We receive so many calls from customers advising that they have cleaned and replaced filter cartridges, drained and refilled their spa pools, and still they have an F1 error.
Please don't do any of this until you've run one simple 2-minute check.
The first thing to do when you note an F1 (or E1) error on your spa:
- Turn the spa off at the power outlet
- Remove the filter cartridge and note whether there is any debris in the inlet or outlet grill. If there is, remove as much of this as can be easily removed.
- Turn the power back on at the power outlet. Press reset on the PRCD. Restore power to your control unit.
- Press the filter button. If you can't hear the pump running and you can't feel any water being pumped into the pool at the outlet grill, then your F1 error is indicating the pump has failed.
You now have 2 choices - pack your control unit into a banana box and ship it to us for assessment and repair or for the DIY Kiwis, conduct further diagnostics to identify if you need us to send you other parts as well as the pump to get your spa pool running again.
Please do not drain and refill your spa pool, unless you are confident the error has been fixed. Otherwise, you are most likely going to waste a thousand litres of water if you have to drain the pool, to be able to send the control unit to us. For Mono and Oslo customers, you can use the caps that came with the pool to close the pipes and preserve the water in your spa, while repairs are conducted, or just for your regular preventative maintenance.
If you conducted the four steps above and confirmed the pump is working, the next steps are to ensure the inlet and outlet grills are completely clean and clear, and then put a new filter cartridge on the inlet grill. If you don't have one, you could use an old clean one until a new one arrives, but please note that the F1 error is indicating water flow issues, and these will be putting strain on the pump that may shorten its life expectancy.
If the pump is working, as soon as convenient consider flushing the control unit and applying the white vinegar treatment per our preventative maintenance guidelines. Also if your control unit has not been serviced by the Portable Spas New Zealand team for more than a year, when convenient, please send your control unit to us for an annual service.
Wishing you years of uninterrupted enjoyment and relaxation in your portable spa.
Dave and the Portable Spas NZ Team.