So I have a problem I have been trying to figure out for 3 years. Hoping someone on here may help.
I have a new (3 year old) pool and spa.
When the pool/spa was initially installed I had 1 variable speed pump, 2 deck laminears, waterfall, auto cover, and suction side pool cleaner. Functions are all controlled by electronic actuators.
When storms come through, our power flickers quite a bit before going all the way out. When the power flickers my whole home generator will turn on then off when utility power returns. When we finally loose utility power, the generator will run until it returns (for sometimes many hours). While the generator was running (sometimes for several hours), the waterfall feature will randomly turn on and pump water onto the automatic cover. Luckily I was home and able to turn off the breaker to the pool panel to stop the feature.
Around this time, I also wanted to be able to run my water features while in spa mode. I had my pool company come out and install another variable speed pump plumbed into my suction side port for the cleaner (cleaner eliminated), which would now provide water for the laminears and waterfall.
after we made this chance, We lost power and while the generator was running the waterfall turned on again....
I witnesses this several times and called pentair to find a solution. They told me that it must be caused by the generator and they had never heard of this before.
I called my generator installer and had them place the pool on a load shed, which would not allow the pool panel to receive power while the generator was running unless I physically push a button to allow it to be energized. I figured this would permanently solve the problem.
Last week, we had storms come through and lost power. The power flickered many times before going all the way out. The generator turned on and the load shed did not allow the pool panel to be energized. The generator ran from 12am - 3am, no issues. Utility power returned at 3am and the pool panel was energized. At this time (verified on security camera) the waterfall turned on by itself. It continued to run until 7am when I woke up and looked out the window to see ~16" of water on my auto cover. As I mentioned above, the pump for these features are plumbed into my old cleaner line. Once the waterfall sucked down the water to this inlet it ran the pump dry and cold not continue to pump more water. I am extremely suprised that the auto cover did not break or tear. I guess it really can hold an elephant!
When I saw the water on the cover, I ran out to the pool panel. It was illuminated and on but no words were displayed on the screen. My phone app, should nothing on and just had 2 -- (blank lines) where the temp would normally be.
Link to video of panel:
IMG_2404.MOV
I read a bunch of posts on this forum and see a lot of interesting threads, nothing that matches my senario exactly. Saw something similar that
@Jimrahbe was able to help someone with. Jim (or other pentair expert) I would be willing to pay for your time to walk though this issue and see if we can get it resolved. Seems that it might be the motherboard of the panel, but I would hate to replace it just to find out something was wired incorrectly or set up incorrectly.
Thanks in advance if anyone can help.