Cracked pipe exiting Pentair UltraTemp 90 heat pump

[brian113]

While the filter was running yesterday with the valves set to bypass the heat pump, a valve was inadvertently kicked open, sending water into the heat pump while the valve to prevent backflow was still closed.

This wasn't caught until water started spilling forth from the heater. The pipe and coupling leading out of the heat pump are cracked. This happened at dusk, so I didn't have time to investigate, and I'm heading off to work now. Can anyone who's familiar with the internal elements of a heat pump give me the odds that the pump itself wasn't damaged?

 

[ajw22]

While the filter was running yesterday with the valves set to bypass the heat pump, a valve was inadvertently kicked open, sending water into the heat pump while the valve to prevent backflow was still closed.

That is why I recommend a check valve be used on the heater output for the heater bypass.

Heater Bypass - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

This wasn't caught until water started spilling forth from the heater. The pipe and coupling leading out of the heat pump are cracked. This happened at dusk, so I didn't have time to investigate, and I'm heading off to work now. Can anyone who's familiar with the internal elements of a heat pump give me the odds that the pump itself wasn't damaged?

View attachment 331839

Odds are good that the first break released the pressure and you only have one break.

 

[brian113]

I appreciate the insight, AJW22. Heading out shortly to look it over.

 

[brian113]

Turns out multiple pipes (at least two components and possibly a third) inside the heat pump cracked. So, having learned this lesson the hard way, I would indeed recommend to anyone designing a system to use the check-valve configuration AJW22 suggests, which would prevent pressure from building within the heat pump.

If I can schedule a service call within two weeks, I'll have someone else fix it. If everyone's booked (which wouldn't surprise me at this time of year), I might decide to try to tackle this myself ... much to my wife's dismay.