Sta-Rite Max-E-Therm Will Not Light No Error Codes

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In electrical, the saying is "The problem lies where the power dies". If you don't have voltage to a motor, you work your way back to the circuit breaker until you get voltage.

The same concept applies to gas. The problem lies where the pressure dies.

Since you're not getting steady pressure when the heater turns on, you have to check before every valve until you get steady pressure.

There's a T near the meter that will give you a good place to check the pressure.

Connect the manometer there and turn the heater on to see if the pressure stays steady or drops off.
 
If the pressure stays steady at the T near the meter when the heater tries to fire, I would suspect the valve immediately before the heater.

Maybe it's not opening correctly?

If you replace the valve, you need to install a sediment trap going to the heater. It looks like there's no sediment trap.

Was the line from the meter to the heater sized for the heater and whatever else is being fed by the same line?
 
JamesW said:
If the pressure stays steady at the T near the meter when the heater tries to fire, I would suspect the valve immediately before the heater.

Maybe it's not opening correctly?

If you replace the valve, you need to install a sediment trap going to the heater. It looks like there's no sediment trap.

Was the line from the meter to the heater sized for the heater and whatever else is being fed by the same line?
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I can only assume yes because it's been here for 15 years. Good call on the valve as well and I'll check that. Although it's never been operated since I have lived here.
 
jamescodling said:
Ok, checked at the meter and did a flow test. Was good. I think the plumber did the purge wrong. He pushed air from the downhill side instead of at the heater which is higher. Going to try again tomorrow.
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Not sure what you mean by this. Can't tell which is uphill and downhill from the photos but here's what I'd do:
  • Turn off gas to the meter.
  • Separate the union at the meter in the leg going to the heater.
  • Separate the union at the heater.
  • Use a rag to seal an air hose into the line at the meter and check for air flow.
  • If it doesn't flow double check valve at the heater. Turn it 90 deg.
  • If you don't get flow remove the valve at the heater.
  • Check air flow again.
  • If you don't get flow you have an obstruction in the line. Will need to replace.
If you want to verify before you dig and your line is less than 60' you may be able to get a cheap miniature camera to push down the line if you want to like the one below by running from both ends so long as the turn isn't too sharp. These gas lines that you show are for the riser only. They usually switch to a thick-wall yellow plastic tubing under ground after it turns 90 deg. It's possible for a root to bend and kink the line. If it was me, I wouldn't waste the time verifying with a camera. If you don't get flow you always need to replace it. Gas plumber will be able to replace and dig the line for you. I'd get a couple of bids. I've had huge range in price for some reason with this kind of work. Make sure they all bid to the same scope that includes permits. In most jurisdictions they'll need to get an inspector to inspect the line before fill and verify it holds about 25 psi for 24 hours. So two trips of the inspector ($).

I hope this helps.

Chris

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Thank you Chris.. I have a compressor running now starting at the heater going back towards meter.. Getting air flow for sure. I put a valve on the opposite end of compressor and have it half closed or so to create some velocity. No obvious signs of water but going to let it run for 4-5 hours and see what I get. We were definately getting low pressure after the gas valve opened on the heater. Went from 10" to 0". The ball valve at the heater is opening and closing fine. Roots aren't out of the question as we have a huge Sequaro cactus and it devastates my irrigation system every year like clock work. Not sure why it would bother a gas line, but I can't rule that out.
 
What kind of compressor? Not sure how much flow you're getting. Is it one of those battery operated tire filler type. If so, pretty low flow. Is it hard to blow with just a breath? How far from the meter is your heater? If the line's good then that could lead to the short line back to the gas meter or the meter itself... not very likely in my opinion. Do you have any issues with the other gas appliances?
 
Weird you don't have a debris trap. Never seen that. Where does the gas go to after the heater? Does that device work?
 
yeh no trap at all. That tap you see goes to gas lights by the pool. They were very low flame as well compared to what they had been. The water theory seemed feasible when adding that into the equation. The compressor is a rented dewalt from home depot.
 

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Just to clarify, the pressure at the inlet tap is 10" w.c until the heater tries to fire and then the pressure drops to zero?

Also, the pressure at the T near the meter is 10" w.c before the heater tries to fire and it stays at 10" w.c as the heater tries to fire?

If yes to both, that points to a restriction in the gas line.

I suspect that you're going to have to replace the line.

How far is the heater from the meter?
 
about 200 ft.. it's opposite corner of a 1/2 acre property basically. I need to run that last check of checking the wc at the meter when the heater fires. The guy I had out claimed "flow was good" out of the meter but he didn't run that check. Everything else works fine except for the gaslights that are tapped off of the pool heater line.
 
A compressor is not a good choice for blowing out the line.

It doesn't have enough volume.

It will just bubble air through any trapped water.

You need high volume, not high pressure.
 
Check with a gas person about how to best address the possible line obstruction.

Just make sure that whatever you do is safe.

Don't do anything that you're not sure that you can do safely.
 
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JamesW said:
Check with a gas person about how to best address the possible line obstruction.

Just make sure that whatever you do is safe.

Don't do anything that you're not sure that you can do safely.
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Of course.. I have a high powered electric blower going to mate up and try today. After this it's getting prices for line replacement. It's not acting like a kinked line so hopeful this will push water out.
 
Used a leaf blower x 2 (gas and high powered electric) just too much restriction to be helpful. Then used a shop vac on either end. Had flow but hard to say if it was good flow as the distance is so long. I had 0 evidence of water. Calling that guy back out tomorrow. Clearly an issue in the line. I tested the one valve again to be sure and it's good.
 

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