Intelliflo VS Pump Running Too High After System Blocked Alert

Jump to latest Follow Reply
F

Foody

0
Jun 16, 2014
28
Los Angeles, CA
Hello everyone,


My Intelliflo VS pump had a "System Blocked" alert at the end of my vacuum session and turned off. After I put the skimmer basket back and everything, I checked the pump basket for debris and there wasn't anything other than some small leaves and some very small pieces of what looks to be plaster. The system started up on filter ok.

But as I observed for the next 2 days, the pump is running in FILTER mode at about 1500W, 3450RPM, 15GPM, 0% filter. (I have it set to run 14 hours a day)

The pump is obviously running very high and I'm worried that there is something wrong.

I cleaned the filter just in case and recharged with DE so it shouldn't be the filter. I made sure I closed the pump lid tightly so I don't think its losing air.

Please advice!!!

Background:
I'm new to the pool world as I just bought a house with a 15,000 gallon in-ground pool that was green. I was able to learn from this forum and other resources online and successfully went from green to clean. But now as I'm still trying to learn more about the pump and pool, I've run into this problem. Any advice from you folks would be greatly appreciated!
 
Welcome to TFP!

The VS pump runs at the speed it's timer is programed to run at, or the last speed selected when running in manual mode, or at a speed determined by an external automation system. Are you using the internal timer(s) in the pump? Or is the pump being controlled manually? Or do you have an automation system controlling it.
 
Thats a new one on me. Maybe someone else will chime in too.

Is the fault on an auto system or displayed on the pump display?

Can you change speeds at all by pressing any of the speed buttons?
Can you change the speed by pressing the down arrow? You should be able to
Have turned off the main breaker and let the sytem reset that way?
Have you pushed the reset button?
Is it possible any program speeds somehow got changed? Go into the program mode and check that all of the speeds are what they should be. (ive heard of this happening).

just throwing some things out there to check to see if any of the rest of the controls are working.

- - - Updated - - -

Thats a new one on me. Maybe someone else will chime in too.

Is the fault on an auto system or displayed on the pump display?

Can you change speeds at all by pressing any of the speed buttons?
Can you reduce the speed by pressing the down arrow? You should be able to
Have turned off the main breaker and let the sytem reset that way?
Have you pushed the reset button?
Is it possible any program speeds somehow got changed? Go into the program mode and check that all of the speeds are what they should be. (ive heard of this happening).

just throwing some things out there to check to see if any of the rest of the controls are working.
 
JasonLion said:
Welcome to TFP!

The VS pump runs at the speed it's timer is programed to run at, or the last speed selected when running in manual mode, or at a speed determined by an external automation system. Are you using the internal timer(s) in the pump? Or is the pump being controlled manually? Or do you have an automation system controlling it.
Click to expand...


Hi, I'm still figuring out the manual mode. So I haven't really messed with it.

I've been using the pump's own "cycle" timer in the FILTER mode to operate the pump.

So I've never really adjusted the speed in manual or filter mode. I thought the pump would adjust itself according to the amount of time given to run the cycle.
 
Divin Dave said:
Thats a new one on me. Maybe someone else will chime in too.

Is the fault on an auto system or displayed on the pump display?

Can you change speeds at all by pressing any of the speed buttons?
Can you change the speed by pressing the down arrow? You should be able to
Have turned off the main breaker and let the sytem reset that way?
Have you pushed the reset button?
Is it possible any program speeds somehow got changed? Go into the program mode and check that all of the speeds are what they should be. (ive heard of this happening).

just throwing some things out there to check to see if any of the rest of the controls are working.

- - - Updated - - -

Thats a new one on me. Maybe someone else will chime in too.

Is the fault on an auto system or displayed on the pump display?

Can you change speeds at all by pressing any of the speed buttons?
Can you reduce the speed by pressing the down arrow? You should be able to
Have turned off the main breaker and let the sytem reset that way?
Have you pushed the reset button?
Is it possible any program speeds somehow got changed? Go into the program mode and check that all of the speeds are what they should be. (ive heard of this happening).

just throwing some things out there to check to see if any of the rest of the controls are working.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the response.

When its in the FILTER mode, pressing the down arrow just changes the display from W to RPM to GPM etc.

Which buttons do I use to change the speed? Again, I'm new to using this pump.

I have not pushed the reset button. Should I push it after stopping the pump? Cause most of the buttons I've pressed while the pump was on only shows "Key Error".

I see a box nearby with a round turning timer that I'm sure was used to control the previous pump. I've tried messing with that before but nothing happens. I see an old pump laying in the corner of the backyard so I'm guessing that box was used to control the old pump.

Regarding the speed, I've never intentionally changed the speed. The night before the "System Blocked" alert, the bump was running at a quiet and smooth 350W-450w. Could I have accidentally changed the speed?
 
You need to get the owner's manual and check it out. It can be a PITA until you get the hang of it. My thoughts are that the pump was scheduled to run at a certain RPM and when it shut down
due to the blockage you may have pushed one of the speed buttons which was set for a different RPM than the one it was running at.

We have an Intelliflo pump. I have it scheduled to run at a certain RPM from 5:30am to 8:30pm then bumps down a bit from 8:30am to 5:30am. If I shut it down to clean out the strainer basket
and turn it back on and hit one of the speed buttons it will run at that speed rather than if I just turn it back on where it will run the scheduled speed.

I believe the 3450 RPM is the highest setting possible. It's possible to increase or decrease the RPMs while the pump is running using the up or down arrow. If you hold one of the speed buttons
for three seconds that speed button will then be preset at that RPM.

John
 
kerryman71 said:
You need to get the owner's manual and check it out. It can be a PITA until you get the hang of it. My thoughts are that the pump was scheduled to run at a certain RPM and when it shut down
due to the blockage you may have pushed one of the speed buttons which was set for a different RPM than the one it was running at.

We have an Intelliflo pump. I have it scheduled to run at a certain RPM from 5:30am to 8:30pm then bumps down a bit from 8:30am to 5:30am. If I shut it down to clean out the strainer basket
and turn it back on and hit one of the speed buttons it will run at that speed rather than if I just turn it back on where it will run the scheduled speed.

I believe the 3450 RPM is the highest setting possible. It's possible to increase or decrease the RPMs while the pump is running using the up or down arrow. If you hold one of the speed buttons
for three seconds that speed button will then be preset at that RPM.

John
Click to expand...

It turns out my pump does not have the 4 speed buttons at the top on the control panel. It has "Filter", "vacuum", "Backwash" and "Manual" buttons.

If I lower the speed and flow rate in the manual mode, will that lower the power and RPM in the filter mode?

- - - Updated - - -

susa said:
something definitely amiss there as our Intelliflo VF consumes barely 112 Watts when running at 15 GPM and the RPMs are close to 1000
Click to expand...

Yes, and that's why I'm worried :|
 
If I were you, I would go to the main breaker and turn it off for about a minute and turn it back on. That should do a reset and clear a blocked fault. You still might have a power interrupt fault though. But will go away with a reset.

If there are any red lights on the pump, then push the reset button, if there is one. THe red light should clear and then you should be able to push the filter button, then push the Run or On button, and the pump should start to run. THe RPM and Watts should display. You should be able ot push the up or down arrrow to speed up or slow down the "Filter" speed RPM or any other Vacuum, backwash or whatever RPM is displayed.

Best thing though, is find that manual.

Question. Is is possible you vacuumed up something that might have lodged in the pipe?
Were you using a vacuum plate and pump basket?
Or did you have the vacuum hose stuck straight into the suchtion pipe at the bottom of the skimmer?
 
Divin Dave said:
If I were you, I would go to the main breaker and turn it off for about a minute and turn it back on. That should do a reset and clear a blocked fault. You still might have a power interrupt fault though. But will go away with a reset.

If there are any red lights on the pump, then push the reset button, if there is one. THe red light should clear and then you should be able to push the filter button, then push the Run or On button, and the pump should start to run. THe RPM and Watts should display. You should be able ot push the up or down arrrow to speed up or slow down the "Filter" speed RPM or any other Vacuum, backwash or whatever RPM is displayed.

Best thing though, is find that manual.

Question. Is is possible you vacuumed up something that might have lodged in the pipe?
Were you using a vacuum plate and pump basket?
Or did you have the vacuum hose stuck straight into the suchtion pipe at the bottom of the skimmer?
Click to expand...



I will try what you suggested tonight, thanks. But from my memory, pressing the down arrow during filter mode only changes the display screen to the next.

That is my fear, that the pipes are clogged from something I vacuumed and the pump is working much harder now because of the clogged pipes. I have a pump basket in the pump. But I stuck the vacuum hose straight to the bottom of the skimmer. Is there something preventive I can add or do instead of that?
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Have you checked the RPM on all of the other modes? Are they different or are all of them the same RPM's?
You sholuld be able to go into the menu, select the mode and be able to change the RPMs to whatever you want them to be.

BTW, its good you got the fault cleared and the pump is working again.

Sounds to me like for whatever reason, the pump got a fault. (sometimes they just do that and we may never know why).
You have since cleared the fault and the pump is working.
Now to learn how to use is and program it to your liking is the tricky part!


Foody said:
Update, the pump will run at a lower RPM and wattage in manual mode. But whenever its in FILTER mode, it will only run at 3450RPM.
Click to expand...
 
Divin Dave said:
Have you checked the RPM on all of the other modes? Are they different or are all of them the same RPM's?
You sholuld be able to go into the menu, select the mode and be able to change the RPMs to whatever you want them to be.

BTW, its good you got the fault cleared and the pump is working again.

Sounds to me like for whatever reason, the pump got a fault. (sometimes they just do that and we may never know why).
You have since cleared the fault and the pump is working.
Now to learn how to use is and program it to your liking is the tricky part!
Click to expand...


Hi, if I go to MANUAL mode, it will run in 3450 RPM also unless I set the RPM to a different RPM. I set it at 2000 RPM and it ran at that speed, but the display shows 0 GPM when there is clearly water going into the pump and water coming out of the return.

If I shorten the run time in FILTER mode, the GPM on the display will increase, the RPM stays the same regardless.

For example, if I set the run time to be 6 hrs in FILTER mode, the display will show approx. 1500W, 3450RPM, 35GPM. If I set the run time to 14 hrs, it will show approx. 1500W, 3450RPM, 15GPM.

I was told by a Pentair rep on poolfyi to call and have their tech walk me through a factory reset. But I was on hold for a LONG time so I had to go back to work. No one there seems to know what's going on. :confused:

I was able to find a directions for factory reset for the 3050 model but I think it's a bit different from my pump because my control panel doesn't have the 4 SPEED buttons on top. Instead, they are the FILTER, VACUUM, BACKWASH, MANUAL buttons.

This is what I have.
http://www.amazon.com/Pentair-011012-IntelliFlo-Performance-230-Volt/dp/B000N56HP4
 
That is the VF version of the Intelliflo pump. Normally, flow rate is set instead of RPM. It sounds like there might be a blockage in the impeller. The pump will ramp up RPM to try and get to the target GPM but with the blockage, it isn't possible. So what ends up happening is that the RPM maxes out but GPM is low. Check to see if there is anything stuck in the impeller inlet or the impeller itself.
 
mas985 said:
That is the VF version of the Intelliflo pump. Normally, flow rate is set instead of RPM. It sounds like there might be a blockage in the impeller. The pump will ramp up RPM to try and get to the target GPM but with the blockage, it isn't possible. So what ends up happening is that the RPM maxes out but GPM is low. Check to see if there is anything stuck in the impeller inlet or the impeller itself.
Click to expand...

From the model number that I got off the pump's body, it says 011012. But another decal says Intelliflo Variable Speed Pump.

I used that screwdriver method to clear the impeller but it didn't seem to dislodge anything so I don't know if that was clogged. Maybe there is something in the pump inlet side. I'm waiting for a drain bladder to come in from Amazon that should be here by tomorrow. Should've just went to Home Depot. :-|
 
So I tried the factory reset and it is still running at 3450 rpm continuously in FILTER & VACUUM mode. During priming, it will run at different rpms, but once it is primed and running cycles, the pump will only run @ 3450.

Right now I'm running it at 1500 rpm in MANUAL mode & the wattage is 230 approximately. It shows 0 gpm but there is water coming out of the return & water going into pump. Any advice?
 
What is the filter pressure when the pump is running at 3450 RPM in filter mode? Does the filter pressure change at all when in manual at the same RPM?
 
It all fits with something blocking the impeller, the suction line or something between the pump and filter.

But given you don't have a lot of air in the pump basket, that points to an issue after the pump basket. The impeller could be blocked or not locked to the motor shaft. To confirm, you might need to take the wet end apart to visually inspect the impeller and connection to the motor shaft.

One other possibility is that there is a problem between the pump and filter. This could be in the multi-port valve. Does the valve have a recirculate or bypass mode and does that change the pump readings?
 
mas985 said:
It all fits with something blocking the impeller, the suction line or something between the pump and filter.

But given you don't have a lot of air in the pump basket, that points to an issue after the pump basket. The impeller could be blocked or not locked to the motor shaft. To confirm, you might need to take the wet end apart to visually inspect the impeller and connection to the motor shaft.

One other possibility is that there is a problem between the pump and filter. This could be in the multi-port valve. Does the valve have a recirculate or bypass mode and does that change the pump readings?
Click to expand...

Hey thanks for the response.

How do I check for air in the pump basket?

I watched some videos on youtube and use a screwdriver to try to clear or make sure there is nothing blocking the impeller.

I have the valve that you basically twist to "open" and pull up and twist back to "lock" in order to go to backwash mode.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply