Filter Pump Not Starting

[anthempoolboy]

Quick Background:

Had a pool service charging about $100/month, so I decided I'd take over and save the money. For 5 months, I religiously added tri-chlor pucks to my floater every week and noticed my CYA levels getting higher and higher on my test strips. Through a friend I came here and learned I'm doing it all wrong.

OK, I decided I needed to drain most of my pool to get my CYA level under control, and finally got a pump yesterday to drain the pool. Emptied the pool yesterday. Filled it last night...

It's full now and I want to run my filter pump to mix up the water still in my attached spa...get everything all stirred up to get some readings on FC, TA, pH, etc from my brand spankin' new Taylor K2006.

I flipped my breakers on (they were off while the pool was empty) and my Pentair filter pump won't start. I poured 10 gallons into it to "prime" it, and nothing. No noise, no nothing.

I have 2 pumps in my system (that's odd, right?). One (the 3hp) is hooked up to the filter. The other (1hp) is hooked to the skimmer.

The skimmer pump runs fine...the filter pump won't go at all.

1. Can you comment on my system having 2 pumps. Is that at all normal?
2. Any ideas on why the filter pump will not go?

Thank you so much.

 

[zea3]

Hi, welcome to TFP! If you could post a picture showing the equipment pad and any timers or controls that would help us troubleshoot your problem. Does the pump that won't start hum at all?

It is not unusual to have two or more pumps. One may power a pool cleaner, or there may be a second pump to run water features like fountains, bubblers, or waterfalls.

 

[anthempoolboy]

Thank you for your reply!

Here is a photo of my pumps and the control panel.


You can see that on the panel, the filter pump light is red...the circuit breaker is on...but nothing...no noise, no hum...as if there was no power to it. There was yesterday.

It's the pump on the left in the photo. The pump on the right...hooked up to the cleaner...fired right up and is running currently.

Please let me know how to troubleshoot the filter pump?

Thank you again!

Steve

 

[zea3]

Have you tried turning on the Intelliflo with the controls on the pump itself? I think the red light may mean it is in service mode but you should be able to turn the pump on manually.

 

[Jimrahbe]

A,

The Intelliflo is designed to be controlled by a serial cable from the EasyTouch. Here is what I suggest you do..

1. Open the door on the Intelliflo and see what the display says... If it is blank, no lights, then the Intelliflo is not getting its 220 volts from its circuit breaker.

2. If it says something like "Display not active" it has power but no command to turn on. So, remove the little cable with the plug and the display should work. You can then use the controls on the panel to confirm the pump works.

3. If the pump works, then reconnect the cable and we will have to figure out why the EasyTouch is not telling the pump to turn on.


I suspect that the main power to the Intelliflo is shut off..

Let us know what you find out...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[anthempoolboy]

Thanks for helping. I opened the Intelliflo door and really wasn't able to even see the screen due to a ton of condensation. I tried a few of the buttons and nothing happened.

I believe/agree the problem is that the pump is not getting power from the breaker switch. I'm not really handy so I'll probably need to get someone to fix it...is it better to call a pool guy or an electrician?

 

[Jimrahbe]

A,

That may not be good news... One of the failure modes of the Intelliflo is that the key pad gets water in it and shorts out...

My first suggestion would be to see if you have a friend that is little handy with electricity.

Failing that, I guess I'd want someone familiar with the pump and automation system. So an electrician that does pool/equipment would be great.

Jim R.

 

[anthempoolboy]

Thank you again, Jim.

I had a friend come over who is handier than I (most people are) and he brought with him a little device that tests power at various locations. It showed power to the outside of the pump. I know another guy who is pretty good with electricity and I pay him when he comes over. He'll take a look.

Really appreciate your taking the time to assist me.

 

[Jimrahbe]

A,

When your friend comes over, have them remove the small cable going to the EasyTouch. If the pump is ok, you should be able to control it from the control panel on the pump.

Sad to say, but if the pump has power and the control panel does not work, then the pump is bad.

Did I read your signature correctly?? You have a SWG, but don't use it to save money??? That is odd, as everyone, including me, installs SWG's to save money. A real puzzle??

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[anthempoolboy]

Hi Jim,

I'm new, so it wouldn't surprise me if I was doing something wrong. My pool guy told me to replace my Salt Water Call would be about $700, but we could get around that by just adding chlorine. Am I missing the boat here?

 

[atttech-2]

You absolutely can just add chlorine. We are cumming into summer so it will soon be a daily chore but many prefer to do just that helps them keep a closer eye on things. $700 for a cell replacement is not a horrible price but you can do it your self much cheaper, assuming the controller is not shot. for most installs it is just 2 plumbing locking nuts and a cell power cable into the controller. Cell prices range from $250 to $500 for most systems if you post a picture of the cell with model number someone should be able to point you at the appropriate replacement if you decide to go that route.

 

[anthempoolboy]

Thanks, these thoughts are really helpful to me.

OK, so I have an Intellichlor IC40

I'm looking on ebay and see they're between $400 and $500. Installation looks "Steve-proof." Sorry for the dumb question, but will this save money over buying bottles of bleach at Wal-Mart?

Thank you again.

 

[atttech-2]

You have a higher priced cell but is a good one thus the higher price. It will not be less expensive than a single season of buying bleach but over the course of the life of the cell it should be. The caveat is assuming the controller is working. The rule of thumb is SWG systems cost about the same as using bleach over the life of the system, but that equation is based on purchase of controller and cell. Since someone already bought the controller in theory you could save some money.

 

[Jimrahbe]

A,

I would think buying one from E-bay would be somewhat risky as who knows for sure if it will work or not.

Really, the cost to manually chlorinate a pool for five years, and to buy a SWCG which lasts about five years, is just about the same. The SWCG just saves you from making multiple trips to Wal-Mart to buy bleach.

I did not realize your cell was bad....

It could be bad, as in it has produced all the chlorine it can, or it could be something else. Any idea why the pool guy said it was bad? Is it still plugged in the EasyTouch? If so, what do the lights on the SWCG say?

Jim R.

 

[atttech-2]

An IC40 cell is rated for 40,000 gallons if you run your pump and cell 24/7. Your pool being around 1/4 that size you should be able to run your pump and cell 6 to 8 hours and by extension the cell should last longer than average. That may be evidenced by your current cell if it is the original from when the pool was new. Will the controller last another 10 years I have no idea.

 

[anthempoolboy]

Thank you. Again, super helpful.

I just plugged in my SWGC...it had been unplugged for 7 months or so...I assumed my old pool guy was telling the truth when he said it was gone bad, but his reputation is a bit suspect.



It's a bit misleading...the top "Salt Level" light alternates between Good and Low...back and forth once per second.

Also here's a photo of my pump control panel. Note the condensation in the window. I can't read anything in there...



We've had an unusually wet Arizona winter.

My plan is:

I have a friend's friend who's super good at electronics coming over Sunday to see if he can play around with the filter pump and get that up and running.
If he can't fix it, I'll call a pool guy who's been recommended to me.
In the meantime, I'll keep it chlorinated and run the cleaner often. The water in the pool is 85% new from the faucet since Tuesday. I'm keeping the chlorine high. Any idea how long I have to fix the filter pump before I'm asking for algae or other trouble?

Thanks again. Really appreciate your time.

Steve

 

[Jimrahbe]

A,

The Good and Low lights will flash back and forth for the first few minute the cell is on. Really not much you can tell without the pump running.

Sorry, but my guess is that the pump is toast, but let's hope your friend's friend has some luck getting it running...

If you keep adding bleach and brushing to move the water around, you should be good for few days.

Update us after your Sunday visit.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[pooldv]

Even if just the controller has failed it is $600ish to replace. Better to get a new pump anyway.

 

[anthempoolboy]

FYI, a couple of guys good with electricity have confirmed the pump is getting power, but just chose this time to die. It's a couple of years old. I'll check with Pentair and see about their warranty. Again, thanks to all.

 

[anthempoolboy]

To follow up, Pentair did warrant the pump. Evidently the control panel seal gave way...we had a wetter winter than normal here...and destroyed the control panel. Pentair sent a guy out this morning who replaced the control panel, and I've got the pump running to get my water filtered again. Thank you again for your help. It's good to be back up and running.