copper flakes coming from heater

[andy]

I am getting a lot of small what appear to be copper flakes coming out of my heater and then into the pool. I figured this may be my heat exchanger going bad so I bought a new one and installed it. Same problem still. Any ideas?
Heater is a Sta-Rite max-e-therm 400,000 btu
ph level is kept a 7.70 via autopilot total control system.[attachment=0:2jaqo392]copper flakes.jpg[/attachment:2jaqo392]

 

[zea3]

Do you have any copper pipes in the pool plumbing?

 

[andy]

None

 

[chem geek]

I would have thought it might have been the heat exchanger as well, but since you replaced the heater and it still is happening then clearly it's coming from somewhere else. Do you have a saltwater chlorine generator or a copper ionization system? I'm just thinking of other metal parts you might have that could wear and break apart.

 

[andy]

I definately think it's the heater.... just can't figure out how/where/why. Below is my set-up, pump, filter, heater, salt generator, pool return lines. Right after the water exits the heater it goes through a screen strainer and that is catching the flakes. This is why it must be coming from the heater.

fyi, the autopilot total control is only being used to control the PH. I had switch back to regular water because the salt water was eating my aluminum auto cover parts.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

I wonder if they are just residual flakes from before you replaced the exchanger, that are now working themselves loose from wherever they got stuck...

 

[duraleigh]

If there are no more remaining copper parts in your system, MITS's explanation makes perfect sense.

 

[ps0303]

the picture you uploaded, is this inside a room?

 

[andy]

Yes. It's an indoor pool and that's my mechanical room.

 

[ps0303]

Not to get off subject, but do you have the heater exhausting to the outside?

My guess is that some of the flakes you are seeing since the replacement are residuals that have been floating around somewhere.

 

[andy]

Yep, the exhaust is piped to the exterior