Intelliflo Pump Antifreeze Mode - not working?

[Alcyone]

I have an Intelliflo pump with AntiFreeze mode enabled, set to come on at 40 degrees F and run at 1800 RPM. However, it doesn't seem to be working. I don't have any automation. Is there something I can look at to figure out why? The temps here have dropped into the 30s (some nights 28) and it should have come on at that time. Is there an internal sensor in these pumps or do I need to buy one and connect it?

Thanks

 

[Jimrahbe]

A,

While it is freezing, just run the pump 24/7. At 1800 RPM you will not even notice a difference in your electrical bill.

I run mine 24/7, mostly at 1200 RPM for way less than $20 bucks a month.

I would not rely on the pump's freeze mode.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[guinness]

You will have to run the pump like Jim suggested or create another schedule for overnight. See note below from Pentair documentation.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This feature is for protection of the pump. Do not depend on the Thermal Mode feature for freeze protection of the pool. Certain situations could cause the pump to sense a different temperature than actual air temperature.

 

[Dirk]

While Pentair automation controllers use a hard-wired air temperature sensor (located somewhere outside of the controller's chassis, directly measuring air temp), the Intelliflo relies on a temperature sensor inside its chassis, near the motor. It is measuring the temperature of the IntelliFlo's internal mechanics and electronics. The pump's "freeze protection" is primarily designed to protect the pump, not your pool or its plumbing (as @guinness points out). It only potentially protects your pool as a side effect of it warming itself up. In fact, the pump's owner manual does not even call it "freeze protection." It refers to the feature as "Thermal Mode."

So while it's possible your IntelliFlo's temperature sensing is malfunctioning, it's just as possible that the internal temperature of your IntelliFlo never actually drops below the threshold that would engage its Thermal Mode. More importantly, the manual specifically warns against relying on the IntelliFlo's Thermal Mode to protect your pool or its plumbing. Jim's suggestion to run the pump 24/7 is the solution. Or perhaps just during the freezing hours, if you can reliably predict when those will occur (running 24/7 eliminates the guesswork about that).

Check it out (right from the IntelliFlo manual):

 

[Alcyone]

Gents, thank you very much for the help. I'm going to run the pump 24/7 so that I don't have to worry about it.

Quick follow up question: Shouldn't my pool guy have set this for me or is this something they typically don't do?

 

[guinness]

Pool service varies greatly, I think the best you could expect is a courtesy warning about freezing temperatures and precautions to take.

 

[Dirk]

Gents, thank you very much for the help. I'm going to run the pump 24/7 so that I don't have to worry about it.

Quick follow up question: Shouldn't my pool guy have set this for me or is this something they typically don't do?

Don't get me started on pool guys! More to the point: the IntelliFlo pump's default setting is Thermal Mode engaged. If you found that is was off, either someone explicitly turned it off, or the the pump "somehow" forgot its default configuration.