Inteliflow "VF" seeking speeds every hour

[sparkplug]

Hi, thank you ALL for your help and support . Having an issue with an old "VF" #350082 . it started a few months back when i came home and found the pump running on manual mode ( super high speed) after pool guy had stopped by. I touched the filter button and the unit went full stop and at the back of the motor closest to the fan the seem squirted a bit of water to the ground . In my experience with this great motor if you hit a button and the unit stops completely its from the unit being stopped and started in its own mode. If manual mode was selected while motor being in filter mode , the motor would change speeds gradually.
Today the unit about every hour will speed up maybe 3-4 speed changes and go back down to normal programed speed. this 10-12 year old pump has been the greatest pump I have ever had ! I also noticed i could not change the filter speed (20gpm) like i can change the vacuum speed thru the top control panel . At the last (DE) filter cleaning I looked for leaks replaced basket o-ring and clamp and even cleaned and lubed the orings to the filter pressure guage assembly and main filter seal and checked all connections with a strap wrench and I dont see accumulating air in the basket lid . Any thoughts ?
thanks again sparkplug !

 

[Jimrahbe]

SP,

Tell us if this pump is normally controlled by an automation system such as an EasyTouch or is always run manually.

I would check to see what programs are loaded into the pump's controller...

While the pump's control panel can go bad, most times, something in the controller is telling the pump what to do.

Tell us more...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[sparkplug]

SP,

Tell us if this pump is normally controlled by an automation system such as an EasyTouch or is always run manually.

I would check to see what programs are loaded into the pump's controller...

While the pump's control panel can go bad, most times, something in the controller is telling the pump what to do.

Tell us more...

Thanks,

Jim R.

Hi Jim, no other controllers straight pump , I put in my self , unit is about 10-12 years old . I run the pump a 20Gpm for a 1 cycle period which last about 20 Hrs. at a 165 watt. once the watts gets to 300 watts , I clean the filter , yes i pull it out and vacuum the filter housing out and hose of the grids and back together and start the 150-160watt cycle again. Because its doing this cycle every hour and you can set your watch to it and i mean every hour on the minute . I'm relatively sure its an electronic degrading state . I tried to go into and adjust the pump (filter) speed and couldn't seem or figure out how to do it . The vacuum mode i was able to go into and adjust . So i could be see two issued . but its been such a good pump and paid for it's self many times over . A new controller is within a few hundred dollars of a new pump. this pump has only had the basket and lid replaced , never opened or diffuse replaced or split open . If i can change the pump speed and it still cycles every hour , I think its not a pluming leak or pump cavitation issue . At 37 years old system i just need to figure out pump or plumbing issue . thanks

 

[mas985]

I run the pump a 20Gpm for a 1 cycle period which last about 20 Hrs. at a 165 watt. once the watts gets to 300 watts , I clean the filter

This may have nothing to do with your issue but I think you are waiting far too long before cleaning your filter. That is probably more than a 2x increase in head loss. What is the RPM change when you go from 165 watts to 300 watts? Does the RPM cycling issue go away after a filter clean?

As for the RPM cycling, can you set the pump to run in RPM mode instead of GPM mode?

GPM mode has many issues and the drive may be hunting because it thinks that the pump has lost prime.

[EDIT] Also, the head loss associated with those power levels at that flow rate are extremely high. Typically, a pool with 2" plumbing would require only about 60 watts of energy for 20 GPM. Can you describe the plumbing setup in more detail? A picture of the pad plumbing may help too.

 

[Jimrahbe]

SP,

Just in case you no longer have the manual... https://www.thepoolfactory.com/media/wysiwyg/pdfs/pentair-intelliflo-vf-manual.pdf

Since the problem occurred right after a pool guy did some service, I would assume he got in there and messed up some setting.

If this were my pump I would reset it and reprogram the whole thing.

That said, I really don't understand the actual problem you are having..

You say the pump used to run one cycle of 20 GPM and that took 20 hours. I assume the pump shut off and came back on 4 hours later and did it again? Is that correct?

When it did this it was in the Filter mode. You say you can't figure out how to program the filter mode?? What happens that keeps you from setting up the filter mode?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[sparkplug]

This may have nothing to do with your issue but I think you are waiting far too long before cleaning your filter. That is probably more than a 2x increase in head loss. What is the RPM change when you go from 165 watts to 300 watts? Does the RPM cycling issue go away after a filter clean?

As for the RPM cycling, can you set the pump to run in RPM mode instead of GPM mode?

GPM mode has many issues and the drive may be hunting because it thinks that the pump has lost prime.

[EDIT] Also, the head loss associated with those power levels at that flow rate are extremely high. Typically, a pool with 2" plumbing would require only about 60 watts of energy for 20 GPM. Can you describe the plumbing setup in more detail? A picture of the pad plumbing may help too.

I can tell you thay the pressure on the DE filter is about 9-11Psi @300 ish watts and 2-3 Psi @ 165 ish when just cleaned.

 

[sparkplug]

Yes the service man was the last one to touch the pump but says he didn't : ( During the filter mode it does this cycling now all the time every hour . the run timing seems to be the same give or take daylight savings so 20 hours on 4 hours off @ 20Gpm with a 2minute prime . I cleaned the filter to see if this was or part of the cycling issue . i clean the DE filter @ 9-11Psi on the filter at about 300-340 watts . once clean it drops down to 150-150 watts or 2-3 Psi on the filter. I do believe i can enter each state of any mode and see what rpm its running in fact i think open cover and just an up arrow will show Rpm . I may be able to have it run at Rpm instead of Gpm, A full reset may MAY be the answer also , I just worry if this degenerated electronic state may get worse. I came home and heard the pump cavating or on high pump mode and the display said manual. I reached and hit filter mode but unit did a ALL stop and the back of the pump seal gave a little squirt of water . with the unit coming to a full stop , tells me it was selected not from the filter mode to manual but from the stop/start switch. could it be loosing prime ? i guess its possible but every hour , i can set a watch to this exact time every day at 16 past the hour. tried pumping all output waster into spa and let it overflow into pool. 2-3 inch higher than pool level/line and the spa is about 350-400 gallon .
Pentair is sending me a manual , yes i can't seem to locate mine . Pentair was impressed with the age it had lasted and said it must be the low Rpm it runs and the cleaning at 300 ish watts. I might use the spa 3-6 times a year also the pool is 38 years old had 3 pumps was there when i started and I cut it all off and bought this pump . My cleaner is a aqua-vac shark computer or at least a 4 hour timer then it shuts off

The pump is 35Ft away from the shimmer and 12-14"inches higher than water level/line

once I have the manual in hand a full reset will be done . power comes from breakers no switches in between , in fact just two years back i shut the unit off opened the breakers and tightened all the connections and did't see any issue or sign of heat or excess current draw.

thanks for the help !

 

[mas985]

I cleaned the filter to see if this was or part of the cycling issue . i clean the DE filter @ 9-11Psi on the filter at about 300-340 watts . once clean it drops down to 150-150 watts or 2-3 Psi on the filter.

First, you are wait waaay too long before cleaning the filter. That is 4x over the clean pressure. Ideally, you should not wait more than about a 25% rise before cleaning a filter, 50% maximum. So no more than 1 PSI rise at that RPM level. Also, it is much easier to determine when to clean a filter when running at higher speeds.

But after cleaning, did the cycling still continue?

could it be loosing prime ?

When it shuts off, is the pump basket nearly empty?