Need New Heater Advice needed

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Taylor1584

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LifeTime Supporter
May 13, 2011
340
NW Arkansas
Pool Size
12000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
SWG Type
Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I have posted here before about my Hayward heater, natural gas, 400K BTU, 20,000 gal. saltwater pool, SW Houston area. I one of the thousands with repeated failure of circuit boards. I have called and called Hayward over the past several years, they seem to know nothing about the problems people are having with these boards. I did point out that if they looked a social media, they would be aware. In trying to get help, I called around to pool repair places and every single one said they try to keep the board on hand cause they replace them all the time. i did learn from you all where to look on the board, and even thought about attempting to solder the fix, but um Im not so handy, but all the advice given was spot on. I replaced the control panel, only to have it go out in less than a year, and learned from several of you that you also have to replace another board at the same time..Present count purchased 4 total boards and labor, cause I was unsure of my abilities, never had a pool before moving to Texas.

Long Story short. Anyway...I am going to get a new heater and have seen in a recent post that Raypack is recommended. Is there a particular model recommended? What about the saltwater, is that a problem for these heaters. I know all heaters have their pluses and minuses, so Im looking for your experience and advice.

Thanks,
Chris
 
It seems that Raypak is the general recommendation from feedback received.

A SWG pool really does not need anything special. The copper exchangers will be fine if you keep the pool in balance. The cupro-nickel exchangers are a little more forgiving if you were to let the pH get way too low, which should really never happen.
 
Taylor1584 said:
I have posted here before about my Hayward heater, natural gas, 400K BTU, 20,000 gal. saltwater pool, SW Houston area. I one of the thousands with repeated failure of circuit boards. I have called and called Hayward over the past several years, they seem to know nothing about the problems people are having with these boards. I did point out that if they looked a social media, they would be aware. In trying to get help, I called around to pool repair places and every single one said they try to keep the board on hand cause they replace them all the time. i did learn from you all where to look on the board, and even thought about attempting to solder the fix, but um Im not so handy, but all the advice given was spot on. I replaced the control panel, only to have it go out in less than a year, and learned from several of you that you also have to replace another board at the same time..Present count purchased 4 total boards and labor, cause I was unsure of my abilities, never had a pool before moving to Texas.

Long Story short. Anyway...I am going to get a new heater and have seen in a recent post that Raypack is recommended. Is there a particular model recommended? What about the saltwater, is that a problem for these heaters. I know all heaters have their pluses and minuses, so Im looking for your experience and advice.

Thanks,
Chris
Click to expand...

Chris,

Glad you posted this as I'm sure many here who have read my posts about how Hayward isn't a good unit and they refuse to acknowledge issues think I am biased. What you have experienced is all true and backs up my rants about Hayward. Anyway, The Raypak 406a in natural gas is what you want to get, As stated above, no need to go overboard and pay extra for the cupro nickel. The regular copper heat exchanger holds up just fine with a salt chlorine generator. The amount of salt in a pool isn't enough to do any harm. Just keep your pool waters chemicals in the correct range and you'll be good.

Sorry that you became yet another victim of Hayward's poor product and service.
 
wow I thought I was the only one having problems..my control board went out when a year old..I did replace it and made a tarp to cover the new one so hoping it last longer.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
Raypak for sure ...I bought the cupro nickel exchanger which was only an extra $150 when I bought mine a few years ago. With the huge ph swings in our spa due to aeration I thought it was worth it.
 
ps0303,
Actually, I found the Troublefreepool forums because of the Hayward Heater problem. Just could not understand how something so expensive, a name brand in pool equipment, and less than a year old be so completely junk. Talk about planned obsolescence that thing is made to fail. All the pool stores they all never heard of Hayward Heaters having problems with the electronic boards, after visits from the pool store tech the first and second time boards failed, I knew they knew nothing, I didn't end up using them. Several other companies came and went, all said they tried to keep the boards in stock and on the trucks as they replaced them all the time. I never had a pool before and knew squat about pool equipment, electronics, and pool chemistry. I read every post I could find, even the ones with pictures where the failures were on the boards, and where to order the part and how to solder, man it was about a $5 fix. Since then a simple google search of "Hayward pool heater problem, or board problem" or similar will get thousands of hits. I guess their PR and CS employees live under a rock. Anyway, I have learned so much from these forums, every question, yields many many good people trying to help each other. I could not have a pool without access to the Pool Calculator, the chem pages. It really is simple, I just have to follow directions, love my test kit. Anyways I will be searching in the Houston area for a Raypack heater so if anyone knows a reliable source let me know.
Thanks,
Chris
 

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Markayas,
Oh no, you not alone, there many of us in the club. I have the same idea about a tarp, HOA prohibits certain structures, so working around that. Feel free to share pictures and let us know if it helps. I had thought for the months I never turn on the heater of making a cover out of magnetic vinyl sheet. Not sure why as these are sold for outside pools, need to be outside with ventilation, and yet Hayward places all the brains under a thin sheet of plastic.
Chris
 
I believe it states in the manual that there should not be anything above the unit for safety and ventilation sake. These units are designed to be outside just like your AC units. The problem with these units and the boards has nothing to do with them getting wet. I'm sure it's either cheap Chinese components or bad board design. Either way, Hayward surely knows about it but has done nothing to rectify it. I'm sure they don't want to acknowledge it as it would create a massive recall and they would take a huge hit in $$ and reputation.

I wish more people would truly do their research before purchasing these units. But hey, on the other hand it's a money maker for us repair techs.
 
ps0303 said:
I believe it states in the manual that there should not be anything above the unit for safety and ventilation sake. These units are designed to be outside just like your AC units. The problem with these units and the boards has nothing to do with them getting wet. I'm sure it's either cheap Chinese components or bad board design. Either way, Hayward surely knows about it but has done nothing to rectify it. I'm sure they don't want to acknowledge it as it would create a massive recall and they would take a huge hit in $$ and reputation.

I wish more people would truly do their research before purchasing these units. But hey, on the other hand it's a money maker for us repair techs.
Click to expand...

I have saved all the bad boards, all receipts for new boards, and receipts for all labour. I am trying to get in touch with a Hayward distributer. A pool company at a local Home and Garden Show gave me a name and number. According to him, Hayward should have taken care of it.
 
I made a small tarp that covers the control board for mine. Not sure if it will help but can't hurt..It fastens to the screws above the board and hangs over the controls. My control board died after the 1st season
 
Taylor1584 said:
I have saved all the bad boards, all receipts for new boards, and receipts for all labour. I am trying to get in touch with a Hayward distributer. A pool company at a local Home and Garden Show gave me a name and number. According to him, Hayward should have taken care of it.
Click to expand...

If the unit is out of the warranty period, good luck. Depending on who you talk to at Hayward, they may or may not care enough about their reputation to help you.
 
So I am investigating purchasing a natural gas 406 Paypack in the Houston. I am correct in thinking that in order to have a real warranty, I need to purchase from an authorized dealer and have it installed by an authorized installer, am I forgetting anything. Anyone now where to find a Raypack dealer, I looked on Raypack's website
and looks like there are maybe 3 in the greater Houston area. So if I get it from a pool repair company do I lose the warranty?
Houston pool owners I am looking at you.
Thanks,
Chris
 
As long as the company installing it is licensed in your state for that type of work, you should be good. No such thing as an authorized installer if you are referring to Raypak authorizing them.
 
Update. So the pool service company, the one that has helped us through the Hayward debacle, and no longer installs Hayward, does not recommend Raypack. They say they work on them all the time. They are recommending either Jandy 400 or Pentair Mastertemp 400. Price about the same for all. Any thoughts out there? I am in the SW Houston area, Sugarland, Tx. I have spent enough on Hayward parts and labor to have bought a new one, just don't want to go through that again. We know Hayward won't help out or acknowledge the problems, how do Jandy and Pentair stand on customer service?
Thanks in advance, thought I would have been in the pool by now.
Chris
 
Find another pool service company. Raypak is the most stable heater on the market hands down. I have a few friends that have a combined 40 years in the business and they agree, Raypak is the way to go. I almost guarantee you they don't do as much work on them as they claim. The two they mentioned are just as bad as the Hayward. But hey what do I know, I just work on them every day.
 
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