Hayward Gas Heater H Series "smell" ??

[offgrid]

I have the Hayward Gas Heater H Series (installed August 12/2010) and notice the smell of gas whenever I Ist turn it on (and sometomes longer). I have never had to run the heater more than 1 or 2 hours to get the pool temp to rise 5 degrees. (from 75 up to 80)

I contacted the installer and he said that it will have a smell for the 1st 30 days or so as silicone etc burns off the new heater. I think that it smells like gas and I also contacted Hayward - they told me that yes there will be a "smell" ... If I am concerned I should contact a liscensed Gas technician.

It has 84 % Efficiency and some Mechanical Engineers tell me that that is just the smell of the 16 % in-efficiency. My gas furnace is 90 % Efficienct and I notice a similar smell from the horizontal exhaust pipes at the side of the house.

Anyone else notice this "smell" ??

 

[Bama Rambler]

All gas furnaces (a pool heater is technically a water exchange furnace) have an odor, especially upon startup. If your furnace is operating correctly what your smelling is unburned mercaptan which is the odorant added to gas.

 

[offgrid]

Thanks Dave,

That's what I was hoping - all systems normal. There is no smell when the unit is off and I checked for leaks.
I'll run the heater at night with the solar blanket on so that it doesn't disturb the neighbors.

This is the Unit we have ..... http://www.amazon.com/Hayward-H250FDN-U ... B002EL411M

Anybody else have the same ?

 

[lip]

Bringing this up from the dead...i have the same unit and also notice a smell after igniting.... I'm not sure if it's normal or not... Didn't smell like natural gas which is a rotten egg smell

 

[ps0303]

If the unit is fairly new, it's normal.

 

[danpik]

Reminds me of the old Milwaukee Thermaflow furnaces we used to install. Great, long lasting units but had a bad problem with smoke on startup. So bad that we used to pre fire them at the shop prior to putting them into a customers home. We would literally let them run outdoors for 2 hours to burn off all the oils. At startup there would be so much smoke coming off of the heat exchanger that there was no way to be able to install it without doing that.

 

[markayash]

Interesting, mine also stinks, had it for a year and it still stinks..But it's under an eve of the house ( still 6 ft up ) but holds the Oder around the pump..