How long to heat up Caspian???

[brenrn]

Hey all!  Our Caspian was delivered on Monday.  Dh got it all hooked up last night and we filled it.  It finished filling around 10pm.  I just went out and checked at 8am and the water is still FREEZING...feels about the same temp as it was last night.  How long should it take before I see a noticible difference in the water temp?  Dh did all the electrical work and wired our entire house as well as our pool but I'm wondering if maybe something's not quite right.

[Chris_H]

The Caspian is a 220V spa.  In 10 hours, you should see a noticeable difference in the temperature.  Is the 24-hour circulation pump on?  That would be my first question, and we troubleshoot from there.

By the way, who is Dh?

[brenrn]

Sorry...Dh is my husband!!!  He is now at work and can't help me troubleshoot.  How do I tell if the 24 hour circulation pump is on?  There are bubbles coming up from the bottom of the tub.

[Chris_H]

In Hotspring Spas, they use a 20-amp and a 30-amp breaker.  The 20-amp is for the heater.  The 30-amp is for the main jet pump and the circulation pump.  Obviously, the 30-amp breaker is working because you have described that ozone is being produced in the system.  
However, I would go check and see if the 20-amp breaker has been tripped.  

[brenrn]

I checked the 20 amp breaker and it doesn't appear to be tripped.

[wmccall]

I checked the 20 amp breaker and it doesn't appear to be tripped.

Sounds like you have waited a long time, someting is up. Does the Caspain not have a digital temp readout?

[caspowner]

My Caspian took less than 10 hours to heat to 100 degrees.  Something is definately wrong with your heater or the way it was wired.

[brenrn]

Sounds like you have waited a long time, someting is up. Does the Caspain not have a digital temp readout?

Right now it just shows the temp we have it set to which is 102 but it doesn't tell us the current temp...I thought  that was odd as well.  
I called the dealer we bought it from and they are going to send someone by ASAP.  Sigh....I thought I'd be soaking by now
Hey is there really only 25 days left until college football starts....my life with my husband ends once the Vols start playing!!!

[Chas]

Go turn off both breakers. Wait 30 seconds. Then turn on just the 20 amp breaker. Go to the spa - you should see the panel going through the start up stuff.

Once that settles, see if your 'power' indicator is on solid or blinking. If it's on solid, then run the jets a bit - ten minutes should be fine. In fact, add chlorine and such while you're waiting.

Then turn on the 30 amp breaker. Close the lid and check it in 4 hours. Should be warm, perhaps not hot.

Let us know -

[brenrn]

Go turn off both breakers. Wait 30 seconds. Then turn on just the 20 amp breaker. Go to the spa - you should see the panel going through the start up stuff.

Once that settles, see if your 'power' indicator is on solid or blinking. If it's on solid, then run the jets a bit - ten minutes should be fine. In fact, add chlorine and such while you're waiting.

Then turn on the 30 amp breaker. Close the lid and check it in 4 hours. Should be warm, perhaps not hot.

Let us know -
Should I turn the jets off before I switch the 30 amp breaker back on?

[wmccall]

Go turn off both breakers. Wait 30 seconds. Then turn on just the 20 amp breaker. Go to the spa - you should see the panel going through the start up stuff.

Once that settles, see if your 'power' indicator is on solid or blinking. If it's on solid, then run the jets a bit - ten minutes should be fine. In fact, add chlorine and such while you're waiting.

Then turn on the 30 amp breaker. Close the lid and check it in 4 hours. Should be warm, perhaps not hot.

Let us know -

Not knowing a thing about Hot Springs operation, what are you achieving with this method?  Just curious.

[UnderTheStars]

QUOTE:  "Not knowing a thing about Hot Springs operation, what are you achieving with this method?  Just curious."

Waiting 30 seconds before turning the breakers back on allows the logic board to disipate any residual charge and reset to the standard start-up settings.  If it thinks that a thermal limiter has been tripped (and you don't wait long enough) the power light may continue to blink when you turn the breaker back on.   (A blinking power light indicates a fault - tripped thermal switch.  There is one to protect the heater, and one to protect the jet pump.)

Turning on the 20 amp first & running jets (before activating the 30 amp/heater breaker) is to purge air from the lines.  If there is an air pocket surrounding the heater element it can cause the thermal limiter switch to trip.

Disclaimer! - This is from a newbie HS owner-in-training who read the manual and I defer to Chas if he comes back on line with more accurate info.  

[brenrn]

Go turn off both breakers. Wait 30 seconds. Then turn on just the 20 amp breaker. Go to the spa - you should see the panel going through the start up stuff.

Once that settles, see if your 'power' indicator is on solid or blinking. If it's on solid, then run the jets a bit - ten minutes should be fine. In fact, add chlorine and such while you're waiting.

Then turn on the 30 amp breaker. Close the lid and check it in 4 hours. Should be warm, perhaps not hot.

Let us know -


No luck    It's still cold and the service person hasn't come  yet.   I called back and they were all out on calls so I doubt we are going to see someone tonight.  I'm so mad....I thought for sure I'd be soaking tonight!  
My husband said it seems as though there is a reset button on the back of the heater but there's no way to really get to it...looks like there's a cover over it?

[Chas]

Yes, there is a reset button on the heater - it is marked "reset" and it may be facing the rear of the compartment. There is a soft rubber cover over it, and you have to push it hard. Since you have already done a 'reboot,' I would say that is what you need to do next.

The details I gave you about starting the 20 amp breaker first and then running the jets for a while before turning on the 30 amp breaker is to help keep you from overheating the heater on initial startup.

When you first fill one of these tubs, they usually prime just fine all by themselves. But every once in a while (usually only when the new owners are cranky, have a party planned the first night or are far far away from the dealer    ) they will have an air bubble in the circ pump system that keeps it from priming/purging. Filling the tub through the filter tube and using the sequence I gave you for the circuit breakers helps in these cases.

The good news is that once this is worked out the first time, you don't generally have any trouble with it down the road.

[lynnette]

We have had our Caspian up and running for almost 2 weeks.  We filled our spa about 6pm on a Saturday night and was in it Sunday morning at 10am the next day.  We have the water set at 98. (A ready light comes on when the water is to the correct temp).  You must have a wiring problem, we had no problems getting the tub to warm up at all.  Hang in there it is worth the wait, you are going to love your Caspian.  Lots of room and great jet power.  I was just in our tub for about 1 1/2 hrs tonight.  Hope you find the problem soon.   Lynnette