Premature Failure of Hayward H250ED2C

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M

MarkHoop

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2022
134
Ontario, Canada
Pool Size
22000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Zodiac LM3-24
Hello, I had a new Hayward H250ED2C installed in 2019. The HX leaked in 2020 and was replaced at cost by Hayward. No warranty as they claimed that this was a "water chemistry" issue. I firmly deny that claim as I am a Type A person who is meticulous about my pool chemistry. I have a full Taylor kit and do not reply on test strips. I have pulled the header off the heater today after closing the pool for the winter and found that the spring and rod for the internal bypass valve are damaged. The spring is in 3 pieces and the rod is only about two inches long. I also note that the inlet and outlet tubes for the HX seem to be corroded more than I would have expected for only 3 seasons of use. See attached pics.

I am quite sure that Hayward will once again blame poor chemistry but my feelings on that are above. My question then is two fold and wonder if either of these would be likely issues for this:

1 - No Check Valve between Heater outlet and SWG?
2 - Lack of equipment bonding as no bonding was installed when the pool was built in 2003?
PXL_20231015_153034561.jpg
 

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MarkHoop said:
1 - No Check Valve between Heater outlet and SWG?
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That has nothing to do with it. There is nothing that comes out of a SWCG when the power is off. And the chlorine level coming out of the SWCG when operating is only a point or two higher than the pool water.
 
MarkHoop said:
2 - Lack of equipment bonding as no bonding was installed when the pool was built in 2003?
Click to expand...
Are both the heater and the pump properly grounded? They could be tied together via a bond wire but I don't think that would help in this situation. Especially if the pump and heater have good grounds.

Do you see any corrosion anyplace else? Pump, pool lights, handrails, etc?

Do you use an acid dosing system? Is it injected pre or post heater?

If you regularly dose with acid, what is the PH after acid dosing (automatic or otherwise)?

Can you post a picture of the pad equipment?

A sacrificial anode might help.
 
Thanks. Exactly my opinion as well and due to fact that SWG's have a flow switch they stop chlorine generation upon loss of flow. The Hayward installation manual however requires a check valve which in my opinion is useless. I had an older heater that lasted 15 years and this one is nothing but trouble and in my opinion nothing else has changed especially any chemistry or balance issues
mas985 said:
Are both the heater and the pump properly grounded? They could be tied together via a bond wire but I don't think that would help in this situation. Especially if the pump and heater have good grounds.

Do you see any corrosion anyplace else? Pump, pool lights, handrails, etc?

Do you use an acid dosing system? Is it injected pre or post heater?

If you regularly dose with acid, what is the PH after acid dosing (automatic or otherwise)?

Can you post a picture of the pad equipment?

A sacrificial anode might help.
Click to expand...
Acid dosing? Sorry but since i don't know what that is I am going to say no. I do notice a discoloration on the stainless ladder rails but really nothing else. As far as grounding for the equipment i only have the 115V ground built into the electrical plug. There is currently no bonding cable on any of the equipment in the pool shed. I will post pictures of the equipment tomorrow.
 
JamesW said:
It looks like chemical exposure or maybe an electrical stray current causing the problem.


Why no bond wire?

Do you store acid in the shed or any chemicals?
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I don't think a bond wire was a requirement when the pool was installed over 20 years ago. As far as chemicals go just the typical ones for alkalinity and hardness. All in closed containers
 

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This shows a lot of corrosion inside the heater, which is not exposed to the water chemistry.

In my opinion, this is caused by some local environmental issue.

Since you have a lot of corrosion inside and outside, that points to electrical as a possible cause.

Do you ever feel stray currents in the water?

Is there any other corrosion on any metal surfaces like the heater gas line, pool light, pool ladder etc?

Can you disassemble the heater and show all parts?

The SWG might be running when the pump is off and this can fill the heat exchanger with chlorine gas, which can cause corrosion.

This could be an argument for using a check valve with a SWG.

A SWG should turn off if the pump is off, but this does not always happen.

Are you 100% sure that the SWG turns off completely when the pump is off?

Does the SWG have a flow switch and does it work?

Does the SWG lose power when the pump is off?

Maybe the pump is too big and you are getting excessive flow causing problems?

1697414866497.png
 
JamesW said:
This shows a lot of corrosion inside the heater, which is not exposed to the water chemistry.

In my opinion, this is caused by some local environmental issue.

Since you have a lot of corrosion inside and outside, that points to electrical as a possible cause.

Do you ever feel stray currents in the water?

Is there any other corrosion on any metal surfaces like the heater gas line, pool light, pool ladder etc?

Can you disassemble the heater and show all parts?

The SWG might be running when the pump is off and this can fill the heat exchanger with chlorine gas, which can cause corrosion.

This could be an argument for using a check valve with a SWG.

A SWG should turn off if the pump is off, but this does not always happen.

Are you 100% sure that the SWG turns off completely when the pump is off?

Does the SWG have a flow switch and does it work?

Does the SWG lose power when the pump is off?

Maybe the pump is too big and you are getting excessive flow causing problems?

View attachment 535884
Click to expand...
All of tubes pictured would be exposed to the pool water with the inlet for the tubes being on the left side and the outlet being in the right. This picture is inside the header that contains the main inlet and outlet to the pool.
No stray currents are felt. My pump runs 24/7 and i always make sure that I turn the SWG off before turning the pump off to backwash the sand filter. The pump is only a 1hp so excessive flow would be unlikely.
 
The rusty section in the red box is not exposed to the water unless the heat exchanger was leaking.

In my opinion, this is not a defective product issue, it is an issue that is being caused by something in the local environment like chemicals or electricity.

I would not expect Hayward to warranty the problem.

In my opinion, you need to figure out what is happening in the local environment to cause the problem.

Is the gas line rusty?

1697418916379.png
 
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