Pump 1 Communication Lost - Pentair EasyTouch and Newly Replaced VSF Pump

[GNG]

Hello All,

I have been reading and searching for the solution to my problem and have tried most of the fixes to no avail. So... here's the problem, recent history, and what I've done to date.

My Intelliflo VS pump from the original build in fall of 2016 started to get noisier and noisier. Probably motor bearings, maybe impeller... either way she sounded like a 747 getting ready to take off.
I decided to buy a new VSF pump and got one from the Pentair store on Amazon. I plan to rebuild my VS and have a ready spare. Got the pumps swapped out and power on the VSF. Pump display showed "Not Active" and EasyTouch worked just like it did with the VS... lights, valves, and cleaner checked out.
A few days later I come home from a work trip and the pool is green and I have an error on the ScreenLogic App letting me know "Pump 1 Communication Lost". Tried the 'ol Off-On reset and no go. I started the VSF pump on Quick Clean and set for 23 hours. Cleaned and treated the pool and manually controlled the pump for a couple days.
On Saturday 3/19/22 I replaced the old comm cable. Figured "What the heck" can't hurt... and to my surprise I was back in business. Things working great. Today, Monday 3/21/22, I walk out back around 5pm and the pool is not running... it was running around 3pm. We had a storm come through during this time but never lost power. The same comm alert was back.
Read some more forums and changed the ScreenLogic to VSF and control to speed at 2700 RPM. Still no go. Decided I better use compressed air to blow out the comm cable to pump connection. Shut off power at the 50-amp breaker and disconnected the comm cable at the pump and blew out with compressed air.
Boom... back in business.

So, here's the rub. Was it the prolonged power off while I blew out the connector or was it the actual blowing out of the connector? Obviously, time will tell but my guess is there is some kind of issue beyond a wet connector.
So, I am posting this in anticipation of another Comms Lost alert and would appreciate any insight.

Thank you in advance and I hope I can someday answer some questions rather than asking them!

 

[Jimrahbe]

GNG,

Go out to your equipment pad with the pump running, and put the system into the Service mode,

Then, go look at the pump. it should be off and it should show a screen with RPM, or some other pump data. It should not be blank, nor say Display not active.

I suspect that your pump is wired to the load side of your Pump/Filter relay, which is incorrect. IntelliFlo pumps should get constant AC power.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[GNG]

Hi Jim,

First, let me say thank you for responding to my problem. I read a number of your posts before posting mine.

Just got back from another trip and the pump had lost comms again. I cycled the breaker and got things running again. I did as instructed and placed the system in Service mode. The display maintained the "Display not active" message. Based on your diagnosis the pump is incorrectly wired. I feel comfortable rewiring but I have a couple questions I'd like to ask before I jump in.

Is the older VS pump different than the VSF pump, i.e. are the drives different or some other logic differences? The reason I ask is the other pump was wired the same way, all I did was swap the leads off the old pump to new, and the old pump worked the way it was originally wired.

Can I get constant AC power out of the EasyTouch panel? I know there is a wiring diagram in there but figured I'd ask before I pull the face of the panel off.

Thank you again for your help and have a great day!

 

[Jimrahbe]

GNG,

I am not sure we are on the same page.. If the pump was wired to the load side of the pump/filter relay, like I suspected, the display should be blank when in the service mode. This is because if wired wrong the pump will not have any AC power.

Keep in mind it might take 20 or 30 seconds for the display to change as it has a cap that keeps power applied to the controller for a short period of time. When you first go to the Service mode, the pump will stop almost immediately, but the display can take about 30 seconds to change.

I suggest that you run the test again.

If you send me some pics of your relays, especially the Pump/Filter relay in the upper left side, I might be able to suggest a quick fix.

When the IntelliFlo is connected to the load side of the Pump/Filter relay, it may or may not report the error.. If the pump sees the AC power turn off and has time, it will send out the "loss of power" error. The timing is very close, so some pumps have an extra microsecond or two and send the warning and some do not. I assume that is why your old pump did not have the problem, and your new pump does.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[GNG]

Hi Jim,

I really appreciate your response. I'll re-run the test again tomorrow. I only waited a few moments after placing the system in Service, I'll give it a good minute next time around. I'll also go ahead and pull the cover off the panel and send a pic of the relays.

 

[GNG]

Hi Jim,

Okay, I re-ran the test and waited for the cap to discharge. With the filter pump in service the display showed "0 RPM". I should note, the system has been running fine the past few days while I was away... starting at 8am and stopping at 10pm. Then voila... this afternoon it is off around 5pm and "Pump 1 Communication Lost". As a side note, the pool cleaner shuts off at 5pm. I turned off the 50amp breaker waited for about a minute, turned it back on, and the system booted up, comms were restored, and the pump resumed its schedule. I've attached a few pictures of the relays as you requested. Thanks again for your help and let me know if there are any other pictures you'd like me to take.

 

[Jimrahbe]

GNG,

Thanks for the pics.. Since your pump showed 0 RPM in the Service mode, it is obvious that the pump still has power, which it should. If the pump had been incorrectly wired to the pump/filter relay, it would not have had any power.

What does your pump schedule look like.. As an example using made up numbers, does your schedule look like A or B below.

A.. Pool circuit runs from 8 am until 10 am and then at 10 am the Cleaner circuit comes on until 11 am.

B.. Pool circuit runs from 8 am until 11 am. At 10 am the Cleaner circuit come on until 11 am.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[GNG]

I'm attaching a screenshot of my schedules.

 

[Jimrahbe]

GNG,

I think you are the 2nd to report intermittent loss of com that did not have the normal pump/filter relay wiring problem..

I don't see any issues with your schedule, but it is odd that you got the error at the same time as the cleaner shutting off.

I'd keep an eye on it and keep a record of when the error shows up.. Maybe we can link it to something. If it shuts off again at 5 pm, then I'd change the cleaner to stop at 4 pm or 6 pm and see if the error follows the time change.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[GNG]

I'll keep a record and change the schedules as recommended if it continues to happen. I was also thinking it might be a software / firmware issue, but it doesn't look like upgrading it is very user friendly by the homeowner. Thank you again for the advice and help troubleshooting and I'll report any changes or new insights.

 

[pjt]

Have you tried disabling priming on the IntelliFlo? That was a problem for me:

IntelliCenter Initial Impressions / Not Working Well

My IntelliCenter is up and running, but I can't hide my disappointment. It struggles performing fundamental tasks, such as maintaining communication with my IntelliFlo pump. I frequently get a "VS Communication Lost" message. The IntelliCenter app doesn't work well at all. I have to close...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[rstrouse]

Double check the wiring to your comm port. Specifically where you screwed in the connections on the ET mobo. You will receive a communication lost message when ET asks the pump to set its drive state. If it does not receive a response from the pump it will assume that the communication is lost. This is the communication check and it needs to do this every 10 seconds or so to keep control of the pump.

You should check to make sure you have the wires inserted and they are tight. A loose wire can cause the RS485 bus to send and not receive. In this instance the pump will show display not active but the response from the pump may intermittently arrive to the controller. If you have more than one set of wires plugged into a single comm port, most likely they are not the same gauge and can also be problematic. Make sure they are twisted together before putting them into the connector. If one of them is not making good contact, data from the equipment will look like garbage to ET and any responses will fail the error checks.

 

[ParB]

I had the exact same problem. I sprayed some wd-40 specialist spray for electric connectors into the connector on the pump side (both the cable and the pump), this cured the problem for me.