regulator vent for pool heater

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SuzfromTexas

SuzfromTexas

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Apr 7, 2015
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Houston, Texas
I'm getting conflicting information regarding my pool heater problem. It won't ignite. Warranty guys for the heater said a component blew out due to water in my gas line. They said this since when they turned on the heater, they heard a gurgling sound. The heater seemed to ignite, but they shut it off concerned about the gurgling sound. When they took off the cap below the vent on the regulator, water came out. My neighbor (just listening to my recount, not seeing the set up) first thought water may have been left in the line (said it would be rare) since the pool build construction (spring of 2015) when we had an exceptionally wet spring and first part of summer. A plumber came today and said he would be back Monday to blow out any water in the line, but he said water in the line would be rare. My neighbor came back this evening and looked at the set up. He said the vent for the regulator should not be facing up and thus catching water. He now thinks, the water was just in the regulator interfering with even flow of gas to the heater. I'm not sure what to think.

Here's a photo looking down on the regulator with the vent facing up (rusty looking). Can anyone tell me what may be going on? I trust ya'll! Thanks so much! Suz :scratch:

 
Suz, know you like I do I bet you have all of the paperwork on your heater or the manual bookmarked. Does it say/show how to install it?

Look at this pic:

http://www.godfreypropane.com/mediac/400_0/media/25902.jpg

It sure looks like the vent is pointed down. I am NOT an expert on this but bet we can figure it out by looking at the manual for your model on line together. Shoot me your model or a link to the manual online.

I do have to say it really does not seem as if that should be pointing up to let water in. This is just a gut feeling.

:hug:

Kim:kim:
 
Thanks Kim for getting back to me on this. I looked at your photo link. I agree, it looks like the vent is NOT facing up. I had searched a lot online before posting. I saw many pictures and diagrams, and it looked like the vent was usually pointing to the side. No where did I find anything written about the position of the vent. I tried all sorts of phrases in the searches. That's when I finally posted on TFP. I have a feeling the heater warranty guys didn't quite know enough. I have used the plumber for other issues, and feel like he knows a lot, but the gas arena may not be his main work. My neighbor owns an oil service company making some sort of parts or mechanisms. Anyway, to me, he seems very mechanical, etc. He's the reason I began to question what the warranty guys told me.

I just checked the warranty manual and don't see anything concerning installing a gas regulator. Another thing, my neighbor said regulators are generally installed at the beginning of a line and not at the end. He thought it should have been installed near my house main regulator (if at all). If that's true, that might explain why there is nothing mentioned in my heater warranty booklet.

Kim, I'll let you know what I find out on Monday. If I find out anything on my own, I'll let you know that, too. Thanks a bunch!!!

Suz
 
Ok Kim.... This article confirms to me the vent should at least be facing sideways but preferably down. Look under "Outdoor Installation" and see the diagram B-42. So far, this is the best info I have found. How to install a natural gas pressure regulator

I believe it was a subcontractor who put on the regulator, but I'm not sure. No, I haven't been able to reach my PB. The warranty guys told me my wonderful PB recently had TWO heart attacks. His son is finishing up pools, but that the PB won't be working anymore. I've been trying to reach his right hand man, Mark. He's the one who sent the warranty guys to check my heater. According to the warranty guys, Mark and others in the company were let go. Mark and Kelly had been together since high school. This just breaks my heart. I'm really fond of my PB and have a lot of respect for him. Since Thursday when I first learned of the heart attacks, I've been trying to reach Mark with no success. Sadly, I've even searched online for obituaries - nothing. I don't believe the PB's son would know anything about my build. For now, I've decided to try to resolve this without their help, since the company and family must be in a major upheaval.

So..... as you said, you know me. I'm trying to find out whatever I can before Monday when the plumber comes back. Like the rest of us, he seemed puzzled by water in the gas line.

Suz

- - - Updated - - -

Kim, this along with crushing my cell phone and my drip irrigation flooding my neighbor's yard (the same wonderful neighbor trying to help me with the heater) are why I haven't gotten back to the other matter we talked about.
 
Suz, you are such a wonderful, caring person :hug: I am proud to call you a friend.

So sad to hear about your wonderful PB. His family must be doing all they can just to get through this. The people working for him must be in shock as well. Mark being with him that long as a friend and employee :(

So understanding of you to work on fixing this on your own. Well you do have your awesome neighbor and us here at TFP as well.

Joe, if you look at any of the pictures of the heaters you will see it is normal for the regulator (with the vent) to be placed right by the heater. I understand what you are saying though, does seem wrong. I THINK it is there to keep the as from building up inside the heater but that is just my gut talking.

Phone crashing, irrigation flooding neighbor, heater not working..............girl get back in bed and pull the covers up over your head!!!!!

:hug: I hope something goes right soon!

Kim:kim:
 
Thank you James!!! Maybe why it's hard to find anything online about the vent is because to most, it is completely obvious!!! Kind of like the a sink faucet should point down into the sink! I questioned several people (not tfp) about the vent in the days after the pool was built, but I just got blank stares - so I sheepishly moved on. I should have trusted my instincts and dug deeper.

Joe, what you say makes sense to me. Like Kim said, I did see pictures and read instructions where the regulator is installed near the pool heater. My neighbor definitely agrees with you.

Thanks Kim. I'm afraid I wouldn't be so understanding about leaving my PB's company alone if it weren't for having you, TFP, and my neighbor. Having ya'll's support makes it easier. And as always, things work out. The new phone is coming from the insurance company (with a deductible), and the drip irrigation is back on track for now until I can get it dug under some plants. Now it's just the heater..... That too will work out one way or the other! And many things are going right - one son is having a great time in El Paso, and the other has met a girl! Lol!!!!

Thanks so much!!
Suz
 
I found this on an inspection forum. I don't have a copy of NFPA 58 to verify but I found the venting minimum distances elsewhere as well so I believe this is correct.

NFPA 58 3.2.2.2b"Cylinders alongside of buildings shall be located and installed so that the discharge from the cylinder pressure relief device is at least 3 ft horizontally away from any building opening that is below the level of such discharge. The discharge from cylinder pressure relief devices shall be located not less than 5ft. in any direction away from any exterior source of ignition, openings into direct vent (sealed combustion systems) appliances, or mechanical ventilation air intakes."
Click to expand...

When we installed our built in spa we had LP added to the house to run the heater, we also ran a line direct to BBQ and installed a tankless hot water heater.

My propane service company installed the lines in 1-1/2" conduits I buried and I recall when the hook-up was done they were very knowledgeable on the venting requirements and all three of my regulators are vented away from the points of combustion.
 

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Joe, thanks so much! This is solid information. I'm printing this out right now to give to my plumber when he comes in the morning. He's super nice and will appreciate your research - as I do. My set up is way out of compliance (there are no pool inspections required for my area....). I know inspections are a pain for pool owners, but they are for our protection. And Joe, thanks for being a smart 'you-know-what'!

If owners are not required to have inspections, this would be good to know. I'll have to ask the plumber if this requires the gas company to change the location.

Maybe this post will be helpful if anyone searches TFP with questions about their regulator set up. It was difficult for me to find info regarding that.

Thanks so much Joe, James, and Kim! Now Kim.... another nugget of info to add to your knowledge base!!

Suz :lovetfp:
 
Well, duh...... I researched the name of my regulator printed on it. American Meter Company with a # of 1813c. From https://mcsmeters.com/products/gas-pressure-regulator-1813c, I went to their link for the technical bulletin. Skip this link, and go to the one below.

see page 11 in below link.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0726/8799/files/1800C.pdf?3420849634943417106

IF I'm reading the diagrams correctly for the different vent positions, none of them show the vent facing up. All are to the side or down.

Suz
 
I see plenty of natural gas regulators like this that are never vented and many are installed ny the gas company. Natural gas dissipates quicker than propane as propane is heavier so it will "pool" by the regulator. Now all of the propane regulators I come across are vented for just that reason.

The regulator vent should NOT be pointed upwards. It can be pointed down of even sideways but NEVER up towards the sky. IF a licensed plumber installed that, well they need some more training.
 
Thank you, Paul! I honestly don't know who installed it - it was either a plumber for the pool company or someone from the gas company. It would have been close to two years when it was installed. I am disappointed no one from the pool company noticed it (and did something about it.

Thanks for your input.
Suz
 
Yes the code stuff I provided is from the LP (Propane) code which is NFPA 58. I missed that you said you had natural gas in post #5, sorry.

For natural gas codes use NFPA 54, I did take a quick look at it online (section 9.1.19) and could not find the same venting requirements as I saw in NFPA 58.

However NFPA 54 does say to prevent water from entering venting of regulators

http://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-stand...list-of-codes-and-standards?mode=code&code=54
 
You may want to call the gas company to come out and look at the regulator. They should provide this free of charge. They might just fix it for free - or at least confirm that the vent needs to be pointed down. This will help in dealing with the warranty people.
 
Thanks again, Joe, for the update.

Gene, I couldn't get through to the gas company yesterday. Today, another neighbor suggested I try to find someone other than the gas company. His experience was that when they came out to check something on his gas plumbing and saw something wrong, they shut down his gas until they could come back the next week to fix it. Auggggghhhh!!!

Update for Kim or anyone else interested. The plumber came out yesterday, but left after I told him the theory of water being only in the regulator rather than the gas line. He said he can't do anything to regulators. I tried to reach my PB's former assistant yesterday, but neither one of us could carry on a conversation with my new replacement phone. I tried to reach him today with a go phone but no answer. The replacement to the replacement phone should be here tonight. If it works, this process will be easier. Oh, and Kim, I am under a dark cloud today! Lot's of rain, outside sensor lights on most of the day (except for the couple of hours our power was out)! It's getting to be funny at this point!!!

Suz (make believe emoji here with a dark cloud over it)
 

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