Pentair Mastertemp 400 issues

[TheTxPilot]

Hello
I am having trouble with my Pentair Mastertemp 400. I have found some info on this site but none have led me anywhere very positive yet.

heater is a year old and i just moved into the house 3 weeks ago, eater worked fine most every night for 2 weeks. now it attempts to light 3 times and then has a red "service heater" light. the fan comes on but the rushing sound of gas being lit never occurs. I hear a click (3 times) and then it gives up and the red light comes on. After this 3xs cycle the electrical systems igniter control module does 3 red flashes indicating "ignition lockout". I do smell some gas during this process.

I replaced the ignitor so it is brand new. I am getting good flow at 3450 RPM (and other speeds) the cartridge filter indicates 22 psi and the salt cell indicates good flow. The entire system is a year old. (house was built last year)

Parts I have on order and should be here this week are:
Fenwal ignitor control module
Stack flue sensor
High limit switch
heater thermistor (last three came in a bundle)

Any ideas?

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum.
At 1 year, it should be covered on Warranty. Have you checked with the installer?

That is a very high filter pressure for a cartridge filter. Might try cleaning your filter.

 

[TheTxPilot]

thanks for the response i was under the impression 22 psi was not to bad. but ill add that to my todo list.

 

[ajw22]

Parts I have on order and should be here this week are:
Fenwal ignitor control module
Stack flue sensor
High limit switch
heater thermistor (last three came in a bundle)

It is unlikely to be any of those parts.

Check the igniter. You can do some diagnostics on it and see if it is heating, examine it visually, check the resistance of it which should be 50 ohms, and check there is 120V AC going to the igniter when the heater starts.

Pentair MasterTemp Heaters - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Only if you don't have 120V to the igniter should you suspect the Fenwal box. The Fenwal sounds like it is working if the blower runs and you hear the clicks from the gas valve.

Since you are new to the house have a look at your gas meter and see what the CFM rating is of the meter. Post pics of the labels on your gas meter.

Check that all gas valves are open.

Check your gas pressure static and dynamic when the heater is trying to light using a manometer.

 

[TheTxPilot]

Thanks, the ignitor is brand new. I installed one yesterday, bc when i had it out to examine it I dropped it and broke it. so there is a new one in there now and its still giving me the same issues. I have a 250 gal propane tank that feeds the heater and the only gauges I have on it is the level. all valves in the propane line are open.

 

[ajw22]

We have had members discover their propane gauge is broken and the gas level is lower then they thought.

Just like your airplane motor you need air, fuel, and spark for the heater to light.

If the blower is on and you don't have an AFS error then you should have enough air flow. It soudns like you have been inside the heater and looked around for any nests from critters.

The igniter gives you the spark. You did not say if you checked for 120V AC at the igniter when it tries to light.

If you have those two then you are left looking at your gas supply.

 

[TheTxPilot]

Just checked the reasitance on the ignitor and it read 74. (high?). And while I was checking volts while the heater was trying to light it blew my multimeter. Cracked open the multimeter and it's all blown.

 

[TheTxPilot]

Here are some photos. (yess having leak issues as well)

 

[TheTxPilot]

I have a propane company coming out tomorrow to test my tank and refill.

 

[JamesW]

And while I was checking volts while the heater was trying to light it blew my multimeter. Cracked open the multimeter and it's all blown.

You probably had the leads in the wrong holes or the meter set to the wrong setting.

The gas valve is turned off.

 

[JamesW]

You have the fireman's switch connected to a remote switch; what does that go to?

 

[JamesW]

Is the external gas valve on?

 

[TheTxPilot]

external gas valve is turned on. and the switch inside the heater is turned on (with your arrow) it really just stopped working overnight without me doing anything. i will try and follow the fireman's switch wire. should it not have a wire on it?

 

[TheTxPilot]

Fireman's switch connects to back of control panel one of the yellows in the photo

 

[JamesW]

The fireman's switch goes to a remote controller.

For the heater to work, the remote switch has to be closed.

Can you show a better picture of the gas valve?

 

[JamesW]

The thick black cord connects to the remote.

 

[JamesW]

Pentair MasterTemp Heaters - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[TheTxPilot]

The fireman's switch goes to a remote controller.

For the heater to work, the remote switch has to be closed.

Can you show a better picture of the gas valve?

View attachment 456515

 

[JamesW]

Where does the other end of the black cord go?

The gas valve switch looks different, like maybe it was replaced.

Check for 24 VAC going to the gas valve.

 

[ajw22]

The gas valve switch looks different, like maybe it was replaced.


View attachment 456540

This is a propane heater. I think the gas valve is different for propane then NG.