Pentair MasterTemp - Repair or Replace

[LazyL]

I am the second owner of my pool which was installed in 2007. When we purchased the house around 5 years ago the pool had a heater that had been completely unhooked from plumbing (electric and gas still hooked up) and we were told it didn't work. I had someone over that builds pools for unrelated matter and they suggested I just have it fixed.

Does it make sense to go the fixing route or should i just replace a heater that is coming up on 13 years old. I am not sure when it was taken offline but hasn't been used for the past 5 years.

To be honest, it would be a nice to have, however, not a necessity and if I can have it fixed i may do that, otherwise it not to high on my list to replace. Just wanted to see what the general consensus was on this topic.

 

[ajw22]

You need to open the heater up and asses the condition of the insides. It depends if things are rusted and what needs to be fixed. Does it have electrical control problems? Water leaks? Gas igniter problems?

Post some pics but you probably need someone to hook it up, turn it on, and see what the problems are.

 

[LazyL]

You need to open the heater up[ and asses the condition of the insides. It depends if things are rusted and what needs to be fixed. Does it have electrical control problems? Water leaks? Gas igniter problems?

Post some pics but you probably need someone to hook it up, turn it on, and see what the problems are.

Previous owners just said it wasn't working and had it unhooked. I can open it up and see how it looks inside. Imagine there could be rodent damage as well.

 

[ajw22]

Here is a lot of information about the Pentair MasterTemp Heaters - Further Reading

Rodents can do all sorts of damage to heater wiring and causing corrosion. See the picture here for an example of rodent corrosion. Some stuff is easier to repair then other stuff.

 

[LazyL]

Finally got around to opening up the heater. Wiring looks fine but looks to be some rust. Any point getting this fixed? It’s a 250k btu, looks like replacement units are 2k at least.

 

[ajw22]

Have you connected it and seen if it lights?

It looks cleaner then many. That rusted pot is a $400 part. If the coil inside is leaking that is a $900 part. The air blower is a $700 part. Take those three parts and you have the cost of a new heater.

 

[LazyL]

Have you connected it and seen if it lights?

It looks cleaner then many. That rusted pot is a $400 part. If the coil inside is leaking that is a $900 part. The air blower is a $700 part. Take those three parts and you have the cost of a new heater.

It’s still hooked to gas and electric but the water connection was already disconnected when I purchased the house. Is it ok to try and fire it without it hooked to water?
Right, if it needs all those parts then wouldn’t t be worth it. The pool was put in in 2007 and I have owned it since 2015. Not sure why or when the heater broke but has t been used in the last 5 years.

 

[ajw22]

It’s still hooked to gas and electric but the water connection was already disconnected when I purchased the house. Is it ok to try and fire it without it hooked to water?

No, it is not ok. You need good water flow through the heater to absorb the heat it is creating. Otherwise it will quickly overtemp and shutoff if it starts at all.

Right, if it needs all those parts then wouldn’t t be worth it. The pool was put in in 2007 and I have owned it since 2015. Not sure why or when the heater broke but has t been used in the last 5 years.

Probably time for a new heater that should last you 5 - 10 years.