the tub.  Do they make much of a difference?  
Connie

[Ehizzle]

Typically the manufacturer covers the cost of the service tech and the parts it takes to fix it.  Not the costs to get there. So if they are driving an hour and a half with the current gas prices its gunna cost them some money to get there. This is pretty standard with any dealership. I thought they were close, I should have asked. With our company we give a break on our trip charge if you can wait untill there are others by you that we are servicing. You might want to ask about that. :-/

[Spatech_tuo]

The dealer is about 1 hr 15 min away and the $125 fee is a flat rate eventhough it maybe warrantee work.  

It seems like trip charges are becoming more common place (especially with gas $$) and quite frankly, a 1 hr & 15 mintue drive is certainly a longer distance than usual. For this reason, you'll often see people advice that this be discussed and put in writing at the time of the sale.

[spahappy]

Connie did I understand you right? Your tub is only one year old and the ozone is out of warranty

I thought Sundance had two years on the ozone.

I'm sure a Sundance dealer here will clarify this.

[mjb]

The ozone generator has a one year parts only
warranty.

[Brookenstein]

My parents have a Sweetwater and the heater went out in the first year.  They live about an hour out from the dealer.  My understanding, is that they had to pay a $45 service fee, but that was because they came out and the guys refused to work on the spa because the wiring wasn't to code (parents replaced a 20 yr old spa, kept old wiring).  I think they only had to pay for 1 of the 2 trips out there, but not both.  Once the wiring was upgraded, they replaced the heater and haven't had any problems since.

I'm not sure if the breaker was tripping or not when theirs went out I can call tonight and ask when they get home from work.

[jsimo7]

Is that the same with all makes of spa only 1 year??

[Constance]

I purchased the tub in mid Aug 2004.  

Connie

[Constance]

My husband just got home and we found that it was the circ pump!!  I'm glad it wasn't the ozonator since that wasn't covered under the warrantee.

???How hard is it to replace the circ pump.  The dealer was going to send me out one instead of coming up.  Will I have to drain the tub or can I somehow replace it without draining it.  I just changed the water last month?
Connie