How Long Do Spa Pumps Last?
On average, standard spa pumps last between 5 and 10 years. However, if taken care of correctly, a spa pump’s lifespan can easily be extended.
Therefore, it is crucial for one to take proper care of one’s spa through regular maintenance routines.
For example, keeping a proper mineral balance will allow for cleaning agents to work more efficiently taking less work off a spa’s filters and pumps. Similarly, it is important to keep one’s spa as free from dirt and debris as possible as these articles can cause blockages which force the pump to work harder.
Overall, listening to a pump to ensure it is running smoothly and keeping water as clean as possible while performing a proper and frequent maintenance routine is a good way to extend the lifespan of a hot tub’s pump.
Why is my Spa Pump not Working?
The most common reason for a spa pump to quit working is simply that it has died. However, there are several other reasons why a spa pump may suddenly stop working. Luckily, they are all fairly easy to troubleshoot.
- First, if the pump is not doing anything nor making any sort of noise and appears to be dead, owners should check that the control panel is not displaying an error code.
- From there, it is important to check that the power is on and all valves are in the correct positions. Ensure that there are no kinks in the pump and pull out the cartridge filter to see if the flow improves and the pump begins working once more.
- Next, if the pump is making noise, it is likely that air has gotten into the line. This most commonly occurs when a spa has recently been drained and is an easy fix. In this case, owners should simply open the spa’s lock nut until hissing is heard. Then, tighten it once again when water begins to leak out.
- Bad bearings can also cause a pump to quit working. When bearings rust they begin to grind creating loud noises. Depending on the problem area, replacing the bearings, motor, or entire circulation pump may need to be replaced.
Why is my Hot Tub Pump Surging?
The reason why your hot tub may start surging is a low water level or a dirty filter. Make sure you have enough water and that your filter is clean.
If you need to know more about how to handle your dirty filters you can go and read this article that specifically talks about filter care.
How do I Reset my Hot Tub Pump?
To reset a hot tub pump, one should locate the ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) and simply press the reset button. If this does not work to restore the spa pump’s functioning, troubleshooting can easily be done by cutting the power to the GFCI breaker off and waiting for 30 seconds before turning it back on.
If after this step, the pump is not working, there may be a serious problem present and proper inspection should be given to the spa pump and hot tub.
How do I Reset my Hot Tub Control Panel?
A hot tub control panel can easily be reset by turning it off, waiting between 10 and 20 seconds, and switching it on once again. If the control panel is not working after doing this, the connections should be checked to ensure that everything is plugged in correctly.
Additionally, owners should ensure that no water has gotten into it which can cause malfunctions. If these steps do not work, the entire control panel may need to be replaced.
How do I Know if my Spa Pump is Bad?
Humming, whining, groaning noises, signs of leaks, and a complete lack of action from a pump are all indicators that a spa pump may be faulty.
Spa pumps contain a wet-end that moves water and a dry-end which contains an electric motor that drives the wet-end. When a malfunction occurs it could be from either or both ends.
Depending on the severity of the issue and the age of the pump, individual parts may be replaced. However, it is often easier and more cost-efficient to simply replace the spa’s entire pump.
How do you Bleed Air from a Spa Pump?
Air can be bled from a spa pump in 4 easy steps:
- First, owners should manually turn off the ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).
- Next, a flat head screwdriver should be used to turn the bleed valve counter-clockwise. This pump will be located as the base of the spa’s pump.
- Then, the valve should be kept open until water drips from the pump.
- Finally, the bleed valve should be turned clockwise in order to tighten it once again.
It is important to note that the feed valve should never be over-tightened as placing too much force on the valve may break the screw.
How do you Get Rid of an Airlock in a Water Pump?
In order to get rid of an airlock, one should first bleed the hot tub’s pump. Additionally, hot tubs automatically use priming modes when their ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) are turned on in order to get rid of any air that may be present.
Therefore, if owners suspect an airlock, pumps should be run and often need to be run twice.
If the pump still is not running correctly, the GFCI should be shut off, and users should check that slice valves are locked correctly, diverter valves are centered, jets are in an open position, and filters are clean. Then, pumps should be run once more.
If the spa pump is still not working after the third attempt, the spa’s manufacturer should be contacted.
Do I have to Drain the Hot Tub to Replace the Pump?
Hot tubs that use pumps containing valves on either side of the pump do not need to be drained before being replaced. It is important to check that the valves are tightly closed to prevent all of the hot tub’s water from running out when the pump is replaced.
However, owners should be aware that a significant amount of water will drain from the tub when replacing the pump, and towels or a shop-vac should be at the ready.
To make the task easy, it is often convenient to change a pump at the same time the hot tub’s water is being replaced
