Raypak protek shield when to replace

[ksully]

Has anyone figured out when these (protek shield) have to be replaced? And also what to expect as they degrade . I know it says in the manual to replace when it’s reduced by a certain amount of weight but I can’t find anywhere what the original weight might be. Also, I’ve only had the heater for a year (Raypak 406a) we watch the pool chemistry to ensure it’s in line, but is the attached image normal for one season of use?

 

[1poolman1]

Original weight +/- 1.5 pounds. If you want a sacrificial anode in your system, it is less expensive to use Pool Tools skimmer anode. They bolt to the bottom of your basket and keep it in place as well as sacrifice themselves. Online, 3 for $30.00 +/-.

Yours looks normal for being in pool water for a year. Its doing what an anode does, corrode. There are thousands of heaters in service for decades without them. Be sure to lube that O ring when reassembling.

 

[Mrfixit1]

I also have the Raypak natural gas digital heater (260k btu) which uses the protek shield. I live in Michigan in which I am concerned about freeze damage of the plastic protek assembly. I have closed the pool down for winter but haven’t removed the protek assembly (do I need to remove it for winterizing the pool heater?)
In the manual it states to remove the protek shield by turn it clockwise by hand. My protek assembly will not budge when I turn it by hand in either counter clockwise or clockwise. Also, I am thinking that the protek assembly has left handed threads because normally, to remove a threaded connection, I would unscrew it by turning it to the left (counter clockwise). I am baffled as to the orientation they are referring to when they say to turn it clockwise to remove. So, if I am standing over the manifold looking down at it, do I turn it clockwise or counterclockwise to remove it. Thanks for any advice.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Those are standard right-handed threads. If it was assembled at the factory it was likely torqued down pretty hard. Get a strap wrench and use that to turn it. You can’t turn it because you don’t have enough leverage with just your hand. A strap wrench will do the job. Do NOT use channel locks or a plumbers wrench or else you’ll crack the plastic housing.

 

[Mrfixit1]

Thanks for your advice, but this is why I am confused and was looking for advice from someone that has removed the protek shield. According to the manual, it says the following (see step #5 in particular):

Follow the steps below to replace the ProTek Shield Assy:
1. Shut off the pool pump and bleed pressure from the
system.
2. Close isolation valves to minimize pool/spa water
loss.
3. Remove wing nut from bottom stud on ProTek Shield
Assy.
4. Remove bonding wire ring terminal from stud.
5. Rotate ProTek Shield Assy clockwise (by hand) to
unscrew it from the assembly.
6. Inspect/replace as necessary and reverse above
procedure to reinstall. Hand tighten only! Do not use
tools.

 

[Mrfixit1]

Those are standard right-handed threads. If it was assembled at the factory it was likely torqued down pretty hard. Get a strap wrench and use that to turn it. You can’t turn it because you don’t have enough leverage with just your hand. A strap wrench will do the job. Do NOT use channel locks or a plumbers wrench or else you’ll crack the plastic housing.

I wanted to thank you for your advice. I took a strap wrench to the protek shield assembly and turned it counter clockwise (as viewed from the bottom looking up) as you normally would loosen any standard right handed threads. It came off very easy. You were absolutely correct saying it was a standard right handed thread. Once, I had the assembly in my hand, I could see that printed on the plastic cover, it does show the correct direction to turn it to remove.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Glad it came off. Strap wrenches are quite useful for lots of different plumbing tasks around the house. Makes changing out shower heads a cinch with marring the plated metal finish on the shower arm pipe. I have several different sized ones.

 

[potrom]

Original weight +/- 1.5 pounds. If you want a sacrificial anode in your system, it is less expensive to use Pool Tools skimmer anode. They bolt to the bottom of your basket and keep it in place as well as sacrifice themselves. Online, 3 for $30.00 +/-.

Yours looks normal for being in pool water for a year. Its doing what an anode does, corrode. There are thousands of heaters in service for decades without them. Be sure to lube that O ring when reassembling.

I saw the thread on Raypak where this was mentioned as well. But the skimmer is very far from the heater. Does the proximity to the heater play a role in where the anode is placed?

 

[1poolman1]

I saw the thread on Raypak where this was mentioned as well. But the skimmer is very far from the heater. Does the proximity to the heater play a role in where the anode is placed?

No. Edit: No, because unless RayPak has done something no other manufacturer has with the thousands (millions?) of heaters in service without one, it will be just as worthless (IMO).

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Just remember that in order for any sacrificial anode to work, there had to be a path for electrons to flow from one point to another. This typically requires an external wire that connects the zinc block to the equipment in question. A chunck of metal sitting in the skimmer not connected to anything but the bottom of the basket isn’t going to have any galvanic effect at all. The metal will simple corrode due to chemical oxidation.

And, as I have been steadfast about on this forum, without proper engineering design and appropriate wiring and setup, a sacrificial anode will be absolutely useless in protecting anything. Anodes must be composed of the proper material to be an anode relative to object it is protecting, there must be a well defined path for electron flow (impressed current), the anode cannot be allowed to become too polarized (oxidation or chemical coating that interferes with ion flow), and the weight of the anode must be sufficient to protect the intended cathode for a long period of time. I’m sure Raypak tried to design their Protek shield as best they could, but I wouldn’t put too much stock in it protecting the heater. You’re still going to see corrosion of the burner tray and associated heat radiating components because those are subject to thermally induced oxidation. The copper heat exchanger should not corrode at all because copper is anodic to all the other materials used in the heater. So what then is the anode protecting??? The outer case? If that’s the case, they should just make it out of a polymer material and not worry about it …

 

[potrom]

Just remember that in order for any sacrificial anode to work, there had to be a path for electrons to flow from one point to another. This typically requires an external wire that connects the zinc block to the equipment in question. A chunck of metal sitting in the skimmer not connected to anything but the bottom of the basket isn’t going to have any galvanic effect at all. The metal will simple corrode due to chemical oxidation.

And, as I have been steadfast about on this forum, without proper engineering design and appropriate wiring and setup, a sacrificial anode will be absolutely useless in protecting anything. Anodes must be composed of the proper material to be an anode relative to object it is protecting, there must be a well defined path for electron flow (impressed current), the anode cannot be allowed to become too polarized (oxidation or chemical coating that interferes with ion flow), and the weight of the anode must be sufficient to protect the intended cathode for a long period of time. I’m sure Raypak tried to design their Protek shield as best they could, but I wouldn’t put too much stock in it protecting the heater. You’re still going to see corrosion of the burner tray and associated heat radiating components because those are subject to thermally induced oxidation. The copper heat exchanger should not corrode at all because copper is anodic to all the other materials used in the heater. So what then is the anode protecting??? The outer case? If that’s the case, they should just make it out of a polymer material and not worry about it …

Thanks for the thorough explanation. Glad I asked the question