I'm trying to troubleshoot a hottub heater (Teledyne Laars). I think I
understand well enough now how it is supposed to work. If I could talk to
someone who has had some experience I think I could find the problem. Any
ideas where I might make contact with such a person on the Web?

Thanks...

How about this:

If it's got 240V at the heater element and it's not heating, it's kaput!

It's a gas heater. There's power to the controller. There's a spark at the
pilot ignition. It sounds like the pilot value is actuated (I can hear it
and feel it if I touch the value while turning on the heater switch). On
rare occasions the pilot will light and the burners will light. It seems
that either the pilot value is not always working or, perhaps the tube used
to transfer the pilot gas supply (which seems very small) is blocked. The
heater is about 18 years old. I was hoping to hear from someone that had
experience with this type of heater and may have run across this type of
problem.

wrote in message
oups.com...
How about this:

If it's got 240V at the heater element and it's not heating, it's kaput!

How much have you taken apart and/or disconnected so far?

"David Glass" wrote in message
...
It's a gas heater. There's power to the controller. There's a spark at
the
pilot ignition. It sounds like the pilot value is actuated (I can hear it
and feel it if I touch the value while turning on the heater switch). On
rare occasions the pilot will light and the burners will light. It seems
that either the pilot value is not always working or, perhaps the tube
used
to transfer the pilot gas supply (which seems very small) is blocked. The
heater is about 18 years old. I was hoping to hear from someone that had
experience with this type of heater and may have run across this type of
problem.

wrote in message
oups.com...
How about this:

If it's got 240V at the heater element and it's not heating, it's kaput!

There is still a wide variety of parts and controls you could have. If the
pilot valve requires voltage to operate (not millivolt). you need to have
that voltage at the valve. If you do and the valve doesn't open, you got a
bad valve. If it opens but the gas doesn't get to the pilot, you got a bad
tube or pilot. If the pilot lights and stays lit and the main valve doesn't
open, you could have a defective flame sensor, or thermocouple, bad main
valve, or bad wiring, or possibly roll out switch, or pressure switch. To
determine the problem, you need to identify all the parts and understand
their functions. Then you can iron it out



"David Glass" wrote in message
...
It's a gas heater. There's power to the controller. There's a spark at
the pilot ignition. It sounds like the pilot value is actuated (I can
hear it and feel it if I touch the value while turning on the heater
switch). On rare occasions the pilot will light and the burners will
light. It seems that either the pilot value is not always working or,
perhaps the tube used to transfer the pilot gas supply (which seems very
small) is blocked. The heater is about 18 years old. I was hoping to
hear from someone that had experience with this type of heater and may
have run across this type of problem.

wrote in message
oups.com...
How about this:

If it's got 240V at the heater element and it's not heating, it's kaput!