Pentair Intelliflo VS-3050 dilemma - unresponsive keypad

[bobtimms]

I replaced my generic pool pump which began failing last year with a Pentair 011013 VS3050 pump which had been running a pool dealer/contractor indoor display pool. Its overkill for my pool but the price was right. Installed it a couple of weeks ago and it ran great on all speeds for nearly a week - its on a generic Intermatic timer. I had been running it on speed 2 (1500rpm) most of the time. When I checked in on it last weekend the keypad was unresponsive to any key presses including off/on and all leds were off. The pump still starts up fine from the timer and runs on Speed 2 which is correct since it was the last speed run before power was removed.

After some extensive online searching I found some instances where water must have seeped in it (maybe gaskets dried out?) - a Pentair rep weighing in on the thread said the keypad could not be replaced - that the whole drive assembly must be replaced. However I found an instance where the keypad was removed dried and cleaned and came back to life. I also have found what appears to be the correct keypad assembly online at several sites for in the neighborhood of $150..

I really like the pump but as I see it I have essentially 3 possible solutions and was hoping someone familiar with the 3050 at TFP could weigh in.

1. Replace the keypad (Cheapest and simplest solution but there is conflicting info if this can be done)
2. Replace the complete drive assembly (Expensive but may be most reliable solution)
3. Bypass keypad with external/remote control system (Expense on order of replacing drive assembly)

Any and all suggestions will be appreciated,

 

[tripflex]

I don't have that specific model, but I do have a Pentair Intelliflo Variable Speed Pump which appears to have the same type of controller, and I can tell you that at least on mine, the keypad is removable/replaceable.

Reason I know this is because my pump being less than a year old, somehow got water inside the controller, and ended up shorting it out. Of course Pentair's ridiculous warranty policy basically they told me I was SOL because the company that installed the pump never registered it with them in the first 90 days or whatever. IMO this is a huge fault on Pentair BECAUSE THEY DID NOT PUT CONFORMAL COATING ON ANYTHING INSIDE THE CONTROLLER. Completely baffles me but my opinion is this was specifically a GREED situation where they want your controller to fail so you have to buy another one ... which i'm sure is also why they are telling you that you can't replace the keypad, because they want you to spend 500+ on a new controller.

Here's some pics from mine that I took apart trying to see if there was a way to repair it. You will need a security bit set to remove the keypad from the controller (security bits have the hold in the middle).

Good luck man, hope you can figure it out

 

[bobtimms]

Thanks! Same story I heard a few times. Did you apply a Conformal coating when repairing?

 

[tripflex]

Thanks! Same story I heard a few times. Did you apply a Conformal coating when repairing?

Unfortunately I wasn't able to repair it because that would require a lot more desoldering than I was interested in doing, due to the fact that they basically sealed the entire other side of the PCB electronics to the outside housing ... which makes them sound even more horrible for not adding conformal coating to the TOP of the circuit board ... can you tell I was aggravated about that? What a lake of professionalism, quality, caring about customers, and everything they "say" they stand for.

So in the end I had to purchase a new one, but YES YES AND YES I manually added my own conformal coating ... and I recommend everyone who has one do the same! I even purchased the cover for the pump as an added protection (even though pump is under house overhang), as right now i'm stuck with Pentair and need to protect it due to their shortcomings, but I will never purchase anything from them again.

Here's the thread about it if you're interested:
Pentair Intelliflo Variable Speed Drive/Control Panel Issues

Funny thing too I just noticed on your reply, I actually grew up in Roswell, graduated from RHS

 

[Tbgivens]

Can you tell me where you found your replacement board ??