Hello all. I have a couple of questions and a problem maybe someone can help me with. I got an older Vita Spa two years ago for a song because the guy let it freeze up. Did all the plumbing repairs and its been working great but I have no manuels or wiring info on it at all. My problem is the temp is getting to hot. I have always left the low circulation pump on and the temp stayed fairly regular untill I put a new cover on, The other one was shot and falling apart. Is the insulation of this new cover causing this? Also I was told by a spa dealer not to run it all the time and let the timer turn it on and off at intervals and that would help with the overheating. This seem to work but now when the timer cuts it on it trips the high limit switch but this only happens when the timer controls it. Is this a faulty high limit switch? Also I noticed a set screw that appears to adjust something in the switch, what is its function? What does the pressure switch do and how do you adjust it? Is the spa dealer correct in letting the timer control the spa? It would seem to me it would save on the electric bill not running all the time. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Donnie

The timer will help save on power and prevent overheating. Generally you will run your circulation pump intermittantly (timer) in the summer, and full time (always on) in the winter to prevent freezing. The pressure switch only prevents the heater from turning on when the circulation pump is not running. I would almost suspect that you aren't getting enough water flow through your heater, so when your timer shuts off, your water is already hotter than it should be (in the heating chamber, due to low flow) so when the flow stops all together your heater "heatsoaks" and thus heats the already hot water even hotter in the heat chamber. Since you replumbed the spa, be sure you don't have excessive runs of pipe to and from the circulation pump, from the pump to heater, and from heater to tub. Also make sure you don't have any sharp direction changes, or at least as little as possible (90's). All this will limit the flow. Also be sure to use the largest line possible, no less than 3/4", 1" being typical on the larger size of the equation. If nothing else, you can install a time delay relay so your circulation pump stays on for a minute or so after the timer shuts off to flush the heat chamber.

Charger1 Thanks for the info. I replumbed the spa exactly like it came from the manufacter. The spa worked fine for almost two years, this appears to be something new. I will double check things but the flow seems good. Would the problem you descibed cause my high limit switch to trip when the timer controls it? Also do you know what the adjustment on the high limit does? I think it may be bad becuase the adjustment hasn,t been touched and it only trips on auto. I,m thinking it can,t handle the load when the timer cuts everything on at once. Thanks Donnie

The problem I described could be the cause of a low flow situation when the timer shuts off the circulation pump. The setscrew adjustment on the over temperature limit switch only sets the temperature at which the overlimit occurs. If you pull the sensor out and put it in a pot of warming water and slowly heat it, and monitoring the temperature with a standard thermometer, you can determine if it's tripping early or if it needs adjustment. It should trip out around 125 degrees. It doesn't have anything to do with how much load is on the system.