Is it time to replace this heater?

[magicman]

This is a Raypack 106 (just over 4 years old). Rollout switch opened a few times in the past year (think I see why). Then, yesterday the flow switch failed. When I opened the back of the heater to confirm I saw the entire back was rusted out. I decided to remove the heat exchanger to clean everything up, since I was going to replace the switch and it just got worse.

The first photo of the heat exchanger is the bottom, second picture is the top. On the bottom the fins are basically gone in a small section.

Should we just replace the heater at this point or is it ok that the refractory brick has deteriorated in the back, and try to go for another year?

What would cause this to happen? Small leak?

Full disclosure, we run the heater year round in freezing temps, because we use our small pool like a hot tub. So, technically this 8 seasons of use I guess. Wondering if a small leak caused the moisture? Or is it condensation? Water temp is always in the 80s.

 

[1poolman1]

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This is a Raypack 106 (just over 4 years old). Rollout switch opened a few times in the past year (think I see why). Then, yesterday the flow switch failed. When I opened the back of the heater to confirm I saw the entire back was rusted out. I decided to remove the heat exchanger to clean everything up, since I was going to replace the switch and it just got worse.

The first photo of the heat exchanger is the bottom, second picture is the top. On the bottom the fins are basically gone in a small section.

Should we just replace the heater at this point or is it ok that the refractory brick has deteriorated in the back, and try to go for another year?

What would cause this to happen? Small leak?

Full disclosure, we run the heater year round in freezing temps, because we use our small pool like a hot tub. So, technically this 8 seasons of use I guess. Wondering if a small leak caused the moisture? Or is it condensation? Water temp is always in the 80s.

It would be very dangerous to even try to put that time-bomb back into service. If the water was always in the 80s there would be little to no condensation in the Winter. An internal leak is most likely the cause, especially the cause of the destroyed refractory material. When the material gets wet and saturated it will literally explode when the heater, at 2000 degrees internal temp, kicks on and the water flash boils.

A heater that works everyday has an average life expectancy of about 5 years. Learned that in a Laars heater school in 1992. Only saw that in print once from an article from RayPak and wish I had saved it.

Having installed a couple of hundred heaters, it was my experience that was absolutely true as I regularly, every 5-6 years, replaced heaters on motel and health-club pools. And there was at least one repair in the middle of that life.

 

[magicman]

Thank you, you’ve confirmed suspicions! It has been working hard, non-stop, and up until the flow stitch failed was adequately heating the water. Imagine my surprise today when I opened it up and saw this.

Thinking about replacing it with the 156 model, which is slightly larger, but basically the same heater and footprint. Do you think there would be any advantage to going up to a different model in terms of longevity or are they all going be the same?

 

[PoolGoober69]

Look into the Pentair ETI250 if you're looking for something with more longevity.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

You need to be really really careful running that heater all the time. If the pool water running through it ever drops much below 60F then the combustion gases will create condensate for a period of time until the water warms up again and that condensate will be incredibly corrosive (nitric and sulfuric acid formation). These heaters are not designed to handle corrosive condensate and it will eat them up in short order.