Raypak 014784 PR156AENC 150000 BTU Natural Gas Heater

A couple of hints to diy folks: The power cord is only 3 feet long. They specify a 304 degree cable if replacing. Good luck finding that. Here’s the main thing though, if you have a 2psi natural gas line, you must get an external regulator. Bringing it from 2psi to 1/4psi, roughly. Failure to do so will result in failure to ignite 90% of the time. If you’re having someone install, tell them. You can get the regulator for $30 from Amazon. Unit works great once all done.

This is my 2nd unit of the same brand. I purchased my 1st pool heater in August 2020 and used it for 1 month before storing for the winter. It worked fantastic. Love how it heats and very efficient in terms of working, when it works. The following pool season, I ran the unit for 3 months (May - August). I noticed one cool morning that the unit was steaming out the top. I did not know why but figured rain water was burning off. One week later, the unit began leaking. It was not until I noticed that my pool was losing water over a period of one week which I thought was odd. I then noticed the heater was leaking out the bottom. Over the next few days, the leak increased faster and faster. Unfortunately, after a total of 4 months of running this unit, I had to disconnect it right near the cooler time of the summer when you really need it. I was also out of warrantee as Raypak only gives you 90 days from date of purchase. This warrantee may be extended up to 1 year if you had the unit professionally installed by a tech. certified by the manufacturer. So, I bought a brand new unit off Amazon - same make/brand etc. I started using my new pool heater just after Labor Day 2021. I even paid to have it professionally installed which was not needed as it's super easy to hook up but I figured , I best play by the rules. ONE (1) week after running my brand new heater, it began to leak. I cannot even blame it on corrosion or improper water balance. It only worked for one week!!! I have issued a return through Amazon and come to find out, I must pay $140 to ship it back (what?). No Free label. The product is over 100Lbs. - UPS advised me to protest this but how ? The product was defective upon receipt. I should not be required to pay to ship this faulty unit back. Now, I cannot reach the buyer. I only receive a recording that tells me to call back during "normal business hours" (of which, I have no idea what they consider "normal" as I'm calling at all times thru the business day. The seller is in Chicago. This is a horrible product sold by a horrible company. I will be disputing the shipping costs, and am keeping my fingers crossed for a full refund of which I'm entitled to receive. BEWARE.

We replaced our other pool heater (different brand). WOW we are so pleased, Love this heater best purchase we made in 2021.

water heated up rather nicely in a decent time frame

Quit working in less than 3 months and they won't stand behind their product. We were told we had to have a professional install it even though it was literally plug and play easy to hook up. We were told we had to have a professional diagnose it at our cost, couldn't find anyone in the off season, and now can't get a response from the company.

Update 7-31-22: Original message stated LCD screen blanked out and board would need replaced. I found the LCD display can be removed and replaced, Raypak 013640F LCD Display Board. $40 on ebay. Easy to change. I had an issue with the plastic pins holding the board because the pins had 4 fins sticking out above the hole. So I took a piece of shim wood and cut the thick end to have a small square corner. Then drilled a hole the size of the pin into the face of the square end. This worked like a charm collapsing the fins on each pin to relase the board.I changed the rating from three to four stars. JimThe PR156AENC pool heater LCD screen has been going blank on and off for a few days and finally went blank 3 days before a year has passed on the purchase. I called the Raypak customer service number but it stated there is no support for residential pool heater purchases. I then reviewed the warranty and found a customer installed unit only has a 90 day warranty. So I will need to buy a new board because the LCD screen is integral to the board. Anyhow, I gave it 3 stars because the heater works great, and it still works with the blank LCD screen, but I just dont know what the heater is set at.

Purchased in September of 2021, installed in May of 2022. Ran it 1st season for 5 months, ran it for 2nd season (2023) for 5 months. Heat exchanger started to leak. I was told it leaked because of chemical imbalance. Cheap copper tubes rotted out. My last heater was a Jacuzzi and it lasted 17 years. I should have stuck with Jacuzzi!

Trying to contact the seller. The weather is starting to freeze and I need a replacement heater before I send the bad one back. Now it keeps shutting off which makes maters worse. Now they won’t replace it without a water sample. That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard. Anyone can make a good or bad water sample. That makes no sense for 2 weeks of partial use.now I wasted $1700. On a piece of junk. I highly don’t recommend!!