Sundance Altamar Circulation Pump

[fil bagwadia]

I have a 2001 Sundance Altamar 850 series and there is no 240 V power to the circulation pump. I checked at the circuit board's black and white motor supply terminals. I am assuming that without the circulation pump, the flow switch will not operate and I get FLOW (sometimes FLOW 2) error. The circulation pump is not very old. Any help will be appreciated.

[Conine2965]

When I get a flow error either my filter is real dirty or my circulation pump is clogged up. On mined you take the hose off at intake and clean it out.

[Tman122]

I have a 2001 Sundance Altamar 850 series and there is no 240 V power to the circulation pump. I checked at the circuit board's black and white motor supply terminals. I am assuming that without the circulation pump, the flow switch will not operate and I get FLOW (sometimes FLOW 2) error. The circulation pump is not very old. Any help will be appreciated.

So there is no power at the circuit board terminals?

[fil bagwadia]

Thank you both, Conine and Tman. Correct, there is no power at the terminals where the Black and White wires go from the Circulation pump.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

Thank you both, Conine and Tman. Correct, there is no power at the terminals where the Black and White wires go from the Circulation pump.

Have you confirmed you have 220v coming into the board via the main lines?   If so, confirm the spa is calling for heat turn temp to 104 and confirm it's not in some kind of economy mode, then the board should be sending 220 to the circ pump.   If not, than it is most likely a bad board, if the topside is not lit up/main pumps not running there is a chance it's a blown fuse.   To confirm the circ pump is good, shut the spa off and hook the 2 leads from the circ pump to the two two 110v legs of the terminal block, there are little spade connecters you can use. turn breaker back on.  If it runs the heat should come on because the system thinks it's good to go.  Hopefully that makes sense?   There is a couple other things that may be at fault, but doubtful.

  Tman thoughts? 

[Tman122]

Thank you both, Conine and Tman. Correct, there is no power at the terminals where the Black and White wires go from the Circulation pump.

Have you confirmed you have 220v coming into the board via the main lines?   If so, confirm the spa is calling for heat turn temp to 104 and confirm it's not in some kind of economy mode, then the board should be sending 220 to the circ pump.   If not, than it is most likely a bad board, if the topside is not lit up/main pumps not running there is a chance it's a blown fuse.   To confirm the circ pump is good, shut the spa off and hook the 2 leads from the circ pump to the two two 110v legs of the terminal block, there are little spade connecters you can use. turn breaker back on.  If it runs the heat should come on because the system thinks it's good to go.  Hopefully that makes sense?   There is a couple other things that may be at fault, but doubtful.

  Tman thoughts?

Yea,  your on the right track Jim. Verify proper input power to the board first. If that is proper it's likely in the board. I would bench test the circ pump. Not that that won't work just seem's safer to bench test. But if no power is leaving the board. And it is programmed properly............ That thing is supposed to run 24/7 calling for heat or not. Another reason to bench test is to confirm no blockages. Spin it by hand.

Has the pump always run 24/7?

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 Can't really spin it as it's magnetic, it just flops around in there.   And yes they were designed to run 24/7 but with the LCD topside that spa has you can change it.     Also anytime you kill the power, then turn it back on a Jacuzzi or Sundance circ pump will not run for 24 hours unless it is calling for heat or in a filter cycle.   

[fil bagwadia]

There is no doubt that there is 220 V to the board. As mentioned in  my post, I do show FLOW error. As a result there is nothing that I can program the hot tub to do, such as increase the temp etc.
I have always had the Filter cycle to STANDARD and the Circ pump, though quiet, runs 24/7. Tested the circ pump on bench and runs great, I do have 220 V in my garage.
Also removed the filters and put a garden hose at high water pressure to help the flow sensor.

Nothing helps. One question, if the Circ pump is intended or designed to run 24/7 why is it not directly connected to 220V?

[Jacuzzi Jim]

  I don't see where you said you had 220v at the board, but doesn't matter at this point.    I would say you probably have a bad board.    The reason they don't connect it to direct power is for safety reasons, when you hit power to your spa it goes though an internal check list, once this is done and everything says it's ok to run it sends power to the heater.   I know, stupid. But it is what it is.

  Now if you take it and hook the circ pump to direct power on the terminals in the spa, like I mentioned everything should come on.   I would then check and see if it is sending power to where the circ pump should be hooked up.  If not, then it's a bad board.    You can also confirm the control settings as well as the flow error should be gone.

[fil bagwadia]

Thank you Jim. When I mentioned in my post that I have FLOW error, I assumed that the error indicator will come on ONLY when there is power to the board.
 I will try connecting the pump as you suggest and will let you know. Thank you again.

So, is it unsafe by any means if one connects the Circ pump directly to mains all the time?

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 
   Sure for a short time say a day or so it is fine.   And the only reason I "harped" sorry if you took it that way,  I talk to and see many people,  even licensed electricians that say they have 220 at the board only to find they only had 110.  The topside will look live with flo, but the 220v components won't work.  Thus the circ pump or main pumps are not running.  It is right up there with the 40+ year electrician that hooks up the neutral line wrong and says it's the spa's fault.. 

[Tman122]

Thank you Jim. When I mentioned in my post that I have FLOW error, I assumed that the error indicator will come on ONLY when there is power to the board.
 I will try connecting the pump as you suggest and will let you know. Thank you again.

So, is it unsafe by any means if one connects the Circ pump directly to mains all the time?

It's not necessarily unsafe to hook it up direct but you loose all of the programming functions Jim had mentioned.

So no blockage on the pump. 220v power going into the board on the main. The next check would be topside control. But this is not easily done without several extra topsides just for this purpose. If that's not it then board.

Did you say the topside is not functioning at all?

[Jacuzzi Jim]

Thank you Jim. When I mentioned in my post that I have FLOW error, I assumed that the error indicator will come on ONLY when there is power to the board.
 I will try connecting the pump as you suggest and will let you know. Thank you again.

So, is it unsafe by any means if one connects the Circ pump directly to mains all the time?

It's not necessarily unsafe to hook it up direct but you loose all of the programming functions Jim had mentioned.

So no blockage on the pump. 220v power going into the board on the main. The next check would be topside control. But this is not easily done without several extra topsides just for this purpose. If that's not it then board.

Did you say the topside is not functioning at all?

  He said it is displaying flo, when it does that nothing will work btn wise. 

[fil bagwadia]

Doing a search on past Forum questions and replies I came across the following post:

clover
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Re: Sundance Altamar with FLO error, but circ pump and flow switch both good
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2014, 07:31:12 PM »
Quote
Drewski, you have a bad flow switch.  You can confirm this very easily by removing the sensor loom from the circuit board and plug it back in and it will resume normal operation.

Sure enough, as soon as I plugged the sensor loom (top middle of the board) back, the hot tub and the Circ pump came alive. Guessing that one or more sensor needed a reset, though I am not sure what caused the problem in the first place.

I need to thank Clover and all those who tried to assist. Thanks guys.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 Sorry we tried to "assist" you fil bagwadia best we could.
 
   Note to others here looking for advice on how to fix your spa. Nothing is a given.  Though we know more than most that come here trying to figure out how their spa works or what the problem might be.  The results may vary on how to solve any particular problem at any time, be it ever so simple. 

 Glad you are up and running.