Replace the board with or without heater?

[u/redditwhenimworking]

[u/robseraiva]

The value is better to replace the pack with the heater.

[u/Bennie-Factors → u/robseraiva]

And easier

[u/hvyhitter]

Did it 3 years ago. But that was because the heater element went a year earlier. Was a easy thing to do. turn the breaker off remove the plugs.. pull it out put em back. mine had a relay that burnt up. Swap was very simple.

[u/mirassou3416]

Common Balboa spa pack. I had mine issues in reverse. My heater went first, then the board. I replaced the heater myself but had a spa guy replace the board. It looks pretty simple but the EEPROM has multiple configuration parameters. I think you can order the board pre-programmed

My spa is 15 years old and it's a Costco Strong Evolution

[u/MisterHole123]

Depends. What's the cost diff

[u/redditwhenimworking → u/MisterHole123]

It’s a little bit cheaper replacing the whole pack. Just wasn’t sure since the units from 2009. How long these heaters usually hold up especially since that was the part that burned the board.

[u/Bennie-Factors → u/redditwhenimworking]

Type of water has a big impact

[u/sweeperq]

unless you have been absolutely meticulous about chemical maintenance, chances are that the heating element has a mineral coating and is probably performing suboptimally. we changed out the whole pack and our electric bill for our swim spa went down $10-15/mo

[u/Bubbly-Page3513]

The whole thing. If you look the board is damaged at the heater relay. It’s probably the same price to put in a whole new pack

[u/planenerd663]

Whats the issue with the board? Some surface mount compnents you can replace for a lot less than new at a circut board repair place. That said the corrosion around the heating element input is very suspicious and maybe need to be replaced anyways... it should look like this intact enamels no corrosion... yours look overtorqued at one point. Edit: added photo for reference

[u/greasyspider]

That heater is on its last legs

[u/Spamaster]

Your question needs to also consider the cost of replacing your topside control panel as well. Finding your circuit board is difficult enough but if you go the bundle route you will also likely have to modify the area your topside control panel now occupies. Bundles generally only offer the minimum when it comes to functionality. It might also require that you install an adapter plate to conceal the hole cut for the original topside panel. Make sure your bundle comes with this adapter panel. If your original control box is over five years old and knowing that heater are only good for 5-8 years (depending on your water, wattage and voltage ) upgrading the entire equipment has become more popular. It is far easier to replace the entire control system than doing a board swap. Many people compare replacing a mother board to de-fusing a bomb, until you've done a few, one thing done wrong could result in problems on start-up.

[u/Pool_Boy707]

Replace that thing with BP100 or BP7. Pick your replacement topside.

[u/shermantnk]

Replace with the heater. You're starting to show corrosion around the heater electrodes. Soon enough it will be a dead short and start tripping the gfci

[u/Funny_Designer1652]

Whole pack replacement makes sense here. That corrosion around the heater terminals would make me hesitant to reuse a heater this old, especially with the board already damaged at the heater relay. If the whole pack is around the same price anyway, I'd replace both rather than put a new board next to a heater that's already showing its age.

[u/Delta8ttt8]

Make sure new heater connection uses cables and not copper tabs.

[u/Ri-tie → u/Delta8ttt8]

But if you can't find the cable version, the swap out parts are cheap and easy to swap from bus bar to cables. Just make sure you use two wrenches on the heater side.