703. Life expectancy of a heater element.

Heater elements have a life expectancy of 8+ years, no matter if it's Incoloy, Tefel Coated or Titanium. The Tefel Coating and Titanium help by not allowing bad water to affect the heater element, but does not extend the life expectancy of the heater element. We have seen Incoloy heater elements that lasted up to 14 years. However, it ALL depends on the spa maintenance. Spa maintenance consist of proper water maintenance and balancing the water, and keeping the water at level to avoid burn out on the heater element. If the water is bad, it will affect the heater element and the o-ring seals, which normally cause the GFCI breaker to trip. If the spa is running with low water level, clogs or water restrictions (most likely with a dirty filter), it will allow air to get into the plumbing and affect the heater element, which normally cause the heater element to burn out if it occurs many times. The spa controller can also have problems and affect the heater element (mostly from water and sand infiltrating inside the controller box). At the least, a heater element can go bad. Proper spa maintenance is the key for normal operation and longevity of all spa components.