New IntelliPH won't rotate

[tomas21]

Any tips on trying to get a new IntelliPH to start pumping since sitting for a month+?

I am testing out our IntelliPH for the second time since pool was built late 2021, water temps are coming up, and planning to convert to salt and use our IC60.

When I first tried the IntelliPH with manual dispense, it took a while before it started to work and the pump started rotating the rubber white tube (Jan 2022)

Today I went to try to manually dispense acid but you hear it try to start but no rotation.... curious if there is any tips to help it start rotating or does cold temperatures make the white tube hard to rotate and better to do once the temp outside is hotter and white tube is softer?

May reach out to Stenner for tips

 

[ajw22]

I think @Dirk worked on taming that device.

 

[rstrouse]

I don't know where you are located but I have the same pump and tank that is used for IntelliPh. I have not experienced any real difference between the pliability of the tube.

There have been some pretty cold nights in NorCal this past week. Acid at 14.5% strength will freeze at right around 0F if you have been diluting half strength MA, that freezing point will rise. If you are using 14.5% MA there is no need to dilute it. We hit the mid 20s early this morning in the Sac Valley.

 

[Dirk]

Interesting theory about diluted acid possibly frozen in the tube. Try it in late afternoon to test that theory. I've been running my IpH pump all winter with no problems, so I don't have any direct experience with the issue. Frankly, I wouldn't mess with it. It's under warranty: have Pentair replace it with a new one...

 

[tomas21]

@Dirk thanks for the input... What is the best way to engage Pentair for warranty related issues as all my Pentair products have been fully registered?

 

[Turbo1Ton]

I don't think your issue has anything to do with anything frozen in the tubes. Mine has issues like that also where I have to press the manual dispense button several times before it begins pumping. I don't remember if @MyAZPool also noticed this issue, or if it was a different member, but it seems that the command to run manually does not stay on long enough to start the pump. There have been times it has taken 5-6 presses. And sometimes it works right away. And if I'm letting it dose for more than 1 cycle, sometimes it will work each time and others it may work at first and then take a few more presses to work again.

--Jeff

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Regarding warranty, if your PB registered the warranty, I would reach out to them first and see if they want to handle it. I did this with my Intellicenter and the PB got me in touch with the local Pentair warranty guy. The next time when I asked them about the globrite, the PB came out and replaced it.

Otherwise, I would call the Pentair tech help number and start the ticket that way.

--Jeff

 

[rstrouse]

Are the manual doses time based? That pump puts out between 105 and 120 mL/min with a check valve restriction so you need ~15 seconds to get an ounce.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

The manual dose is timed and limited to a max of 60 seconds. You press the button to dispense and again to stop. It toggles the display between seconds remaining and ounces dosed as it is going. The display indicates a max of 3.8 oz for 1 minute.

--Jeff

 

[tomas21]

Update: I unlocked the top and slid up the blue cover... carefully slid out the suction side so there was no pressure on the spinning wheels piece. I tried to manually dose and it spins with no issues. I stretched the white tubing a little (it seems tough) and then slide back in. Put the blue cover back on and it works fine. Guess I needed to get it out of a "stuck" position or something... I did the dosing multiple times and had no issues.

Thanks

 

[Dirk]

Problem solved. Yay! For future reference, I called Pentair directly for warranty support because my installer was awful. Pentair arranged for the repair, and even honored my request to use anyone other than my local "jerk." So that worked out. But if you like your guy, then you can start with him, as it will bring him some revenue for the repair work. So either method seems to work.

 

[tomas21]

New Update (Issue came back)

... IntelliPH has been off... turned it back on today and tried another manual dose... It tries to start but won't turn. Had to do the dance again, removing white rubber hose around 3 rollers, turn on let it go no problem, and then place white rubber hose back on, and it work again.

Seems like there may be just a little too much pressure on the 3 rollers with the white hose from the factory, once it is removed and stretched a little all is well.

Anyone have this experience or just ask for warranty and hope a new motor will have just enough more power to get it going when sitting for a week of no use?

 

[Dirk]

You already read my vote. Let Pentair deal with this. That's what a warranty is for. It'll expire soon enough, might as well use it while you can. Keep in mind, while your efforts and theories are noble, you're just as likely to end up doing something to void your warranty as you are to fix it.

And if I had to guess, it's not the rollers or the hose, it's more likely a defective motor. Or maybe an errant bearing, or something like that. It's right on the edge of having enough oomph to move the roller assembly. All you're doing is giving it the nudge it needs, which is not going to be the long-term fix.

 

[tomas21]

Does anyone have a video of what their IntelliPH sounds like when the motor on the pump is running. I want to hear what others sound like.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

@tomas21 - Let me know if these work. I'm not a youtube expert by any means.

Here is a video of mine running. Has sounded like this from day one.

Here is another clip of it making an attempt to start. I imagine this is what yours is doing as well. This was the first time I pressed the button. The second time it went and I captured the video of it running.

EDIT: Updated first youtube link

--Jeff

 

[Turbo1Ton]

I'm a knucklehead. I didn't even check the videos before I posted. I went back and corrected them. Hopefully it works now.

--Jeff

 

[tomas21]

Thanks. Yours seems to spinning faster and stronger than what I’m seeing

 

[Dirk]

Regarding Martin Scorsese's @Turbo1Ton's premiere:

#1: exactly what mine sounds like. Loudest thing on my pad. Which isn't the worst thing, I try not to stick my eyeball into my returns when I hear that sound!

#2: mine has never done that (or more accurately, I've never caught it doing that).

 

[Dirk]

Note: mine doesn't look like Jeff's. I can't see through the tube housing, it's opaque. Maybe this is a pump model/batch issue? I'd have to check, but mine's at least almost four year's old, ordered on Amazon June 2018, though it could be older than that if the seller had sat on it a while.

Look close, there are other subtle differences in the motor's frame. Definitely a different version.

 

[Dirk]

Side note: I've never changed the tube! Supposed to once a year, and I have the new one ready to go, I just haven't gotten around to it. I have that scheduled for Sunday, I'll let you know if it makes a difference.