Spa Controller not working - steps to diagnose and repair

In this article, you'll learn:

• What is the difference between a spa touchpad and a spa controller?
• What are the common user mistakes that can cause a spa touchpad to fail?
• How do I test if my spa control pad is broken?
• What could cause a controller to fail?
• What creatures can damage my spa controller?
• What is the most common error on a spa controller?
• How do I unlock my spa touchpad?
• Buttons not working on touchpad

Important note: All electrical work must be carried out by a licensed electrician. Any electrical information included here, whether it is troubleshooting or other instructions, are provided for use by a licensed electrician only. Local electrical codes supersede any information found here.

What is the difference between a spa touchpad and a spa controller?

The spa controller also known as the “hot tub controller” or “spa pack” is the central brain of your spa that controls circulation pumps, blowers, massage jets, lighting, and other accessories such as ozone and UV sanitisers.

The spa touchpad also called the “keypad” is connected to the spa controller via a cable that runs through the cabinet underneath your spa body. The main function of the spa touchpad is to enable users to adjust the settings on their controller. The users can easily control the water’s temperature, turn pumps and jets on and off as well as view equipment status.

What are the common user mistakes that can cause a spa touchpad to fail?

One of the key parts of the spa controller is the touchpad. In many cases, the touchpad can fail, even though the controller is still fine. Here are some of the key reasons why touchpads can fail.

• Pushing buttons too hard - The buttons on touchpads are meant to be just lightly tapped. Pushing the buttons too hard may damage the keypad’s internal components due to the pressure applied to it.
• Dropping covers too hard - Be careful not to drop the hot tub cover too hard on the touchpad to avoid damaging the keypad.
• Kids playing with the touchpad - Kids can get curious about the keypad and might play with it. Your hot tub’s settings could be changed or might even get damaged. To prevent the kids from changing the settings, you can use the keypad lock.

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How do I test if my spa control pad is broken?

If your spa touchpad or spa pack malfunctions, the problem could be the touchpad or the controller. Here are some of the common touchpad issues you might encounter and their possible cause:

• No display or power. Possible causes: condensation or moisture in the touchpad, some cables that run to the controller may have become loose or damaged. This issue could also be caused by a circuit board issue.
• Only a part of the touchpad works. Possible causes: condensation or moisture in the touchpad, some cables that run to the controller may have loose or damaged, and circuit board issues.
• Unusual messages or blinking lights simultaneously. Possible cause: issue with the software in the circuit board.
• Display flickers on and off. Possible causes: voltage from the transformer is too low, close proximity between the control panel cable and the filtration system cable.
• Buttons don’t work. Possible causes: damaged touchpad, insufficient voltage, faulty circuit board connection.

Should you experience these issues, you may try restarting your spa by turning off the power for a few minutes and then turning it back on. If the problem persists, your spa touchpad or controller might need repair or replacement, we encourage you to contact your spa retailer or a qualified spa technician.

What could cause a controller to fail?

One of the biggest causes of failure in a spa controller is bugs. We see this issue occurring a lot in older spas where the cabinets don’t seal well. If there are gaps in your spa cabinet, this can make it easier for creepy crawlies like ants, spiders, and bees to get into the cabinet and make their way into the control box to make a cosy nest for their families. This can eventually damage the electronic components of your controller.

Another issue that can cause your controller to stop working is vibration from your pumps and water movement in your spa. This can cause some of the cables to come slightly unplugged, resulting in intermittent issues. Fortunately, this can be easy to fix.

• Step 1: Turn off the spa. Disconnect or turn off the main power to your spa.
• Step 2: Remove your cabinet panels. Unscrew the cabinet panel. You may use your owner’s manual to check which panel is parallel to the controller.
• Step 3: Unplug the cables. Carefully unplug the control cables one by one that runs into your control box.
• Step 4: Plug the cables back. Plug each one firmly back into where it came from.
• Step 5: Turn the power back on. Sometimes this is all that is needed to get everything working properly again.

If the problem persists, your spa touchpad or controller might need repair or replacement, we encourage you to contact your spa retailer or a qualified spa technician.

What creatures can damage my spa controller?

The openings in pipes and gaps between your cabinet panels allow rodents, geckos, frogs, and other pests to squeeze into the inside of your spa cabinet. Plumbing and electrical equipment are found beneath the shell itself, giving off heat, which attracts pests, especially during the colder months.

These pests tend to nest in dark spaces and likely chew on pipes and wires which causes not only the controller to fail but also the components of your spa. You can prevent these creatures from getting inside your spa by sealing the gaps between your spa cabinet panels using wire mesh.

Please remember that the excess heat from the equipment of your spa needs a way to escape, so make sure not to use non-porous materials to seal the gaps and openings.

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What is the most common error on a spa controller?

The most common error messages you’ll see on your spa touchpad are ER-3 and ER-4.

The ER-3 error code on your spa controller touchpad is caused by a water prime failure.

Possible causes: air detected in the heater tube, dirty filter cartridges, and low water level.

How to fix the ER-3 Water Prime Error Message

• Step 1: Press the Pump A button to retry the water prime
• Step 2: Check spa water level (refill if necessary)
• Step 3: Remove filter cartridges and press the Pump A button to retry
• Step 4: Remove filter cartridges and flush water down pipe work with a hose
• Step 5: Bleed airlock from pipe work by slightly loosening couplings in front of filtration.

The ER-4 error code is caused when the heater thermal trip is activated in your spa controller.

Possible causes: low water level, an airlock in pipework, closed shut-off valves, dirty filter cartridges, filtration pump failure or operation intermittent.

How to fix the ER-4 Thermal Trip Error code

• Step 1: Turn the main power OFF and wait 10-15 minutes for the element to cool and the thermal cut-out device to reset.
• Step 2: Turn the power back ON
• Step 3: Check spa water level (refill if necessary)
• Step 4: Remove filters and clean as per the manufacturer’s recommendations or replace cartridges if required.
• Step 5: Check under the spa cabinet to ensure all shut-off valves are in the OPEN position.
• Step 6: Bleed the airlock from the pipe work by slightly loosening couplings in front of the filtration pump or by removing filters and flushing water down pipework with a hose.

If the error message still appears after performing these troubleshooting steps, please contact your spa retailer or a qualified spa technician.

How do I change the control panel in a spa?

Once you determine that your touchpad is the problem and a replacement is needed, it is important to find a touchpad that is compatible with your spa.

To make sure you are purchasing the right one, you may provide the manufacturer’s part number as a reference. You can usually find the manufacturer’s part number on the touchpad’s housing.

Here are the steps to guide you through replacing the touchpad:

• Step 1: Turn off the power.
• Step 2: Unscrew the cabinet panel. You may use your owner’s manual to check which panel is parallel to the control box.
• Step 3: Unplug the wire from the touchpad to the circuit board.
• Step 4: Carefully remove the touchpad.
• Step 5: Connect the new touchpad to the same location as the previous one.
• Step 6: Connect the touchpad’s wire to the circuit board.
• Step 7: Turn the power on.
• Step 8: Test the functions.

The process of replacing the touchpad can be easy for some people if they have a technical background. If you’re not confident doing this yourself, we recommend that you contact your spa retailer or a qualified spa technician.

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How do I unlock my spa touchpad?

The “lock” function of the touchpad varies depending on your spa’s control system. Here are the steps on how to lock and unlock the touchpad of the popular control systems you may find in most spa pools.

How to unlock SpaNet^® touchpads

• Control system: XS-2000, XS-3000 and XS4000
• Touchpad: XS3000
• How to lock the spa touchpad: Press and hold the "Top", "Bottom" and "Pump 1" buttons at the same time for 2 seconds. Once the lock function activates, you will hear a beep from the touchpad.

How to unlock Balboa^® touchpads

GS range Control system: GS501DZ, GS510DZ, GS520DZ and GS523DZ

• Touchpad: VL801D and VL802D
• How to lock the spa touchpad: Press "Time", "Blower" and "Warm" for 3 seconds.
• How to unlock the spa touchpad: Press "Time", "Blower" and "Cool" for 2 seconds.

BP range Control system: BP600, BP2000 and BP2100G1

• Touchpad: TP400W, TP500 and TP600
• How to lock the spa touchpad: These keypads have many locking options. Please refer to the manual.
• How to unlock the spa touchpad: Press and hold down the "Temperature" button, then press the “Light” button twice. If you don’t have the "Temperature" button, you can press the “Up” button and then press the “Light” button twice

BP Control system: BP600, BP2000 and BP2100G1

• Touchpad: TP800 and TP900
• How to lock the spa touchpad: From the menu, select the “Lock” option and define the settings to lock your touchpad.
• How to unlock the spa touchpad: Press the “Select” button twice then, press the “Down” button once.

GL range Control system: GL2000 M3, GL2001 M3 and GL8000

• Touchpad: ML700 and ML900
• How to lock the spa touchpad: Press the "Time", "Jets 1" and "Warm" buttons for 3 seconds. The “PL” indicator illuminates once locked.
• How to unlock the spa touchpad: Press the "Time", "Jets 1" and "Cool" buttons.

How to unlock Gecko^® touchpads

Control system: X and Y series, Touchpad: in.k500

How to lock the spa touchpad:

• Choose a security level from the following.
• "Partial" - locks several options in the settings menu.
• "Complete" - locks the keyboard function completely.
• How to unlock the spa touchpad: Press the upper right button for 5 seconds.

How to unlock Spa Power^® touchpads

Control system: SP800 and SP1200, Touchpad: SP800 and SP1200

• How to lock the spa touchpad: Simultaneously press and hold the "Down", "Scroll" and "Up" keys. Once the display shows "Hold the keys to activate the lock", keep holding the button until the "Keyboard Lock" displays on the touchpad.
• How to lock the spa touchpad: Press the "Down", "Scroll", "Down", "Up", and "Scroll" buttons. If the sequence is followed accordingly, the touchpad will beep and will display "Keyboard Unlocked".

How to fix dead or blank Jacuzzi^® touchpad (Spa not turning on)

To fix a dead or blank Jacuzzi^® touchpad, you can try the following steps:

Buttons not working on spa touchpad

In some situations the controller may not operate as expected. This can sometimes be caused by incorrect or corrupted TYPE value. For example, the spa thinks it's a SpaNet™ SV Mini controller when it's a SpaNet™ SV2. To resolve, follow steps below.

To check the TYPE settings on SV Mini 1 and 2, follow these steps:

1. On a SV Mini 1: Simultaneously press and hold the PUMP B (AUX) + Both hidden buttons together until either [V.PMP] or [BRND] appears on the display.
2. On a SV mini 2: Simultaneously press and hold: Pump B (AUX) + Pump C + Blower buttons until either [V.PMP] or [BRND] appears on the display 3 Press the UP button until the [TYPE] menu is displayed
3. Press OK to enter [TYPE] menu option
4. Use the UP or DOWN buttons to navigate to the correct model number (this should typically match the model number of the touchpad or controller underneath the spa.
5. Press OK to confirm and save new setting. [TYPE] will be displayed on the screen
6. Press the UP button until the display shows [BOOT]
7. Press OK and the system will restart.
8. If the display goes blank after the spa finishes priming, please power the spa off for a couple of seconds.

Where do I buy spa controllers and parts?

If your spa control panel or spa touchpad needs replacing or new parts, there are many quality touchpads you can buy from our online shop. Spa World stocks many popular brands including SpaNet^®, Balboa^®, HotSpring^®, Endless^® Spas, Signature^® Spas and Maax^® spas, and more.

Spa World offers a no-hassle, 30-day, no-risk, return policy and free shipping to orders over $175.

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In Summary

In this article, we explained the difference between a spa touchpad and a spa controller and the steps to diagnose and repair a broken spa touchpad and spa controller.

We also discussed how to troubleshoot Error 3 and Error 4 alert messages on the spa touchpad, including the elements that can damage the spa touchpad and spa controller.

Got more questions?

Talk to us on live chat, or email us your spa questions and we'll be happy to help!