Rev. A 2-4-2000
P/N 471438
SOOT FORMATION ON THE HEAT EXCHANGER
Usual Causes of Sooting:
1.
Low gas pressure in the gas supply line.
2.
Excessive water flow can create condensation which can cause a soot formation.
3.
Foreign material in burners and orifices. (Remove foreign material such as dirt, spider webs, etc.)
4.
Inadequate air supply for the heater, when installed indoors, can cause a soot formation.
NOTE
After de-sooting a heater, the flame should be blue in color, NOT YELLOW. Dust in the air can turn the
flame yellow. A slight yellow tip on a blue flame is OK.
To remove a light soot formation, with the heat exchanger still in the heater, use the following procedures:
1.
Remove the burners and cover the orifices to protect against dirt or other material.
2.
Remove flue collector and baffles.
3.
Using a brush with a long handle, you may brush off the bottom of the tubes, which will generally remove
any soot present. You may choose to use a vacuum cleaner.
NOTE
Do not use a Wire Brush or compressed air to remove soot.
4.
Brush off and clean all burner heads using caution not to damage burner ports.
5.
Replace burners and test fire heater.
~~OR~~
1.
Powdered detergent and scrub brush accompanied by high water pressure to spray the heat exchanger
thoroughly.
2.
A very mild acid and water solution and high water pressure. When using acid, exercise extreme caution so
as not to etch or damage the copper tubing.
To protect eyes from soot or cleaning solution use safety eye wear.
Inspecting the Heat Exchanger Tubes
(Heat Exchanger in Place)
Under normal operating conditions, the MiniMax heater will operate for years without scale deposits forming in the
tubes. In some pools, however, the mineral content of the water is such that completely scale-free operation is next
to impossible. For this reason, the MiniMax pool heater has been designed so that the heat exchanger can be easily
inspected without disassembling the entire unit. Inspection of the tubes at regular intervals is good assurance of
longer life and less maintenance. To inspect the tubes for scale deposits, use the following procedure; having
isolated and drained the appliance of water:
1.
Remove inspection plate on the left of the unit.
2.
Remove the four (4) bolts holding the quick-flange in place.
3.
Remove the return head and visually inspect the tubes.
4.
Replace tube gaskets and reassemble in reverse order.
Servicing Section
20
