Sta-rite Max-e-therm 200 natural gas heater, connected to Pentair Intellicenter, will not turn on using the Intellicenter

[sanspeur]

Hi all,

So I have a Sta-rite Max-e-therm 200 natural gas heater, connected to Pentair Intellicenter, will not turn on using the Intellicenter. Not sure where to start with troubleshooting to see where the fault is. I have no display on the Sta-rite when I select "Spa (heater enabled)" on the Intellicenter. The Sta-rite is about 3-4 years old and the Intellicenter is about 2. It last worked about just over 2 weeks ago. Thanks in advance.

 

[sanspeur]

Hi all,

I originally posted this in the Spas and Hot tubs forum, so posting here instead...
So I have a Sta-rite Max-e-therm 200 natural gas heater, connected to Pentair Intellicenter, will not turn on using the Intellicenter. Not sure where to start with troubleshooting to see where the fault is. I have no display on the Sta-rite when I select "Spa (heater enabled)" on the Intellicenter. The Sta-rite is about 3-4 years old and the Intellicenter is about 2. It last worked about just over 2 weeks ago. Thanks in advance.

 

[Poolbreh]

Hi Sanspeur,
So when you enable spa heat. Is the desired temp set above the current water temp? Is the pool or spa button pressed on the sta rite heater and set to max?

 

[sanspeur]

Hi Sanspeur,
So when you enable spa heat. Is the desired temp set above the current water temp? Is the pool or spa button pressed on the sta rite heater and set to max?

Hi, thanks for the reply. I want to say YES to both (I know the temp in the intellicenter - 104 degrees) is set to greater than the spa water current temp) but can't say for sure about the buttons as I have no panel control being connected to the intellicenter (at least that has been my experience in the past when it was working). I went out and chekced some voltages and I am getting 120VAC in and 24VDC turn on voltage from the intellicenter. Then I looked at the control board and it seems the main chip in the center may be fried (there was a yellow jacket nest on it and when I knocked it off of there it looks like the chip had overheated) - see photo. Before I go and spend ~$400 on a new board, does it look like that to anyone else?

 

[sanspeur]

Went out and took some voltage readings...getting 120VAC in, getting the 24VDC turn on voltage from the controller. No led or anything. There was a wasp nest on the main chip on the control board and after I knocked the nest off, this is what the chip looks like (see attached). Looks overheated and some of the leads burnt. THinking I need a new control board but would sure like some other opinions before I have to go spend ~$400...

 

[Poolbreh]

Good investigating, you can always jump the fireman switch on the heater. This way you can verify the heater is in good working order. You can also check the continuity of the low voltage going to the intellicenter from heater and see if that dry relay closes.

 

[sanspeur]

Replaced the control board. When I tell intellicenter to turn on the heater, all led on the control board light up, for a few seconds, then go out and r14 appears in the display and then goes out. Then...nothing. Intellicenter thinks the heater is on (litttle heater icon is on) but no fire, no blower, no heating led, no sensor leds, no spa led, nothing. Thoughts?

 

[Poolbreh]

R14 is just the revision, are getting a response when you press spa on heater while there is demand from intellicenter? If so set to max temp and intellicenter will turn the heater on and off via fireman switch.

 

[sanspeur]

no response at all when depressing spa on the heater membrane panel (is it disabled when connected to intellicenter?). heater control board leds turn on (then go out) when selecting spa on Intellicenter but then nothing. I have not removed the intellicenter control wires and jumpered fireman switch yet and tested to see if heater works in manual mode. I'll have to craft a jumper.

 

[Poolbreh]

And the same thing with the pool button? Is the membrane connector lined up correctly on the board?

 

[sanspeur]

And the same thing with the pool button? Is the membrane connector lined up correctly on the board?

correct and yes

 

[sanspeur]

Ok, replaced membrane panel. Connected to Intellicenter, verified intellicenter relay closes when turning on spa heat. Heater powers on, then goes dark but I can manually turn on the heater by depressing wither the spa or pool button and it comes on and fires. Issue now is why will it not come on and fire just by turning on the heat in the intellicenter? BTW it does this with both the new AND old control board...

 

[Poolbreh]

Edit: while intellicenter demands heat manually turn heater on set to max and cycle on and off using intellicenter.

 

[sanspeur]

PERFECT, that did it! So it was just the membrane pad that was bad. I REALLY thought that old control board was fried (given the look of the center chip lol). THANK YOU very much for your help, Poolbreh!