Heat exchanger repair

[swirlywater]

My pool has been loosing some water and it's wet around me heater so I took it apart. Wowzers! Everything is wet! I think there is insulation between the burners that is like mud. Think I can replace just the heat exchanger?

 

[ajw22]

Post pics of what you are seeing and where the heater is leaking?

You price a new heat exchanger?

 

[swirlywater]

I can't seem to get pics to upload. I'll try to shrink them on the computer. Yea! Heat exchanger is way cheaper, but only if the rest isn't hanging on to life

 

[swirlywater]

 

[mknauss]

"Inline Tri-Chlor Chlorinator" from your signature. That destroyed your heat exchanger.

 

[ajw22]

I see enough rust in other areas that I doubt it is economical to repair.

@swamprat69

 

[swirlywater]

Since this pool has been installed I have been crazy about the chemistry. This is the first year I have run higher Chlorine because my CYA is reading 80. I assume this is from the Tri-Chlor, but I was using it because I had it and I was hoping Chlorine costs would come back down by next year. I keep the PH around 7.6-7.8 TA 90 CH 200 because of the CYA I am running 10-12ppm Chlorine. I don't think all this corrosion could be from the last 2 months, but I have never opened one of these to look. I was going to try to seal the leak and just run without heat for a few more weeks. My short term solution is going to be a heater by-pass. I suspect this unit is too damaged to replace just the exchanger but was hopping one of ya'll experts would chime in.

 

[mknauss]

Did you run the pump continuously when trichlor was in the feeder? If not, the acidic stew from the feeder can bleed back to the heater, even if you have a check valve. Over time that low pH environment will destroy the heat exchanger.

 

[swirlywater]

That is interesting. My pump doesn't run 24-7, and I don't always have tri-chlor in the down-stream feeder, but I have been using it a lot this summer because of house sitters. In the last 24 hours I just started reading about by-pass and check valves. Blows my mind how negligent the pool builder was. I was a new pool owner when he installed it so I didn't question his methods. I have learned a lot in 8 years, mostly from this forum.

 

[swamprat69]

Heater age/model # (8 years)? From what I can see there are major rust and insulation deterioration problems in firebox and heat exchanger enclosures not to mention the cleanup involved with the burners and assessment of burner tray deterioration. Can't tell much more without closeups of all major parts/sections involved.