Pentair Superflo VST pump stopping & restarting intermediately

offtheclock · Mar 11, 2022

Started my pool back up about a month ago. The pump was installed in September to replace my loaner Hayward. I noticed that every now and again the pump will stop and immediately restart and prime and the continue to run. While out on Sunday for most of the day I heard it do it twice. The owners manual states that if there is a fault it would take a minute to try and restart and that you might have to reset it by cutting of breaker to restart. Mine is starting back immediately. Here is what I know:

- After initial start up and stopped pump and back washed sand filter while bleeding off air. Filter pressure is 12PSI at around 2600 RPM which i am using as my base line. Around 10 PSI at 2000 RPM.
- There is no air in pump basket
- Saw error on the screen the one time i saw it happen but no codes.
- Pump is hooked up to a Intermatic timer that gives constant power and I use to the pump timer to schedule run time. SWG goes off timer.
- Pump is not hot at all
- Cooling fan is running
- Connections are tight to constant power. I have not opened up pump top to check those connections.

Jimrahbe · Mar 11, 2022

O,

What schedule(s) does the pump run?

Thanks,

Jim R.

offtheclock · Mar 11, 2022

1st - 7AM for 8 hours at 1900 RPM
2nd -3PM for 2 hours at 2800 RPM
3rd - 5PM for 3 hours at 2200 RPM

proavia · Mar 11, 2022

Does this start/stop coincide with the speed change times?
Is the clock set to the correct time?

Jimrahbe · Mar 11, 2022

O,

What Gene asked above is what I was also thinking.

I don't know much about the SuperFlo VST, but on the surface you would not think it should shut off between schedules. :mrgreen:

Thanks,

Jim R.

offtheclock · Mar 11, 2022

proavia said:
Does this start/stop coincide with the speed change times?
Is the clock set to the correct time?

It does not and the clock is correct.

proavia · Mar 11, 2022

There was a VS pump some years back - maybe it was a Hayward - that you set as follows:

Set lowest speed to run from earliest start time to latest stop time.
Set all other speeds to run within the above earliest start and latest stop times.
Supposedly, this prevented start/stop and priming cycles between speed changes.

In your case...
7am-8pm - 1900rpm
3pm-5pm - 2800rpm
5pm-8pm - 2200rpm

But probably not what's going on here.

What is your reason for running the pump for 13 hours total?
What is the reason for changing speeds?
What is the minimum rpm (+ 100-200 rpm) for the IC40 flow switch to close?

An IC40 is rated for about 3 times your pool volume. That would be about 8 hours per day when set at 100%.

offtheclock · Mar 12, 2022

proavia said:
There was a VS pump some years back - maybe it was a Hayward - that you set as follows:

Set lowest speed to run from earliest start time to latest stop time.
Set all other speeds to run within the above earliest start and latest stop times.
Supposedly, this prevented start/stop and priming cycles between speed changes.

In your case...
7am-8pm - 1900rpm
3pm-5pm - 2800rpm
5pm-8pm - 2200rpm

But probably not what's going on here.

What is your reason for running the pump for 13 hours total?
What is the reason for changing speeds?
What is the minimum rpm (+ 100-200 rpm) for the IC40 flow switch to close?

An IC40 is rated for about 3 times your pool volume. That would be about 8 hours per day when set at 100%.

Thanks for your response. This pump will not let you set a stop time in-between but only a duration. I probably can cut back on pump run time. In the summer my SWG runs from 8am - 7pm at 20% so i built in a buffer of an hour before and after the swg turns on and off. I have the pump ramp up from 3 -5 with the theory that when i get home from work the pool will looker cleaner. I am not sure on min speed for the swg.