Hello everyone. I am really struggling to find help to diagnose my 18 yr old Hayward H250 ED2 natural gas pool heater. I am getting the IF error code after the standard trying three times to light. We use our heater a whole lot. We also used it starting out this pool season until I started having the issue. Locally I can't get any help to have someone look at to give me a diagnosis or tell me it's time to purchase a new. Which I am totally o.k. with due to the age and how much we have used it over the years. I have watched every youtube video I can find, looked for spider webs, tested every switch, replaced the ignitor after not being able to come up with the 500mv reading that I was reading about. But, even after replacing the ignitor I still can't come up with that reading. So I was thinking maybe control board?? But not sure it's worth investing in that considering the age. I do have rust that I assume has come from the burner tubes, but from what I can see they still look in tact. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Hayward H250 Pool Heater IF error code
- Thread starter andersonsa
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,343
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Could be your gas supply, could be the ignitor, could be the Fenwal box, could be the fame sensor.
Find the Fenwal box in the heater and see if it has an LED flashing when the heater errors.
Do you have a Millivolt heater or an Electronic Ignition heater?
@swamprat69
Find the Fenwal box in the heater and see if it has an LED flashing when the heater errors.
Do you have a Millivolt heater or an Electronic Ignition heater?
@swamprat69
Last edited:
I have an electronic ignition. I am not familiar with the Fenwal box? i did replace the the ignitor.
Thanks!
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,343
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I think this is your manual...
See page 39 for Troubleshooting IF code.
The 500mv applies to Millivolt units. I don't think it applies to your box.
The Fenwal box is the Control Module shown on page 16. Page 16 also gives a good overview of all the parts involved in the ignition process.
See page 39 for Troubleshooting IF code.
The 500mv applies to Millivolt units. I don't think it applies to your box.
The Fenwal box is the Control Module shown on page 16. Page 16 also gives a good overview of all the parts involved in the ignition process.
Yes, this is the manual i have. I will check on a flashing l.e.d tomorrow and reply back. Thanks for the info about the 500mv. I assumed it applied to the electronic as well.
Hello, I just checked for the flashing L.E.D light when trying to start my pool heater. The red L.E.D next to the word pool stays illuminated. The only thing that flashes is the red error code IF.
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,343
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
At 18 years old it is probably time for a new heater if you can't see any problem.
The flashing LED I was asking you to check is on a box labeled Fenwal inside the ehater. You need to open up panels to find it. It is the Control Module shown on page 16 of the manual.
The flashing LED I was asking you to check is on a box labeled Fenwal inside the ehater. You need to open up panels to find it. It is the Control Module shown on page 16 of the manual.
Gotcha, I will disassemble a bit tomorrow & take a look. I tend to agree with a replacement heater especially if the box is very pricy. But worth checking into. Thanks again
I did some more checking trying to locate the fenwal box and have attached some pics. The only thing I can come up with is the board. I can’t come up with any other boxes or anything else to take apart unless I am missing something. Thanks again
Attachments
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,343
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
swamprat69
Well-known member
You will not have a Fenwal ignition control with that circuit board. It looks like the heater has not been serviced for a while. It also looks like the system is "direct spark ignition", there will be no pilot tubing (1/4 aluminum tubing) from the gas valve to the burner tray and the burners will be lit by the "ignitor" (sparker) directly. Photos of the gas valve and the whole burner assembly would confirm this. I don't really see how you can confirm that igniton is proven as I see no flame sensor in wiring diagram or flame current access points on the control board. Flame is probably proven through the ignitor (sparker). Are you getting a spark at the ignitor (will be mounted on a bracket that goes into the burner assembly on the left hand side). If the heater has not been serviced/cleaned in a while, your range of problems could be anything from dirty ignitor, dirty restricted burners and /or manifold orifices, gas valve failure and/or gas pressure problem, Main circuit board problem etc.. At 18 years old, any money spent trying to diagnose and solve the problem may be somewhat wasteful even though there is a slight chance that it might be something minor.
I have replaced the ignitor, and will spark and run for 5 sec or so before the error appears after three tries. I am leaning toward a total replacement seeing that seems to be consensus
swamprat69
Well-known member
Seems reasonable since the next steps that I would take would be to see if the gas valve was being powered and if correct gas pressure was being supplied to the manifold, and if it was proceed to remove the burners and clean both the burners and orifices. A good bit of work and you might not have the correct test instruments to do it or feel comfortable working with the gas supply.