Pentair VS Pump Died....Not Even 18 Months Old???

[rob.mwpropane]

Hey all, not sure where I'm going with this, just trying to get some advice maybe. I've already contacted Pentair, so it might all be fine anyways. Came home today, very windy day so I can only imagine it was a power surge. I HAVE a whole house surge protector? Pentair model# 022055. The panel is just dead, no lights, nada.

Any suggestions? Pentair is sending out a local rep to diagnose, but I'm pretty sure it's the drive. What the heck, I don't think I could of done anything else to prevent this? I took all the precautions to make sure this doesn't happen...

Haven't been on here in a while...nice new site!!

 

[JamesW]

Are you sure that it's getting power?

 

[Arizonarob]

Yeah, check your circuit breaker, and also check the surge protector. Most will have a green light if it’s functioning properly, or a red light if it has been “used up”.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Are you sure that it's getting power?

Yes, multi meter with cover pulled off verifies 240V with breaker turned on.

When I arrived home there were 3 breakers tripped in the basement, one being to the sub panel outside. After turning them on and going to the outside panel both the hot tub and the pentair pool pump were tripped. Turned them back on....at least the hot tub seems to be ok....

Yeah, check your circuit breaker, and also check the surge protector. Most will have a green light if it’s functioning properly, or a red light if it has been “used up”.

Surge protector still shows both green lights. Pellet stove also took a hit, which is crazy because it was plugged into a smaller appliance surge protector. Running to home depot to get a replacement fuse....fingers crossed that's all it is...

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Well...no such luck. Board is burnt to a crisp on the pellet stove and pool pump is dead.

Really lucky the house didn't burn down. The board on the pellet stove was charred all over the back side.

 

[Arizonarob]

Well my next question would be, why didn’t the surge protector protect the electrical system?

 

[ajw22]

Well my next question would be, why didn’t the surge protector protect the electrical system?

Likely improper or ineffective grounding to the earth within a short distance from the surge protector.

 

[Arizonarob]

Ahhhh, so then someone has some esplaining to do. (Electrician)

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Well my next question would be, why didn’t the surge protector protect the electrical system?

Called Square D, they said they don't believe it was a surge. They think it was a dead short because their device is still working (or at least on).

Likely improper or ineffective grounding to the earth within a short distance from the surge protector.

I'm not sure I follow. I installed the protector as specified. I know it's grounded, the grounding rod is all of 4' from the surge protector itself.

Ahhhh, so then someone has some esplaining to do. (Electrician)

Me...I installed it. It's really straight forward. I checked yesterday, re-read the manual. Everything is as it's supposed to be. The pellet stove even had an additional appliance surge protector that it was plugged into. None of it did any good.

I wasn't the only one that lost appliances on the street, but I am the only one (that I know of) that had a whole house SP installed. I just don't if there's anything I could of done to prevent this?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Rob,

Surge protectors only "help" protect from an surge on the main power line.. They will not stop a direct lighting strike which can enter your house almost anywhere.

The closer the surge protector is to the item you are trying to protect the better, but having one does not guarantee that nothing will ever happen..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[tstex]

did you have any lightening? this sounds like a whole area problem. if nbors had appliances fried too, not just the Pentair pump problem, esp since the pellet's board is burnt too. but lightening would usually fry a SPD if it went thru the SPD...what is the local power company saying might have happened?

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Rob,

Surge protectors only "help" protect from an surge on the main power line.. They will not stop a direct lighting strike which can enter your house almost anywhere.

The closer the surge protector is to the item you are trying to protect the better, but having one does not guarantee that nothing will ever happen..

Thanks,

Jim R.

I agree. If I went in the basement and the SP had blown itself into pieces trying to protect my house I would understand, but it didn't. Both lights are on (which is supposed to signify working properly). I just don't get it. It's a 240V circuit. 2 hots, 1 common, 1 ground all wired into the first breaker that's in the panel exactly as the manual says.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

did you have any lightening? this sounds like a whole area problem. if nbors had appliances fried too, not just the Pentair pump problem, esp since the pellet's board is burnt too. but lightening would usually fry a SPD if it went thru the SPD...what is the local power company saying might have happened?

Nobody has said anything yet, but I took pictures of the crew of trucks at the end of my street all night, and I know my one neighbors lost a VCR (yes, they still had one), and their range was fried.

Edit: Did not see any lightning, just high winds ~ 60mph gusts

 

[ajw22]

The common thread is the lightning took out some outdoor equipment. That points to the electrical surge came from outside and traveled in. Not through your main electrical feed where the SPD would have seen it. The breakers you found opened probably stopped the surge from getting deeper into your house equipment.

It takes more then a SPD on the electrical panel to truly make your house and all indoor and outdoor equipment lightning proof.

 

[JamesW]

Probably a transformer failure. The voltage sent to your house might have been way off.

I would file a claim with the power company for the damages.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

The common thread is the lightning took out some outdoor equipment. That points to the electrical surge came from outside and traveled in. Not through your main electrical feed where the SPD would have seen it. The breakers you found opened probably stopped the surge from getting deeper into your house equipment.

It takes more then a SPD on the electrical panel to truly make your house and all indoor and outdoor equipment lightning proof.

There was absolutely NO lightning. Just wind, very high wind. No rain or storms, just wind.

 

[Arizonarob]

Rob,

Surge protectors only "help" protect from an surge on the main power line.. They will not stop a direct lighting strike which can enter your house almost anywhere.

The closer the surge protector is to the item you are trying to protect the better, but having one does not guarantee that nothing will ever happen..

Thanks,

Jim R.

Jim, I agree, but....

He had his pellet stove plugged in to an additional one, and that fried. Also, his neighbors experienced appliance damage as well, so to me, it seems like the electrical problem occurred on the power lines, rather then a direct lightning strike. (Which the OP states didn’t happen)
So in this case, why didn’t the surge protector on the whole house work?

I agree with James, I would pursue filling a claim against the power company, as he has pictures of the crews working on the lines.

 

[Arizonarob]

That points to the electrical surge came from outside and traveled in. Not through your main electrical feed where the SPD would have seen it. The breakers you found opened probably stopped the surge from getting deeper into your house equipment.

Allen, could you explain that a little more for me?

What would be the path in, other then the main feed, if his neighbors experienced the same damage?

 

[ajw22]

Allen, could you explain that a little more for me?

What would be the path in, other then the main feed, if his neighbors experienced the same damage?

Well my premise was it was a lightning storm. This story is unfolding slowly as the OP says no lightning.

In a lightning storm you can’t assume all the damage across neighbors was all caused by one strike. Could have been multiple strikes.

Electricity follows least path of resistance. Makes no sense for it to enter through main feed and only zap some outdoor equipment and selectively blow breakers. Now if the pole transformer shorted to ground and dumped lots of electrons into the earth before the grid cut it off some of that stray current could have found its way to the outdoor equipment. Electrons find their own paths until potential is equalized.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Fwiw, I appreciate you guys discussing this. I'm at a loss. I'm really grateful my house didn't burn down as it could of been a lot worse. I've been living with a false sense of security that this wouldn't happen (at least not as bad as it did).

The local power company offers surge protection for ~ $8/ month, but I'd really like to KNOW that it would prevent what happened before pulling the trigger.