Pool heater The pressure switch is not bringing the burners on, but jumping the switch does. bought new switch, but now i realize that it is the water pressure that is low through the copper tube. i believe it is the water pressure that is low some how and the inlet pipe is making hissing noise not the return. there is also bubbles in the pool returns. i have the valve on circulation to by pass the filter, but still no luck. a local pool engineer recently replaced the port valve ,sand in the filter, repairs that cost 520.00 but did not know why the boiler would not fire. got a gas engineer out, he bypassed the pressure switch, but then told me that the heater element (radiator) is gone and its replacement is not cost effective, so i should replace the heater at 3500. so unfortunately lost faith i can run the heater by over riding the pressure switch at very low temp. but am aware that it will damage the heater if the water pressure is too low. am very good with diagnosis and minor repairs myself, but wonder if i would be able to fix this myself or should i get an engineer if i need engineer what should i be asking them to do as some times they do not have either a functional brain or they believe that the customer does not have any brain
Pool & Spa - Teledyne Laars - Laars Lite 2 Pool Heater 125,000 Btu / Propane Gas
Answers & Comments
If you have bubbles, you have a suction leak. That means the pump is pulling air into the system. Sometimes it's just the basket o-ring under the pump lid needs replacing. If the pump has run hot (without water) for a while, it may have caused shrinkage at the inlet to the pump. Unless it is underground, suction leaks are fairly easy and inexpensive to fix. Heaters will not work properly with air in the system.
Dear bill, I left a question in the testimonial section as I could not work out how to work out the reply tab to your kind recommendation.
Where there is a breech in the plumbings integrity, a leak on the "pressure side" (everything after the impeller) will be seen as a leak, water dripping or squirting. If the breech is on the suction side (before the impeller) the pump will pull air in through the breech because it is easier for the pump to pull air in than the water that is in the pipe. Bubbles = suction side leak (rare exceptions in the case of highly specialized plumbing)