Hayward H400 Problems

[acerothstien]

Hello, Ive read every post on this site and more trying to get my heater working and hopefully someone has the answer here....
so here is the events
1. heater worked flawlessly for years
2. heater stops working , continually blows f2 fuse on power board once blower motor fires up
3. replace board and transformer
4. unit does not blow fuse any longer and fires up blower without issue
5. now have IF code unit does not fire
6. replace flame sensor no change
7. replace main ICB no change
8. replace igniter although it was glowing red, no change
9. fill propane tank to max, no change
10. clean all burner orifices , no change
11. I do smell gas when its trying to ignite ???? out of ideas Anyone?

 

[markayash]

Does it lite and go back out or never lite at all now.
I have a similar version and they are a pain in the butt. Never know when will just stop working.
Only thing I can think of is can you check the gas pressure?

 

[setsailsoon]

If you are getting all the way to igniter glowing and gas valve opens but no flame I'd be looking at gas pressure as well. If you had a flame briefly that went out then I'd be looking at a ground problem that results in flame sense issues. Do you have a way to measure the pressure downstream of the propane regulator at the tank and at the heater itself? Is the propane line above ground or buried?

 

[acerothstien]

Does it lite and go back out or never lite at all now.
I have a similar version and they are a pain in the butt. Never know when will just stop working.
Only thing I can think of is can you check the gas pressure?

Never Lite's at all, I can smell the propane, I guess thats really my next step, I can hear the gas valve click, smell gas but no woosh and lite up. its attached to a full 500 gallon propane tank thats literally 6 feet away, I just find it really coincidental that the transformer went bad and now it does this, I was hoping maybe when I changed out the parts I missed something but I have double checked everything

 

[acerothstien]

If you are getting all the way to igniter glowing and gas valve opens but no flame I'd be looking at gas pressure as well. If you had a flame briefly that went out then I'd be looking at a ground problem that results in flame sense issues. Do you have a way to measure the pressure downstream of the propane regulator at the tank and at the heater itself? Is the propane line above ground or buried?

Igniter glows cherry red, before and after I replaced it. I can hear the valve open and smell heavy propane smell. propane line above ground 6 feet from the tank, regulator is attached to the tank, I guess I need a pressure tester but again its really strange the transformer blew and the propane pressure changed at the exact same time, I was hoping I just missed something stupid

 

[markayash]

Never Lite's at all, I can smell the propane, I guess thats really my next step, I can hear the gas valve click, smell gas but no woosh and lite up. its attached to a full 500 gallon propane tank thats literally 6 feet away, I just find it really coincidental that the transformer went bad and now it does this, I was hoping maybe when I changed out the parts I missed something but I have double checked everything

Yes thats weird, does that model lite a pilot light that lites first? If so is it lighting heating up the flame sensor?
Also can/have you tried bleeding the gas out of the line at the valve?

I have a love hate relationship with mine. I have had it not lite and I got back in a week and it lites!

Good luck, when mine quits I don't think I will get another Hayward, my control board went bad after 9 months and Hayward wanted $125 to come check it, I bought the part for around that same amount and replaced it myself

 

[acerothstien]

Yes thats weird, does that model lite a pilot light that lites first? If so is it lighting heating up the flame sensor?
Also can/have you tried bleeding the gas out of the line at the valve?

I have a love hate relationship with mine. I have had it not lite and I got back in a week and it lites!

Good luck, when mine quits I don't think I will get another Hayward, my control board went bad after 9 months and Hayward wanted $125 to come check it, I bought the part for around that same amount and replaced it myself

No Pilot, just igniter, So I dont think the flame sensor is getting pre-heated, I haven't tried bleeding the gas because I can smell it when it tries to lite. The thing is 15 years old but I'm planning on selling the house when all this Crud blows over so I didn't want to spend 3000 if I dont have too. Its in great condition I mean we are in the desert so no rust issues.

 

[markayash]

Maybe try blowing out the igniter good again and hope for the best..In theory if you have ignition and gas should fire up.
Only suggested that in case it has air or liquid propane in the line but sounds like you have tried a bunch and that should have purged it out

 

[setsailsoon]

Seems like you're getting gas since you smell the odorant but perhaps you have dirty burner tubes and/or plugged orifices that is keeping sufficient gas from the burner. There are very small orifices at the end of each tube. Have you inspected the burner orifices and tubes? If not remove inspect and clean where needed. Is your flame sensor 3" or 5"?

 

[setsailsoon]

Here are a photos of the burner tube and orifices that I mentioned. Spider webs are notorious cause of problems in this area:

 

[acerothstien]

Cleaned all orifices. no difference

 

[markayash]

Cleaned all orifices. no difference

Strange, is there a way to safely ( I don't recommend it ) to get a flame to the burners when It fires up? Just seems strange if you have igniter and gas why it won't lite unless the gas pressure is too low.

 

[acerothstien]

I put the old igniter back in, fired right up????? go figure

 

[markayash]

I put the old igniter back in, fired right up????? go figure

do the old and new look the same?

 

[acerothstien]

Exactly, When I pulled the new one out I shut off the gas and held it in my hand only half of it glowed red. I didn't test the old one the same way just put it in but Im guessing the entire metal rod needs to glow?

 

[markayash]

Exactly, When I pulled the new one out I shut off the gas and held it in my hand only half of it glowed red. I didn't test the old one the same way just put it in but Im guessing the entire metal rod needs to glow?

Hope it keeps working