Hot tub sensor swap

As I mentioned on the May Long weekend post I had to change the sensors on the hot tub.  I wanted to break this post out just so that people can find it in the future for those that are interested. I have a Polar Spa hot tub that is over 6 years old.  The name plate is wore a little and the model and dates are no longer present.  It is controlled by a Balboa M-series controller.

On the Friday of the May long weekend I opened up the hot tub to see a sensor error (code Sn).  This means that there is an error between the Sensor A (the inflow sensor) and Sensor B (the outflow sensor).  I called my hot tub guy up to find out what I could do about this.  Kyle over at J&J Service Tech in Calgary is a fantastic guy and answers my questions whenever I have them.  Kyle told me to shut the power off for 30mins to see if it would reset.  After the alotted time was over I turned the power back on and I got a Sensor B error (code Sb).  This code states that there is a malfunction with that sensor.  With another quick chat with Kyle and I found out that he did not have any sensors left as it is a busy time of year for getting hot tubs operational.  He suggested a few places that I try that I might find them.  He told me the part that I was looking for was the M7 Sensor.

Armed with my knowledge I set out to find the sensors.  After a quick google search and some waiting for stock checks I found some.  I figured if I was going to change one I might as well change both.  I drained the hot tub to below the heating tube.  You do not need to completely drain the hot tub, just make sure the water line is below where you are working.  I pulled the cover off of the controller and traced the lines from the sensors to their connection points on the board.  The circuit diagram is printed on the inside of the controller cover, and I always double check what I am working on is what the diagram says it is. 

Here are where the two sensors are located at.

Change the sensors was easy, just unthread and unplug them .  Then thread in the new one and plug it in the correct spot on the board.  I tucked the wires out of the way and put the cover back on.  I refilled it and turned the power back on.  It takes a minute for it to initialize then it indicated that it was operating correctly.

If you have any comments or questions please share below. You can also follow me on twitter at https://twitter.com/@bjshideler

D is for DIY

D is for DIY

I lived in the northern England for a little while, and while I was there I had a roommate from southern England.  I had grown up on a farm, so I had no idea what DIY was, we just fixed it ourselves, rather than pay too many people to do it.  But when something was not quite right and I suggested that we just fix it, he got all excited that we were going to be doing some DIY.  He hadn’t done much DIY in his life and it was something that he always wanted to do. 

Sometimes I like to fix things myself especially mechanical devices because I get to see how they work and how they were put together.  As I completed my engineering degree I also see more of the engineering that was put into it like the motion and energy transfer and movements.

For determining whether or not I should fix something myself it usually comes down to one of two options.  Do I have the time to do it myself or do I have the money to get someone else to do it?  Part of the time calculation includes how much experience I have with it or how complicated the repair is, also do I have the tools to do the job efficiently. 

For example, if I something on the internals of my engine of my vehicle stopped working, then would likely get someone else to fix it as I have very little experience in successful engine repairs, in fact I the opposite.  I have tried to fix something on a quad I had in high school, but ended up having to take it to the repair centre because I messed something up.  On the other hand I had an alternator failure on my car and I was confident to be able to change that because it was just unbolting and unplugging it.

I feel fairly confident in most of my abilities on home based repairs, like stuff with wood, electrical and plumbing.  Due to my working in commercial construction I am concerned with making sure things meet code, so I will consult with contractors at work to make sure that I am doing things correctly.

Here is a quick note on tools.  Make sure that you have the correct ones.  My wife gets upset whenever I have a new project to take on that I want to buy a new tool.  Well, for me if the new tool will make it so that I can complete the job quicker and safer, then I am all for it.  I will admit sometimes the tool is for a status symbol, but that is not typically the only reason for the purchase. 

If the costs for you to do the job based on a virtual discounted rate compared to having a professional to do the job, and you have the desire to learn how to do the work by doing it yourself, then by all means embark on the exciting journey of DIY.  If you don't know how to do something google it and find a forum and watch plenty of YouTube videos.

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