BACKGROUND: Baja Sportub 1054, made in 1997, 220 VAC, control system is Brett Aqualine BL-45 (although it has Baja stamped on the front panel). Spaside control on top. Heater is a Flo-Thru with a 4300W element.

PROBLEM: GFCI tripped while I was out of state. My wife told me the spa was dead and it would not restart (why do these things happen when I'm gone?)

STATUS: I did not find this website until after I tore into the control pack, but I was able to narrow down the problem as being the heating element. With the element connected, the GFCI will not reset...stays tripped. But, with the element disconnected, the GFCI resets, the pump starts, everything looks normal (except, obviously, no heat). I went ahead and ordered a replacement element from the SpaDepot website and am waiting for its arrival. Good price $32.90...just hope it fits and works.

One thing still bothering me though. Normally, when the power is cut off to the spa, it restarts with a low temperature setpoint. The temperature of the water in the spa (~95+F) is well above the low setpoint (40F), so why is the controller calling for more heat? Perhaps my temperature sensor is off? Can an offset in a sensor be adjusted, or do I just need to replace this? I'll check voltage across the thermistor tonight also and see if/how far off it is.

Thanks for confirming my diagnosis last week. It took a full 7 days but I got my new heater element from SpaDepot. Connected it last night and everything is working properly. I was not able to measure any difference in Ohms across the "bad" element vs the "good" element. But, I did see a chip in the coating and one of the terminals definitely looked scorched.

One remaining question is regarding the gaskets (i.e. "O" rings) that came with the new element. I felt a little uneasy installing these because there is not much surface area to seat them, but it was the only thing I had. So far so good. The old gasket style were new to me. They appeared to be a hard thermoplastic mold around each terminal "flange"
covered with a flexible plastic top. The design definitely prevent anything from attacking the weld between the "flange" and the element.