Heater destroyed in 1 month? So confused! [pics]

[schoeps]

Glad to find this forum, hope you all can help

Had a Raypak heater for 3 years and towards the end of the third year, the heater began to leak and eventually caught on fire and destroyed the entire manifold. Through many, many phone calls, Raypak replaced it and sent us a new one. In just under a month, I noticed the new one leaking in the same way. The service company came out and took the following pictures which were sent to Raypak for review. The previous heater we had lasted over 10 years, any idea what may be causing this?

Other things to note: we have a VSP and a valve for fountains just after the heater. Is it possible there was too much pressure in teh manifold? We are totally perplexed!

Any thoughts appreciated, happy to provide more pictures and info. Thanks all!

 

[YippeeSkippy]

@JamesW .... this one is for you, friend!

 

[JJ_Tex]

Can you post a picture of your full equipment pad so we can see the heater in relation to the other equipment, including any in-line chlorinators?

Also, do you have your most recent test results including pH?

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Schoeps, I'm sorry... I didn't take a minute to welcome you to Trouble Free Pools. Hi there!! I'm calling in a BIG GUN who knows this stuff inside and out. I hope he'll be online soon and can answer.

Can you tell us your current water test results? Particularly the TA and pH?
FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Salt if applicable

How do you sanitize your pool? Have you put any chemicals in the water?

Maddie

 

[JamesW]

Looks like it is getting way too hot.

What is the gas pressure?

Is this propane or natural gas?

What are the old and new model numbers?

Lots of pictures of everything including the gas lines, gas meter, gas pressure regulators etc. would help.

 

[JamesW]

It does not look like chemical damage.

Looks like excessive flame/heat probably due to excessive gas pressure.

Do you have a tab feeder?

What are the chemistry readings?

 

[schoeps]

Wow! Thanks for the replies! Here is the chemistry...

 

[schoeps]

Not sure what a "tab feeder" is, it's a salt pool and i belive when it gets low, the service comapny puts tablets in the skimmers.

 

[ajw22]

Not sure what a "tab feeder" is, it's a salt pool and i belive when it gets low, the service comapny puts tablets in the skimmers.

Tablets in the skimmers are poison to heaters.

How long have you been using this pool company?

Does your heater problems correlate with changes with the pool company or pool tech?

 

[JamesW]

What is the gas pressure?

Is this propane or natural gas?

What are the old and new heater model numbers?

Lots of pictures of everything including the gas lines, gas meter, gas pressure regulators etc. would help.

 

[JamesW]

the service company puts tablets in the skimmers.

 

[JamesW]

The tubes do not look like they were exposed to chemical damage, but that is not certain.

The damage looks like excessive heat.

This might be due to excessive gas pressure or maybe slow water flow or no water flow while the heater was on.

Maybe the flow/pressure switch is bad.

Is the heater above, below or at the same elevation as the pool surface?

 

[JamesW]

Had a Raypak heater for 3 years and towards the end of the third year, the heater began to leak and eventually caught on fire and destroyed the entire manifold.

This points to excessive gas pressure.

Maybe a bad regulator if you have 2 psi service.

 

[schoeps]

Hi all, thank you so much for the replies, I really apprecaite it. IS the regulator inside the unit or is it that disc thing on the outside in picture 4? Thank you again, I really apprecaite your help!

 

[JamesW]

This is the regulator and it means that you have higher pressure to the regulator.

I suspect that the regulator failed and allowed full pressure to get to the heater.

You can have that tested to see what the pressure is at the heater inlet.

 

[JamesW]

Is this propane or natural gas?

What are the old and new heater model numbers?

 

[schoeps]

Natural gas, I will have to look up the models…

 

[JamesW]

I suspect that you have 2 psi getting to the heater.

You can have that tested and addressed as needed.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Honestly, that gas installation is scary. Even though the flex line is coming out of a PVC pipe, I can’t image that’s anywhere near being up to code. NG should be buried and straight piped from the source to the heater. All those joints and flex line is a hazard.

I hope you get it figured out and you should consult a plumber with a license in gas work. Very bad things can happen when gas lines are not up to code.

 

[schoeps]

At this point, I think the manifold is toast. I will have the pool company check the pressure of that.