Pool heater gas regulator?

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PlumbNuts

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I do not install pool equipment but a customer asked me to replace her natural gas regulator that serves her pool heater. I asked why she was wanting it changed and she said that her pool guy told her she needed a new one.
I replaced the regulator with the exact same type, 3 weeks go by and she calls and said that her pool guy told her that I installed the wrong regulator. After this call I find out from her that the pool guy had just recently replaced the pool heater and was trying to get it to fire up but it will not.
I went today to check it out and find that the heater will not fire up and every time I reset it to come on the exhaust blower comes on and I can smell gas through the exhaust but the unit never fires.
The heater is a Pentair Mastertemp 250; it calls for gas pressure between 14"WC and 4"WC. My regulator is a 2psi, 7"-11" WC Maxtrol.

Any thoughts?
Regulator or control valve?

Again, I do not install pool equipment or furnaces so I am not sure on this. Is this a case of the pool guy installing something that he does not know how to service?
Can my regulator be wrong?
 

Fitter30

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Lp or natural gas ? Would assume it's lp because natural probably wouldn't need another regulator in a home. Do you still have the old regulator?
 

Sylvan

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The pool guy may have pulled a fast one on you

"After this call I find out from her that the pool guy had just recently replaced the pool heater and was trying to get it to fire up but it will not."

The last one to touch it is usually the one stuck with the mess,
 

PlumbNuts

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Lp or natural gas ? Would assume it's lp because natural probably wouldn't need another regulator in a home. Do you still have the old regulator?
As I stated in the post, it is a natural gas regulator.
It is not in the house, it is outside at the pool heater.
I do not have the old regulator but based on what I now know in regards to earlier HO comments it was doing the same thing.
 

PlumbNuts

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The pool guy may have pulled a fast one on you

"After this call I find out from her that the pool guy had just recently replaced the pool heater and was trying to get it to fire up but it will not."

The last one to touch it is usually the one stuck with the mess,
That is my suspicion also but this is a good customer of mine and I want to do what I can to help.
 

Sylvan

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That is my suspicion also but this is a good customer of mine and I want to do what I can to help.



If the pool guy did a replacement try to find out all the information he may have regarding model, BTU input, etc
 

Fitter30

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As I stated in the post, it is a natural gas regulator.
It is not in the house, it is outside at the pool heater.
I do not have the old regulator but based on what I now know in regards to earlier HO comments it was doing the same thing.
Asking if it was a house not the location of it. A house will have only 7" gas pressure and commercial building could have 2 lb . You first need a gas manometer with 1 /8" pipe thread x hose adaptor the measure gas pressure. There are taps on the gas valve inside the heater* page 18 of the manual. Inlet side minimum pressure 4" max 14. " Burner side of valve runs at -2" and would need a different manometer/ gauge that can read negative pressure. First look at the gas meter on the piping there should be a regulator if there is gas pressure should be 7" -8" . After pulling your regulator measure pressure. 7" -8" no other regulator is needed. Heres the manual just page down click on homeowner and pros go to manuals just download the one in the list.
https://www.pentair.com/en-us/produ...equipment/pool-heaters/mastertemp_heater.html
 

PlumbNuts

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Asking if it was a house not the location of it. A house will have only 7" gas pressure and commercial building could have 2 lb . You first need a gas manometer with 1 /8" pipe thread x hose adaptor the measure gas pressure. There are taps on the gas valve inside the heater* page 18 of the manual. Inlet side minimum pressure 4" max 14. " Burner side of valve runs at -2" and would need a different manometer/ gauge that can read negative pressure. First look at the gas meter on the piping there should be a regulator if there is gas pressure should be 7" -8" . After pulling your regulator measure pressure. 7" -8" no other regulator is needed. Heres the manual just page down click on homeowner and pros go to manuals just download the one in the list.
https://www.pentair.com/en-us/produ...equipment/pool-heaters/mastertemp_heater.html
Thanks, I will check that.
It is a house but around here it is most likely a 2psi meter, they quit putting in the 7" meters quite a few years ago. not sure why. But I will double check.
 

Fitter30

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Thanks, I will check that.
It is a house but around here it is most likely a 2psi meter, they quit putting in the 7" meters quite a few years ago. not sure why. But I will double check.
Then you will need a low pressure gauge 0-5 or 0-10 lb something that will accurately read the pressure.
 

PlumbNuts

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Follow up:
I realized what the real problem was today, although the shutoff valve, regulator and steel piping is all 3/4" the CSST that is feeding it is 1/2". The heater will not operate on a 1/2" line. I had to dig out silicone and get inside of the conduit that they had sleeved the CSST in to see that it was 1/2".
 
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