Timer Issues

[rlw9]

We bought a ProSeries 14x42 back in July. The plug for the pump is a GFCI plug and the pump is turned on by pressing the red reset button. I was able to set it up on a timer with no problems, it came on by itself at dusk and went off after running the set amount of hours.

In September, the reset button on the plug quit working. I called customer service, went through their troubleshooting steps with no luck. They sent me a new pump, with no problems. The new pump has the same type of GFCI plug, but it seems to be a little more heavy-duty and now I can't get it to work on the timer. When the pump shuts off, it trips the GFCI and it won't come back on without me physically pushing the reset button. The pool is at our bay house and we usually go down there a couple times a week. However, running the pump for several hours one or two times a week is not enough to keep it clean, especially since the pool was without a pump for 2 weeks. If I vacuum through the pump, a lot of crud goes back into the pool, so I've been vacuuming to waste, which is not ideal.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can make the pump work on a timer? Or, any suggestions for vacuuming so that the sand and crud in the bottom of the pool doesn't go back into the pool?

 

[banditig]

The filter should not let the crud get back into the pool.

 

[rlw9]

Most of the "crud" is fine sand, blown in by the wind. The filter (pleated filter that comes with the pump/pool) doesn't seem to do that great of a job catching it.

 

[banditig]

Understand. If you do not use the timer does the GFCI still need reset?

 

[rlw9]

Yes, the "on" is the red reset button, to turn it off, I have to push the white test button. I don't know why the old plug worked on the timer, since it was basically the same type of plug. But, since that's the part that broke, maybe it was defective in the first place.

 

[banditig]

Hopefully somebody here has that setup and can help. I can only recommend a better filter and pump hard wired in.

 

[rlw9]

I might have to consider that. I was also thinking about changing out the plug. I'll tackle most any DIY project, but I don't have much electrical experience. Thanks!

 

[banditig]

If you change plug, you would still want a GFCI outlet to plug it in. If you don't want to do yourself ask for quote from electrician.

 

[philc]

Many of the new GFCIs will trip if the power is interrupted.

 

[rlw9]

Many of the new GFCIs will trip if the power is interrupted.

I've heard that about them! It must just be the "new" ones, since the GFCI plug on the pump I had originally, didn't.

I may have found a solution. My neighbor gave me a pump from his old Intex pool. It's a little bigger pump, with a timer. He says it works, but is there any way I can test it, before I make any modifications I'd need to make for it to work on my pool?

 

[philc]

Perhaps you can borrow the intex hoses and run them over the pool wall to test? Or bite the bullet and order the adapters to adapt 1.5" pipe to the 40mm intex pump inlet/outlet, and use your hoses?