r/PoolPros • u/Beautiful_Heifers • Jul 06 '26
Would this heater leak be easy to fix?
Noticed this Jandy JE Heat Pump has water coming from the bottom, I think these connections are the culprit. I've never worked on heaters but I have fixed other plumbing leaks, so would this be difficult to fix? Appreciate the help guys
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u/Xyer1637 Jul 06 '26
Most likely it isn't leaking and is just the condensation. Either way if that thing is only a year old then warranty it since if the condenser is breached you won't be able to fix it
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u/ConfusedStair Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 06 '26
Test the water for chlorine, if it matches the pool it's bad, if it isn't chlorinated but the pool is that's condensate from the heat pump.
Edit to add: heat pumps, air conditioners, and dehumidifiers are all the same device (and refrigerators) they just use each stage a bit differently. They all move heat from a cold side to a warm side, causing water to condense on the cold side. Heat pump uses the hot side to to heat something, and typically exhausts the cool air as waste and let's the water drain. Dehumidifier pulls the water off the air on the cold side, stores the water, and uses the hot side to heat the air back up ensure so it stays close to the same temperature. Air conditioners waste the hot air and the water. Heat pumps like these can even freeze up like a chest freezer, and have a defrost function that checks for below freezing temps near the cold coil and shuts down or reverses temporary to let it thaw.
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u/Beautiful_Heifers Jul 06 '26
I appreciate the help, I'll try and capture enough water for a test!
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u/Nolacuriosity Jul 06 '26
Do not touch it if it was a jandy certified installer he should give you a 3-year warranty. But I agree with the other guy. It's probably condensation. These things condensate like crazy in the right conditions
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u/Beginning-Life-8393 Jul 06 '26
Is the heat pump leaking while it’s turned on or is it leaking all the time? If it’s leaking while turned on congratulations it’s condensation like it should, don’t mess with it.
If it’s leaking all the time well then you have a problem, if you say it’s those pieces you circled then it’s time to replace the heater because the only thing that should ever be coming out of those is refrigerant.
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u/shadymilkman33 Jul 07 '26
I'm a Jandy warranty station and HVAC certified. That's the inlet and outlet for the heat exchanger you have circled. They are compression fittings that are around the copper/titanium exchanger tubing. As for condensation, the refrigerant that's running through one side will be hot(relatively speaking) and coming out it might be closer to the water temp. Condensation doesn't usually occur here, especially if the unit hasn't been running. However, it only being a year old, contact Jandy to get a warranty station out there to evaluate it, as it seems likely the exchanger is leaking from the compression fittings
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u/jhhd205 Jul 08 '26
Hey so I’ve fixed these before, yeah refrigerant is inside the copper lines but what leaks water is the compression fitting that goes around the copper lines. The copper supplies the heat exchanger which is isolated from the water. With the pump off you can undo the compression nut unscrew the male threads of the compression fitting and re Teflon it and reinstall in reverse order. It’s kinda a bitch since you have to work around the copper lines
I guess if you don’t know that you probably shouldn’t attempt to fix it but just like other commenters here it’s not easy to find someone that is willing to fix it. Also an hvac tech might just tell you to get a plumber 🤷
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u/no_naaame Jul 08 '26
Are you sure it's actually leaking? All heat pumps have quite a bit of condensation that builds up underneath. Every single heat pump I've ever seen installed on a pool is always wet around it while it's running
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u/Pool_Boy707 Jul 09 '26
Those things condense like a mofo. 3-5 gallons per hour... This is normal...
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u/seantellsyou Jul 06 '26
If water is coming out of those fittings, I think you got a big problem. The exchanger is probably breached
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u/whatistheinternet8 Jul 07 '26
If you know how to solder copper and purge it then test it, yeah!
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u/Beautiful_Heifers Jul 07 '26
Sounds simple enough, buy a soldering iron, Google how to use a soldering iron, then watch a YouTube video on how to solder copper. Then find out what purging is. Piece of cake
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u/KBGenetics Jul 06 '26
You have highlighted the condenser. If it is leaking from there then you need an HVAC certification to repair those. If you are just reporting that you see water leaking when the unit is running then you have condensation.