Laars heater with bad pressure switch corrosion/leak

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lexeverything

Member
Jan 6, 2023
21
SoCal
Hi all! It is looking like our Laars heater to a dump. We turned it on, but nothing was happening. So I had my electrician out (who wired our new Pentair VSF) to check that it was getting power. He verified that it was, and he checked the fuse - which had blown. We grabbed a new fuse and tried to power up. We started to see little puffs of smoke... with a terrible burning plastic smell. I looked and saw it was coming from the pressure switch where the wires connect. We powered it off, and shut off the breaker. I then noticed that water was dripping off of the wire connected to that pressure switch. So the pressure switch is leaking... well, it looks like it has been for quite some time. Major corrosion. So I am wondering... could this be a simple fix at the pressure switch (and possibly also the pressure switch copper tubing), or is this an indication that the heater is toast? I want to have out the pool company that replaced our pump, but I figure I should know what I am dealing with before they come out and look. Thanks for any advice/insight!
Pics:
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Is there a manufacturing date on it anywhere? You can replace parts on them still until the heat exchanger goes. I was replacing parts on my 20 yo heater until rusty chunks of heat exchanger started entering the pipes. I can check if my switch is still good if you need
 
I don't see a manufacturing date, but the pool was put in back in 1998. I figured I could replace this part, but I see three pressure switches indicated in the parts list. I am guessing that this particular part is R0013200, a 2 psi switch. I am not sure on that, but it looks closest to the part I am dealing with. Nothing indicated on the bad part... which is obviously in bad shape.
 
lexeverything said:
I don't see a manufacturing date, but the pool was put in back in 1998. I figured I could replace this part, but I see three pressure switches indicated in the parts list. I am guessing that this particular part is R0013200, a 2 psi switch. I am not sure on that, but it looks closest to the part I am dealing with. Nothing indicated on the bad part... which is obviously in bad shape.
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Tough call. Mine is circa-2001 so a bit newer. Kinda depends on how much money you want to sink into it. It’s well past its expected lifespan.
 
I figured it was bit long in the tooth... but we rarely use it. It worked great last year, the few times we used it to goose the temp as we transitioned out of the cold months.
Anyway, like I said, I'll be having my pool installer guys give it a look and tell me what they think. I just wanted an idea of what I was looking at before I hear it from them. I thought it may be able to be fixed... but we will see.
 
The pressure switch should be closed when the heater has sufficient flow though the heater. I have an Laars/Jandy LXi heater and had the same leaking pressure switch problem. It too had been leaking and corroding for a while before it stopped working.

It sounds like the wires on yours are corroded enough that they shorted to ground (the switches case) causing the smoke and the fuse to blow.

As a test and only as a test you can cut the wires off the pressure switch and wire nut them to together. That will eliminate the short to ground and bypass the switch. Then replace the fuse again.

With the pump running you can then turn the heater on and see if it fires. If it does then you know you just need a new pressure switch, the new switch won’t look the same as they don’t make the same one anymore you just need a replacement with the same pressure setting.

Don’t run the heater in this mode for any more than a test as the protection device is bypassed, but this will let you know that all you need is a replacement pressure sensor and that should be less than $50 dollars.
 
From the serial number it looks like the heater is from 1998…

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lexeverything said:
Hi all! It is looking like our Laars heater to a dump. We turned it on, but nothing was happening. So I had my electrician out (who wired our new Pentair VSF) to check that it was getting power. He verified that it was, and he checked the fuse - which had blown. We grabbed a new fuse and tried to power up. We started to see little puffs of smoke... with a terrible burning plastic smell. I looked and saw it was coming from the pressure switch where the wires connect. We powered it off, and shut off the breaker. I then noticed that water was dripping off of the wire connected to that pressure switch. So the pressure switch is leaking... well, it looks like it has been for quite some time. Major corrosion. So I am wondering... could this be a simple fix at the pressure switch (and possibly also the pressure switch copper tubing), or is this an indication that the heater is toast? I want to have out the pool company that replaced our pump, but I figure I should know what I am dealing with before they come out and look. Thanks for any advice/insight!
Pics:
View attachment 483019View attachment 483020View attachment 483021
Click to expand...
If all else is relatively good, give this a try:
 
I see that the part (if I have the correct part# R0013200) is inexpensive, and I believe I can handle the fix... if I am lucky enough that is all it is. Probably doesn't hurt to give it a try.
I am a little nervous to try what MS suggested, testing by bypassing the switch for a quick test to see if it fires up.
If it is simply that the pressure switch is bad... is it likely that the copper tube to the switch is also bad? I imagine it is the switch that failed... but I have not closely examined the tubing for any breaks/pinholes, etc.
 

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lexeverything said:
I see that the part (if I have the correct part# R0013200) is inexpensive, and I believe I can handle the fix... if I am lucky enough that is all it is. Probably doesn't hurt to give it a try.
I am a little nervous to try what MS suggested, testing by bypassing the switch for a quick test to see if it fires up.
If it is simply that the pressure switch is bad... is it likely that the copper tube to the switch is also bad? I imagine it is the switch that failed... but I have not closely examined the tubing for any breaks/pinholes, etc.
Click to expand...
Copper tubing is usually OK. Leak appears to be at the compression fitting, which is very typical for those heaters.
 
I now have the part and I want to perform the swap today… but I am reading something about adding sae30 motor oil to the copper pressure switch tube/line before replacing with new pressure switch? I was reading that on an Amazon review of the replacement part. I have a call into Zodiac/Jandy and am waiting for someone to call me back so I can ask them what the procedure is to replace this switch.
Anybody have any experience replacing this part and if a bit of oil is needed in the line?
 
lexeverything said:
I now have the part and I want to perform the swap today… but I am reading something about adding sae30 motor oil to the copper pressure switch tube/line before replacing with new pressure switch? I was reading that on an Amazon review of the replacement part. I have a call into Zodiac/Jandy and am waiting for someone to call me back so I can ask them what the procedure is to replace this switch.
Anybody have any experience replacing this part and if a bit of oil is needed in the line?
Click to expand...
In theory at least, that was done when the heater was first assembled. In 30+ years of practice, I have never done it or seen evidence of oil ever being in that tube.
 
Thanks for that info! I just got off the phone with Jandy, who would not give me any info about the install procedure - as I am just a homeowner and not a pool professional. Said they could not do it.

well… I do have sae30 oil for my Honda mower oil changes. Should I just forget about the oil and install this part?
 
lexeverything said:
Thanks for that info! I just got off the phone with Jandy, who would not give me any info about the install procedure - as I am just a homeowner and not a pool professional. Said they could not do it.

well… I do have sae30 oil for my Honda mower oil changes. Should I just forget about the oil and install this part?
Click to expand...
If it makes you comfortable, put a bit into the pressure switch itself, but beware. Not real sure how well new pool "stuff" will react to a petroleum product, especially if you have/get an all plastic switch. We usually avoid petroleum around anything pool related. As mentioned, never done it in 3 decades with no issues. Looking at the corrosion on the switch you have, you can see there isn't any in it and my have never been.
 
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