Posted this on another forum but thought that this one was more appropriate...sorry if I over-posted...
Just replaced the watkins silentflo5000 with the new E5 pump...it runs for about a minute then shuts off...I can cut the power and it will start again but then stops...I thought this pump runs continuously...Tiger River Bengal model...Thanks in advance for any help...Jym

spa is 110v

it starts and stops until it establishes a water flow. let it work to establish the water flow.

Thanks for your reply...it's been on for 24 hours now but still hasn't started running...are there any tricks to get it going???? Thanks again, jym

Also, the water temp has dropped so I guess the heater isn't working without the circ. pump...Thanks...

The heater isnt going to work with the circ pump not circulating that is correct. One thing I was told by our local reps here:
Find your filter that is the one that the circ pump draws its water from. Remove the filter. Take a garden hose, making sure there is no air in the garden hose (let it run for a half a minute or so), and stick it down in that standpipe and hopefully you have enough pressure to knock that air lock out of there.
That E5 pump is self priming so it will try and start up on its own every so often. If there is air in the line though, there is no way for it to start up. Its kind of a safety issue with the pump so it doesnt keep runnign without water in it and overheat.
I actually had to send one of those E5 pumps back to the mfgr. It ran for two days then just quit. I thought it was something i maybe did, but when i installed the new one and it ran for a week or so, it was obviusly just a bad pump. Now once mine quit running it just quit, it wouldnt even start back up like your does. That leads me to believe its just an air lock. I had this happen once to my new (new) E5 circ pump. I think i was just adding water and when i stuck the hose in, I didnt make sure it that only water was coming out. I ppushed a bunch of air into the line and my circ pump stopped briefly. When only water was coming out of the hose, and into the line the circ pump started right back up.
If that doesnt work, make sure you dont have the thing in summer mode, if that is even on that tub. My father in laws hot tub kept shutting off on him and he couldnt figure out why. I took one look at his display and was like, well you have your tub in summer mode thats why. When the thermostat would call for heat it would kick the heater on, but without the circ pump running it would just trip the heater and give him the flashing light on the panel. So check that out, if its not the air lock.
Thats about all the "quick and easy" ideas i have. Hope one works.

Thanks for the reply John...by the way one of my favorite musicians in also John McLaughlin...are you him????
Anyway, I took apart the old watkins circ. pump and cleaned and lubricated it and it works fine now...do you think the new pumps are as powerful as old silentflo 5000???? Could there be an obstruction in the line from the pump to the floor drain??? It just doesn't seem like it's putting out as much air bubbles as it did in the past...I was thinking that maybe the new pump is not as powerful therefore it cannot blow past anything in the line...What would you do to clear any obstructions???? Many Thanks, Jym

P.S. The Mahavishnu Orchestra was unbelievable...

No, sorry I am not the musician John McLaughlin, that would be sweet though.

OK so its not the filters or an air lock I am probably out of my league. I would test the filter to make sure its not restricting flow. I would test that the pump is getting the correct voltage and amperage. I am not sure about how to go about getting an obstruction out of a line. I cant see that happening but i guess anything is possible. It could be just a bad circ pump too. I returned the first one i got, becuase after two days of working, it just decided to quit. I sent it back paid for another one, and the new one was fine. I did get my money back from the first one through a warranty claim so that was nice.
How old is the hot tub? There could be an extreme amount of gunk built up in the heater or the lines that are restricting flow out as well. Not sure if there is a cleanerr product out there for this particular instance or not.
I have taken both the old and new pumps apart. I firmly believe the new ones are quite a bit better then the old ones. The new E5 pumps blades are curved to give a turbo type effect to the water as it comes through. Its able to push the water through so much more efficiently because of this. I am not sure if the motors are really any different, power wise. I know the new one draws less amps, but i dont think that means its any less powerful. Could the less bubbles be from the ozonator acting up?
Hopefully Dan or the Hot tub boy will step in and take over for me here because i am beyond my novice level. Sorry if I waisted to much of your time.

John, you didn't waste any of my time and I thank you for your suggestions...I discovered the ozonator had a leak at the output hose which broke off when I touched it...got it fixed luckily...now the bubles seem normal...What is the white fibrous stuff inside the ozoneator line??? Is this the dreaded nitric acid they warn about???? I cleaned it all out before I glued the nipple back on...Anyway, all is back to normal for now out here...Many thanks again for your time and if you ever decide to pick up the guitar let me know...Jym

Well I am glad you got everything going, again! Thats always great news.
I am not sure about the white fibrous stuff in the line. I have yet to hear about that or read anything about it anyway. Doesnt sound good for sure though.
Hey if I do decide to pick up the guitar (other then for Guitar Hero!) I will definetly, let you know.
Have a good one!