Hayward EcoStar Pumps - Further Reading

Hayward EcoStar Pumps

Hayward has three models of pumps:

• Superpump is SS or two-speed. Automation only controls it through relays. Super Pump is 1990's technology.
• EcoStar was Haywards' first VS pump that could be controlled by an RS-485 data link. EcoStar drives have had many failures, and the pump is sort of a lemon.
• TriStar VS Pump is Haywards latest generation pump for automation. It seems to be holding up better than the EcoStar.

The best new Hayward pump to consider is Tristar VS pump.

EcoStar is a line of Variable Speed Pumps (VSP). Models are SP3400VSP and SP3400VSPVR,

The EcoStar pumps use a three-phase motor with a variable-frequency drive that converts the power from a single phase into three phases at the right frequency.

If you want another VS pump, consider the Hayward TriStar VS Pumps as a replacement for a failed EcoStar pump.

Replacing the EcoStar Drive

The drives are pretty simple to replace.

1. ensure all power is off to the motor and control board.
2. open the top off the drive where high and low voltage wires are connected.
3. take a pic of the wires just to be sure they go back correctly.
4. Remove high-voltage wires and low-voltage wires that power the drive. You will also have three large wires coming from the motor and connecting to the drive; disconnect for now, but do not remove them just yet.
5. There are 4 1/4" mounting screws on the underside of the drive. These can be difficult to remove; an offset angle adapter on an impact drill makes life easy.
6. Now, you can lift the drive up slightly from the motor, but you will need to feed motor wires through the bottom of the drive. All three will not fit through the hole at the same time; 1 at a time will do.
7. install the new drive in reverse order.

Note that your replacement drive warranty will expire on the same date as the pump.

Hayward EcoStar Drive Repair

Salt Solutions Inc claims to repair Ecostar drives.

Replacing the Motor if the Drive Fails

It has been reported that the Nidec Motor Corp Motor, US Motor Neptune, 2.7thp, SQFL, Var-Spd, 230v, 48Y | NPTQ270 will replace the SP3400VSP drive and motor.

The wet end of the Hayward TriStar pump is the same as the EcoStar. They use the same housing, diffuser, and impeller. You can replace the motor of the EcoStar with a single or dual speed motor which will result in the same pump as the TriStar.

Hayward said you could swap in a single-speed Tristar motor for that unit and convert it to a single-speed motor. Spx3230z1ber would the part number for 3hp Tristar motor. You probably don't need a three hp motor and if you replace the impeller and diffuser, you can go to a much smaller motor.

VGreen 2.7 VS motor, ECM27SQU, can also be installed on the EcoStar pump.

EcoStar Technical Guide

EcoStar Technical Guide-2.56

EcoStar Troubleshooting Guide

DRIVE ERROR - PUMP HAS STALLED error

See pages 14-15 in EcoStar Troubleshooting Guide.

We have seen that failure for the EcoStar many times in the past couple of years. The control head dies. You can replace the control head, but it is almost the same price as the whole pump. There are plenty of threads about it, but not solutions.

Some members have reported having positive results by calling Hayward. Hayward would extend the warranty for about three years beyond the written warranty. They know about the SP3400VSP pump issues and have offered up replacement parts and/or huge discounts on a new pump. Give it a try.

Diagnostics

Motor

If the impeller is hard to turn, that's usually a motor/shaft/bearing issue.

If the impeller is easy to turn, that's usually controller/drive related.

Drive

Remove the Blue, Black, and Red wires from the drive and check each motor lead to ground.

There should be no continuity.

Next, check continuity from lead to lead. Ohms reading should be between 0.5 and 1.0 ohms max.

If any of these readings are outside the limits, replace the motor. If they are within range, replace the drive.

EcoStar Motor Replacement

The replacement motor HP should match the impeller HP. There is no reason to install a motor with a greater HP than the impeller. The pump will only move as much water as the impeller HP regardless of motor HP.

Hayward EcoStar Replacement Motors

MOTOR THP	IMPELLER	IMPELLER HP
	SPX3205C	1.0
	SPX3207C	1.25
Century VGreen 1.65HP - EVQ165	SPX3210C	1.65
Nidec Neptune NPTQ225	SPX3215C	2.25
Nidec Neptune NPTQ270	SPX3220C	2.7

"POOL VSC COMM" error

• Shut off power for 10 minutes and then repower.
• Check the communication wiring.

Or

• Make sure the pump run button on the controller is off, then turn the power off to the drive & controller via the breaker and leave it off for at least 30 sec.
• Power on the drive first, and then, after 30 seconds, the controller.
• After another 30 sec, try to start the pump.

If it still does not work, repeat for a few more times, doubling the wait time each round before giving up. Or, if you want, just start with really long wait times. But 30 seconds usually works.

Diagnostics

Press the Menu button until the Diagnostic screen appears (fig 83). This menu provides important information about the pump's performance that can be used during troubleshooting. Below are the different screens and their meaning. These are all real-time displays. Press the ‘>’ button to view information.

When "Event Log" is displayed, press + to view the fault events.

Blank EcoStar LCD Screen

The first thing to do is turn the power off at the breaker for at least 5 minutes. There must be no power at the pump for that long. The drive may reset.

Otherwise, see the Blank/Bad On-Pump Display section on page 23 in EcoStar Troubleshooting Guide.

Freeze Protection

The EcoStar does not have built-in freeze protection. It does have a low-temperature setting that only keeps the drive at or above the low-temperature set point. It is not intended to protect the system from freezing.

Low Temperature Operation

Press menu, press, and hold < >, and it will unlock the configuration menu. Press > till you get to “low temp operation” it takes more than seven presses to get to it. There, you can enable or disable it. I think the next press will reach the speed it will run at. Press again and you can set temp.

Cancel a Timer (like "Timer 2")

The manual says to set the start and end times the same to cancel that timer. One member found he had to set the timer start and end times the same, BUT they had to both be 12:00 AM.