Balboa Expansion Board Relay 30amp (GS-GL): Boost Your Hot Tub’s Power

Introduction

As an experienced hot tub enthusiast and parts supplier, I’m excited to offer you the Balboa Expansion Board Relay 30amp (GS-GL). This powerful little device is designed to enhance your hot tub’s functionality, giving you more control and enjoyment from your spa experience.

What Makes This Expansion Board Special?

The Balboa Expansion Board Relay is a high-quality component that allows you to add an extra pump or blower to your hot tub system. It’s specifically designed for Balboa’s GS and GL series, ensuring seamless integration with your existing setup.

Key Features

1. Additional Power: This board enables you to add one extra pump or blower to your hot tub, protected by a robust 30 amp fuse.
2. Compatibility: Designed to work flawlessly with Balboa GS and GL series systems.
3. Compact Design: With dimensions of 135mm in length and 64mm in height, this board fits easily into your existing hot tub configuration.
4. Reliable Performance: Engineered by Balboa, a trusted name in the hot tub industry, ensuring top-notch quality and durability.

Technical Specifications

To help you understand the product better, I’ve compiled a detailed specifications table:

Specification	Detail
Type of Product	Expander PCB/Circuit Board/Card
Manufacturer	Balboa
Power	230V, 50Hz
Functionality	Adds 1 additional pump or blower
Protection	30 amp fuse
Compatibility	GS and GL series
Length	135 mm
Height	64 mm

Installation and Usage

This expansion board is designed as a replacement for an existing PCB in case of failure. It’s crucial to note that this board should only be installed in the specific device or product it’s intended for. To ensure proper installation and maintain the product’s integrity, I strongly recommend having the installation done by an experienced tradesman or a competent individual familiar with hot tub electrical systems.

Why Choose This Expansion Board?

1. Enhanced Hot Tub Experience: By adding an extra pump or blower, you can enjoy more powerful jets or additional bubbles, elevating your relaxation time.
2. Quality Assurance: As a product from Balboa, a leader in hot tub control systems, you can trust in its reliability and performance.
3. Easy Integration: Designed specifically for GS and GL series, this board ensures smooth compatibility with your existing Balboa system.

Conclusion

The Balboa Expansion Board Relay 30amp (GS-GL) is a fantastic addition to your hot tub, offering the potential to significantly enhance your spa’s capabilities. Whether you’re looking to increase jet power or add more bubbles, this expansion board opens up new possibilities for your hot tub experience.

Remember, proper installation is key to ensuring the longevity and correct functioning of this component. Always prioritize safety and consult with a professional if you’re unsure about any aspect of the installation process.

Upgrade your hot tub today with the Balboa Expansion Board Relay and take your relaxation to the next level!

Finding and identifying a replacement Hot Tub Circuit Board (PCB)

If you are looking to replace a failed PCB on your Hot Tub’s spa pack, then quite often identifying the part that you need can be the hardest thing.

Firstly, you are looking for a model number on the actual circuit board itself. Having the model or serial of your hot tub is not going to help at this point, you need to find the number on the PCB itself.

Now, with certain brands of PCB, the number of the replacement PCB that you need is not going to match identically the one you are replacing. Why is that I hear you ask?

Well, normally, it is an updated version. This means that it might have updated firmware on the PCB or be a later revision. Normally, this means that the part number would be slightly different. This is usually indicated with a “12345678 -x” at the end of that part number where x indicated a firmware revision.

In some cases, there will be some following letters on the part number of the circuit board, “12345678 -x MAS” this can indicate that the PCB was used for an OEM meaning it was produced for a certain hot tub manufacturer and the letters identify the manufacturer.

This means if you source an original PCB, it will not have the letters, but will in most cases work just fine.

It can be confusing I know!

What if you can’t find a model number?

If you can’t find a model number on the PCB itself, then you need to look for a model number on the spa pack. Normally, there is a sticker on the outside of the spa pack that tells you the current ratings and input voltages etc and this will have a model number.

In general, most spa packs in the USA are manufactured by Balboa, Hydro-Quip, ACC or Gecko. I know I am generalising here, but if you have a spa pack that has the brand of your hot tub on, it will be an OEM so the key is identifying who made the original box.

From there, you can normally find an original PCB that you will be able to switch out.

For example, the Balboa VS (value series) is a very popular spa pack that has been used by multiple hot tub manufacturers under their own brand names. Whatever they have called it, strip it back and it is still a Balboa VS.

Visual Inspection

One of the most important things you can do when you are looking for a replacement is to visually inspect the PCB that you have versus the picture online of the replacement you are considering. They need to look the same even if there are the differences in firmware revisions or OEM part numbers, you should be visually replacing a PCB that looks like the one you have.

Configuring a replacement Hot Tub Circuit Board (PCB)

When you get a new PCB, you are more than likely going to need to configure it. Most PCBs have a number of different modes and setups that the can operate in. For this, you will need to manual or spec sheet to guide you.

For things like DIP switches, most of the time you can copy the settings from your original circuit board.

You may need to move jumpers or even wires to configure voltages – the key here is that you read the schematic and don’t expect the PCB to just work out of the box – it usually doesn’t.

Troubleshooting a Hot Tub Circuit Board (PCB)

Here are some common things you will see when you replace a PCB on a hot tub.

You press the buttons on the topside control and they don’t control the right parts (pumps or blower etc) – this is a mode configuration thing and you will either need to change some DIP switches on the PCB or an internal or low level programming mode on the topside control. Check the manual for how to do this.

To check this, unplug all of your kit – heater, pumps, blower and then turn on the PCB. If it trips with nothing plugged in, usually the voltage is incorrectly set and what is happening is that live current is being sent to the ground – because you have 4 wires into the PCB rather than 3. Current on the ground loop causes the trip. Check the settings to make sure it is configures for 230V.

It might not trip until you physically turn on a pump or a blower.