Water in combustion chamber - Jandy 400 jxi pro heater

[JamesMDPool]

I read some posts similar to my issue and even replied to an older thread but thought I'd open it to the broader community. I believe I have a small leak in my 400 jxi as I've now replaced the ignitor 3 times in 2 weeks. The combustion chamber was filled with water when I figured out how to check it through the exhaust vent but I had deduced it was possible rain water as the exhaust vent drains had appeared to have been previously clogged (minor corrosion around the base). The unit is 5 years old and there is no sign of water around the base nor inside the unit. I shop vacuumed the combustion chamber, I installed my 3rd igniter and the heater ran fine for 2 days. Today I had the ignition failure again and there is a small amount of water in the combustion chamber again. My guess is the heat exchanger has a small leak and eventually the evaporating or condensating water destroys the ignitor coil. A couple questions, 1. Any other possible causes for water in the combustion chamber outside of rain or the heat exchanger? 2. Is the combustion chamber sealed that well that I wouldn't see water leaking out of it or in the heater? 3. The heat exchanger looks fairly straightforward to replace, but anything else I should consider replacing at the same time outside the gaskets etc?

On a side note, I've also read that the coil style ignitor on this unit was eventually replaced by a rod style ignitor due to its brittleness. I managed to track down the rod style and order it. I know the water in the combustion chamber is no good but I'm also curious to hear anyone's opinion on the ignitors themselves...

 

[PoolGate]

It can fill with water totally full and you won't see it outside. Mine failed last year I replaced it myself. Right around $1200 total. It's straight forward but a big job you pretty much have to take the entire heater apart. I'll link to my post later.

Here is my post on the same issue: Jandy JXI400N - Trouble Air

 

[JamesMDPool]

It can fill with water totally full and you won't see it outside. Mine failed last year I replaced it myself. Right around $1200 total. It's straight forward but a big job you pretty much have to take the entire heater apart. I'll link to my post later.

Here is my post on the same issue: Jandy JXI400N - Trouble Air

Thanks!

 

[PoolGate]

Thanks!

Ignitors are a consumable. Just buy 2-3 at a time they last 2-3 seasons each. I am on my 3rd in 7 seasons.

 

[JamesMDPool]

Ignitors are a consumable. Just buy 2-3 at a time they last 2-3 seasons each. I am on my 3rd in 7 seasons.

But I should never have water in the combustion chamber, correct? No matter the amount? I ordered the new recommended rod style ignitor. Have you used it before?

 

[PoolGate]

But I should never have water in the combustion chamber, correct? No matter the amount? I ordered the new recommended rod style ignitor. Have you used it before?

Correct no water should ever be in there. I have never used the new style I still have one spare of the old style. I am on the third season with the same ignitor and this is the 2nd season after I replaced the heat exchanger.

 

[JamesMDPool]

Correct no water should ever be in there. I have never used the new style I still have one spare of the old style. I am on the third season with the same ignitor and this is the 2nd season after I replaced the heat exchanger.

Good to know. I really appreciate your insight. I'm debating replacing the whole combustion unit and manifold as I found a dealer with it listed at 1300 I believe. When you did the ignitor, did you replace anything else, i.e gaskets, etc. I saw one of the people you were corresponding with recommended the hsi to be replaced too if you were doing the ignitor, what is that and did you wind up replacing?

 

[PoolGate]

Good to know. I really appreciate your insight. I'm debating replacing the whole combustion unit and manifold as I found a dealer with it listed at 1300 I believe. When you did the ignitor, did you replace anything else, i.e gaskets, etc. I saw one of the people you were corresponding with recommended the hsi to be replaced too if you were doing the ignitor, what is that and did you wind up replacing?

Sunplay? I saw that this morning. Keep in mind you need the gaskets too so maybe that is a good deal depends what it comes with. Be very careful with the refractory mine broke when I took it out. You can reuse it but I opted to get new and cut it (see my other thread). Look at my parts list.

The ignitor comes with a new gasket and new screws. Ignitor is like a 10 minute job by itself super simple.

 

[PoolGate]

This is a good deal if it includes the refractory which I assume it does since it is a complete unit. I would call them before ordering to confirm that it is in stock and ask if it includes the refractory.

Jandy Heat Exchanger and Header Assembly R0805805

Jandy Heat Exchanger and Header Assembly R0805805 Heat Exchanger and Header Assembly (Excludes Burner) for the following Jandy Heaters: JXi400 Heaters Jandy R0805805

sunplay.com

 

[JamesMDPool]

This is a good deal if it includes the refractory which I assume it does since it is a complete unit. I would call them before ordering to confirm that it is in stock and ask if it includes the refractory.

Jandy Heat Exchanger and Header Assembly R0805805

Jandy Heat Exchanger and Header Assembly R0805805 Heat Exchanger and Header Assembly (Excludes Burner) for the following Jandy Heaters: JXi400 Heaters Jandy R0805805

sunplay.com

Awesome. Yes that is the one I was looking at and I'll definitely call. Thanks again!

 

[JamesMDPool]

Awesome. Yes that is the one I was looking at and I'll definitely call. Thanks again!

I read through your posts again and looked at your pictures and man if you pool doesn't look really similar to mine as well as the system. Crazy you live in MD too. I'm curious, was your installer Catalina?

 

[PoolGate]

I read through your posts again and looked at your pictures and man if you pool doesn't look really similar to mine as well as the system. Crazy you live in MD too. I'm curious, was your installer Catalina?

Ha ha yes it was. Now that they've screwed all of their customers I can say their name.

 

[JamesMDPool]

Ha ha yes it was. Now that they've screwed all of their customers I can say their name.

Lol. They went out of business, surprise surprise. I love my finished product although I had to do some of the things that they never came back to repair. When I saw your waterfall, I thought "that's my exact waterfall". Than the same system and being your in MD I knew it had to be Catilina. I've attached some pictures for your entertainment

 

[PoolGate]

Yep you have the same coping and stone-marked concrete. Waterfall is very similar. We found them on the back page of the newspaper ad thing with a special for 2 "free" waterfalls. We are also very happy with the product. We saw Catalina people like 1 maybe 2 times during the entire build. The day of the dig and that was pretty much it. No quality checks they just trusted their contractors to do everything correctly. Never even saw them at the end for a final walk-through. I had to sue them too because I paid $3k out of pocket to fix things to pass my final county inspection that they should have done. But they managed to evade service and eventually I just dropped the matter. Ah well life goes on.