Intelliflo VF Priming Alarm Error

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rickpoolrpm

Member
Mar 31, 2019
13
texas
My intelliflo VF pump was working great for two full weeks since installed. It primes in no time even after opening the pump. But now it is constantly giving a priming error.

Recently the pump is getting stuck in the priming cycle even though there is no air in the system and the pump is full of water (only a tiny bubble left at the top of the lid.) There is really no need to do any priming but the pump doesn't know it. The pump starts to ramp up, full speed, slows down then starts the cycle again until priming times-out and the pump throws an error. During all these cycles there is flow (as seen at the flow meter) and there is no air in the filter either. If somehow sometimes it manages to get out of the priming cycle it works perfect.

This somehow only happens when the multiport valve is set to filter, if I set the multiport valve to recirculate, rinse, or backwash the pump primes and runs normally. After a recent filter backwash and recharge the issue improved but it is now back to the problem. I already opened the multiport valve but everything looks clear there.

I have tried changing the priming settings but that does not seem to help. if I start the pump on manual with fixed speed it runs perfect too.

Filter pressures are normal under running conditions about 24psi. Filter is Pentair DE FNS60 - multiport valve is pentair high flow.

Any clues out there please? why is the pump getting stuck on priming?
 
Last edited:
mknauss said:
Welcome to the forum!
From your data it seems the filter is a large restriction. Is the 24 psi filter pressure normal? At what speed is that?
What is your water condition?

I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry and consider reviewing the entire Pool School eBook.
Click to expand...

Thank you.
24 psi is normal (filter runs 20-30 psi), can't recall pump speed but the flow meter has been showing 60GPM which is normal.

Water is clear fc:3, ph:7.4, ta:80, ch:230; cya:80 / however I have been fighting a tree dropping many leaves and smaller particles in the pool lately. I can tell that some of this dirt is getting pass all strainers to the filter (like tiny seeds and other small debris). I'm thinking maybe the impeller has debris on it and the program can't match the primed conditions but I'm trying to rule everything else out before opening the pump...
 
Those chemistry values we would not call good. With a CYA of 80 (SWCG?) you need more FC. See FC/CYA chart

A normal filter pressure of 24 psi is very high. Why are you running your pump at such a high rate?

Some of our pump folks will pick up on this thread tomorrow.

Take care.
 
If your basket is always full of water then you can disable priming on the pump. Go into configuration and turn priming off.
You are using way to high of a flow. Try to go for 20GPM or even 10. If disabling does not work then it is a software problem. If the problem is only in filter mode, then there are only 2 options, Too much DE or an impending algae problem that is clogging your filter.
 
Flying Tivo said:
If your basket is always full of water then you can disable priming on the pump. Go into configuration and turn priming off.
You are using way to high of a flow. Try to go for 20GPM or even 10. If disabling does not work then it is a software problem. If the problem is only in filter mode, then there are only 2 options, Too much DE or an impending algae problem that is clogging your filter.
Click to expand...

Thanks I will be opening the filter this weekend and if all looks good there I'll be opening the pump to check impeller. I don't think the filter is a problem since there is flow and pressure under 30psi, when it runs the flow and pressures seem in line for the pool. Still weird, didn't want to start this morning but after a couple of attempts this afternoon it started.

I plan to run at 18 GPM 24hrs once I get it running reliably. Pool is 26kgals. How does that sound to you guys?

My basket is always full of water, but the Intelliflo VF does not have the option to disable priming. I understand the VS pumps do, that option does not exist in the VF menu.
 
Rick,

If you have a filter pressure of 30 lbs, something is just not right..

I have an IntelliFlo pump and my filter pressure is about 2 lbs.

Either you have way too small of a filter or running the pump way too fast, or ???

Just does not sound right to me.

Jim R.
 
mknauss said:
Those chemistry values we would not call good. With a CYA of 80 (SWCG?) you need more FC. See FC/CYA chart

A normal filter pressure of 24 psi is very high. Why are you running your pump at such a high rate?

Some of our pump folks will pick up on this thread tomorrow.

Take care.
Click to expand...

The pump running at that rate is the manual (non-scheduled) setting, I plan to run it around 18-20GPM once it works reliably. I suppose the high filter pressure is related to the rate. My plumbing does not help though, the installer went from a 2 inch pipe (all through the system) into a 1.5 inch valve and header after the heater. I will be converting that valve and header into 2" sometime (next project.)

I'm a new/ two months pool owner (inherited this pool from previous house owner) so forgive my stubbornness and ignorance, I'm here to learn : )
Interesting about this FC/CYA chart on your link, the heater does not allow FC higher than 4 according to the documentation and this FC/CYA table goes to target 11 PPM of FC for 80 PPM of CYA? I have never seen 11 PPM as a normal FC value anywhere. I understand the logic but the FC value seems out of range. I will see how much I can lower the CYA.

What do you guys recommend for sanitizer? I'm using Trichlor tablets and calhypo to shock about every two / three weeks.

I'll be reading the tutorials, thanks!
 
Jimrahbe said:
Rick,

If you have a filter pressure of 30 lbs, something is just not right..

I have an IntelliFlo pump and my filter pressure is about 2 lbs.

Either you have way too small of a filter or running the pump way too fast, or ???

Just does not sound right to me.

Jim R.
Click to expand...

Thanks Jim,
2 PSI!? that is pretty amazing. at what rate? I have never seen 2psi in this pool. This filter is Pentair's largest FNS Plus DE filter as far as I can tell (60 sq ft)so I can't go any bigger (parallel filters?) The filter can run 150 GPM/50 PSI actually (thankfully I have never been there).
The pool had a single speed pump when I got the house, it ran 20-30 psi at 50 GPM or so. The previous pool company or owner had marked 20-30 psi the normal range on the gauge. The max press. is 50 psi. on the filter rating.
The priming setting on the VF does not go below 30 GPM so its always going to be in the 15-20 psi range for priming at minimum until it stabilizes. Then I plan to run lower once this works.
 

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Rick,

If you follow the TFP pool care process you will never have to add "shock" again... I have three pools and have never add any type of "shock" product to any of my pools since I started TFP five or so years ago.. You have to add shock products just because you are not keeping your FC high enough to begin with.

If you are not running a SWCG then your CYA should not be at 80 and your FC requirement will be much lower.

It is your pool and you can do what you want, but you can't really mix our process with pool store or canned manufacturing recommendations. Pick one and be happy.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 

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Jimrahbe said:
Rick,

If you follow the TFP pool care process you will never have to add "shock" again... I have three pools and have never add any type of "shock" product to any of my pools since I started TFP five or so years ago.. You have to add shock products just because you are not keeping your FC high enough to begin with.

If you are not running a SWCG then your CYA should not be at 80 and your FC requirement will be much lower.

It is your pool and you can do what you want, but you can't really mix our process with pool store or canned manufacturing recommendations. Pick one and be happy.

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
Thanks Jim, here to learn, if there is a better way to do it I'm all for it. I'll be reading the pool school material.
 
mknauss said:
Welcome to the forum!
From your data it seems the filter is a large restriction. Is the 24 psi filter pressure normal? At what speed is that?
What is your water condition?

I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry and consider reviewing the entire Pool School eBook.
Click to expand...

Since the pump decided to run tonight I gathered some data for the thread:

3040 RPMs
45 GPM (per pump setting) / 60 GPM (per flowvis gauge)
1541 Watts
24 PSI filter gauge
 
Rick,

Full speed is about 3450 RPM.. Just for reference I run my IntelliFlo pump at 1200 RPM where it only uses about 180 watts... Kind of the whole purpose of having a VS pump.. :)

I can't think of a single reason to run at that speed or flow... :scratch:

Jim R.
 
For normal operation, that is very high rpm.

I would suspect, unless you have other systems that need certain flow rates, that setting your rpm at 1200 or so would reduce your filter pressure quite a bit.
 
Thanks for the pic Rick... I just wanted to make sure that you had the VF and not one of the other IntelliFlo pumps and also to make sure your pump did not have the SVRS options which can cause the pump to start and stop on its own. You do not have the SVRS option, which is good.

Jim R.
 
Update: opened the pump today, minor debris around impeller but nothing that I would think may create flow or loading issues...
Backwashed the DE filter and recharged, pump is running with filter now showing 10 PSI @ 18 GPM setting (almost 40 GPM on the flowVis)
The pump started normally after all that - no priming error so far...

Surprisingly it is very easy and convenient to open the pump, just 6 bolts and it slides out. I would say a big plus.
I have a feeling the VS pumps are better from what I gather so far because: 1. You can turn off the priming function on the VS, 2. not sure this flow control is useful or necessary in my application (variable speed may have been enough), 3. the minimum speed on the VF is 15 GPM, can't slow the pump further, and 4. the VF pump seems to be really picky about when and how to run.

UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_4403.jpgUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_4402.jpg
 

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