I’ve watched several vids on air lock relief, and you’re the first one to point out the three purge plugs on the face of the wet end, and their function. Very helpful video! Thanks!!!
I bought a house that came with a hot tub. Thanks to your straight to the point instructions. I cleared the airlock in 10 minutes using the air release plug.
We just got a new dual pump system and only have the pumps were working. After watching Allister show how to clear the airlock everything is working great! Thank you for making this excellent video!
This guy knows his stuff. I had a perfect install but no flow. I looked stupid. The Spa Man came through with the solution to my situation! Thanks Spa Man.
Excellent instructions. I don't own a hot tub but work on anything mechanical , so great, clearly explained videos like this save me a lot of time. Thank You.
Thank you!!!! This is the best video I have seen on clearing an airlock!!! Most of the time they are down inside the hot tub and I can't tell exactly what they are doing. Thanks so much for showing us EXACTLY what to look for an turn!
Pump air into the tube (per YT video) did not work. Released the air from the attachment tube. Did not work Opened the valve at the top of the motor. Voila!!! It worked!! Thanks for saving me $$ 🍾
Couldnt get to the bleed valves based on locations on both pumps, but unscrewing the unions on both worked perfectly. Just slowly unscrewed until the air stopped bleeding and water started coming out and bam back up and running in 2 mins.. thanks for the video 🙏
We drained, cleaned and refilled the swim spa yesterday. It holds 1200 gallons of water. After it was almost full I turned on circuit breaker and left it alone for 11 min so it could do its diagnostics. This was at about 3:30 yesterday -Saturday . Then I increased the temperature and left it to warm up. For an hour. It will not go above 80 degrees. I got a LF message which means low flow but water level is fine. Manual says heating capacity of spa will not reset automatically you may press any button to reset. So I pressed several buttons waited another hour and it still was not heating. The manual says make sure the pumps have been primed. How do I do that? At 7 pm last night it was still not heating and I still got the low flow message. The filter was new a month ago. Water level is fine. I just checked this am and it’s still giving a LF message at 7:25 am Sunday. 😑 The jets are working so do I have an air lock?
Thanks a lot! My lady was furious when we came back from a 6 weeks trip to her widowed father in France only to discover that our old but beloved jacuzzi refuses to work properly... Being a bit hysterical (Poor me!) she decided that she was going to turn it into a flower pot! Thanks to your TH-cam, she's giving me 48 hours to fix it or else... 🥶🥶🥶
@@jordoncottenie5785 Yes, thanks! The pump was dead, passed on, was no more, has ceased to be, expired & gone see its maker** Luckily our old model was still sold & the replacement wasn't above my minimal skills 😃😃😃 **From Monty Python Dead Parrot th-cam.com/video/vZw35VUBdzo/w-d-xo.html
Tried this on my Hydropool 775 hottub there was a bleed nipple below and level with the input, got a little air out but not fixed, i am going to try loosing the output nut and if that does not work i will plunge the filter base.
I’d been spending days trying to work this out... After this 3mins and 5mins back at the swim spa all was sorted out. Hope everyone is keep safe and well.
l have a Rimini spa bad or hotub , that is about 8 years old. I am in Sweden, We noticed a while ago that it did not seem to have full power, when pushed on full power, the flow was weak, everywhere. We also said to ourselves, that we think that we had 2 power settings, you pushed it in and got like 50% bubbles and then pushed it in again for full bubbles. But we only seemed to have one setting now full and off only. I know the pump is 2 speed, says on it. So I took the pump out and took it apart, noticed that the impellor was half missing, all broken, So I thought great was impellor, ordered a new impellor and seals, just the same, pushed the jet button on, which again only full mode, hardly any flow. could not believe that this was not the problem. And then after testing it for a good few times, the jet button refused to go on to full bubbles, I am thinking that this is some safety cut-off switch inbuilt. I thought for a while that possibly the pump smelled like it was burning just a little. I have taken out all the jets, emptied the water, blasted a hose through all of them, thinking that if 50% of the impellor is disintegrated, then bits must be stuck somewhere. Some small bits have come out. very small though. I am wondering if I need to buy a new pump, Just hope it's not the motherboard or control panel. Because the pump has not 2 speeds working, or something is definitely not right. What's your opinion. Is there something else I need to check? I am cracking up, not finding the problem, Could it be the capacitor? I am hoping a new pump will solve the issue. Appreciate your opinion thanks. By the way ,done the air bleeding made no difference.
We have a thermospa Manhattan and we have 1 set of jets that aren’t working and it’s not heating… my husband has drained it and refilled and purged air still not heating and same jets not working, and a red light turns on in panel (was blue when turned on)
Question, I'm stumped. 2012 Sundance Peyton. Got it used. Worked fine for awhile then after awhile I pump one(circulation pump) quit coming on automatically. Had to hit the button to turn it on to keep the tub warm. Worked like that for a while but now it won't turn on at all. Just hear the relay click. The heater light comes on and you can heater water flowing from through the heater but then it'll shut off and go to watchdog mode. Any ideas? Not throwing any codes...
Sundance tubs usually have a really small circulation motor that pulls water through the filters and then over the heater... It Pushes alllll the water through a tiny little ozone return fitting and back to the tub.... Your filters may be to old (not just dirty but old) so lots of oil in them... Try taking out your filter, resetting your breaker. There could be a piece of junk stuck in that ozone return fitting... That's a bit trickier to tackle The small circulation pump could be on its way out... The little magnet drive pump you have can start to spin off center when the bearings get old. So they may run for a bit then stop. Lastly, your large motor that is controlled with the main digital display that controls the jets.. if it's making a clicking noise when you try to run it, that means a fuse is blown on the circuit board. If the large pump runs sometimes but not other times... Means it's running to hot and turning itself off Fuses can blow for lots of reasons but it will need replaced... The reason you might get the tub to work a bit when running the large motor is there is usually a small tube connected to the circulation pump... It's designed to push water into the large pump to stop it from freezing but water can flow the other way as well. Hope this helps. Good luck!!! Happy hot tubbing
I really wish we could separate the wet and from the motor so I don't even have to drain the water to replace the motor. That was a serious lack of planning. Or, do the two separate? I couldn't get mine separated.
The wet end of your motor doesn't perform that function (keeping water in the hot tub) because it's an integral part of your pump. The Wetend does come off, but the impeller inside is threaded onto the motor shaft so the motor can turn it and move water through your wetend. You can't remove it without taking 1st the faceplate off, then un-threading the impeller, and then unbolting the wetend from the back of the motor. To keep water in the tub, you need Valves on either end of your equipment. These are the PVC components required to service a hot tub without draining. Gate Valves, Knife Valves, Ball valves....but some hot tubs don't come with them by design to keep costs down.
@@TheHotTubShop Thanks for the response. I saw a subsequent video of someone disassembling the wet end and having to disconnect it from the motor main body. It occurs to me that they could simply have the motor shaft insert into the wet end separately permitting us to replace the motor without disassembling the wet end pump section. Anyhow, thanks again : D
This describes my issue perfectly. I have done these things and filled tub from filter compartment. One jet and waterfall not working and no heat. Do I need a new pump?
I was able to do the second method and hear some air release, but the pump still isn’t working. I hear a click, and then it hums/buzzes for a bit, but then nothing happens. Could it be electrical?
I think this could be updated. First, I can't access my pump easily because we have a deck around it. Secondly, my hot tub has a bleeder valve in the tub itself, and another valve on the filter compartment. My problem is that easing either of these does not help.
Well, this is just a general information video. I'd say the majority of hot tub owners have their pumps accessible. And eventually, you'll need to plan for that when the pump needs to be repaired/replaced. Those bleeder valves don't always work, and get clogged or choked up for whatever reason. So you'll have to figure out how to access your pump sooner rather than later.
It's possible to plunge push water into the hole where the filter connects. This can push the air out of the system. I used a submersible pump to force water through but a toilet plunger might work.
Slowly but surely I have plodded my way thru this project. I am having the same issue as I originally had a month ago when I started. The FLO error code. I have done everything suggested in the manual and online. Put a hose in where the filter is, replaced the flow meter, purged the pump of air with the bleed valve on the front, had circ motor rebuilt and installed a new filter. It just randomly stops and the FLO message appears. It might shut down for 10 mins or an hour and then restart. Any ideas? Pump cover seems hotter than it should be. 2005 Sundance Maxxus.
All my jets work, but there is a new humming noise when the high speed jets kick on, and it's losing heat between uses. Think this could be a solution?
have a Jacuzzii J-lx 400. flw1 error came up out of no where. had it for years and I just did a water change 2 months ago without a problem. 2 days ago I notice a fl1 error were it switches from the error fl1 to it temp. heat will not work also. I ordered a flow switch and to it appart and noticed no flow threw it . no flow on circulation pump. could it be the pump? like i said change the water 2 months ago and just 2 days ago seen the error. i did have my kids in there lower the temp for them) but not sure if the could have caused anything.
Sorry I need to get better at replying to these comments... Yes you are very correct, if you are not seeing flow through your clear flow switch receptacle in the line there then you probably have problem with your circulation pump. The small magnetic drive circs that come with your style spa often don't last more than 5yrs... Once the bearings get a little warn they don't spin true and stall regularly. It is possible to fix by yourself... You'll need to order a 240v laing 3/4 barb style pump. Use a heat gun to soften pipes... It will make your life easier... Watch out for the small bleed lines while you're working... They break easy.
Sorry, late reply... But it sounds like a fuse is blown on the circuit board that needs replaced... Why it blew in the first place... Thats a whole other question
I've had this code 2 times in 2.5 years...both times it's the circ. pump. $500 plus each time for the pump. I wish it was an air lock! Try this first method first, then check fuse, then check pump.
You should check out our video on the "Do's and Don'ts" Of hot tub buying, and watch the section on Circulating Motors. Sounds like you have a magnetic drive circulating pump. Those things do not hold up very well. Usually called a tiny might.
@@TheHotTubShop Is there a better pump I can get? I have not yet bought my second pump, but they have it in the shop ready for me to pick up. I just confirmed on my end it's the pump again....
@@tmodd2032 Do you know which pump you're currently using? If it is a Tiny Might, you can put a different circulating motor in, but its not as easy as simply putting in a new pump in. New lines and plumbing have to be run for a 1.5" Plumbing for a proper circulating motor. Again, check out our video th-cam.com/video/wTn-j3rpXv0/w-d-xo.html Alistair talks about circulating motors here 40 Seconds into the video.
@@tmodd2032 Yea, so typically they have a 3/4" Inlet & Outlet. In order to put a larger circulating pump in there, your plumbing needs to be completely re/re'd as well. Otherwise you're stuck with it. hottubsupplies.ca/products/circ-master-series-1sp-48fr-1-5-x-1-5-02593000-2010cd?variant=42170027802841&gclid=Cj0KCQjwk96lBhDHARIsAEKO4xYrgprkWOHS4swHDhMjGSAKIuCFVm-1dgBEpTvBC09B_Oetydx7hD8aAlsMEALw_wcB
I’ve watched several vids on air lock relief, and you’re the first one to point out the three purge plugs on the face of the wet end, and their function. Very helpful video! Thanks!!!
thanks for showing an actual pump and the structure, it made the air lock fix much more practical
Glad I found this video. I can’t get to the bleed valves, so we tried a plunger on the intake and a bunch of air came out. Pump started right up!
I bought a house that came with a hot tub. Thanks to your straight to the point instructions. I cleared the airlock in 10 minutes using the air release plug.
We just got a new dual pump system and only have the pumps were working. After watching Allister show how to clear the airlock everything is working great! Thank you for making this excellent video!
This guy knows his stuff. I had a perfect install but no flow. I looked stupid. The Spa Man came through with the solution to my situation! Thanks Spa Man.
Excellent instructions. I don't own a hot tub but work on anything mechanical , so great, clearly explained videos like this save me a lot of time. Thank You.
Awesome-sauce!
I wish you posted the sound an air-pocket makes in a spa pump.
Thank you.🌟
After watching 3 other videos that did not help, yours was immediately helpful! Thank you so much!
Thank you!!!! This is the best video I have seen on clearing an airlock!!! Most of the time they are down inside the hot tub and I can't tell exactly what they are doing. Thanks so much for showing us EXACTLY what to look for an turn!
Thank you so much! You saved me a call to my spa repair company and an $80 service fee. Much appreciated!
Super helpful straight to the point no frills. Thanks so much.
Pump air into the tube (per YT video) did not work.
Released the air from the attachment tube. Did not work
Opened the valve at the top of the motor. Voila!!! It worked!!
Thanks for saving me $$ 🍾
Wow, clearly explained video and fixed my issue. Thank you
Couldnt get to the bleed valves based on locations on both pumps, but unscrewing the unions on both worked perfectly. Just slowly unscrewed until the air stopped bleeding and water started coming out and bam back up and running in 2 mins.. thanks for the video 🙏
We drained, cleaned and refilled the swim spa yesterday. It holds 1200 gallons of water. After it was almost full I turned on circuit breaker and left it alone for 11 min so it could do its diagnostics. This was at about 3:30 yesterday -Saturday . Then I increased the temperature and left it to warm up. For an hour. It will not go above 80 degrees. I got a LF message which means low flow but water level is fine. Manual says heating capacity of spa will not reset automatically you may press any button to reset. So I pressed several buttons waited another hour and it still was not heating. The manual says make sure the pumps have been primed. How do I do that?
At 7 pm last night it was still not heating and I still got the low flow message. The filter was new a month ago. Water level is fine.
I just checked this am and it’s still giving a LF message at 7:25 am Sunday. 😑
The jets are working so do I have an air lock?
Thanks a lot! My lady was furious when we came back from a 6 weeks trip to her widowed father in France only to discover that our old but beloved jacuzzi refuses to work properly... Being a bit hysterical (Poor me!) she decided that she was going to turn it into a flower pot! Thanks to your TH-cam, she's giving me 48 hours to fix it or else... 🥶🥶🥶
How did this work out? Did you get it fixed in your 48 hour window?
@@jordoncottenie5785 Yes, thanks! The pump was dead, passed on, was no more, has ceased to be, expired & gone see its maker** Luckily our old model was still sold & the replacement wasn't above my minimal skills 😃😃😃
**From Monty Python Dead Parrot th-cam.com/video/vZw35VUBdzo/w-d-xo.html
THANK YOU!!! BLED THE AIR AND IT CAME TO LIFE.
You just saved me a world of trouble. THANK YOU
Tried this on my Hydropool 775 hottub there was a bleed nipple below and level with the input, got a little air out but not fixed, i am going to try loosing the output nut and if that does not work i will plunge the filter base.
I’d been spending days trying to work this out... After this 3mins and 5mins back at the swim spa all was sorted out. Hope everyone is keep safe and well.
l have a Rimini spa bad or hotub , that is about 8 years old. I am in Sweden, We noticed a while ago that it did not seem to have full power, when pushed on full power, the flow was weak, everywhere. We also said to ourselves, that we think that we had 2 power settings, you pushed it in and got like 50% bubbles and then pushed it in again for full bubbles. But we only seemed to have one setting now full and off only. I know the pump is 2 speed, says on it. So I took the pump out and took it apart, noticed that the impellor was half missing, all broken, So I thought great was impellor, ordered a new impellor and seals, just the same, pushed the jet button on, which again only full mode, hardly any flow. could not believe that this was not the problem.
And then after testing it for a good few times, the jet button refused to go on to full bubbles, I am thinking that this is some safety cut-off switch inbuilt. I thought for a while that possibly the pump smelled like it was burning just a little. I have taken out all the jets, emptied the water, blasted a hose through all of them, thinking that if 50% of the impellor is disintegrated, then bits must be stuck somewhere. Some small bits have come out. very small though. I am wondering if I need to buy a new pump, Just hope it's not the motherboard or control panel. Because the pump has not 2 speeds working, or something is definitely not right. What's your opinion. Is there something else I need to check? I am cracking up, not finding the problem, Could it be the capacitor? I am hoping a new pump will solve the issue. Appreciate your opinion thanks. By the way ,done the air bleeding made no difference.
YOU are my HERO!! Many Thanks!!
I hear the Coast Spas are known for air locks. True??
I found this helpful. Thank you for sharing!
We have a thermospa Manhattan and we have 1 set of jets that aren’t working and it’s not heating… my husband has drained it and refilled and purged air still not heating and same jets not working, and a red light turns on in panel (was blue when turned on)
Got my tub bubbling again thank you, legend!
When I loosen those bleeder valves mine sucks air in
Very good explanation. It’s highly appreciated
Excellent explanation. I will give that a try.
Question, I'm stumped. 2012 Sundance Peyton. Got it used. Worked fine for awhile then after awhile I pump one(circulation pump) quit coming on automatically. Had to hit the button to turn it on to keep the tub warm. Worked like that for a while but now it won't turn on at all. Just hear the relay click. The heater light comes on and you can heater water flowing from through the heater but then it'll shut off and go to watchdog mode. Any ideas? Not throwing any codes...
Sundance tubs usually have a really small circulation motor that pulls water through the filters and then over the heater... It Pushes alllll the water through a tiny little ozone return fitting and back to the tub....
Your filters may be to old (not just dirty but old) so lots of oil in them... Try taking out your filter, resetting your breaker.
There could be a piece of junk stuck in that ozone return fitting... That's a bit trickier to tackle
The small circulation pump could be on its way out... The little magnet drive pump you have can start to spin off center when the bearings get old. So they may run for a bit then stop.
Lastly, your large motor that is controlled with the main digital display that controls the jets.. if it's making a clicking noise when you try to run it, that means a fuse is blown on the circuit board.
If the large pump runs sometimes but not other times... Means it's running to hot and turning itself off
Fuses can blow for lots of reasons but it will need replaced...
The reason you might get the tub to work a bit when running the large motor is there is usually a small tube connected to the circulation pump... It's designed to push water into the large pump to stop it from freezing but water can flow the other way as well.
Hope this helps. Good luck!!! Happy hot tubbing
I really wish we could separate the wet and from the motor so I don't even have to drain the water to replace the motor. That was a serious lack of planning. Or, do the two separate? I couldn't get mine separated.
The wet end of your motor doesn't perform that function (keeping water in the hot tub) because it's an integral part of your pump. The Wetend does come off, but the impeller inside is threaded onto the motor shaft so the motor can turn it and move water through your wetend. You can't remove it without taking 1st the faceplate off, then un-threading the impeller, and then unbolting the wetend from the back of the motor.
To keep water in the tub, you need Valves on either end of your equipment. These are the PVC components required to service a hot tub without draining. Gate Valves, Knife Valves, Ball valves....but some hot tubs don't come with them by design to keep costs down.
@@TheHotTubShop Thanks for the response. I saw a subsequent video of someone disassembling the wet end and having to disconnect it from the motor main body. It occurs to me that they could simply have the motor shaft insert into the wet end separately permitting us to replace the motor without disassembling the wet end pump section. Anyhow, thanks again : D
This describes my issue perfectly. I have done these things and filled tub from filter compartment. One jet and waterfall not working and no heat. Do I need a new pump?
I was able to do the second method and hear some air release, but the pump still isn’t working. I hear a click, and then it hums/buzzes for a bit, but then nothing happens. Could it be electrical?
I think this could be updated. First, I can't access my pump easily because we have a deck around it. Secondly, my hot tub has a bleeder valve in the tub itself, and another valve on the filter compartment. My problem is that easing either of these does not help.
Well, this is just a general information video. I'd say the majority of hot tub owners have their pumps accessible. And eventually, you'll need to plan for that when the pump needs to be repaired/replaced. Those bleeder valves don't always work, and get clogged or choked up for whatever reason. So you'll have to figure out how to access your pump sooner rather than later.
It's possible to plunge push water into the hole where the filter connects. This can push the air out of the system. I used a submersible pump to force water through but a toilet plunger might work.
Do you have to drain the hottub before doing this?
Nope! Just turn the power off. We want the water in there, it's the air that's trapped, that were trying to release
Very helpful video. Thanks!
Slowly but surely I have plodded my way thru this project. I am having the same issue as I originally had a month ago when I started. The FLO error code. I have done everything suggested in the manual and online. Put a hose in where the filter is, replaced the flow meter, purged the pump of air with the bleed valve on the front, had circ motor rebuilt and installed a new filter. It just randomly stops and the FLO message appears. It might shut down for 10 mins or an hour and then restart. Any ideas? Pump cover seems hotter than it should be. 2005 Sundance Maxxus.
Did u ever figure out what it was?
Nicely done! Thanks
Awesome fixed my flow issue
All my jets work, but there is a new humming noise when the high speed jets kick on, and it's losing heat between uses. Think this could be a solution?
Oh man this video is great!!!!!
have a Jacuzzii J-lx 400. flw1 error came up out of no where. had it for years and I just did a water change 2 months ago without a problem. 2 days ago I notice a fl1 error were it switches from the error fl1 to it temp. heat will not work also. I ordered a flow switch and to it appart and noticed no flow threw it . no flow on circulation pump. could it be the pump? like i said change the water 2 months ago and just 2 days ago seen the error. i did have my kids in there lower the temp for them) but not sure if the could have caused anything.
Sorry I need to get better at replying to these comments... Yes you are very correct, if you are not seeing flow through your clear flow switch receptacle in the line there then you probably have problem with your circulation pump.
The small magnetic drive circs that come with your style spa often don't last more than 5yrs... Once the bearings get a little warn they don't spin true and stall regularly.
It is possible to fix by yourself... You'll need to order a 240v laing 3/4 barb style pump.
Use a heat gun to soften pipes... It will make your life easier...
Watch out for the small bleed lines while you're working... They break easy.
I hear a click but the pump is silent and not running. Could I have an air lock?
Sorry, late reply... But it sounds like a fuse is blown on the circuit board that needs replaced... Why it blew in the first place... Thats a whole other question
Thanks, this worked for my hot tub perfectly!
Thanks that got it going - yay! Darn air pockets
Somebody elses vid didnt show me which part of pump is the discharge end. On behalf of idiots everywhere, thank you.
you make great videos, you should make more! Thanks!
2 days of messing with this! I watch this video and it was fixed in 5 minutes!
Thank you!!
Back two corners won't work, everything else does, please help!
What brand name is your hot tub
Thank you!
Awesome thank you so much 👌
I've had this code 2 times in 2.5 years...both times it's the circ. pump. $500 plus each time for the pump. I wish it was an air lock! Try this first method first, then check fuse, then check pump.
You should check out our video on the "Do's and Don'ts" Of hot tub buying, and watch the section on Circulating Motors. Sounds like you have a magnetic drive circulating pump. Those things do not hold up very well. Usually called a tiny might.
@@TheHotTubShop Is there a better pump I can get? I have not yet bought my second pump, but they have it in the shop ready for me to pick up. I just confirmed on my end it's the pump again....
@@tmodd2032 Do you know which pump you're currently using? If it is a Tiny Might, you can put a different circulating motor in, but its not as easy as simply putting in a new pump in. New lines and plumbing have to be run for a 1.5" Plumbing for a proper circulating motor. Again, check out our video th-cam.com/video/wTn-j3rpXv0/w-d-xo.html Alistair talks about circulating motors here 40 Seconds into the video.
@@TheHotTubShop The motor that is in there and the one I can replace with is a goulds pump. 6080U0015, or laing 14 ....if that makes sense to you.
@@tmodd2032 Yea, so typically they have a 3/4" Inlet & Outlet. In order to put a larger circulating pump in there, your plumbing needs to be completely re/re'd as well. Otherwise you're stuck with it. hottubsupplies.ca/products/circ-master-series-1sp-48fr-1-5-x-1-5-02593000-2010cd?variant=42170027802841&gclid=Cj0KCQjwk96lBhDHARIsAEKO4xYrgprkWOHS4swHDhMjGSAKIuCFVm-1dgBEpTvBC09B_Oetydx7hD8aAlsMEALw_wcB
This is the simplest explanation.
Thanks