Should I even mess with this heater?

[tbone2]

Looking for some input on whether or not I should even try to use my heater. Some back ground on the pool heater. Purchased the house as a foreclosure and this has sit at minimum of 3 years without use. Considering the plumbing doesn't even run to it, I presume it may not have been used for 5 years plus.

The heater is a Raypak model C-265B-MN, 198k BTU's. There are links below to photos to give you an idea of condition. I'm handy and could replace parts if needed, but don't really know where to begin with this (looking online right now for manual or any info from manufacturer). Familiar with pool pump and filter equipment, but this would be my first time dealing with any pool heater.

If I were to get it working, I only anticipate we would fire it up for 3-4 times in the spring or fall to go swimming. So with that said, would it even be worth any time or money to get it going? I know the cost of a new heater and it's not worth the cost for me to do new for the amount we would use it. If I could get it going and replace any parts for say $200-$400 I would probably be open to it.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4q3r9icCvtvM2RkZFU5ZnhzLU9uYW1rRTZaX1pxUGNfcWNN/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4q3r9icCvtvMkJ3VUJWVWE0NWxVcks1dDljbkJPS3NueUVZ/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4q3r9icCvtvN1kxRllDNy1uS3dZdXh4UHBWMUw4RUQ4V0JZ/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4q3r9icCvtvQzR3d1RFY2MxQVBfZS1oTk0wV0xRM250UjNF/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4q3r9icCvtvWTJUUnh6a05xS2R0dlNrUFI3QXFBcUhLbUk4/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4q3r9icCvtvZEJQT2ppWU5IM2twZGlEdHFqZG5mc2VHT1hV/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4q3r9icCvtvcTVTVU9NQ2JrYWczSEdTX0dNMGZpQUN5TmRN/edit?usp=sharing

 

[JasonLion]

That does not look promising. If the previous owner didn't even have it plumbed in, it probably leaks internally. Plus, from what I can see in the photos, odds are good that many of the other components have either already failed or will fail soon. Certainly it would still be possible to get it working, but it might involve replacing nearly everything. Unless you are into restoration projects, I would think about getting a new heater.

 

[tbone2]

I figured there had to be a reason it wasn't hooked up. Didn't think about the leaking. Just found the info on the Raypak site on the heater and I'm gonna pass on even messing with it. They list it as obsolete actually. If it needed a complete rebuild the parts I was looking at would cost 60-70% of just getting a new one.

Not in the market now to get a new one, but how many BTU's do you think I would need for 26k gallons? You never know when you could come across a good deal and would at least like to know what range of BTU's would be adequate for my pool.

 

[ps0303]

Wow that's an old one. If they had a pool heater museum they might be interested in it.

The size of a heater depends on how quickly you want to heat the pool. You can go either with a 266K BTU or a 400K BTU unit.