Pool heater flame rollout

[Asuntres]

Jandy LRZ250MN wouldn’t fire. Found fusible link faulty. Jumped it and fired up. Lots of dark smoke. Noticed flame rollout with green flame and weird smell. Cleaned vent/heat exchanger, removed burner orifices, cleaned and reinstalled. No smoke but still rollout and slight green flame on burners located under headers.

See photo.

Any ideas?

 

[ajw22]

Check the gas pressure with a manometer.

The flame should be blue. You have an air/fuel mixture problem.

Show us pics of the environment the heater is in.

@swamprat69 may have ideas if he wanders by.

 

[swamprat69]

How are you lighting the pilot? The push button spark wire doesn't seem to be connected to the pilot assembly? The fusible link is not faulty, it has done its job as a safety in case of flame rollout. It must be replaced and wired back into the circuit. Flame rollout is an indication of a blockage to the flow of the byproducts of combustion and/or incorrect gas/air mixture which would cause sooting. When you said that you cleaned the burner orifices did you mean the gas manifold orifices or the burner slots? How did you clean the heat exchanger and vent? Did you remove and clean the burners themselves? As noted by the yellow flame that is rolling out you still have a problem with either blockage to the flow of combustion byproducts, dirty/partially blocked burners, spider webs in the gas manifold orifices or incorrect gas pressure or gas/air mixture.

 

[Asuntres]

How are you lighting the pilot? The push button spark wire doesn't seem to be connected to the pilot assembly? The fusible link is not faulty, it has done its job as a safety in case of flame rollout. It must be replaced and wired back into the circuit. Flame rollout is an indication of a blockage to the flow of the byproducts of combustion and/or incorrect gas/air mixture which would cause sooting. When you said that you cleaned the burner orifices did you mean the gas manifold orifices or the burner slots? How did you clean the heat exchanger and vent? Did you remove and clean the burners themselves? As noted by the yellow flame that is rolling out you still have a problem with either blockage to the flow of combustion byproducts, dirty/partially blocked burners, spider webs in the gas manifold orifices or incorrect gas pressure or gas/air mixture.

Thanks for this! I light the pilot manually with a BBQ lighter. I was referring to the gas manifold orifices. I spot checked some burners but not all.

I vacuumed out the heat exchanger, there is no vent just a baffle on the top of the unit (outdoor installation)

I’ll try to remove and clean all burner slots.

If it’s an issue with gas pressure I am hesitant to touch anything on the gas side

Is there another cause to incorrect air/gas? What about the green flame? I assume that’s bad

 

[swamprat69]

The green flame would be caused by the flame impinging on the copper tubing of the heat exchanger. You still have one or more of the problems listed above. Vacuuming the heat exchanger may not be sufficient to remove all of the soot blocking the passages between the fins. You might want to have a qualified service technician do a professional clean and check of the heater and assess any deterioration to parts that may need to be replaced.