Is this heater dead?

NewHouseFirstPool said:

I recently opened my pool, and all the equipment is working well. We didn't try the heater as the pool inspector when we bought the house last fall said it was non-functioning but he didn't know why. Are you able to tell what I might be dealing with from these photos? Any tips on what service might need to be done to get it working?

Or maybe it's just not salvageable and we should start budgeting for a new heater?

Thanks!

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Really not possible to diagnose without more information. How old is it? What does it do (or not do) when you try turning it on?

Realistically if it’s over 15 years old, a new one is probably better money spent than repairing.

Without more detailed information from the heater itself I can’t be 100% sure, however from what you have provided your heater appears to be a Raypack RP2100 Digital. These were manufactured from 1998-2004 and are listed as obsolete by Raypack. The sediment trap is improperly configured and was likely ineffective in catching any sediment in the line, which is now probably packed in the gas valve of the appliance. The pressure relief valve appears suspect and likely inoperable. There appears to be heavy sooting around the outside of the heater indicating incomplete combustion. This could have been caused low gas pressure (which could be result of the improper sediment trap), clogged heat exchanger, or a blocked intake. I’d plan to replace instead of wasting time chasing parts and problems on that unit.

Unsafe to operate.

Plan to replace rather than try to fix.

NewHouseFirstPool said:

Any recommendations on a replacement heater that would fit this space without much modification?

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Digital Raypak heater is the same form factor as your old heater.

Size of the heater depends on your gas meter size and pipe size.

NewHouseFirstPool said:

And once I decide on the heater, is this at all a DIY installation job? I'm doubtful given the gas and electric that's involved, which I have no experience with, but correct me if I'm wrong. I'd prefer not to go through a pool store, as I hear they're expensive, but maybe that's the best professional for this installation.

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Review the installation Manual for the heater you are considering and decide if it is within your abilities.

Raypack RP2100 Digital, assuming the original was sized correctly on the gas side, should pretty much be a bolt in replacement. The gas line needs to be reworked to correct the improperly configured sediment trap.