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Re: Saratoga Spa Problem

Posted By: n1oty
Date: Thursday, 11 May 2006, at 3:05 p.m.

In Response To: Re: Saratoga Spa Problem (Tyler)

Since you are acting as your own technician, you are responsible for the diagnosis. You are correct that no one takes back electrical parts. They only supply another one if that one proves to be defective, so you want to try to be accurate with your diagnosis.

I wouldn't be too hard on Saratoga. Very few factories sell direct to the public. You may have a legitimate beef with the dealer though, since he is not returning your phone call. I suggest calling Saratoga back, explaining to them that you have a non-responsive dealer and that you would like the numbers to a couple of other dealers in order to purchase a new top control.

I seriously doubt that Saratoga has enough volume with Balboa to warrant special components. They are not big enough (not even close). Saratoga switched to Gecko controls about four years ago. The Balboa controller you have has a 200 series chip in it. 200 series chips are generally "Standard Digital" Balboa controls and 400 series chips are generally "Deluxe Digital" Balboa controls. Balboa will generally make small alterations to the software coding on the EPROM chip in order to accomodate some special need, such as altered filtration times, but they are not about to make hardware (boards and topsides) specifically for Saratoga. Frankly, I'll bet you could rip out your board and topside, replace them with the generic Balboa equivalents and never notice a difference in operation.

You could call Balboa, give them the chip number and ask them which Balboa topside will work with that controller. I'll bet they will tell you.

John

: Thanks for the info John. I thought the 53189
: would work for me as I have 2 Jets and 1
: blower and I found one on ebay. I asked the
: seller, a spa dealer, if he knew if it would
: work and he wrote back saying that there was
: no cross reference for the part for Saratoga
: and that they have a closed loop on their
: parts. He said that they may have deigned
: the software in the topside and has rights
: to it and that means Balboa manufactured the
: topside for them and is only available thru
: Saratoga.

: I contacted Saratoga Spas directly and they
: told me I could only order the part through
: a dealer -- they would not sell to me
: directly. I had called the dealer last
: Saturday and he still hasn't gotten back to
: me yet. I am thinking that I will not be
: buying a Saratoga Spas again in the future.
: I want the ability to buy parts and install
: myself without a lot of hassle and waiting.

: I see that most control panels are not
: returnable once purchased so I'm a bit leery
: about buying the 53189 if I'm not sure it
: will work (with the software as suggested by
: the ebay spa dealer).

: Do you, or anyone else, have experience with
: this and know if it will work?

: Thanks for your information and any help.

Messages In This Thread

• Saratoga Spa Problem
  Tyler -- Wednesday, 10 May 2006, at 6:06 p.m.
  • Re: Saratoga Spa Problem
    n1oty -- Thursday, 11 May 2006, at 3:55 a.m.
    • Re: Saratoga Spa Problem
      Tyler -- Thursday, 11 May 2006, at 2:06 p.m.
      • Re: Saratoga Spa Problem
        n1oty -- Thursday, 11 May 2006, at 3:05 p.m.

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