I have aquired an old spa - Highlife serial number K-341581 (seems to be a 1994 or 1995). Spa has the Wavemaster 9000.

The door is gone. I had to bypass the door switch with a magnet.

I get power to light and the switchs make sound when I turn them on. As well as they light up in clean mode. The heater switch makes a click when it is moved to the on setting. However, the main pump will not do anything. No sound - no motion. The main pump is getting power as I almost electricuted myself when testing the connection at the pump.

I also do not seem to be getting heat. The circ pump is making a humming noise - however I do not see any flow of water from those vents. The heater box does not show any signs of heating up either.

I am stumped. I checked all fuses and check the reset switches.

you have a 3rd quarter 1994 Highlife. As you've found, the door interlock needs to be engaged in order for any thing to work. Circulating pump flow needs to be established. You probably see where the inlet for hot water is(near the cool off seat). If there's no flow, the water in the heater will boil, tripped one of the red reset buttons on the control box. The circ pump is filtered by one of the three filters. Check for clogged/ dirty filter. If you want to know which filter is for the circ. pump, remove the standpipes, it's the one you CAN see the bottom in, the other two are for the jet pump.

Establish circ pump flow first.

LOTS of hotspring help on this site.

I have replace the circ pump. Now there is a strong flow from that line.

However there is still no heat. I have pulled the elements from the box and turned them on briefly, they heated up quickly. When I put it back together I don't get heat.

When I turn the heat knob I hear a click.

Could my problem be in the control panel?

You mention you took the elements out, and turned them on briefly, were they plugged into the control box for power? If so, you're probably fine. How long are you giving it to heat, and is it covered?

I did not give it long. I was thinking that I would feel hot water coming out of the circ vent.

If you have a thermometer check the temp, then wait an hour or two, and check it again.

You can feel it a little warmer coming out of the circ vent, but it's very subtle, and if you're not sure what to expect, can easily be missed.
Good luck!

~Swine

I have run the spa with the heat turned up for 4 hours - Starting temp 50 deg - after four hours 56 deg. I do not know if this was just the natural warming of the day or if the pump is putting out a little warmer water. I can touch the heater box (stainless with two elements) and I do not feel any heat to the box. I am still getting real good flow to the circ pump.

It sounds like one of the two elements may have bitten the dust, or it's quite cold where you are. The heater box is going to feel the same temp as the rest of the tub-

Just give it a full 24 hours to heat- the system is not meant to heat up for each use, it's meant to maintain the temp you enjoy.

Thanks for the help - It has taken a while but we are up to 95 deg and climbing about 1.5 deg per hour. Now I just have to get the main pump going.

Heat stops at 96 degrees. The control is set to the limit. The click that happens when I would turn down the knob was closer to the upper limit. Now when I move the knob down there is not a click. I think this means the tub is at the upper limit.

On another note - will the circ pump start feeling warm as the tub gets warm. There is still real strong flow, however I do not want to burn up that pump.

The circ pump runs very hot-don't worry about that.

The t-stat, however, sure sounds like it needs needs replacement.



There is a great upgraded T-stat that's available, includes and electronic T-stat, thermistor, and instructions. MUch better than the original T-stat.
part# 75087, around $65. If you can't find 'em anywhere, I have them in stock.

Good luck!

Thanks for all the help. I have fixed most of the problems with this spa. I would like to get that tstat from you. How would I go about contacting you to get it.

I mistakenly thought that you were working for the site hosting this forum. They spoke kindly of you, however said that you did not work for them and they had no idea of the part you are talking about.

Pump is running. Now with the wiring fixed (from other thread) - the heater is heating much faster. But, it still goes to 96 and stops with the tstat in the tube. If I take the tstat out of the tube the tub will rise above 100.

Thank you for all the help - I owned a new Hotspring spa at my previous house and I have been missing it for the last four years. I was given this one and it has been a project at best. Without this forum I think it would have been thrown away.

pm sent

Changed out the Tstat according to the directions and it still acts in the same manner. Only heats to 96 deg. - is it possible that the stop for the dial is in the wrong place?

When you replaced the T-stat, did you line up the knob when you put it back on?

Turn in all the way down (counter-clock-wise), and be sure the line on the panel points to "off" on the dial.

another suggestion...it might have a summer timer toggle switch on the side of the control box.

I do not have the dial back on the control box. I have been turning the inner dial to the end of the limit screw.

The mounting screws lined up perfectly and the lower limit hole was right on. The upper limit screw hole was slightly off. If I drilled it out, I do not know if the screw would hold. It looked like there would just be a wide hole. And it looked like the screw moving would place the limit screw closer to the off side of the dial.

I do not see a any switches (that may be summer switches) on the side of the box. Just the two high limit switches.

Should I take out the limit screw (upper) and attempt to turn the dial just past to see if the heat rises?

Unless it's way-off, it won't make a difference.

Are you hearing the heater relay click?

At what point?

It will click near the high limit until it reaches 96 deg - then it no longer clicks until the temp comes down a little. Once again if I pull the tstat from the tube it will go up in temp to an uncomfortable 110.

This may sound like a really dumb question, but are you certain your thermometer is accurate?