Sta-Rite Sr400Hd Max-E-Therm Codes Ad0, Sf1, 888, 180, R4

[Ericsonn]

Good Day To Everyone,

I am new to the pool ownership family and as such, I will apologize ahead of time for any mistakes and/or omissions i make ...I am grateful to all for any help you can provide me with...

I have a 10+ yrs Sta-Rite Max-E-Therm SR400HD pool and spa natural gas heater. I purchased the home last year in June and at the time the heater worked with no issues. I did not run it during the past winter at all. I am now trying to get it going now but it won't run or start up nor make any noises whatsoever.

When i turn it on the following happens: code Ad0, then Sf1, then all the lights on the panel flash, then 888, 180, and lastly r4 before the panel shuts off. Can someone explain what these codes mean? Or what could possibly be wrong?

It is currently beyond my capability to just replace it so that's why I am trying to figure out if i can repair and/or replace anything that might be wrong. I have looked in the owners manual and none of these codes are there. I have also searched online for a service/repair manual and can't find one anywhere

Pool is about 10,500 gallons, in ground, plaster, water is flowing into the heater, no water is leaking out of the heater or the filtration system.

 

[ps0303]

Re: Sta-Rite Sr400Hd Max-E-Therm Codes Ad0, Sf1, 888, 180, R

The "codes" are just a normal boot sequence it is displaying. Do you have any automation on this pool?

 

[Ericsonn]

Re: Sta-Rite Sr400Hd Max-E-Therm Codes Ad0, Sf1, 888, 180, R

Automation in what sense? It is on a timer as to when the pool filters come on, but other than that nothing else that I can think of....i shut off the gas to the heater just i cases of something being wrong due to these codes...

 

[ps0303]

Re: Sta-Rite Sr400Hd Max-E-Therm Codes Ad0, Sf1, 888, 180, R

Automation is usually a remote or some sort that you push buttons on it to activate things. So you only have a pool, no spa or anything fancy?

 

[Ericsonn]

Re: Sta-Rite Sr400Hd Max-E-Therm Codes Ad0, Sf1, 888, 180, R

No remote controls or fancy set up....I have a spa attached to the pool...everything else seems to be working and I do have water going into the heater.

 

[ps0303]

Re: Sta-Rite Sr400Hd Max-E-Therm Codes Ad0, Sf1, 888, 180, R

So pressing the spa or pool button on the heater does nothing?

 

[Ericsonn]

Re: Sta-Rite Sr400Hd Max-E-Therm Codes Ad0, Sf1, 888, 180, R

No, it does absolutely nothing when i press either the pool or spa button...the heater doesn't engage at all, it doesn't humm, whirl, make noise, absolutely anything...just the control panel comes on and there seems to be a big delayed response when going thru the codes mentioned above.

 

[ps0303]

Re: Sta-Rite Sr400Hd Max-E-Therm Codes Ad0, Sf1, 888, 180, R

I would probably have to say that the control board has an issue. Are you handy with a multi meter or have one?

 

[Ericsonn]

Re: Sta-Rite Sr400Hd Max-E-Therm Codes Ad0, Sf1, 888, 180, R

Yes, I have as perry DM-350A...

 

[Pool Clown]

Re: Sta-Rite Sr400Hd Max-E-Therm Codes Ad0, Sf1, 888, 180, R

I would probably have to say that the control board has an issue.

Or the firemans fuse, or loop is open/chewed.

 

[Ericsonn]

Re: Sta-Rite Sr400Hd Max-E-Therm Codes Ad0, Sf1, 888, 180, R

My membrane is failing to turn on now and it's been a little worse for wear...apparently, the unit was missing the protective shield for a while so it's been open to the elements...so I've ordered a new membrane sticker and a new control board...I should get them by early next week...then I will try again ....I will keep you all posted

 

[ps0303]

Re: Sta-Rite Sr400Hd Max-E-Therm Codes Ad0, Sf1, 888, 180, R

Yes if the membrane has any type of tear in it and water gets down past it, the board would be done for. I would first try just replacing the membrane and see if that fixes the issue, If it does you can return the board and save some $$.

 

[Ericsonn]

Re: Sta-Rite Sr400Hd Max-E-Therm Codes Ad0, Sf1, 888, 180, R

Yesterday evening I got my new top assembly w/membrane housing and today I got the board...so to make a long story short, all I needed to do was to replace the membrane pad housing and everything fired up nicely...what I think that happened was that the membrane was so chewed up and worn out that some of the wires were cross connecting? I don't have any errors and everything is working fine....Do you thing this is possible? Well, obviously it is possible but what I meant, was do you think cross connecting leads on membrane were at fault?

 

[ps0303]

Re: Sta-Rite Sr400Hd Max-E-Therm Codes Ad0, Sf1, 888, 180, R

You got lucky. Many times when I see the membrane that is as bad as yours was the board has gotten some moisture on it and shorted it out. Do you still have the sun shield that is supposed to be covering the membrane? If not, get one and if it fits lose, tape it in place. Yes is was shorting things out. At times I will also see one where the membrane is bad enough that it acts as though one of the buttons is acting like someone is pushing it down thus creating an issue.

 

[Ericsonn]

Re: Sta-Rite Sr400Hd Max-E-Therm Codes Ad0, Sf1, 888, 180, R

Yes, the new housing that I bought came with the membrane and shield...but, yes, I had already thought about taping it because I noticed that moisture and the elements can still get in there thru the sides....i feel pretty lucky indeed..

 

[ps0303]

Re: Sta-Rite Sr400Hd Max-E-Therm Codes Ad0, Sf1, 888, 180, R

Oh I didn't read that you bought the entire dome. You could have just purchased the membrane and then peeled the old one off and stuck the new on on. If this every happens again keep that in mind.

 

[Ericsonn]

Re: Sta-Rite Sr400Hd Max-E-Therm Codes Ad0, Sf1, 888, 180, R

The entire dome ended up being cheaper than buying the membrane and the shield by itself and indeed I got lucky, but i live in Las Vegas where we get sun and dry climate 99% of the year so thats probably why board still functioned.