Heater issues? Gas regulator? Troubleshooting?

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kineticblonde

Active member
Jan 21, 2023
31
Maryland
We have been using our pool (completed in March 2023) all winter in MD with no issues. We have it set to 70 degrees. I got in the pool Saturday to swim and noticed the water seemed colder. I checked the heater and the set point was 70 but the actual temperature of the water was 66. While I was out there, I kept hearing the gas turning on and off every few minutes. We called our pool builder and he said to check the water level. We noticed it was definitely low so we added water. We turned the heater off and on. We checked the pump filter. We checked the skimmers and the weirs.
We also noticed there is a strange sound coming from the pipe out of the water heater(only when it is on). The noise basically sounds like sticking gravel in an empty plastic bottle and shaking it around. We have never heard that sound before in our year of pool ownership.
We also noticed there are large air bubbles visible on the pump filter window (see attached image-I outlined the big bubble). Is that normal? We tried to bleed the air out but it didn't help. 1000044378.jpg

We had our pool builder (who is also our pool service guy) come out to take a look. Please see screenshots below of what he said. Does any of that make sense?? We still hear the weird sound. 1000044376.jpg1000044377.jpg
On top of this, he said when he left at 12pm the set point was still 70 and the water temp was 62. When we got home at 5pm, the water temp was only 64. Our pool heater usually heats the water about 1 degree every hour....so is something wrong with our heater now? Feeling very confused and unsure about everything.
 
kineticblonde said:
We have been using our pool (completed in March 2023) all winter in MD with no issues. We have it set to 70 degrees. I got in the pool Saturday to swim and noticed the water seemed colder. I checked the heater and the set point was 70 but the actual temperature of the water was 66. While I was out there, I kept hearing the gas turning on and off every few minutes. We called our pool builder and he said to check the water level. We noticed it was definitely low so we added water. We turned the heater off and on. We checked the pump filter. We checked the skimmers and the weirs.
We also noticed there is a strange sound coming from the pipe out of the water heater(only when it is on). The noise basically sounds like sticking gravel in an empty plastic bottle and shaking it around. We have never heard that sound before in our year of pool ownership.
We also noticed there are large air bubbles visible on the pump filter window (see attached image-I outlined the big bubble). Is that normal? We tried to bleed the air out but it didn't help.

We had our pool builder (who is also our pool service guy) come out to take a look. Please see screenshots below of what he said. Does any of that make sense?? We still hear the weird sound.
Click to expand...
Try increasing the speed of the pump by a couple of hundred RPM. The heater is probably also throwing an error code when the noise starts as that usually means the water is getting too hot and shutting off a safety switch. The vast majority of all problems with pool heaters are actually problems elsewhere in the system. Most times it is a water-flow issue (dirty filter, clogged pump/skimmer basket/ low RPM, etc.).

Most VSP have that "air bubble" in the pot at lower RPM. It's not usually an issue.
 
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1poolman1 said:
Try increasing the speed of the pump by a couple of hundred RPM. The heater is probably also throwing an error code when the noise starts as that usually means the water is getting too hot and shutting off a safety switch. The vast majority of all problems with pool heaters are actually problems elsewhere in the system. Most times it is a water-flow issue (dirty filter, clogged pump/skimmer basket/ low RPM, etc.).

Most VSP have that "air bubble" in the pot at lower RPM. It's not usually an issue.
Click to expand...
How do I increase the speed of the pump?

Yes-the error code on the heater said "high fault limit" before the pool guy turned down the regulator.
 
kineticblonde said:
The noise basically sounds like sticking gravel in an empty plastic bottle and shaking it around.
Click to expand...
Water boiling is usually a low flow issue.

Low flow should cause the pressure switch to open and the heater should not fire with low flow.

Most likely there is a configuration issue causing pressure but no flow.

I highly doubt that the regulator went bad.

It should be basically impossible for water to get in the lines, gas valves and regulators.

Maybe there is an external bypass open?

What is the elevation of the heater compared to the pool water surface?
 
It looks like the plumbing is correct with no external bypass.

I cannot tell if you have a VersaFlo automatic bypass.

Maybe that is malfunctioning?

It might be low flow due to low pump speed, but the pressure switch should open if the flow is too low.

Maybe the pressure switch is bad or maybe it has been adjusted out of calibration.

Below explains the VersaFlo automatic bypass.

1707783110539.png


 
Last edited:
Can you show the current gas line and regulator?

Did the service tech actually measure the gas pressure?

If yes, what was the gas pressure?

If the regulator really is bad, then the heater needs to be shut off and not used.
 

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JamesW said:
It looks like the plumbing is correct with no external bypass.

I cannot tell if you have a VersaFlo automatic bypass.

Maybe that is malfunctioning?

It might be low flow due to low pump speed, but the pressure switch should open if the flow is too low.

Maybe the pressure switch is bad or maybe it has been adjusted out of calibration.

Below explains the VersaFlo automatic bypass.

View attachment 553827


Click to expand...
I took a few more pics just now. I don't think we have a versaflo?
 

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JamesW said:
Can you show the current gas line and regulator?

Did the service tech actually measure the gas pressure?

If yes, what was the gas pressure?

If the regulator really is bad, then the heater needs to be shut off and not used.
Click to expand...
See attached pic of gas line and regulator

I don't think the gas pressure was actually measured. He told us we could still use the heater. After reading your post, we will turn it off until his gas guy comes out.
 

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This looks like a 2 psi system, which uses a regulator to change the pressure from 2 psi to 7" w.c for the heater.

It is possible that the regulator has failed and you have 2 psi going to the heater, but this is very dangerous and you cannot just start randomly adjusting the pressure without measuring it.

I suspect that there is a flow issue.

The gas pressure needs to be measured to make sure that it is correct and the flow to the heater also needs to be verified before the heater is used again.
 
Class I: Reduces natural gas service regulator pressures (2, 5, or 10 psi) or LPG 2 psi service regulator pressure to appliance operating rated inlet pressures ( ½ psi or less).

V-Limiter devices are designed for use indoors to limit the amount of gas escapement in the event of a diaphragm failure.

Gas escapement is limited to within the ANSI standard requirements.

V-Limiter® devices should not be used outdoors if they are exposed to the elements.

When a regulator is installed outdoors, the use of a 13A15, 13A15-5 or 13A25 ® is recommended.

1707786521258.png

1707786076021.png

1707786249727.png


1707786296985.png
 

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JamesW said:
Class I: Reduces natural gas service regulator pressures (2, 5, or 10 psi) or LPG 2 psi service regulator pressure to appliance operating rated inlet pressures ( ½ psi or less).

V-Limiter devices are designed for use indoors to limit the amount of gas escapement in the event of a diaphragm failure.

Gas escapement is limited to within the ANSI standard requirements.

V-Limiter® devices should not be used outdoors if they are exposed to the elements.

When a regulator is installed outdoors, the use of a 13A15, 13A15-5 or 13A25 ® is recommended.

View attachment 553852

View attachment 553848

View attachment 553850


View attachment 553851
Click to expand...
Wow!! Thank you so much for educating us.

I just realized on a previous post I never answered your question about where the heater is in terms of elevation in relation to the pool. Not sure if that matters but wanted to make sure I answered. Please see pic. Pool equipment is up by the house and the pool is in the lower left of the pic. So the heater is at least 4 or 5 feet higher than the pool.
 

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