Pentair MasterTemp 400 Problem - Blower?

[dollivier]

Hi Everyone - First time poster. Fired up the pool a few weeks ago and the heater was much louder than usual. Didn't think to much about it. The Heater ran fine for a few weeks and then stopped heating. Here are the symptoms:

(1) If I turn off the power - at the breaker - and then turn it back on - the heater seems to "reset". It will fire up and run until the temperature is reached.

(2) Once it stops heating - it won't fire up again. The service heater light comes on and the Ignitor lockout light flashes 3 times. I can smell gas for a minute while this is happening.

(3) Sometimes I can turn the heater off and back on and it will work. It will ALWAYS fire up if I turn off the power at the breaker for a minute or two.

(4) I'm thinking its the blower as its much louder than usual. Also - when I turn the heater to off while its heating, the noise continues for a minute or two. i assume this is the blower continuing to work. I've attached a link to a video and you can hear the noise it makes - Not sure its helpful though. I have a salt water pool and the heater is at least 6 years old and has been flawless until now.

https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D8955599_05680093_8218685

Thanks,

Derek

 

[ps0303]

Until the blower stops working all together or that you get an indication of a air switch issue, I wouldn't necessarily go swapping out the motor. Now that's not to say that it "might" be on its way out but that could be a ways down the road still. When the service heater light comes on have you looked at the system board under the stop of the unit to see if one of the other LEDs is lit? This might help point you into a better direction of the issue(s). As for the ILO on the control module, a number of things can cause this but first check thea system board out for other LEDs being lit.

When you attach videos it might easier to put them on you tube or another familiar platform for sharing. I for one do not download anything that has been shared by someone I do not know. No offense.

 

[dollivier]

Until the blower stops working all together or that you get an indication of a air switch issue, I wouldn't necessarily go swapping out the motor. Now that's not to say that it "might" be on its way out but that could be a ways down the road still. When the service heater light comes on have you looked at the system board under the stop of the unit to see if one of the other LEDs is lit? This might help point you into a better direction of the issue(s). As for the ILO on the control module, a number of things can cause this but first check thea system board out for other LEDs being lit.

No other LED's lit - Except the Service Heater light.

When you attach videos it might easier to put them on you tube or another familiar platform for sharing. I for one do not download anything that has been shared by someone I do not know. No offense.

Will do - Thanks.

 

[ps0303]

Since non of the other LEDs are coming on it could point to a few things possibly. So you reset it via the breaker, the unit lights, and then brings the water to the temp you set it to or does it run for a bit and shut down? As for the no relight, could be a crack in the ignitor. Also, I usually always check this, remove the bottom bolt and make sure no water comes out. That can cause ignition issues.

 

[Pool Clown]

If you are smelling un-burnt fuel out the vent, one or both of two things are happening. Either the hot surface igniter has a crack where it would function one time (when cold), then fail the next time (when warmed up and expanded, opening the circuit).

And/ or...

The blower may have a problem that is keeping it from spinning at it's top speed, and not "moving" enough air to make the correct air fuel ratio for combustion. That noise you are hearing may be a drag on the blower, creating this.

Note: A lot of people think that all you have to do is throw (natural) gas at an ignition source, and it will ignite. That wont happen with a closed combustion chamber. When the mix is flowing past the ignition source, it must be at the correct air/fuel ratio, or it wont ignite.

Since the heater fires at first, And the blower issue should be a constant, the latter may not be happening, but no guarantee.