Raypak Heater Help!

[yabby32]

My pool guy installed my Raypak 267a low NOx heater in late April 2021. So far the temp sensor has corroded twice. I notice this when the sensor fitting starts to spray (see pic). The temp sensor is on the in flow side. Does the protek shield look correct as well? Seems pretty full for such few months of use.

I have an offline chlorinator to prevent this, I keep low chlorine levels and am pretty obsessive about chemicals being balanced. I also use an instant frog mineral sanitizer in my skimmer. Please advise.

 

[Poolbreh]

I would strongly urge you to get a recommended tfp test kit as soon as possible.

Swimming Pool Test Kits Compared

What pool test kit should I buy? Why shouldn't I use test strips? Our recommended test kits will pay for themselves in no time!

www.troublefreepool.com

And read

ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry

There are several items things every pool owner should know about swimming pool water. We share details on the basics of Pool Water Chemistry.

www.troublefreepool.com

From what that sensor looks like, your water seems very acidic.
@mknauss could help you as soon as you get the results.
can’t stress the urgency.

 

[ajw22]

Show us pics of your equipment pad.

I suspect your offline chlorinator is not as offline as you think.

Your frog mineral sanitizer is adding copper to your water that will lead to pool staining and blonde hair turning green.

Copper in Pool Water - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Alternative sanitizers and "chemical free" pools--The Truth!

Pool owners frequently seek out "Chemical Free" alternatives to pool water sanitization. Many claims in favor of these systems and methods have been made (usually by the manufacturers of such systems) often without adequate scientific proof of their efficacy. Let's take a look at them and see...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[yabby32]

I use the Taylor 2005 kit and also have my water checked by pool company monthly.
Cl: 6
Free: 6
Ph: 7.3
Alk: 120
Calcium: 250

it may help to know that I haven’t been able to use my system since mid August as we had an underground pipe leak. So, this was sitting in stagnant water all that time. Not sure if that caused this? Just turned back on today, which is why my CL is higher than normal. I test weekly and stay on top of chemicals so I’m a bit confused.

The chlorinator gets water from the pipe coming directly out of filter and then connects on the pipe that goes out to pool. The black line is attached to the dial and the clearish yellow line goes to pipe going back to pool.

Can the frog be a culprit here?

Thanks for your replies!

 

[Poolbreh]

My apologies, something just isn’t adding up. What do you have going on behind the filter? And when you say the chlorination is offline do you mean it’s just set to off by the dial? Was there tablets in the feeder while it was off for a month? When you said the cl raised when you turned it on, was that because you added anything? If not how much did it raise by?

 

[yabby32]

There is a bioshield behind the filter. By offline I meant that it attaches to system through tubes rather than being in the plumbing. I did have the chlorinator dial “on” during that 2 months and there were tablets in it as I thought it wouldn’t do anything without flow/pump being turned on. I purposely raised the CL in the pool while system was off to avoid algae and I did this through a floater. The floater is out now that my system is turned back on but it may take some time for CL to keep dropping.

 

[Poolbreh]

I believe it is the chlorinator and the fact that it looks like your equipment is below your pool. Even off and the high run of pvc on intake and return will cause those tablets to eat away at everything when it’s off. I would recommend completely removing it. If your sensor looks like that, I fear any other damage it has done to the heater.

 

[mknauss]

In nearly all situations, if a trichlor chlorinator has pucks in it, the pump should never be turned off.

 

[yabby32]

Someone suggested a check valve to be placed right before the chlorinator puts chlorine into pool. You are correct that my equipment is lower than the pool. The heater is still under warranty so are there certain parts I should inspect? Thoughts on a check valve ic I keep chlorinator? If no chlorinator what do you recommend? A floater?

 

[yabby32]

In nearly all situations, if a trichlor chlorinator has pucks in it, the pump should never be turned off.

Oh really?!? What if I install check valve? If no chlorinator then what do you suggest as alternative?

 

[mknauss]

A check valve will provide a sense of protection, but it is not fail safe protection.

A pool should be chlorinated with liquid chlorine being added daily or a SaltWater Chlorine Generator.

How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Before chlorinating your pool, you should know these simple tips. Learn the best way to add chlorine to your pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Poolbreh]

A check valve would do nothing. I fear warranty may not help. If you do have warranty come out for a reason. Might be wise to remove that chlorinator before they get there. Swg are always recommended especially if you want to run fc lower.

 

[yabby32]

A check valve will provide a sense of protection, but it is not fail safe protection.

A pool should be chlorinated with liquid chlorine being added daily or a SaltWater Chlorine Generator.

How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Before chlorinating your pool, you should know these simple tips. Learn the best way to add chlorine to your pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

I’d love to get a SWG but they are so expensive (ballpark of $3k to $4k with instal) and a daily chlorine dosing isn’t practical. Is there a 3rd or 4th best option that I can do until I can afford a SWG?

 

[Poolbreh]

The reason I say warranty may not help. One look at thermistor and you can tell it’s deep levels of corrosion not a manufacturer problem. Other things that may be corroded is almost everything internal. Biggest concern would be the exchanger.

 

[Poolbreh]

post the gallons of pool(update signature if you can check the current salt levels as well there are a ton of members that have installed swg themselves and will have recommendations and plenty of posts of diy swg. We would be happy help.

 

[yabby32]

Do you think the heater is junk now or can it be salvaged? I paid almost $4k for that heater The good thing is that my pool guy is able to tell the warranty folks what’s going on and since he did not catch this, he is telling them things are just failing so I’m hopeful for this. Lastly, my pool is 16k gallons. How do I measure salt levels?

 

[Poolbreh]

I’m not sure man, I can only go off what the sensor you showed. For most accurate tests, Taylor salt kit.

 

[ps0303]

Is this heater in a commercial setting?

 

[yabby32]

Is this heater in a commercial setting?

It’s residential

 

[yabby32]

Update: I believe there are 2 possible issues here- 1) equipment not bonded to each other and pool and 2) Not having a check valve with a chlorinator. The second one is easily fixed, however for the first issue I can’t find an electrician willing to do this work because it’s a pool. Any suggestions on how I should go about finding someone to bond equipment to my pool? The pool itself is bonded.