Time to heat up spa

[JamesW]

22 psi is too high for a cartridge filter. I think that misconfigured valves are the likely cause. The filter might also be dirty. I suspect that insufficient flow is causing the cycling.

The suction manifold is all of the "T"s connected together to combine the flow from all of the suction lines into one going into the pump.

The pressure manifold is where the outflow from the filter branches into individual lines going back to the pool or spa.

I would say that the next steps would be to clean the filter and figure out the plumbing.

I think that the suction might just be pulling from the pool main drain.

Can you verify good suction from the spa and good return to the spa?

What pump do you have?

 

[Eric618]

It's a Hayward Pump, I believe. I still haven't been to that house since you wrote last night. We bought it last week, but haven't moved in yet.

I have a guy coming to look at it Friday morning, as I feel in a little over my head. He also agreed to give me a pretty good tutorial, and label all the valves/lines accurately. I'll fill you in on what the issue is.

Thanks again...

 

[JamesW]

The pump is a Hayward ecostar (variable speed). If you can post the rpm speed that the pump is running, that would help.

 

[Eric618]

Here's an update. Had a pool guy at the house today. The valves are all configured appropriately. He doesn't think the high filter pressure is causing it, but will be cleaning them Monday. He's also going to start diagnosing.

I'm frustrated, but at least I should have a working heater fairly soon, I hope.

 

[Eric618]

Just heard from the pool guy. He was the bearer of bad news. He feels that the heater is just shot. He stated that at very least it needs a new control panel, and by the looks of the internals, he doesn't think it will be worth dumping money into it. And, on top of that, the filter cartridges need to be replaced. He texted me pics, and they looked a mess!

Now I don't know what to do!

Any help, guidance, suggestions?? Please???

 

[JamesW]

Can you post a picture of the current valve configuration?

Replace the cartridges, set the pump speed to 2400 rpm and make sure that the valves are correct.

Verify suction from the spa and return to the spa.

Get a second opinion from another service person.

 

[Eric618]

Thanks. The only valve pics I have were posted earlier. I can take more specific ones later. The cartridges were cleaned today. I'm not sure yet how much that affected pressure.

Pool guy claimed he verified suction/return.

I am already looking for someone for a second opinion.

Thank you!

 

[JamesW]

You have a variable speed pump. If you can try different speeds and note the corresponding pressure, that would help. I would suggest not exceeding 2700 rpm. Try 1000, 1500, 2000, 2400 and 2700 rpm and note the pressure for each.

I still suspect that the valves might be set incorrectly. Did the service person say that the valves were good on arrival or did they say that they had to adjust the valves?

 

[wjr75]

My hot tub when turned on by itself runs at 20psi. It usually runs at around 13psi in pool mode. I have a 1.5hp Whisperflo single speed pump.

 

[Eric618]

I just got home. I don't feel up to messing with it today, but I did fire it up and the pressure is no lower. The pool guy said the cartridges were shot but stated he did clean them. Seems odd no pressure improvement.

Also odd... I fired the heater up in pool mode. After 40 seconds or so it shut down (as it does), and I switched it to spa mode, which caused the pump to pause while the valves adjusted. I heard the internal gurgling noise suggesting a significant lack of flow.

I don't know if it is valves or not, but this really seems to be more of a mechanical issue to my untrained eye.

Can I run that filter with the cartridges removed to see if that changes anything? Anything else I can try? I will try upping the pump speed, but I'm just spent today. Hopefully tomorrow.

Thanks.

 

[Eric618]

...I still suspect that the valves might be set incorrectly. Did the service person say that the valves were good on arrival or did they say that they had to adjust the valves?

He claimed they all looked good.

 

[JamesW]

I really don't think the valves are set correctly. With a clean filter, properly set valves and the right pump speed, you should get good flow with pressure below 10 psi. Where is the spa suction, main drain or skimmer?

Something's not right. I would get another service person.

 

[Eric618]

I tinkered a little bit this morning, and I found this odd. When left to cycle through it's paces, the heater eventually shuts down, and I can hear gurgling and almost a boiling sound inside it. Yet, when I crack this release valve in the picture in the link below, the water is cold. Sorry, I couldn't get the pic to post in-line.

Shouldn't that water be hot??? I'm still thinking this is some sort of internal obstruction issue.

Dropbox - valve1.jpg

 

[banditig]

the water should be warm from the pressure release valve. How much flow is coming out of the valve? Yo might want to take the header off and check the internal bypass valve if it has one, and make sure heat exchanger tubes are not full of scale.

 

[Eric618]

That was my thought as well. Water seems to be coming out of the valve pretty readily. It's spewing out pretty good. Will I be able to see pretty easily into the exchanger for any scale buildup?

Thanks!!

 

[banditig]

Yes you should be able to see very easily. My heater has an internal bypass valve with a spring and plate in the header.

 

[banditig]

https://www.hayward-pool.com/pdf/manuals/h-series-hxxx.pdf
manual

 

[Eric618]

Great. Thanks!

 

[JamesW]

It might be a scaled heat exchanger. Does the heater give any error codes?

 

[Eric618]

It does give an LO code.