Can anyone help with my heater? It will fire up fine but only stays lit for 2-3 minutes and then shuts off. The "service heater" light comes on. Thermostat?
Sta-Rite heater won't stay lit
- Thread starter Bdurdin65
- Start date
Open up the unit and flip the round top over and see if any of the status LED's are lit. One could be lit which could potentially tell you what's going on.
Bottom right hand corner of the circuit board, LED11 is lite up RED and LED 10, in middle of board is lit up GREEN
OK well I had hoped to see one of the other LEDs lit. How old is your heater? Natural or propane gas?
It's probably 6-8 years old. I bought this house used from previous owner who is a pool builder and installed. It worked fine last winter. One item of note... it flooded here in Houston this past April and there was standing water for a few hours up probably 6-8" on the heater. It stays lit anywhere from 30 seconds to 3-4 minutes.
I would check to see if there is water in the canister. Remove the bottom bolt from the header and see if water comes out. If it does, it could mean you might have a leaking heat exchanger in which case the unit is done for.
The unit was never completely submerged was it? Water completely covering it.
The unit was never completely submerged was it? Water completely covering it.
No never completely submerged. I would say just 6-8" up the sides. Ok I'll try that tomorrow and see what I find.
Pool Clown
In The Industry
See the 4 bolts under my hand? The lowest bolt is the one Paul is referring to. You may also want to check the therm regulator. Its what my finger is pointing to. Just unscrew that cap, there is a spring in there so careful once you get the cap off.
Ok so good news I guess... No water came out when I unscrewed the bolt on the bottom. I removed the therm regulator as well but how do I tell if it is bad or not?
View attachment 54334
View attachment 54334
I hold it with a pair of pliers and then use a lighter to heat the bottom of it and see if the opens. Some people also put them in boiling water as well. Either way it will tell you if that part is working.
If it has a scale build up on it then likely it will have issues opening up.
If it has a scale build up on it then likely it will have issues opening up.
Then that part is working ok then.
Inside the heater is a metal box which houses some wiring and the Fenwall module. There is an LED on the Fenwal. After to fires up and then shuts down, is the LED blinking?
Inside the heater is a metal box which houses some wiring and the Fenwall module. There is an LED on the Fenwal. After to fires up and then shuts down, is the LED blinking?
So I open up the housing and fire up the heater to see if I can see anything else going on. I haven't opened up the metal box yet.... and I see this.... can't be good huh?
There is nothing blinking on the Fenwall. It heats up for a few minutes then clicks off, and LED8 blinks yellow on the control board until it fires back up ~ 15 seconds later.
Oh that unit is done for. Looks like the top has rusted away and no you do not have a sealed canister. I wouldn't do anything but replace the heater.
Glad you posted the pictures. Pictures are worth a thousand words. Many times we hunt for answers to help people here and then when a picture or two gets posted, the problem becomes clearer.
Glad you posted the pictures. Pictures are worth a thousand words. Many times we hunt for answers to help people here and then when a picture or two gets posted, the problem becomes clearer.
I figured that was the case when I saw the corrosion and fire showing through. Just curious... is this whats making it shut down? Or could it be something else and just a matter of time before the corrosion gets worse? I can't even get it to turn on now. I will replace the heater. Sta-bil or Mastertemp a better heater?
With the hole the blower isn't working like it should.
If you have the space, invest in a Raypak. Much better simpler unit.
If you have the space, invest in a Raypak. Much better simpler unit.
