I often get an error on my pump that says to clear drain before restarting. The drain is fine though. The bigger issue is that I cannot figure out how to clear the error. Any button I hit gives me another message that says, button not in use… I’ve tried unplugging the pump and pump your back in, but nothing seems to work.
Clear error on Pentair VS pump
- Thread starter joelc73
- Start date
reggiehammond
Gold Supporter
- Oct 4, 2020
- 2,253
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Oh, I'm sorry to hear you have a SVRS version. @Jimrahbe is an expert on that beast of a pump.
Here's a couple of previous thread:
Pentair Intelliflo SVRS pump constantly alarming "Clear Drain Before Restart" and Constant Air Bubbles from Pool Jets
www.troublefreepool.com
Here's a couple of previous thread:
Pentair Intelliflo SVRS pump constantly alarming "Clear Drain Before Restart" and Constant Air Bubbles from Pool Jets
SV+SVRS perpetual Clean Drain Before Restart
I’m a pool newbie and need some help. I moved into a new house about 8 months ago. The pool has a Pentair sv+svrs pump and constantly is throwing the following error, “SVRS Alarm! Note: Clear Drain Before Restart” The drains can be clean – skimmers just cleaned, pump basket too, and the bottom...
www.troublefreepool.com
Joe,
Is this a new pump? If so, tell the installer you do NOT want the SVRS option. It is not required and causes the exact issues you are having. You can't shut the SVRS off, and you can't adjust how sensitive it is. A complete waste of space!!!
To clear the error, you just push the reset button.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Is this a new pump? If so, tell the installer you do NOT want the SVRS option. It is not required and causes the exact issues you are having. You can't shut the SVRS off, and you can't adjust how sensitive it is. A complete waste of space!!!
To clear the error, you just push the reset button.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Thanks. It’s not new unfortunately. The reset button gives me an error that says ‘button not in use’. Very odd…
Joel,
I have an IntelliFlo VS with SVRS, it is about 8 or 9 years old.. This is why I know it is a waste of space...
That said, I have learned to live with it. For me anyway, I can't let the water level get too high or too low. I have learned that if the water level is a little low, and I turn on the waterfall, it will often cause the pump to go into the entrapment mode. Anything that can cause a surge in the waterflow can set the SVRS off. Turning a Jandy valve too quickly, will shut off the pump. Closing the filter air vent valve too quickly will shut off the pump.
I worked with a TFP member that could not switch between the Pool mode and Spa mode without the pump shutting off. We had to set the system to shut the pump off when the valves were turning to get the pump to run without going into the entrapment mode.
I currently run my pump 24/7, mostly at 1200 RPM, and one of the reasons that I do this is so that my pump never has to go through the prime cycle when it turns on.
My pump is controlled by an EasyTouch automation system and when the pump goes into the entrapment mode and stops, my reset button works.
If you have an automation system, and the reset button does not work, then I would put the system into the Service mode and let the pump come back on line and then take it out of the Service mode.
Thanks,
Jim R.
I have an IntelliFlo VS with SVRS, it is about 8 or 9 years old.. This is why I know it is a waste of space...
That said, I have learned to live with it. For me anyway, I can't let the water level get too high or too low. I have learned that if the water level is a little low, and I turn on the waterfall, it will often cause the pump to go into the entrapment mode. Anything that can cause a surge in the waterflow can set the SVRS off. Turning a Jandy valve too quickly, will shut off the pump. Closing the filter air vent valve too quickly will shut off the pump.
I worked with a TFP member that could not switch between the Pool mode and Spa mode without the pump shutting off. We had to set the system to shut the pump off when the valves were turning to get the pump to run without going into the entrapment mode.
I currently run my pump 24/7, mostly at 1200 RPM, and one of the reasons that I do this is so that my pump never has to go through the prime cycle when it turns on.
My pump is controlled by an EasyTouch automation system and when the pump goes into the entrapment mode and stops, my reset button works.
If you have an automation system, and the reset button does not work, then I would put the system into the Service mode and let the pump come back on line and then take it out of the Service mode.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Thanks all. One more question. Often times I’ll turn the pump on that controls my hot tub jets. It will run for about 5-10 minutes and then the RPMs will show as zero. If I hit any buttons on the pump it will show ‘running schedule’. Very annoying. Any ideas would be great. Thanks in advance.
Joel,
Most Spa jet pumps either run or don't run, they do not run schedules.
What kind of pump is it?
What automation system do you have?
Is that pump being controlled by an RS-485 cable or is it just being turned on and off by your automation?
The fact that you can see "Running Schedule" is telling...
If you don't know, then just show us several pics..
Thanks,
Jim R.
Most Spa jet pumps either run or don't run, they do not run schedules.
What kind of pump is it?
What automation system do you have?
Is that pump being controlled by an RS-485 cable or is it just being turned on and off by your automation?
The fact that you can see "Running Schedule" is telling...
If you don't know, then just show us several pics..
Thanks,
Jim R.
I’ll post some tomorrow. It’s an IntelliCenter controller and two Pentair VS pumps. The controller is not hooked up with a data cable — so it just turns a relay on/off.
There is a schedule set up in the IC to run the jets for 15 minutes per day in the hot tub.
Should I kill that schedule?
There is a schedule set up in the IC to run the jets for 15 minutes per day in the hot tub.
Should I kill that schedule?
joel,
That is one way to do it, but seems stupid if both pumps can be operated by the RS-485 com port. Doing this means that all the schedules are inside the IntelliCenter and the pump(s) just do what they are told. The IC can handle several VS pumps at the same time.
If you turn on a VS pump using a relay, you need to make sure it is set up inside the pump to run 24/7, other wise, it just depends on when you turn it on how long it will run and at what speed..
Thanks,
Jim R.
That is one way to do it, but seems stupid if both pumps can be operated by the RS-485 com port. Doing this means that all the schedules are inside the IntelliCenter and the pump(s) just do what they are told. The IC can handle several VS pumps at the same time.
If you turn on a VS pump using a relay, you need to make sure it is set up inside the pump to run 24/7, other wise, it just depends on when you turn it on how long it will run and at what speed..
Thanks,
Jim R.
Thanks Jim. I’ll play around with the pump a bit more tomorrow. I could not for the life of me find a menu option for setting up a schedule. I think setting it to run 24/7 and then just powering it on or off with the IC would be easiest for now. If I can find the menu.
Maybe I’ll grab the data cables at some point. I remember asking at the pool store and they were special order and silly expensive!
Maybe I’ll grab the data cables at some point. I remember asking at the pool store and they were special order and silly expensive!
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Joel,
If you have a standard IntelliFlo pump (Not the IntelliFlo3) they come with a serial cable.
The manual for the pump shows how to program it. Something like... Menu, Settings, Speed 1-8, then Speed 1-4, then schedule (Speed, start time, stop time)
Thanks,
Jim R.
If you have a standard IntelliFlo pump (Not the IntelliFlo3) they come with a serial cable.
The manual for the pump shows how to program it. Something like... Menu, Settings, Speed 1-8, then Speed 1-4, then schedule (Speed, start time, stop time)
Thanks,
Jim R.
We’re getting terrible rain here today but I’ll try and program it tomorrow. I’ll set to 24 hours.
The pool was here when we bought the house — so no cables. I will have to bite the bullet and buy next season.
Joel,
You can just leave it the way it is and run it off the relay.. If you were setting up a new system, then I'd use the RS-485 cable, but if it is an old system, there is no great need to update it.
Thanks,
Jim R.
You can just leave it the way it is and run it off the relay.. If you were setting up a new system, then I'd use the RS-485 cable, but if it is an old system, there is no great need to update it.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Thanks Jim. Your instructions helped me get it programmed. Fingers crossed that this resolved my issue… Much appreciated!
Last edited by a moderator:
JimJoel,
I have an IntelliFlo VS with SVRS, it is about 8 or 9 years old.. This is why I know it is a waste of space...
That said, I have learned to live with it. For me anyway, I can't let the water level get too high or too low. I have learned that if the water level is a little low, and I turn on the waterfall, it will often cause the pump to go into the entrapment mode. Anything that can cause a surge in the waterflow can set the SVRS off. Turning a Jandy valve too quickly, will shut off the pump. Closing the filter air vent valve too quickly will shut off the pump.
I worked with a TFP member that could not switch between the Pool mode and Spa mode without the pump shutting off. We had to set the system to shut the pump off when the valves were turning to get the pump to run without going into the entrapment mode.
I currently run my pump 24/7, mostly at 1200 RPM, and one of the reasons that I do this is so that my pump never has to go through the prime cycle when it turns on.
My pump is controlled by an EasyTouch automation system and when the pump goes into the entrapment mode and stops, my reset button works.
If you have an automation system, and the reset button does not work, then I would put the system into the Service mode and let the pump come back on line and then take it out of the Service mode.
Thanks,
Jim R.
I’m still having issues with entrapment mode. When you say ‘put the system in service mode and wait for it to come back online’, what exactly do you mean? I’m putting it in service mode at the panel. Do I need to do anything else?
I can’t get the filter to run at all. It goes into it entrapment mode while priming.
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Joel,
You said that you could not reset the pump after it went into the entrapment mode. So I thought going into the Service mode might allow you to use the pump's reset button to reset the pump. Then put the system into Auto again.
Low water level can trigger the entrapment mode..
Very dirty filter or very dirty pump baskets can cause the entrapment mode.
You want to make sure there is nothing in the way of the all water returning to the pool. (Like closed valves or ???)
You can try different priming speeds..
You can try different max speeds.
It could be you actually have some issue with water flow??? If you have valves that control the skimmer and main drain input to your pump, you can try running with just the skimmers or just the main drain or both the skimmers and the main drains fully open.
It could be that your pump is actually bad... I keep hoping that mine goes bad so that I am 'forced' into replacing it..
Thanks,
Jim R.
You said that you could not reset the pump after it went into the entrapment mode. So I thought going into the Service mode might allow you to use the pump's reset button to reset the pump. Then put the system into Auto again.
Low water level can trigger the entrapment mode..
Very dirty filter or very dirty pump baskets can cause the entrapment mode.
You want to make sure there is nothing in the way of the all water returning to the pool. (Like closed valves or ???)
You can try different priming speeds..
You can try different max speeds.
It could be you actually have some issue with water flow??? If you have valves that control the skimmer and main drain input to your pump, you can try running with just the skimmers or just the main drain or both the skimmers and the main drains fully open.
It could be that your pump is actually bad... I keep hoping that mine goes bad so that I am 'forced' into replacing it..
Thanks,
Jim R.