Heater Plumbing Connections

[demilio56]

I'm a new pool owner and, to date, I have had the heater bypassed because it needed a new manifold installed which the previous owner had and never installed. He was nice enough to install the part for me and I have now plumbed the heater back up. No leaks after turning the pump back on. The heater is an old natural gas laars lite 2. I found an owners manual online (below) I have a few questions before I fire it up for heat.

I connected the water pipes simply with schedule 40 pvc by using a threaded to slip pvc fitting right into the inlet and outlet 'ports'. When I look at the manual , it shows to use cpvc nipples out of the heater when using plastic pipes and to use plastic inserts when using threaded pipes. . I used neither only because I couldn't find them anywhere on the holiday. Again, I have no water leaks the way I hooked it up.

I assume the cpvc is precautionary for temperature but schedule 40 is rated for 140 degrees which should be less than the heater puts out, right? Any issue there?

I assume the plastic inserts are for a proper seal With the gasket when using threaded connections? Any issue leaving line I have it so long as I don't get leaks?

Here is a link to my heaters oweners manual: http://manuals.chudov.com/Teledyne-Pool-Heaters/Teledyne-LD-LG-Owners-Manual.pdf

thanks for any advice!

 

[ps0303]

CPVC is rated for 200 degrees. These units that I come in contact with have the CPVC because it was shipped with it. In the event the unit doesn't shut down properly and continues to heat when the pump is off would possibly melt either the PVC or the CPVC. As for the sleeve, again that would have been provided with the unit. Doubt you would find it at any home improvement store. You might have a leak when it gets hot.

I guess the worst you can do is fire it up and let it heat to see if you have leaks. If you do have leaks then you will need to find the sleeves which I'm sure you can find somewhere on the net like eBay.

 

[Johnbednarski]

My Dad's pool has an old heater very similar to yours, same manufacturer, probably same vintage. Being the tinkerer that he is, I could see my Dad took matters into his own hands at some point, when repairing the pool plumbing that included feeding the heater. One nice summer afternoon last August, I turned on the heater in preparation for a family gathering at the property later that day, a remembrance for my Dad who had passed away. My mistake was leaving the property for a few hours. When we got back there, we discovered the heater apparently ran too hot. The outlet hose separated from the heater. The pool was drained to the level of the return. The pump was damaged. It was a real mess. It was kind of a funny outlet for the day though, as I could keep retelling the story as people came and went, that I wanted to show Dad "I got this, rest easy" but didn't do so well on my first attempt

If I were you, running that old heater, I wouldn't cut corners on the fittings. I've abandoned the heater as I think it just calls for heat continually (Dad's tinkering versus old age). I dare not use it again.