Hi All. Thanks for taking time to help people out on this forum! I've got a Raypak 053A gas heater on my spa that won't light. The pilot, thermopile, and Mystery Tube in between them have all been thoroughly cleaned. The pilot light burns pure blue. The voltage from the thermopile is, as you can see, is 0.426. Cleaning things didn't improve it much. That voltage tends to go down the longer I leave the probes on the thermopile input terminals. I've verified that the pressure switch on the heater is working. My biggest problem at the moment is that I can't get a shop manual for either the 053A Raypak heater (though I have the parts list) or the Honeywell valve. I can't even find the model number on the valve. It's not written anywhere on the front facing, and I can't get decent access to any of the other facings. If I had some direction about where to look, I could try a dental mirror and flashlight. My three biggest questions at the moment are: 1) which Honeywell valve is this or where can I find the model number? 2) is there a way to test the master burner ignition circuit independent of the rest of the logic? 3) what is the tube that's in between the thermopile and the pilot? It's just a small metal tube that ends near the pilot. The other end goes into the Honeywell valve. When removed, it's easy to blow air through it. Based on the diagrams of the pilot/thermopile assembly in the 053A Parts Manual, it looks like it was added afterward. A small hole was drilled in between pilot and 'pile and this tube was pushed through. It's not held in place by any kind of screw, only by tension. I know on many similar burners it's possible to simply short two of the terminals to test if the master burner is getting enough juice to fire, but because I don't have the manual, I'm not sure how to do it on this unit. That would at least tell me if that part of the circuit works. I understand the sensors (master switch, pressure switch, thermal cutouts, etc.) that all contribute to whether or not the burner tries to fire, but because I don't have the shop manual for either the burner or the valve, I don't know how to check if the logic is sending the correct signal. Things I've tried: Cleaning the pilot/thermopile/mystery tube Heating up the thermopile with a torch to get it up as high as .645 volts Verifying that the pressure switch on the heater is connecting when the h2o is on In all cases the master burner fails to light. [IMG]https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/426/19008141236_bba73daf6d_z.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/325/18848167179_67de748c8a_z.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/389/19028854702_7a43f45eee_z.jpg[/IMG] I'd be grateful for any help you could provide. I've already fixed five leaks in this system to get this far, and I'm so close I can almost taste the bromine! - Scott

Hello all, Brand new to the forum and hoping for some advice. I came across this while searching for info and some of the responses that I saw posted to all were outstanding so I didn't hesitate to join (normally remiss about signing up). Anyway, my current system is a Trane XE 80 forced air gas furnace that is tapped into old duct work, some of which is the old convection type for fireplaces/wood burning stoves in the basement (house was built in 1910 or so). The system has a Honeywell electrostatic filter, and I had the house insulated (blown in cellulose), and windows are relatively new (vinyl, double pane). Also, the kitchens and bathrooms have no heating (mother/daughter setup). I am looking to upgrade my system with the following goals/concerns: Concerns (in random order): - air is very dry - temperature, while better than before insulation, still fluctuates too much - two of my three kids have asthma, and allergens are a high concern - have lived in the house 8 years, and not sure how old the system was when I moved - may be overly inefficient Goals (also random): - increased comfort/more stable temperature - improved air quality/RH level - add central cooling - reduce energy use/ongoing costs (willing to absorb higher initial costs if the break-even point is reasonable) - add heating to kitchen/bathrooms (something hopefully more cost effective than electric radiant to all three bathrooms) I have been examining options and doing some research (how I came across this site) and have considered the following options: - balance system, add registers, add system humidifier - upgrade furnace - add compressor, keep furnace - add compressor, upgrade furnace - add heat pump, keep furnace - add heat pump, upgrade furnace Any advice/guidance would be appreciated. I am starting to do my HW, but have no prior experience nor training on this. Thanks, Eddie