Hello,

I need your help identfying a part. I put 3 photos below. In the second photo I point to a gray piece that has a flow sticker. I have to replace that part, what is it?

In photo #3 is the schematic showing the same part.

Can anyone help?

Thx, B

Looks like the air check valve I have between my blower and the spa to keep water from flooding my blower. Like this one:

http://spababes.com/glossary.html

almost at the bottom of this page.

Thanks for your help. I did some research and confirmed that the piece in my photo is a check valve.

I need someone's help::

Please look at my second photo and help me understand what I have to replace based on the following... My flex pipe has a split that goes the full length from point A to B.

That said, I have to replace the pipe and elbow (B). But since the elbow is butted up against the check valve, I think I have to replace that too. Is there a way to replace the elbow without having to replace the valve?

To make matters worse, the valve is butted up against a coupling (shown with air line) and then butted up against another check valve from the other direction (not shown)!

Check valves seem to sell for near $20. That means if I have to replace both of those I'd be spending over $40 for 2 valves.

Any thoughts on how best to approach this repair would be appreciated.

Perhaps there's a coupling that's large enough to go around my 1.5" elbow with a reducer to fit existing pvc. That way I wouldn't have to replace the check valves?

Can anyone help?

You can try to cut the elbow flush with the check valve and then use a 1.5" PVC ram bit to extract the material out of the check valve. Then just prime and glue new fittings into place.

However, from my experience I would really inspect the check valve carefully to make sure that it is not also cracked. I have fixed hundreds of these and it would amaze me if that check valve is not cracked.

Hopefully you got lucky!

Thank you Dan.

I checked the price of PVC ram bits and see they are about as much as a check valve. Therefore, I think I'll just get a replacement valve. The crack on the PVC only goes as far as the elbow - to the point on the far side of the valve.

In any case, I suppose I'll drop $50+ on the parts (2 valves, elbows, couplings, etc).

Thanks again!

After a month of digging and repairing I finally fixed the 3rd leak. I don't think there's anymore but I still have to run my pumps today to put some pressure on the joints.

I want to post some pictures too the next time this bad boy is up on its side to show all the holes I dug. My neighbor sais I should have just dug out all the foam and replaced it with new pipe. Jerk!

I also found what I think are some good options for troubleshooting leaks without having to refill the tub each time. With the tub up on its side you can plug all the jets using cork plugs. I got a bag of 6 from Hobby Lobby for $2. There are various sizes. Then, take your hose and select one jet to fill.

My hose has a straight sprayer that when set in the jet hole suprisingly had a good seal. With the hose on the water fills all the pipes in that network allowing you to more easily find the leak.

This option was great because its easier than trying to find 4 friends each time you want to set the tub down for leak testing. This test probably won't check for everything but it is helpful.

As for finding leaks uusing dye, I had some success despite posts here that it doesn't work. I went to the local supermarket and bought 4 bottles of black food coloring. That worked great but a better option is UNSWEETENED packets of Kool-Aid. Just get 10 or so packets and pour them in. I recommend black cheery. I also tried this stuff a plumber friend gave me called plumber's trace or something similar (I tossed the empty). It is a dark ink that turns flourescent yellow when it hits water - looks like antifreeze. See example of puddle forming in photo below.

Another tip... When you're removing the harder foam that surrounds a pipe you need to repair, get most of it off. Then clear a path around the pipe (where you cut out the bad section). Lastly, take a 2 or 3 inch strip of corse sandpaper (60 grit) and slip it around the back of the pipe and then basically pull back and forth with both hands - kinda like you would be shining shoes (in an inverse kind of way).

Lastly - I need your help.

1) I have to determine if my heater is bad. How can I do that?

2) If it is bad, I heard from a local spa dealer that there's a better kind than the one I have but it is a retrofit model and is complicated to install. Do you know of this?

My heater is a Watkins No-Fault 5500 cartridge heater and is shown in the image below between the two red arrows.

Thank you!
Brian


In the mean time,

If you have a multi-meter you can check the end of the heater cord for resistance between the two round prongs. If the circuit tests 'open' then the heater is cooked.

The new heater is not too difficult to retro-fit. You would need to replumb most of the 3/4" lines from the circulation pump to the heater, and from the heater back to the fitting near the wall of the motor compartment. There is a kit that you can buy from your local dealer when you get the heater.

Sounds like you're almost out of the woods!

Thank you.

The resistance across the round heater terminals is low and therefore the heater appears to be good.

I see that the heater has two thermocouples, one at each end. The resistance on those is infinite. If I remember correctly the reisitance on those will only change as temperature changes and is not measureable in a live circuit. Roght?

I did notice a flow sensor which is also at infinite resistance. Any thoughts on that?

I ASSume that if the flow sensor is bad then the heater won't heat.

Any troubleshooting tips?

Thank you!