Raypak 206a sparks but never Iights. Rv1. Then spk.
- Thread starter Jageya
- Start date
- May 3, 2014
- 58,767
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Welcome to the forum!
More detail, especially on your equipment as would be shown in your signature, can help our equipment experts help you.
If you can provide more detail, I am sure one of the experts will be a long to assist.
More detail, especially on your equipment as would be shown in your signature, can help our equipment experts help you.
If you can provide more detail, I am sure one of the experts will be a long to assist.
ok thanx...i cleaned up the top where the hot lid is as there was alot of leaves in there and it worked fone for a day....then it just stopped and resparks.I let it sit over night and try again today and it fired up after sparking for a bit. I notice when it forst is turned on(the heater) it clicks and then says rv1 and spk and sparks..sometime CFH comes up and then spk. Now when it does light there is a low humming noice durring the sparking and then it fires up. But when there is no humming noise while sparking it just keeps sparking and sparking...without lighting. Its so frustrating as its end of season here in colorado and getting a repair guy here is impossible this time of the season. I have been back and forthing with raypak support on the phone like 6x now and they arent too helpful but they try. I wonder what would cause that humming noise to only happen once in a while? I mean i remember before when it was working great that noise would be there before it lit. I banged on the unit with the pilot dial as sometimes that can get stuck is what i read but its driving me nutz. the samd filter is fine and the pump is a variable power one so i set it higher and i even put the sand filter in recirculate to avoid the sand filter if that was an issue. I backwashed a few times as well and there is no air in the system. I will go out again now and turn it on and see if it fires up....if it doesnt it will likely just make the sparking noise only...
just went out and it only sparked over and over....i did turn the black pilot knob off and on and then slowly turned it to on before it catches(i think its spring loaded) and it started making that hummin electonic noise i mentioed above but it was not clicked in the on position and when it was it doisnt make that noise again. very odd.....its almost like i have to wait till the unit gets cold and then try it again and it may or may not fire up.
I thought it may be the UG govenor unitherm or pressure switch but now i am leaning towards it being the unit with the black knob on it(dont know what its called)- but also dont see why this would wear out as just gas goes thru it so no real moving parts right?
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,525
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
This should be your manual - http://cdn.globalimageserver.com/FetchDocument.aspx?ID=c404f1c5-ac50-4209-9457-56246d010b20
Follow the troubleshooting flow charts starting on page 40.
The unit with the black knob is the gas control valve. See page 16 for the various types of gas control valves that may be used.
Do you smell gas when it is trying to light? If not, you may have water or corrosion in your gas line. Check that all the downstream gas valves are open.
@ps0303 @Pool Clown @swamprat69
Follow the troubleshooting flow charts starting on page 40.
The unit with the black knob is the gas control valve. See page 16 for the various types of gas control valves that may be used.
Do you smell gas when it is trying to light? If not, you may have water or corrosion in your gas line. Check that all the downstream gas valves are open.
@ps0303 @Pool Clown @swamprat69
I've had trouble with my Raypak 407 over the years with spark but no ignition. Interestingly, I've not had to dismantle it for a few years. Basically the pilot would get gunked up and need to be cleaned with a solvent. I don't know if yours is the same arrangement, but in any event it's Gas so if in doubt, don't and call in a pro. Make sure the gas is off to the unit and all circuit breakers are dropped. Make sure there are no gas leaks after reassembly.
Re: Raypack 407A - Doesn't fire ITS FIXED!!
OK folks, I've fixed her. I was able to remove the pilot / thermocouple assy without pulling the burners. I'll go through what I did in the event it will help other novice types. Make sure all gas is off at the main gas lever and turn off the pilot switch. Drop all power at the circuit breakers. On this model the pilot assy will come out without any disassembly of the burner tray. You can download the service manual from Raypak web site. Remove the pilot gas line at the pilot / thermocouple assy end. Remove two Philips head screws that hold the p/t assy to the main burner tray. One of the screws will have an earth lead attached. Remove the assy and get a vacuum nozzle into the gap made by the removal of the pilot / thermocouple assy and vacuum / blow the base of the heater. Clean the thermocouple tip with a wire brush / wire wool. Clean the pilot tube with WD 40. It is also possible to get a wire into the pilot tube at the end opposite the pilot gas line and clean that out. The end of the pilot tube that connects with the pilot tube gas line has a very tiny hole in it. You will not be able to clean this with any wire. You should be able to see daylight through the hole, but it is tiny. Make sure it is clear. Re-assemble and ...good luck! Do a soapy water bubble check on the pilot connections after re-assembly. make sure the earth lead got re-attched and the wire is not pointed down into the exhaust line of fire of the burners.
Re: Raypack 407A - Doesn't fire ITS FIXED!!
OK folks, I've fixed her. I was able to remove the pilot / thermocouple assy without pulling the burners. I'll go through what I did in the event it will help other novice types. Make sure all gas is off at the main gas lever and turn off the pilot switch. Drop all power at the circuit breakers. On this model the pilot assy will come out without any disassembly of the burner tray. You can download the service manual from Raypak web site. Remove the pilot gas line at the pilot / thermocouple assy end. Remove two Philips head screws that hold the p/t assy to the main burner tray. One of the screws will have an earth lead attached. Remove the assy and get a vacuum nozzle into the gap made by the removal of the pilot / thermocouple assy and vacuum / blow the base of the heater. Clean the thermocouple tip with a wire brush / wire wool. Clean the pilot tube with WD 40. It is also possible to get a wire into the pilot tube at the end opposite the pilot gas line and clean that out. The end of the pilot tube that connects with the pilot tube gas line has a very tiny hole in it. You will not be able to clean this with any wire. You should be able to see daylight through the hole, but it is tiny. Make sure it is clear. Re-assemble and ...good luck! Do a soapy water bubble check on the pilot connections after re-assembly. make sure the earth lead got re-attched and the wire is not pointed down into the exhaust line of fire of the burners.
interesting now....so i went out again...and when i flipped the switch rv1-cfh and spk then began sparking and that low hum noise was there but no lighting. Then i turned switch off and on a few times..humming and sparking but then no fireup so i turned the black knob off on the pilot and and on while sparking...low him noise thanx sparking but no fireup... so i played with the black pilot knob by off and on. still hum but no fireup. so i slightly twisted the black knob from on towards off and the hum remained but i heard gass this time and it fired up...then left the knob click into on...its spring loaded so i went from on and just pressured it a bit towards the off position without putting it to off.... so now i wonder if the unit with the black knob is worn out of broken and have to look into rplacing that part.
ps when i slightly turned the b lack knob backwards while sparking as i described i did smell some gass and then it fired up.
ps when i slightly turned the b lack knob backwards while sparking as i described i did smell some gass and then it fired up.
ok so it stopped again and i tried to refire it up- just sparking..on phone with raypak for an hour. I Will try to clean out the tube going to the sparker on the grill and make sure the gap is 2 quarters wide...thats tomorrow to try.
SkimminPools
In The Industry
Not sure if you got it working or not.
CFH is Call for heat.. after seeing that you should hear the sparking. Zzzt zzzzt zzzzt
Once you have heard the sparking, that means all other system checks internally have been made and the system is trying to fire. I do not recall if you said whether or not this is propane or natural gas. Either way, the heater goes through a series of checks before sparking, like water pressure present, water temp, etc.. hearing the spark means you should have proper flow already, now we just need fuel. There is a silver tube leading out of the gas valve. Gas valve is your black nob device. That silver tube leads the pilot assembly. Spark, valve should light the pilot. Once the pilot is lit, it also detects flame, and that tells the gas valve to turn on the gas to the burner tray, (this is the humming you hear). If we dont get to the hum, your pilot is not lighting. Two things usually cause this. Low propane/no gas or what I see the most is a bad or clogged pilot. Normally I would check the operation of the pilot first. If you hear the zzzzt zzzzt zzzt you can also look at it by getting down, or using a mirror. If it is sparking thats good. I woild turn the knob to off, turn off the heater. disconnect the pilot tube from the gas valve, silver line, unscrew the one or two screws holding on the pilot assembly and remove the assy. From the heater. Now, with two wrenches, disconnect the pilot tube from the assembly you pulled out. BE CAREFUL here. There is a tiny hole the gas hoes through to light the pilot, called an orifice, and it may come out. Propane and gas use different size orifice. You should be able to see through the hole to daylight. Clean it out. Tap it, blow on it, etc.. but do it where if you drop the orifice you can find it easily. Blow out the pilot tube as well. Re assemble. If beforehand you were viewing the pilot during spark phase and it lit but never fired up, you need a new pilot assembly. If after reassembly of the clean pilot, the pilot fails to light, you either have no gas getting to the gas valve, or a bad gas valve. In which case, a digital manometer on Amazon for 20 bucks will test gas pressures, depending on your location, if you are authorized to do such a test. It is simple to test. Or call a professional. I am in Arizona, otherwise I would swing by and check it out for you. 9 times out ten its the pilot, gas valves rarely go out, but it does happen. A manometer tells you if there is input gas and output gas of the valve. Most applications would also have a gas regulator prior to the shutoff valve for gas at the heater. These are prone for failure as well, and can cause intermittent lighting as they will intermittently allow gas flow. You may also try shop vac the burner tubes to clear spider webs and debris. It only takes a grain of sand to block a pilot light orifice. If you have any questions, let me know, or if you need photos of what I am talking about.
CFH is Call for heat.. after seeing that you should hear the sparking. Zzzt zzzzt zzzzt
Once you have heard the sparking, that means all other system checks internally have been made and the system is trying to fire. I do not recall if you said whether or not this is propane or natural gas. Either way, the heater goes through a series of checks before sparking, like water pressure present, water temp, etc.. hearing the spark means you should have proper flow already, now we just need fuel. There is a silver tube leading out of the gas valve. Gas valve is your black nob device. That silver tube leads the pilot assembly. Spark, valve should light the pilot. Once the pilot is lit, it also detects flame, and that tells the gas valve to turn on the gas to the burner tray, (this is the humming you hear). If we dont get to the hum, your pilot is not lighting. Two things usually cause this. Low propane/no gas or what I see the most is a bad or clogged pilot. Normally I would check the operation of the pilot first. If you hear the zzzzt zzzzt zzzt you can also look at it by getting down, or using a mirror. If it is sparking thats good. I woild turn the knob to off, turn off the heater. disconnect the pilot tube from the gas valve, silver line, unscrew the one or two screws holding on the pilot assembly and remove the assy. From the heater. Now, with two wrenches, disconnect the pilot tube from the assembly you pulled out. BE CAREFUL here. There is a tiny hole the gas hoes through to light the pilot, called an orifice, and it may come out. Propane and gas use different size orifice. You should be able to see through the hole to daylight. Clean it out. Tap it, blow on it, etc.. but do it where if you drop the orifice you can find it easily. Blow out the pilot tube as well. Re assemble. If beforehand you were viewing the pilot during spark phase and it lit but never fired up, you need a new pilot assembly. If after reassembly of the clean pilot, the pilot fails to light, you either have no gas getting to the gas valve, or a bad gas valve. In which case, a digital manometer on Amazon for 20 bucks will test gas pressures, depending on your location, if you are authorized to do such a test. It is simple to test. Or call a professional. I am in Arizona, otherwise I would swing by and check it out for you. 9 times out ten its the pilot, gas valves rarely go out, but it does happen. A manometer tells you if there is input gas and output gas of the valve. Most applications would also have a gas regulator prior to the shutoff valve for gas at the heater. These are prone for failure as well, and can cause intermittent lighting as they will intermittently allow gas flow. You may also try shop vac the burner tubes to clear spider webs and debris. It only takes a grain of sand to block a pilot light orifice. If you have any questions, let me know, or if you need photos of what I am talking about.
SkimminPools
In The Industry
I highly recommend a professional, as these are the steps I would do, not instructions, and as always, be careful.
SkimminPools
In The Industry
Here is a photo of the assembly. Those two little silver things are the orifices one for propane, one for gas. Literally holes the size of a needle, very easily clogged. Removing the brass fitting where the silver tube attaches, and the orifice should fall right out, make sure to put it back in or you will burn up your heater. If the pilot tube or nuts wont come off, it was time to replace it anyways, make sure you order another tube if the one you order does not have one with it. Keep in mind during removal, if debris was in there, it may fall out during removal (the debris). Key is to just make sure it is clean when you put it back in. Cheers.
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