Hello Everyone,
New paranoid pool owner here I will try to make my question as simple as possible and break the down with out turning into a jumble rant.....I went through my first very small freeze last night in dallas where temps where just below freezing for a few hours. I have a Comp pool 3400 controller on my pool. Before the cold weather came I set my pool to run from 10pm-4am in thought that having the pump run during lowest temp hours would be the best ideal. Around 8pm I found the pump operating and the display reading Freeze due to the outside temp sensor.
1. I read the manual and see that every 15 minutes the controller when in freeze protection mode it switches from pool to spa due keep all associated systems with running water. I have 2 water falls and a spa connected with my pool in normal pool mode my valves are set up where the pump flows through the filter into the water falls and the spa return, the spa flows over into the pool. I also have a polaris vaccum that has a pipe that bypass the filter and runs directly back to the pool.
2. I only ever switch over to spa mode when I plan to use the spa. I have 3 automated valves on the pump system. 2 of the valves have the numbers 1 & 2 on them and the automated switch on the valves correspond to this. After the pump there is an automated 2 way valve that will either flow in the filter, or another pipe that goes through a jandy filter that feeds the Polaris pump. When I bought the house i found all the switches in the off position and the valves positioned as they would if the controller was in pool mode. Spa return shut, suction coming from main drain and pool skimmers. The 2 way valve pass the pump was set at the halfway point so that water flowed to the filter than to the spa fill and water fall, the other half of the water went through the jandy filter back to the pool to run the Polaris pump........I set the switches up on the 2 valves before the pump based off the 1 or 2 that was written on the valves. However I dont know what postion i should set the other valve to that is after the pump. When I set it up in pool mode, the valve wants to direct all the water to the jandy filter for the Polaris pump and bypass the entire pool filter. When I set the controller in spa mode the opposite happens all the water is than directed through the spa/pool filter but nothing to the Polaris vacuum. I understand you don't need to vacuum the whole time you are running the pump but I am starting to think someone screwed up when the plumbed the pool its either all or nothing from both settings. I planned to take photos to better help the description.
3. Long story short I find it confusing that every 15 minutes my pump shuts down for 30 secs than restarts when the controllers switches from pool to spa mode. My trade is electrical maintenance and I know it is not the greatest thing in the world to start/stop a motor 4 times an hours for long duration when it could just stay on. Would I by wiser to just bypass the freeze sensor and command the controller to run in pool mode for duration when the weather is below freezing outside. Don't see what I am gaining by switching from pool/spa mode with my current valve set up.
Sorry If i have confused anyone like i said I plan to take pictures to help explain the issue. Also thank you to all that are part of this forum, I have only owned this house for a 1 month and many members on this forum have already helped me out tremulously!
New paranoid pool owner here I will try to make my question as simple as possible and break the down with out turning into a jumble rant.....I went through my first very small freeze last night in dallas where temps where just below freezing for a few hours. I have a Comp pool 3400 controller on my pool. Before the cold weather came I set my pool to run from 10pm-4am in thought that having the pump run during lowest temp hours would be the best ideal. Around 8pm I found the pump operating and the display reading Freeze due to the outside temp sensor.
1. I read the manual and see that every 15 minutes the controller when in freeze protection mode it switches from pool to spa due keep all associated systems with running water. I have 2 water falls and a spa connected with my pool in normal pool mode my valves are set up where the pump flows through the filter into the water falls and the spa return, the spa flows over into the pool. I also have a polaris vaccum that has a pipe that bypass the filter and runs directly back to the pool.
2. I only ever switch over to spa mode when I plan to use the spa. I have 3 automated valves on the pump system. 2 of the valves have the numbers 1 & 2 on them and the automated switch on the valves correspond to this. After the pump there is an automated 2 way valve that will either flow in the filter, or another pipe that goes through a jandy filter that feeds the Polaris pump. When I bought the house i found all the switches in the off position and the valves positioned as they would if the controller was in pool mode. Spa return shut, suction coming from main drain and pool skimmers. The 2 way valve pass the pump was set at the halfway point so that water flowed to the filter than to the spa fill and water fall, the other half of the water went through the jandy filter back to the pool to run the Polaris pump........I set the switches up on the 2 valves before the pump based off the 1 or 2 that was written on the valves. However I dont know what postion i should set the other valve to that is after the pump. When I set it up in pool mode, the valve wants to direct all the water to the jandy filter for the Polaris pump and bypass the entire pool filter. When I set the controller in spa mode the opposite happens all the water is than directed through the spa/pool filter but nothing to the Polaris vacuum. I understand you don't need to vacuum the whole time you are running the pump but I am starting to think someone screwed up when the plumbed the pool its either all or nothing from both settings. I planned to take photos to better help the description.
3. Long story short I find it confusing that every 15 minutes my pump shuts down for 30 secs than restarts when the controllers switches from pool to spa mode. My trade is electrical maintenance and I know it is not the greatest thing in the world to start/stop a motor 4 times an hours for long duration when it could just stay on. Would I by wiser to just bypass the freeze sensor and command the controller to run in pool mode for duration when the weather is below freezing outside. Don't see what I am gaining by switching from pool/spa mode with my current valve set up.
Sorry If i have confused anyone like i said I plan to take pictures to help explain the issue. Also thank you to all that are part of this forum, I have only owned this house for a 1 month and many members on this forum have already helped me out tremulously!
