Which Raypak to choose - New Avia vs. Oldschool digital (2024)

And why does your pool guy think the M266 will last longer?

The standard Raypak heaters start rusting the day they are turned on. We see rusted out units regularly. It is the nature of the natural draft design.

Which is the reason Raypak finally gave in and come out with a forced draft sealed burner heater in the Avia. All the pool heater companies models have moved from natural draft to forced draft designs.

Each design has its pros and cons

And ask the guy what is the model number of the dealer heater he would give you? If it is the same model number as what you can buy then it is the same heater.

bjohannes said:

Rheem P-M266 is the unit he would source. His experience is that the natural draft design tends to last much longer (not as tough on the heat exchanger). Also mechanically simpler (less parts/sensors with no blower).

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Rheem P-M266/ RayPak P-M266, same heater by the same manufacturer with the same parent company (American Standard). Have never seen a "consumer" nor "trade-grade" model of any of their heaters. I can acutally source either RayPak or Rheem through one of may suppliers.
With proper care the RayPak atmospheric will last as long as any other, I still do work for customers that have a 10-15 year-old RayPaks that I installed with no issues. Older RayPaks did, indeed, have rust issues, partially because they was very little room below them (they sit on small risers on the bottom) and debris would build, never get cleared, hold moisture and rust from the outside. New atmospheric models sit on taller risers. If rust is an issue with atmospherics, it may be because LoNox heaters (heaters with blowers) are able to literally blow moisture from the cabinet, and many, like the Avia, MasterTemp, Max-E-Therm, have sealed combustion chambers.
Avia sits directly on the pad. Avia is very new and hasn't a long track record yet. Cost of repair is less on an atmospheric heater like the P-M266 as it is a simpler design with virtually no moving parts (blower, air switch, etc.)
Some pool guys just aren't comfortable installing something they aren't very familiar with. If you want the Avia, insist on it. Your pool, your money, your choice.

bjohannes said:

I was originally set on getting the newly released Raypak Avia, but my pool guy is recommending a more traditional Rheem digital unit (P-M266) as it'll last longer.

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See Also

10 Best Pool Heaters For Inground Pools [TESTED 2024] - Clear One Winner!Raypak Review - Pros, Cons and VerdictBest Raypak Pool Heater Reviews: A Simple but Complete GuideReviews for Raypak PR266AENC50 266,000 BTU Natural Gas Electronic Ignition Heater | Pg 1 - The Home Depot

What are the prices for the heater and installation for each?

$4150 for the Avia

$4500 for the Rheem P-M266

Installed, in Cdn $.

The Raypak manual suggests using an external flow switch instead of the built-in pressure switch when the pool pad is elevated above pool level by 5ft or more (mine is probably around 6ft). Which flow switch should I be using for this? The manual specifies a minimum flow rate of 40GPM, but goes on to say that the ideal flow through the heat exchanger itself is 7-14GPM.

I was able to use the built-in pressure switch on my old Hayward heater by fully adjusting it ( to have it trigger under lower pressure) while also running the pump faster. I'm guessing this approach will probably still work for the new heater, but a flow switch sounds like the proper way to go.

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JamesW said:

Nice, give a follow up report and let us know how you like it.

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Happy to report that my AVIA NG heater was successfully installed last Friday. The install was a bit tricky given the location of the water inlet/outlet on the heater (they're closer to the ground than most units). They ended up moving my pump over a few inches to get the necessary clearance.

The heater fired up without issue on the first attempt and has been working flawlessly since. The WiFi connection and app work well; really handy for getting the pool heated up in advance of getting home (I don't normally keep the pool at any particular temp when not in use). The unit itself feels well made and appears to be well sealed to keep moisture out (unlike the design of my old Hayward FDN). The only thing I wasn't expecting is the noise: a bit of a low and variable whistling sound as air is forced through the unit. A little spooky but nothing horrible.

Had to adjust the pressure switch so that I didn't need to run the pump at 100% (my equipment pad is 5-6' above the water line). I may yet source a flow switch when I have some more time, but for now, my FlowVis assures me that I have more than enough flow. I set pump speed to get about 40GPM (the recommended flow rate per the Raypak manual).

bjohannes said:

The only thing I wasn't expecting is the noise: a bit of a low and variable whistling sound as air is forced through the unit. A little spooky but nothing horrible.

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Ok, thanks for the update.

Hopefully, the noise won't be an issue.

Maybe check with Raypak if the noise seems excessive.

Here is a post about adding a flow switch.

bjohannes said:

Going for the AVIA, thanks!

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bjohannes said:

$4150 for the Avia

$4500 for the Rheem P-M266

Installed, in Cdn $.

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Just wanted to say thanks for this thread. I referred to it before going with an Avia 264 myself a couple weeks ago. I see you're in East Gwillimbury. I was just up there for my daughter's soccer game on Tuesday - I'm down in Markham.
And in terms of CDN pricing in case anyone else is curious my Raypak Avia 264 heater, model P-R264A-EN-C was $3379+tax and the install was $800 all-in. If you're price was $4150+tax, looks like you beat me by about $80. If your price included tax - wow, good job.

mitWtim said:

Just wanted to say thanks for this thread. I referred to it before going with an Avia 264 myself a couple weeks ago. I see you're in East Gwillimbury. I was just up there for my daughter's soccer game on Tuesday - I'm down in Markham.
And in terms of CDN pricing in case anyone else is curious my Raypak Avia 264 heater, model P-R264A-EN-C was $3379+tax and the install was $800 all-in. If you're price was $4150+tax, looks like you beat me by about $80. If your price included tax - wow, good job.

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I'm in Erin and in need of a new heater as the heat exchanger went out on the weekend of my LXI 400. Who did you end up going through if you don't mind me asking?