How to Troubleshoot and Fix Touchpad and Controller Issues in Your Vortex™ and Fisher™ Spa

Important: A licensed electrician must carry out all electrical work on your spa. Any electrical information included here, whether it is troubleshooting or other instructions, is provided for use by a licensed electrician only. Local electrical codes supersede any information found here.

The touchpad and controller of your Vortex™ or Fisher™ spa are essential for managing its functions and settings. Simple troubleshooting can often resolve these issues if you encounter an unresponsive touchpad, receive an error message, or have a malfunctioning display.

This guide walks you through the steps to fix your spa’s controller problems, from resetting the system to inspecting connections ensuring your spa runs smoothly and reliably.

Key Takeaways:

• An EEPROM or EPRM reset can fix software glitches in the control system.
• Resetting the SpaNet™ SV controller can resolve unresponsive touchpads or pump problems.
• Loose cables often cause touchpad and LED display issues.
• Correct Dipswitch 2 to fix pump control errors.
• If troubleshooting fails, consider replacing the touchpad or controller.

What is an EEPROM or EPRM reset in spas?

An EEPROM or EPRM reset refers to the process of resetting the electronic control module or memory chip in the spa pool's control system.

• EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) is a type of non-volatile memory that stores data even when the power is turned off.
• EPRM (Electrically Programmable Read-Only Memory) is a similar type of memory that is programmed during manufacturing and typically cannot be reprogrammed.

The EEPROM or EPRM reset is usually performed to troubleshoot and resolve any spa pool operation issues. It's like restarting a computer when it's not working correctly.

This reset can resolve many software glitches or configuration issues in the control system, allowing the spa pool to function properly again.

How do I perform a reset on my SpaNet™ touchpad?

In some situations, the SV controller may not operate as expected or display unusual characters or numbers on the touchpad LCD display. This may be a result of the software memory (EEPROM chip) within the SV controller being corrupted.

If you ever discover an SV controller not operating as expected, be it pumps not working, blowers only working for a few seconds, strange or blank displays etc you should always try the below procedure to reset the software (EEPROM chip) first before reporting an RMA fault or contacting technical services. In most situations, the EEPROM reset will solve the problem.

How to reset the SpaNet^® SV controller software (EPRM)

For SpaNet^® SV Mini 1 and SV Mini 2

• Step 1. To access the OEM config menu on an SV Mini 1 press and hold the hidden buttons (SV Mini 1 image - shown by the red dotted circles aside) simultaneously until the display shows L.SHD. For SV Mini 2, press and hold the PUMP C + BLOWER buttons simultaneously (See SV Mini 2 image ).
• Step 2. Use the DOWN arrow button to navigate through the configuration menu items until EPRM is displayed. When EPRM is displayed on screen press the OK button to execute the software reset.
• Step 3. The display will very briefly flash ESET as the reset process takes place.
• Step 4. Once the display returns to the temperature, it is best practice to then reset the mains power (turn off/on) to reboot the control if an EPRM factory reset has been performed.

Please note: All software values are reset to factory default EXCEPT the L.SHD (load shed) setting as the L.SHD setting will have been customised to suit the particular spa pool and its available power supply by the spa manufacturer or installing electrician.

For SpaNet^® SV Series (SV2-VH / SV3-VH / SV4-VH)

• Step 1. To carry out an Eeprom reset, access the OEM config menu on an SV controller by pressing and holding the “Air Blower” and “Water Clean” buttons simultaneously until the display shows “C.LMT”.
• Step 2. Press the DOWN arrow button twice until “EPRM” is displayed.
• Step 3. When “EPRM” is displayed on the screen press the OK button to execute the software reset. The display will very briefly flash “ESET” as the reset process takes place.
• Step 4. Once the display returns to the temperature, it is best practice to reset the main power (i.e. turn off/on) to reboot the control after the EPRM factory reset has been performed.

Please note: All software values are reset to factory default EXCEPT the L.SHD (load shed) setting as the L.SHD setting will have been customised to suit the particular spa pool and its available power supply by the spa manufacturer or installing electrician.

Why is my Spanet^® touchpad showing LOW, HIGH AND OFF when I press the pump on?

If this happens, it's possible that Dipswitch 2 is set to ON. To set this off, please follow the steps below.

• Step 1. Turn off the spa.
• Step 2. Remove the front cabinet panel.
• Step 3. Locate the SV controller.
• Step 4. Unscrew the front casing of the controller and locate the circuit board.
• Step 5. Turn off Dipswitch 2
• Identify the DIPSWITCH 2 on the circuit board. It is usually labelled or numbered for easy identification.
• Use a screwdriver or a small tool to switch DIPSWITCH 2 to the off position.
• Step 6. Turn the spa on, and press the pump to check if the issue is resolved.

Why is my Vortex™ / Fisher™ Spa touchpad faulty and missing LED lights?

If you are experiencing issues with the touchpad LED display of your spa pool and some LED lights are missing or not functioning properly, here are some general steps you can try to resolve the issue.

• Reset power. Turn off the power to your spa pool and wait for a few minutes before turning it back on. This simple action can sometimes resolve minor issues.
• Check connections. Ensure all cables and connections to the touchpad and LED display are secure and properly connected. Loose or faulty connections can cause display issues.
• Replace touchpad. If the above steps do not resolve the issue, your touchpad may need a replacement.

In Summary

We hope this guide has helped you troubleshoot common touchpad and controller issues in your Vortex™ or Fisher™ spa.

If the issues persist, it may be time to replace the touchpad or contact a licensed spa technician for further assistance.

Got more questions? We’re here to help!