CE error Hayward 250 H series pool heater, natural gas

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Hi, I'm back. Guess what. Decided to turn on heater for first time this spring. Not working, codes again. Reminder, this heater installed new Oct. 2009, had 1 board replaced in Spring 2011, replaced again Spring 2012, replaced in Spring 2013 along with the second board needed as suggested above in the messages. So bought first 1 from a pool repair company here in Sugarland, Tx. area, got smart and purchased from Amazon from then on, still $$$$. So instead of buying 2 new boards and labor to install, we want a new heater. I have been researching, someone on another part of this forum recommended Rheam for our natural gas. Any suggestion for which model or other companies and models to look at. I sincerely appreciate all the advice I received last year and hope Linda and Bill had better luck than I. Also to ps303, glad to know that 2 boards were needed, did you happen to learn anymore about the why and a more permanent fix.
Thanks,
Chris
 
Me again,
If you can recommend a Pool Repair company, I'm in Houston, Tx., Sugarland area.
Chris
Oh, and my water is just fine thanks to this board.;)
 
Raypak/Rheem as of now is the most solid unit on the market. Depending on what you are heating, pool w/spa or just a pool, you can look at either the Raypak/Rheem P-M266A-EP-C or the P-M406A-EP-C. Which you get will depend again on how quickly you want to heat the water.

Hayward will never acknowledge the board issues or the leaking heat exchanger issues. Until they do and fix them correctly, I won't recommend their units. Also I am not a fan of the force draft blower motor units, Hayward or other. It's another component that when it breaks is not cheap. I hold my breath that Raypak/Rheem never goes this route on their residential units.

Good luck!
 
Thanks ps0303, good to hear from you.
I think I need "Cupro-Nickel Fin Tube" as I have a salt water pool, does that sound correct? I googled those two models, I think they are for propane and I have a NG line. I'm pretty sure we want 400btu. I haven't edited my signature but when we had builders out to spec a spa, never did get,they said we had 20,000 gal. or just a little under. Would this be what I would want, with the cupro nickel fin tube, Low NOx Pool Spa Heaters P-R407A 399,000?
 
All you have to do is replace the P next to the E with an N and you have the natural gas version of the unit, P-M266A-EN-C. I install non cupro-nickel units on salt based pools all the time and there is NO issue. As long as you maintain your chemical levels you will be fine. Yes the model you mention is the low Nox unit.

BTW, Just yesterday I replaced cupro-nickle unit that was less than two years old. The heat exchanger was all pitted and had pin holes in it. The chemicals were WAY off which caused this.
 
Oh, I see, thanks much, will look for one in my area (Houston). Anyone on the board here from that area that knows reputable pool service that can get and install one. I cannot wait to get this done.

Chris
 
Well, dang. According to Rheem website, there is no dealer anywhere near me, 77469. I searched as far out as their search went. Any other suggestions?
there is no way I am getting another Hayward Heater, they fail, their parts fail, customer service and support fail.

Desperate to get into my pool.
Chris
 
I am seeing this heater (Starite MaxETherm )mentioned alot on GardenWeb Pool Forum for pool builds in the Houston area. Any pros/cons on this one?
It is 400btu with elec. ignition

Chris.
Still looking for the Rheem, made several, 7, calls, no luck so far?
 
Also looking at
Jandy LXi Heaters by Zodiac

Any pros or cons for this or the Starite MaxETherm? I just looked at some of the pool builders in the Houston that are on the BBB list, mentioned on pool forums that mention good builders, so in searching their websites these are what they seem to be recommending. I just don't want to be in the situation of fixing the same problem over and over, like the Hayward heater. Any advice?
 
I would stay away from the Pentair brands as well. I know this leaves you little options. Keep in mind that the Pentair units like the Hwayrd have extra parts that do fail. A good uint is one with the fewest moving parts and still does the job, Raypak. Raypak and Rheem are one in the same. I went to the Raypak site and put in your zip code and here is what I found:

GULF COAST POOLS
1207 FM 359
RICHMOND, TX 77406
6.69 Miles Gas Heaters Warranty Stations (281) 232-8825

BROOKSIDE POOL SERVICE
10957 SOUTH DR.
HOUSTON, TX 77099
11.43 Miles Gas Heaters Warranty Stations (281) 498-2147

POOL MASTER
26915 WILLOW LANE
KATY, TX 77494
11.84 Miles Gas Heaters Warranty Stations (281) 853-6910

TRINITY POOL CO
25118 ROESNER LN
KATY, TX 77494
11.84 Miles Gas Heaters Warranty Stations (281) 395-4269

REFLECTION POOLS
22606 BRIDGEHAVEN DR.
KATY, TX 77450
12.33 Miles Gas Heaters Warranty Stations (713) 681-7665

SPA INSPECTOR
4115 L ST
HOUSTON, TX 77072
12.42 Miles Gas Heaters Warranty Stations (281) 531-8757

POOL PRO
3434 FM 1092 #330
MISSOURI CITY, TX 77459
14.00 Miles Gas Heaters Warranty Stations (281) 261-0648

SAPPHIRE BAY POOLS INC
3111 MILLBROOK LN
MISSOURI CITY, TX 77459
14.00 Miles Gas Heaters Warranty Stations (832) 886-6456

CLEAR WATER POOL REPAIR
5347 SUMMIT LODGE DR
KATY, TX 77449
15.86 Miles Gas Heaters Warranty Stations (281) 345-9656

CONROE SPAS PLUS
P O BOX 36176
HOUSTON, TX 77236
17.31 Miles Gas Heaters Warranty Stations (936) 856-0229

COMPARETTO POOL SERVICE
6020 Jessamine #103
Houston, TX 77081
18.51 Miles Gas Heaters Warranty Stations (281) 980-1355

SWEETWATER POOL & PATIO
4528 BISSONNET
BELLAIRE, TX 77401
19.36 Miles Gas Heaters Warranty Stations (713) 665-4441

DUAL DIVINITY AQUATICS
16027 PINYON CREEK DR
HOUSTON, TX 77095
22.63 Miles Gas Heaters Warranty Stations (281) 855-7946

MANNING POOL SERVICE
4402 VIKING
HOUSTON, TX 77092
23.73 Miles (713) 875-1958

All of these places should also sell the heaters. Remember, Raypak and Rheem are one in the same. It's just a different name badge on the unit. Hopefully I didn't mix anything things up on my cut and paste of these phone numbers.

http://www.raypak.com/Contractors.aspx
 

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Hi Paul,

All I looked for was Rheem, I didn't look at Raypak, don't know what I was thinking.Thank you so much for your help. I feel like dumb and dumber here. I will get on that list right away. I need to get in the warm water for my physical therapy. I'm scheduled for some surgery in May and doctor's want me in better shape.

Again Thanks,
Chris
 
FireManFrank3 said:
I heard from hayward they are advising techs to put silicone around display pad bezel to keep water out.
Click to expand...

There is already a seal around the bezel and water is not the cause of the CE issue. It has been known for years that there is am issue with their boards that causes this. Many times a CE error has nothing to do with the display board. If you search around here on this forum you will see what usually happens when this error comes up.
 
Hello. I registered to this site just to give a bit of info regarding the CE error. This is the second year our Hayward [FONT=&quot]H400IDL2 has had an issue with the IDXL2DB1930 board. As I'm sure the rest of you can relate, the only times these heaters are used is to extend the season so the frequency isn't that often and in our case rarely because of heating costs. I replaced the IDXL2DB1930 board May 2016 off Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004VTG32U/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and at the time it was used briefly. Then I removed both the display and the board for the Summer months and duct-taped with a piece of plastic the hole to prevent moisture from entering the top of the unit. Fall of 2016 it was used again without a problem but again only briefly. Spring of 2017, same brief use without an issue. We've been experiencing a warm September/October here in Middle Tennessee, so I didn't install the board until a few weeks ago. The heater has been working flawlessly until rain this past weekend when it thew a CE (Communication Error) code. Out of warranty and frustrated because the $140 board was really rarely used, I was planning on biting the bullet and purchase both boards as someone else recommended on this thread. However, this evening I powered the unit back on for one last try and to look at the circuitry up close to see if I could spot any burn outs and surprisingly, the unit began working with no CE error. I suspect (as many have alluded to) that moisture is getting on some of the circuitry causing faulty communication between the board and the display module. I've made it a habit to gently remove the IDXL2DB1930 board and display during extended times when the heater is not in use and now I'm thinking that using a dab of silicone underneath the rubber gasket may be necessary to try to eliminate potential moisture problems. I doubt it was much of a coincidence the CE code was thrown shortly after we experienced a lot of rain. Obviously, Hayward engineers have a design flaw on their hands judging from the frequency occurrence of this issue over the Internet. Hopefully this information will help others remedy or at the very least offset the frequency of occurrence of this problem happening to them.
[/FONT]
 
Looks like I am now part of the not so exclusive club of 'CE code' owners. This week we had torrential rains and I had a guy named 'Noah' wander around the yard mumbling something about 'gathering the animals'. So yes, this is definitely related to moisture ingress.

Opened the unit up, and it looks like this system was designed in a chinese toy factory, only to last a week beyond christmas. I cleaned all the grime off the printed boards with some electronics cleaner. Doesn't look like 'R15' is fried on my board, all the components seem to be fine.

So, the igniter control board is a
[FONT=&quot] 4525 rev N
The display board
4527J

Is there a semi reputable online retailer that sells those boards ?

(and yes I know, only a certified tech, blow up my house, yadayada)




[/FONT]
 
ps0303 said:
Pool Heaters Hayward Universal H-Series Low NOx
Click to expand...

Thanks. They are a bit higher than amazon on the boards, I guess thats the price for dealing with a specialty house rather than some guy with pallet of boards in his garage.

For now, cleaning the board and re-seating all the plugs did the trick. I may have lucked out and none of the components fried when the board got wet. The way this stuff is installed, its a miracle that it has lasted that long. These units are designed to be installed outside yet they have unsealed circuit boards sitting out in the open :shakes head:.
 
Hi Paul...

I took your advice back in 2013 about the CE error and changed both board/pressure switch and all worked fine... changed again in 2016 with CE error and all fine again.

This time I have a problem that the gas is on and the pump is working but the display just stays on STANDBY with no responses to MODE or ARROWS.

I assumed faulty boards again and have just fitted them both with the pressure switch but still stuck on
STANDBY.

Any suggestions please?

Mike
​
 

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