Sta Rite issue

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Superrp7

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Sep 3, 2012
7
I've got a sta rite 400 heater never quite been right since we got the house. I've replaced the thermistor 2 times over the last 4 years but this year the led for the gas sensor was illuminated so I replaced that. Funny thing is while I'm changing that I notice the marking for all the wires to all the sensors are mixed up.

The ags wires were going to the thermistor the thermistor wires were going to the high limit and the high limits were ran to the ags sensor. Upon landing the correct wires to the correct sensors now it starts up the fan for a about 10 seconds then just constantly cycles the fan that's as far as it gets.. And now the Afs led is illuminated. I'm thinking air switch but I almost wonder if my board is bad the Fenway unit is good I've checked all the outputs and inputs on that so I'm thinking maybe the main board is scrambled and they had it wired wrong to fool it and make it work or ? Hate to just throw $ at it . Anyone ever have similar issues
 
If you corrected all of the wiring as you say, then possible that the board is messed up and that's why they did that. The only way to know for sure would be to obtain a known good board and install it to see what happens.
 
I would check the AFS (air flow switch) either the switch is bad, or the clear tubes that go to it have been compromised (eaten) or cracked/broken. Check that first, also check the wires that go to the switch make sure they have the right labels too and haven't been chewed.

In case you didn't know, rats and mice LOVE this heater.
 
Got a new board from supply house today , hooked it up and it flashes on 128 and revision 13 then goes blank...checked transformer power wires etc.. Nothing got 240 steady power coming in . Is it possible to get a bad board out of the box. It would let me adjust spa and pool set point so its functioning but nothings happening after that initial power up.

Before that and after I Put old board back in with I tried with new air switch and lines it cycles every 5 sec. or so if I unhook one side of air switch and the blower runs constantly but maybe not full speed ..
Any ideas I'm a bit flustered also swapped ignitiormand thermistor just in case I happen to have spares here..
 
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Superrp7 said:
Got a new board from supply house today , hooked it up and it flashes on 128 and revision 13 then goes blank...checked transformer power wires etc.. Nothing got 240 steady power coming in . Is it possible to get a bad board out of the box. It would let me adjust spa and pool set point so its functioning but nothings happening after that initial power up.

Before that and after I Put old board back in with I tried with new air switch and lines it cycles every 5 sec. or so if I unhook one side of air switch and the blower runs constantly but maybe not full speed ..
Any ideas I'm a bit flustered also swapped ignitiormand thermistor just in case I happen to have spares here..
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Are You sure that you got the wires in the correct spot?

It really sounds to me like a trip from a qualified technician would be in your best interest.

The Thermister in the max e therm is pretty reliable. If the igniter was bad you would hear the gas valve click with no ignition.
 
racket said:
Are You sure that you got the wires in the correct spot?

It really sounds to me like a trip from a qualified technician would be in your best interest.

The Thermister in the max e therm is pretty reliable. If the igniter was bad you would hear the gas valve click with no ignition.
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Yes, I've double checked the diagram , spoke with pentair this am said it's probably a air flow issue and maybe I got a bad board off the shelf yesterday. I've had to replace thermistors on mine and others maybe it's something in the water here .. I was just throwing to out there hoping it was something some one had seen similar before.
 
One thing to check is if you have water in the canister. Pull the lower bolt out of the manifold and if water comes out, you have a leak in your heat exchanger. Water in the can will cause the blower motor to not be as strong thus throwing you in a tail spin trying to figure it out. I can usually tell via the sound and the feel of the air flow coming out of the exhaust.
 

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ps0303 said:
One thing to check is if you have water in the canister. Pull the lower bolt out of the manifold and if water comes out, you have a leak in your heat exchanger. Water in the can will cause the blower motor to not be as strong thus throwing you in a tail spin trying to figure it out. I can usually tell via the sound and the feel of the air flow coming out of the exhaust.
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Thank you! I'll check that in the am. I thinking it's possibly something odd like that since I've checked and changed out pretty much everything else . Figured someone has experienced something similar. I'll post my findings either way for future reference.
 
If with the new board (box was sealed, yes?), the fan doesn't even come on, AND you have a light on pool heat or spa heat, and thermostat turned up to 104, i would look at ags, or high limit first. 128 and rev 13 is normal, but you should get fan right after that with a temp displayed. Dark board right after boot up is water temp at set point, or safety lock out. Either by conditions not satisfied or mis wire, rat chew, or a failed safety switch. Fact that you have completely different symptoms with other board is troubling.

I think racket has best advice so far, all of us here can speculate for days with no resolution and a lot of money spent. Call your local pool guy...
 
Pool Clown said:
If with the new board (box was sealed, yes?), the fan doesn't even come on, AND you have a light on pool heat or spa heat, and thermostat turned up to 104, i would look at ags, or high limit first. 128 and rev 13 is normal, but you should get fan right after that with a temp displayed. Dark board right after boot up is water temp at set point, or safety lock out. Either by conditions not satisfied or mis wire, rat chew, or a failed safety switch. Fact that you have completely different symptoms with other board is troubling.

I think racket has best advice so far, all of us here can speculate for days with no resolution and a lot of money spent. Call your local pool guy...
Click to expand...

High Limt Switch was the culprit even though it was flashing the Afs led on the board air switch was closing but the high limit wasn't completing the circuit . I did replace the thermal regulator in the process because it was looking pretty bad thought that might have been a issue. Thanks to all for the input along the way .
 
Superrp7 said:
High Limt Switch was the culprit even though it was flashing the Afs led on the board air switch was closing but the high limit wasn't completing the circuit . I did replace the thermal regulator in the process because it was looking pretty bad thought that might have been a issue. Thanks to all for the input along the way .
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Update- So I had high limit jumped out thought that was it as it was heating.. Wrong upon removing the old sensor they had a thermistor in place of a high limit sensor. So once I put in the correct sensor now the heater fires up and cycles on and off , on and off..I'm thinking internal bypass is broken pulled it and it wasn't broken but was hanging up when I would depress it. Got one and installed that, still tripping high limit. So now I'm frustrated and stuck I called Pentair got a very helpful tech I explained I had replaced all sensors except the flow switch but it was ok I had corrected all wiring and sensor locations and installed a new board. He said it had to be a flow issue tripping it, he mentioned a bypass valve and I said yes there is one. They had it spun around to where it couldn't be closed the correct way to block the bypass T . I pulled it reorientated it and walla heaters finally working like a champ. We've been here 5 years sometimes it would work sometimes not I could never pinpoint it but now I know everything's In good working order.

Btw I had a appt scheduled for a tech to come out and they were a week out so I decided to give it a shot I do a lot of electrical in my work etc.. With all the items that were screwed up on this I dont know if they would have gotten it straightened out without several visits anyways and now I know what I've got if something goes wrong again. Thanks again to all and I wanted to post this to hopefully help someone else out in the future that's having issues
 
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