we have wanted a spa for so very long and since we simply could not afford a brand new model off the floor, we opted to purchase a used model.

We just purchased a used hot tub. It is a Catalina Mariah. It is a 1992 model.

We went to go look at it prior to purchasing it. The tub was up and running. The water was hot and all was working fine. The guy showed me the door where the control panel is along with the timers and such. He showed me the red light indicating the heater.
We paid for it and went back 2 days later (giving the present owner time to drain and disconnect the spa).
We loaded it up with no problems and transported it on a flat trailer to our home.
We unloaded it. Again with no problems. We set it up on a flat level surface. Power was connected and the tub was filled. (it's 220)
The valves were opened so the air could escape as it was stated on the paperwork.
It was turned on.

No red light.
Pumps work fine. Jets work. Plenty of water movement.
No light.
We have waited and the temp does not seem to be getting any warmer. It's been 12 hrs and the temp is only 5 degrees warmer than when first filled.

We are not sure if the absence of the light means that the heater is not working. Or if the light is just burned out. Since the water does not get warm, it's not working. Don't know if it is bad and needs replaced (oh my goodness, that would stink) or if something is not connected properly after the move. (where do we look)

What are we doing wrong if anything?

The system inside is a Acura Spa Systems Inc.
There are two timer dial thingies. One says it is FILTER. One says that it is HEATER.
There are "pins" all the way around them.
We don' t know if they are supposed to be up or down. We don't know if they are supposed to match each other.

We did get some paperwork with the spa. However, it does not give us our answers anywhere. It does not say how or what to do with the dials. It does not tell us whether there is supposed to be pumps or jets or something on all the time or not.
We are very confused. We have never had a spa before and are not sure as to how to work it or what to do with it.
I have looked on the internet searching for information on this particular model and pak.

I have had no luck.

So now I am turning to you.

Please help! We don't know what we're doing!


I will be sitting by waiting for your reply. I definitely won't be relaxing in the "hot" tub unless of course it magically starts working correctly during the middle of the night.

Your advice on how we maintain the spa as far as when for it to run and how long, how to work the timers etc if GREATLY appreciated.

Please help!

Desperate in SEKS.

Welcome to the elite group of spa owners! Your questions are good ones, especially for beginners, such as yourself. I will address your immediate issue here as best as I can.

In order for most spas to heat, the jets must be in the off mode. The timer (one of the dials with all the pins) will tell the heater when to turn on (in summer mode) or the thermostat will tell the heater to turn on (in winter mode). The basic difference is summer mode only heats during the filter cycle to save money.

Now, if you had the spa on while it was filling, and by on, I mean power applied, you may have kicked out the high temp limit on the heater. This is a safety feature to help prevent burning out your element in the case of inadequate water flow. If the spa was on and you were filling, most likely there was an air pocket in the heater assembly. Look for a red button sticking out of a hole near the heater assembly (found in the door where the control panel is located). If you find one, push it in and it might click. If it clicks, check your heat indicator and see if you are now heating.

We filled it first and then hooked the power to it. We opened the valves as it said in the papers to let air out. THen we turned on the system. I see the reset button and it is in but the light still does not come on. The system has been on now for nearly 24 hrs. The thermometer is showing 90 degrees now but I don't know if that is just because of the cover being on. I have the gentle pump running as I was told that it has to circulate in order to heat. So, the gentle pump is going. Still don't know if the heater is heating though.

I am so frusterated. DH is frusterated and thinks that I just threw away the money that I spent on the spa and says it is just now a tub full of cold water.

Grrr.

I have heard of other people with a similar problem find that their filter is restricted causing inadequate flow to turn on the heater. I haven't experianced this, but it might be worth trying by removing the filter from the spa and run it that way to see if the light turns on. When you have just the "gentle" pump on (I assume you have a small circulation pump), do you feel water flow out of one or two small jets, not associated with the main jets?

Just for kicks, you might want to call the guy you got it from, perhaps one of the timers is defective and he just manually turned it to get the spa to heat, and during the move, perhaps it could have been jostled so now it doesn't call for heat. Maybe he can tell you if there is a defective component and how he got around it. Might be a good opportunity to ask him as well what the history is (any lightning damage, replaced parts, etc.)

I had mine hooked up this past friday and i'm not sure if this helps but it took almost 30 hours for my spa to heat up to 100 degrees. At first I thought something was wrong because it was taking so long but if you think about it, thats ALOT of water that it has to heat up. Now it seems to be maintaining a constant temp.

calspa2000,

llco87's spa is 240V and that should raise the temperature about 8 to 12 degrees an hour give or take depending on insulation amount, water capacity, etc.

On a 120V spa, you will see about 2-4 degrees an hour.

If yours took 30 hours to reach 100 degrees, then you have a big heat loss problem. It should have only taken between 10 and 20 hours for 120V, and between 3 1/2 to 5 hours for 240v (assuming groundwater temperature is 60 degrees)

My 450 gallon 240V Sundance will be ready from 56 degree water in 5 hours, at 102 degrees.

mine is a 220... The person that sold it to me was the original owner and he said it took the same amount of time for him as well and he has had it since new.

We tried removing the filter and running it that way. No change.
We have replaced the breaker thinking that was it. No change. He thought it was okay as the light was on and then it blew a breaker.
So,

No change.

What in the world is left to do? !!

We have had it for 3 days now and still have not got to use it!! It has water in it and we circulate the pumps. But no HOT tub.

What can we do?
Please, someone help me!

Seems the best thing to do is look for a spa tech in your neighorhood, explain it over the phone, and request a price quote to fix it.