Pool Heater Won’t Turn Off [7 Easy Solutions]

The pool heater won’t shut off is an alarming situation. Running the pool heater constantly causes an extreme rise in water temperatures, and it could lead to greater danger.

In the following section, we explained the root of this issue and their easy solutions. Let’s start:

1. Defective Gas Valve

A lousy gas valve is one of the main reasons why your Pentair pool heater won’t turn off. The bad gas valve fails to maintain the heater’s adequate gas pressure.

As a result, the heater won’t shut off and run continuously. The factors that lead to this are:

Incorrect wiring between the thermostat and gas valve
Worn-out gas valve

Closed gas valve
The pool heater’s gas valve is set to the “Off” position
Thermocouple to the gas valve’s rusty or lose connection

Solution:

The pool heater’s heating system keeps turning on due to the gas valve’s malfunction. If your pool heater doesn’t shut off, first check the heater’s gas valve. To get rid of these above troubles, follow the easy ways below:

Check and remove the incorrect wiring running between the thermostat and the gas valve. And install a new wire set properly between these two.
Replace the worn-out, damaged, or defective gas valve

Ensure your pool heater’s gas valve is open
Make sure your heater’s valve is set to the “On” position
Ensure the thermocouple to the gas valve’s proper connection

2. Faulty Thermostat

Due to the thermostat malfunction, your Hayward pool heater won’t turn off and continue to run. The heater keeps running as long as it doesn’t reach the pre-set temperature.

Due to the defective thermostat, the water remains so cold. And the thermostat’s temperature setting fails to go below the pool’s current water temperature. The causes of it are:

Thermostat’s faulty wiring

Broken switch or relay
Damaged or corroded heating sensor
The thermostat is set too low

Hooked up thermostat Select Switch
Too old thermostat

Solution:

The thermostat controls your pool heater’s entire running system. The heater gets a signal from the lousy thermostat to run continuously. Thus, check the thermostat and immediately replace your faulty thermostat if it is the culprit.

Follow the resolving ways below, and you will learn how to turn off Hayward pool heater:

Check the thermostat’s wiring and replace the bad wiring
Replace the broken relay or switch, damaged heating sensor, and too old thermostats

Make sure the setting of the thermostat is not too low
Ensure the thermostat’s Select Switch is not hooked up

3. Damaged Primary Controller

The pool heater’s primary controller responds to its thermostat. Also, the primary controller controls the heater’s running cycle (On and Off).

Your pool heater will fail to turn off if its primary controller becomes damaged. The factors that cause it are:

Short cycle
Faulty circuit breaker

Dirty filters
Faulty primary control relay

Solution:

If the bad primary controller is the root of this trouble, fix it in the following ways:

Ensure stable electricity supply to your pool heater
Replace the malfunctioning circuit breaker and bad primary control relay
Clean the dirty filters

4. Blocked Air Vents

The pool heater requires an adequate air vent to ensure its proper operation. Blocked air vents reduce the airflow. As a result, your pool heater runs longer. The concerning causes of it are:

Dirt, debris, or grime builds up in the heater’s air vent
Damaged air vent

Leaking vents

Solution:

To solve the above troubles, you need to know how to turn off the pool heater. To shut off the heater, you need to check your heater’s air vents and make sure there is no blockage. Properly clean clogged air vents and do the following to solve this trouble.

Remove your pool heater air vent clog or dirt build-up

Replace the damaged and leaking air vents

5. Bad Control Board

If your pool heater’s on/off switch fails to shut down and your pool heater won’t shut off, the faulty control board can cause this suffering. The control board goes bad for the following reasons:

Broken internal parts

Damaged IC
The control board itself is defective or has stopped working
Faulty wiring or cable connection

Electrical connection malfunction or bad power supply
Blown fuse
The old-aged control board

Exposure to excessive dust, moisture, or heat

Solution:

The simple ways of solving the above troubles are:

Replace the control board’s broken internal parts, damaged IC, faulty or old aged control board, blown fuse, and damaged wiring

Check the power supply and replace the faulty circuit breaker
Ensure the control board is not facing excessive moisture, dust, or heat

6. Clogged Air Filter

Blockage in air filters creates problems in the HVAC system. The clogged filter restricts the smooth water flow. As a result, your pool heater fails to reach the set or ideal temperature, and it keeps running longer.

The main accountable factor for it is the dirt, dust, or debris build-up in the air filter. The clogged filter reduces airflow, and the pool heater can’t function properly.

Solution:

Check your pool heater’s air filter. If it becomes clogged and dirt gets on it, you should properly clean the clogged filter. However, you should replace the air filter if its performance decreases due to its dirt coverage.

7. Damaged Fan Motor

The pool heater fan motor heats your pool’s water by drawing ambient air. The fan motor provides a signal to your pool heater’s running cycle, i.e., when to turn off and on the heater.

So if the fan motor doesn’t work, your pool heater will also not work, and it will run continuously. The causes of it are:

Faulty wiring and improper connection
The fan motor itself is defective

Clogged fan motor or build-up of outside debris in it
Burned out capacitor
Broken heat pump fan motor

Broken or slipping fan blade

Solution:

The fan motor malfunction causes continuous running of the heating system, and the pool heater fails to shut off. The easy solving ways to these troubles are:

Check your pool heater’s fan motor wiring and replace the damaged wiring

Replace the defective or broken fan motor, burned-out capacitor, and broken or slipping fan blade
Clean and remove the fan motor’s blockage

FAQ:

Will the pool heater turn off when the pump stops?

Yes! Your pool heater will also turn off after shutting off the pump. The pool’s pressure switch keeps the heater running when it has sufficient pressure. If the heater runs after shutting off the pump, it could be hooked into the timer clock.

What does the IF code mean on a Hayward Pool heater?

IF code on your Hayward pool heater means Ignition Failure. Insufficient gas supply, gas valve malfunction, and dirty filters are the most common reasons for this trouble.

How do I test my pool heater thermostat?

Check your pool heater thermostat’s temperature setting and ensure that it is higher than the pool water. Your pool heater turns on due to increasing temperature and it indicates the thermostat’s good condition. Also, you can use the multimeter to test the thermostat’s power-receiving force.

What does a high-limit switch do on a pool heater?

Your pool heater’s high limit switch detects whether the pool’s water temperature is more than the safe level or not. If the pool’s water temperature exceeds 135 degrees Fahrenheit, it opens the heat exchanger immediately.

Conclusion

So, now you know all the major reasons why your pool heater won’t turn off. If any of the above factors cause an issue in your pool heater, expectantly, you will now solve it by yourself.

If still, after trying out all our solutions mentioned above, your heater won’t shut off, don’t hesitate to comment. Comment on your trouble, and we’ll help you with the solution.

Pool Heater Won’t Turn Off [7 Easy Solutions]

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