I have a hot tub with a Hydroquip 9000 controller. I get a code FL O which my book says is a flow switch alarm. I replaced the flow switch and the filter and it worked for about a week. Then back to the FLO error code. I replace the flow switch again but this time no luck it still won't work right.

I can turn on the second stage of the first pump and the aux pump and even the blower. All of them work but the heater won't kick on and the heater light just blinks. I jumpered accross the flow switch and it will turn the heater on but if you turn on the pumps it kicks the heater back off. I have taken the conections loose from the controller to make sure there isn't anything in it that would block the pressure switch. Everything seems fine. When I open the hose valve water comes out steady stream so I am sure that there isn't air blocking it.

Can anyone help me out with this? I hate to call a tech to fix it as that would cost about as much as replacing the controller. I am tempted to just get a new controller all together since mine is about 10 years old but if I can fix it cheap I would rather do that. ALso if I were to get a new controller how do I know what the voltages are? I know my pumps are 220 and the ozon is 110 but there isn't anything on the air pump that says one or the other.

Have you calibrated your pressure switch? There should be a calibration screw on the top that you can either turn with a flathead or just your fingers. With the pump on, turn it counter clockwise until the FLO error disappears. Turning it too far will give you another error (FLC) from the weight of the water closing the switch, so don't go more than a quarter turn past FLO disappearing.

When the tub heats it is suppose to run the number one pump in the low possition. Rather than doing that I get the FLO error. If I turn the pump on by hitting the button it runs in the high setting. The FLO error goes away when you turn on the pump with the button. How can I calibrate the pressure switch if the FLO goes away when I turn on the pump? When I put the first new pressure switch in everything just started working for a few days and then back to the FLO error. I didn't adjust anything. Then I put another new one in and it doesn't work either. Is there another way to calibrate the pressure switch?

Ah, so your pump is not coming on on low speed when it should? That's a different issue altogether. Like you said, hard to calibrate to a speed that doesn't work. When you press the jet button can you cycle through both speeds or does it just go on/off on high?

The first thing to check would be whether or not any power is getting to the low speed line on the pump. If so, bad motor, but since it works on high I suspect there's something else going on, like a bad relay or an enabled circ pump option.

I think that it all has to do with the pressure switch though. The heat won't come on with the FLO error but if I jumper out the pressue switch the heat will kick on. Still doesn't kick on the low speed of the pump. I think that it has to be something simple sinse it had the FLO error then I changed the filter and original pressure switch and it worked fine for a few days. Any chance the new filter could be clogged already? It looks clean to me but I wonder if looks can be decieving

If the motor isn't coming on in low speed when it should, that's the issue. The pressure switch is doing what it should do by throwing the error. It's telling you there should be water movement and there isn't. When you jump the switch, the logic knows that the pump should be on and that the pressure switch confirms that it is, so it kicks on the heat. Does the motor turn on in low speed and your circulation is just bad, or does the motor not do anything?

Motor doesn't do anything on low speed. Runs fine on high though.

Is it possible something happened to just the low speed part of the motor? Like I said it runs fine it seems in the high speed mode. I will try to unplug it and see if I can jumper some power to the low speed side and see if it works.

Possible, but I've never seen a pool or spa motor that works on one speed and not the other. I'm young, so not saying it can't happen... " title="Very Happy" />

So do you think that it would be the board rather than the motor? Is there a fuse for the low speed and the high speed side I wonder? I used a test light to see if any of the fuses were blown but they seemed good. Is it possible they would have enough resistance to trigger the light but not enough to turn the pump on?

Sounds like the board to me, or maybe the wiring. You could switch the high/low wires for the motor to test. If the pump works on high then the fuses should be fine.

OK so I switched the low speed and high speed wires on the board for the pump. It came on in the low speed setting and when I put them back it came on in high so I am guessing the pump is OK. All of the fuses are good and I didn't see any loose wires. My guess is that the relay for the low speed pump isn't closing. Is there a way to check this relay to ensure that is what it is and not some sort of safety interlock that is keeping the relay from triggering?

If the relays aren't covered you can check the coil, otherwise you'd have to pull the board and check from behind. If it's labeled and covered I usually find that a few gentle taps on top of the relay will make it close if it's energized but stuck open. Didn't work for the last guy I mentioned that to, but worth a shot. " title="Confused" />

I found a new control unit on spadepot.com for about $600. I may pick it up and call it a day. Mine is 10 years old and I am tired of nickle and diming to keep it working. How can I tell what voltage my stuff is? I know the pumps are 220. My ozinator fuse is 250v but on the unit itself it says 110. So I am guessing I need 110 for it. But the blower doesn't say anything on it for voltage and the fuse is 250v. Is there a way to be sure of what voltages I need for the ozinator and blower before ordering. I would hate to get the new controller and burn it up with the wrong voltage.

Also is this a good place to get the controller? I just need something to replace the old one.

Update: It is indeed the low speed relay. I jumped the red wire and the pump came on and the heat started just as it should. I smacked the relay a few times hoping it would free it up but no luck. It doesn't look like an item you can just replace on the board so I am going to go ahead with a new controller. Again where is a good place to get it and how can I tell what voltage my air pump is?

Thanks for all the help

I'd just check the power to it at the pack with it running. Sounds like the ozonator is definitely 110v. As for where to buy, just shop by price. I've heard good reviews of spadepot, spapartsnet, spaguts and a few others.

The relay can be replaced if you know someone who works on circuit boards, but that can turn into a hassle.

Try http://www.spa-boards.com for relay replacements. Good work and quik turnover. I used him for trouble I had with my spa depot easy pak. Not same prob as yours. Mine is runaway temperature. Good luck.