Random Pump Shutdowns

[midlifecrisis]

My VSP has been "randomly" shutting off for the past couple of days. I added the SWG over the weekend. I was able to maintain the previous setting of 1250 RPM (20 GPM) with sufficient flow on the SWG, so no changes. I did lower the pump speed from 2200 to 1480 (26 GPM) for the Solar Active (heat pump when running) as well. Last night after the girls got out of the pool, I turned the lights off from the app laying in bed and went to sleep. This morning I went out to check the chlorine level and noticed the pump was off.

I say randomly because I am not sure what time or am aware of any triggering events.

This morning, I deleted the schedule (only one at this time) from 12:00AM to 12:00AM to 7:00AM to 7:00AM just to see if that helped. I normally run a high speed skim clean timer for 90 minutes at 2600 RPM for 90 minutes from 7:00AM to 8:30AM as well, but I deleted it. I left for the airport this afternoon about 12:00 and checked on it several times at the airport and inflight with everything seeming fine according to screenlogic. I get to the hotel, check, and it is off again.

I had noticed this behavior a couple of times over the course of the 90 days I've had it, but I figured it was just something I had done inadvertently as I'm always tinkering.

I have searched the threads here, and see a couple of things but nothing that really applies. Is there anything I can look for or keep an eye on that you guys can think of in the troubleshooting process?

Just adding all the activity over the past several days in case you guys notice a trigger event. I also added the 12:00 to 12:00 schedule back in so now I have two overlapping, ust FYI

 

[mknauss]

Post screen shots of your Screenlogic set up pages.

 

[midlifecrisis]

Here you go:

 

[midlifecrisis]

I did just notice in my egg timer screen that it said 12 hours. I changed it to don't stop, but I'd be curious as to whether that's it because I have never used an egg timer so I don't know how it would be active all the sudden unless I've done something to trigger one.

 

[mknauss]

Page 3. You have a VS pump. You can remove the Circuits Needing High Speed Pump. Fine on the Egg Timer for Pool.

I will assume the Schedules are all correct.

Try removing those Circuits from there and see what happens.

 

[midlifecrisis]

Done. I will keep and eye on it remotely and report back in a day or so. Thanks as always.

 

[Jimrahbe]

MLC,

If you manually turn on a Circuit, it will turn off when the egg-timer times out. The default value is 12 hours. Every Circuit has a built-in egg timer.

You have a VSF pump that has a known problem with F/W that cause the pump to disconnect from the automation. Put the system in the service mode and use the pump's control panel and tell us what F/W is currently in the pump.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[midlifecrisis]

@Jimrahbe I think this is it, thank you. That seems to align with the issue. So the next question is how to you activate a schedule (remotely) to make sure it is running when you turn on/off a circuit? I will go through the manual now that I know what I'm looking for. I have been turning the pump on and off quite a bit manually lately adding the SWG and making some other tweaks though.

 

[Jimrahbe]

MLC,

The system was designed to be installed and programmed by a pool builder, not home owners like you and me...

Are you programming via your phone or by using a PC? I mainly use my PC and it is 10 x easier than using a phone and almost intuitive.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[midlifecrisis]

It does not appear that was the issue. I’m headed home tonight and will just power Cycle the board and see if that helps before I leave for the weekend.

Jim, to answer your question, I primarily will use my windows laptop. The interface is a bit earlier like you said.

I‘ll update when I figure something out.

 

[Jimrahbe]

MLC,

Did you do this yet??? "You have a VSF pump that has a known problem with F/W that cause the pump to disconnect from the automation. Put the system in the service mode and use the pump's control panel and tell us what F/W is currently in the pump."

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[midlifecrisis]

MLC,

Did you do this yet??? "You have a VSF pump that has a known problem with F/W that cause the pump to disconnect from the automation. Put the system in the service mode and use the pump's control panel and tell us what F/W is currently in the pump."

Thanks,

Jim R.

I have not. I had a quick trip east. Inflight back home, but will look in the morning and report back Unless I have energy tonight a 1:00. I just forgot to mention it.

 

[blackout]

You have a VSF pump that has a known problem with F/W that cause the pump to disconnect from the automation. Put the system in the service mode and use the pump's control panel and tell us what F/W is currently in the pump.

Wow, I was struggling with this when I opened last week. I didn’t feel like turning schedules on yet and just turned the Pool circuit on and couldn’t figure out why it kept turning off. Turning on my schedule took care of it.

Do you know if the pump firmware is updatable?

 

[Jimrahbe]

B,

Two different things..

Egg-timers are in the automation system.

The VSF pump has an issue where the pump drops connection to the automation until the F/W in the pump is updated.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[blackout]

B,

Two different things..

Egg-timers are in the automation system.

The VSF pump has an issue where the pump drops connection to the automation until the F/W in the pump is updated.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Good call, somehow the “Don’t stop” box got unchecked on my Pool circuit (and I’m embarrassed)

 

[midlifecrisis]

@Jimrahbe - just got home.

F/W: 2.11-VSF

 

[midlifecrisis]

Also, reading through the site, the firmware issue appears to cause the pump to shutdown and restart every 15 minutes. There may be more but that is all I saw and wanted to be clear mine appears to be just shutting down and not restarting without intervention. Just wanted to clarify.

 

[Jimrahbe]

MLC,

It may or may not be the F/W, but I would contact Pentair and check on the F/W. I think the latest is 3.0??? Pentair will send out someone to reprogram the pump if the F/W is wrong.

It could still be some scheduling issue. Did you set up a schedule of 8 am until 8 am and see if the pump will run for a couple of days without any issues?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[midlifecrisis]

Submitted a support ticket with Pentair. I just don't have time to wait on the phone today.

I had a 12:00AM to 12:00AM schedule, along with a couple of others, but for now, I have deleted them all and gone with one 7:00AM to 7:00AM which is the pump only at 1250RPM. It has been running for continuously on schedule for about ~36 hours with no issues with the exception of when I placed it service mode this morning to get the F/W version. I resumed "auto" from the wall panel and went to bed (about 03:00) I woke up at 06:00 and checked on it; still running, and then, just after 7:00 again with it still running.

I did changed the egg timer setting to "Don't Stop" on the pool circuit just in case. (edit: I will change it back after I am comfortable with the above but want to let things stabilize for now.) Unrelated side note: currently draining excess water from the pool due to all the rain we had last night it was overflowing.

I think I will find in the end, this is operator error and it was something I had done. I had no idea about the egg-timer functionality when manually starting a circuit and don't recall reading that in the manual (I am certain it is in there though). I will wait for Pentair's response and report back, regardless. As I mentioned, It has happened a few times in the past as well.

 

[midlifecrisis]

Response from Pentair

My pump's serial number is in the range of affected devices, however, I have F/W v2.11 in my pump (manufactured 11/2022). The impacted F/W versions are 3.03 and 3.04. There are specific notes in the TSB that 2.11 (or earlier) should not be upgraded as it will destroy the drive.

We have ruled that out, as far as I can tell. I am going to monitor at this point and see if the reset and adjustments make a difference.