Sta-Rite heater won't power on

[jsimonkeller]

Hello again. So, recently my 7 year old Sta-Rite Max E Therm heater was suddenly not heating this week. Everything powered on and there were no error codes posting, but when the igniter sound engaged, it was not followed by the whoosh . . . I finally got the ignition lockout error (three flashes).

After reviewing many threads on this site, I went with the bad igniter and my Pentair Igniter & Gasket Replacement Kit arrived today. I carefully removed the old igniter and bracket and replaced it with the new igniter. After getting everything reconnected, the heater will not power on at all. Now, when I turn the circuit breaker on, the red led flashes once and then nothing. The top controller is not lighting up or booting up at all. I have checked all of the wire connections, as I thought I might have accidentally dislodged a wire when I was putting in the igniter, but everything looks to be connected as it was before I started the igniter replacement.

I was wondering if there is some reset I am missing or if the new igniter was somehow installed in such a way that would prevent the entire heater from powering at all. I am baffled and would love any troubleshooting ideas.

As always, I appreciate your time and assistance.

Photos attached.

 

[ajw22]

Which red LED flashes once?

The heater will not power on until the EasyTouch demands heat. You have the heat on the ET?

Your heater is acting like the ET has not commanded heat, one of the safeties is open, or you don’t have 24 volts to power the heater controls.

Do you have a multimeter?

You need to check the wiring at each of the safeties and the continuity.

Check the fuse by the firemans switch.

For more Pentair MasterTemp Heaters - Further Reading Internal the Sta-Rite is identical to the MasterTemp.

@swamprat69

 

[jsimonkeller]

Apologies for not being clearer. The LED is the one on the FENWAL box.

I understand that the heater will not heat until the ET calls for heat, but that is not what I was referring to by no power. Prior to swapping out the igniter, when I turned on the circuit to the heater, the controller on top powered on and cycled through its startup and I could manually call for heat at the heater location. Now .... the heater is not powering on at all. Other than the one red led flash on the FENWAL when I turn on the circuit, nothing is happening and the upper controller is not powering on at all. Just blank screen and no lights.

The only change since the ignition lockout was the changing of the igniter.

I will check the fuse, but it looked to be ok.

I do have a multimeter and can check for continuity. Can you point me to which wires I need to check and where the safeties are? My photos showed all of the wires, so any direction in this regard would be helpful.

Thanks again.

 

[ajw22]

I understand that the heater will not heat until the ET calls for heat, but that is not what I was referring to by no power. Prior to swapping out the igniter, when I turned on the circuit to the heater, the controller on top powered on and cycled through its startup and I could manually call for heat at the heater location. Now .... the heater is not powering on at all.

With the heater fireman's switch connected to the ET the heater will only power on when the ET calls for heat and closes the ET heater relay which closes the 24V line in the heater.

First thing I would do is disconnect the firemans switch two wires at the heater and jumper the heater firemans switch connection so it is always connected. That eliminates the ET control and see if the heater control panel comes alive. That tells you if the problem is int he heater or the ET.

If the heater does not come alive then you need to start following voltages from the transformer to the main board and the air blower.

There is a possibility you blew the main PCB when you were working on the heater. Or if you are lucky it is just a loose wire.

Other than the one red led flash on the FENWAL when I turn on the circuit, nothing is happening and the upper controller is not powering on at all. Just blank screen and no lights.

One flash on the Fenwal is an air flow fault. Your blower fan is not powering up for some reason.

The LED will flash on for 1/4 second, then off for 1/4 second during a fault condition. The pause between fault codes is 3 seconds. The LED light on the Fenwal box can indicate the following problems:

• Steady on - Internal Control Failure
• One flash - Air Flow fault
• Two flashes indicates flame no call for heat, then the Fenwal is detecting a flame current when it shouldn't be
• Three flashes indicates no flame current being sensed and ignition locked out

 

[jsimonkeller]

Thanks Allen. On the LED Flash, it is only ONE TIME when the circuit breaker is flipped on and not repeated every 3 seconds like the ignition lockout was.

Prior to any of this happening, the HEATER was powered on all the time, regardless of when heat was called for, so I am not sure if I already have bypassed the fireman switch. By powered, I do not mean heating, but powered on with the upper controller LEDs up and running and in standby mode until heat is called for. I cannot get this to happen since switching out the igniter. The circuit was off while I was doing this repair btw.

Thanks for the responses. Hopefully, I will get this sorted soon. Nice week here in Nashville . . .