Ideally, you would program for 10 hours which is 25gpm. But, you want to run the sweep a bit faster. So, program a FEATURE 3 for 2 hours @ 45gpm (assuming you have no actuator for the sweep line). This will give you sweep time and a bit of extra skimming. That will account for 5400 gallons of your 15k. The remaining 9600 gallons @ 25 gom amounts to 6.5 hours.

Here is a sample program.

FEATURE = 4AM to 10:30AM @ 25 gpm
FEATURE 3 = 6AM to 8AM @ 45gpm.

Vacuum is set by running the skimmer in manual mode and testing with your manual vac. Once you find the right flow, set the parameter under VACUUM and for a specified time.

FEATURE 1 and 2 can be set for the jets. You can set one speed on one and a higher on the other. FEATURE 1 or 2 are also frequently set long term for pool heating. The speeds can be set on the manual mode first like the vacuum. From manual, you can set the flow in gpm and slowly ramp up/down until you get the desired effect or wattage use.

Total watts on all settings will vary depending on your system hydraulics.

Thanks Repair Guy! Ok, I know I have someone setting this for me, but where is Feature 3? If I'm looking at the display, all I see is Filter Mode, Vacuum Mode, Backwash, and Manual at the top; then at the bottom is says Feature 1, Feature 2, Start/Stop, and Reset...

Thanks!

F3 is a programmed setting from the FEATURES menu. It does not have a hot key. It kicks in when programmed AND enabled. It will show up as FEATURE 3 when running.

Ok - set up guy came out today and has never seen a VF before--apparently no one in Arizona has! Thanks for bearing with me with all my questions--I'm almost there, but I have a few more if you can help me out!

I understand the feature 3 for the running the vac. For the other feature to run the filtering -- do I assign this as feature 4 or is it the hot button for filter that is assigned to this?

Also, when programming in the initial settings--should I just go with the defaults listed (55 gpm for max priming flow, etc?)

For priming time, what should I set it at?
For clean filter pressure--should I pick a time between 10 - 20 psi?

Arghh--I wish someone in Arizona knew how to program these... thanks in advance. Any other tips you have would be great!!!

More info... set up folks just left. They set up the vac on feature 3 at 65 gpm--said it didn't run on the lower gpm, but I'll mess with that myself to see.

For filter---arghh!! He said, and I quote, "I set up it to run 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (why??!!) and it'll just run at whatever speed it needs to in order to do one turnover."

I gave him the parameters I wanted (the ones repair guy gave me above, but he said he couldn't figure out how to set the gpm for the filter. I haven't messed with it yet, but does what he said make sense? I had to head to work, but when I go home tonight, I hope to fix it. Help!!!

"Ok - set up guy came out today and has never seen a VF before"

You gotta love builders! If I had a $100 bucks for everytime I've heard that one....

Every question you ask is all relative to your system. Can't offer a thing to you without knowing what you have. There is no set program. It is based on what you have there.

I can help if you snap a photo of the equipment pad, provide the type of sweep (brand and suction vs pressure), Inlet pipe size, rough volume of pool, current water temp. It will take a couple of posts to complete. Before you start, what's the psi when it's running F3?

Those settings they left will do you no good. The filter is not on a feature. It is on FILTER.

Thanks so much for helping me with this repair guy--I'm at my wits end! Ok, here's what I've found out -

Type of sweep - Hayward Navigator - suction
Type of filter - Pentair DE Nautilus FNS 48
Chlorinator - Pentair intellichlor - (not hooked up yet- waiting for pebble tech to cure--was told to wait 30 days)
4 deck jets already and correctly programmed to feature 1

Inlet pipe size - called plumber and he said both the vac line and skim line are 2 inches - I asked if those were the same as the inlet pipe size and he said yes...

Pool volume - 15K gallons

Pool Temp - 78 degrees

I wasn't able to find anywhere what the PSI was when Feature 3 (sweep) was running, but I found everything else-- watts were running in the 930's/RPM 2330's (seems high)/GPM 65. I know though, that the PSI for the "clean filter pressure setting" is 14 psi

I was also able to find out that he did program the filter - on filter, but just the start/stop time, not the gpm. I did see the gpm though when it was running and it was 38 gpm/watts were 270's and RPM was 1430's.

Even though he has the sweep programmed to run at 65 gpm, its not not moving at all...

If you can tell me how to find the PSI, I can look it up. Also, I emailed you the pics directly, because I couldn't get them to upload to this forum. Thanks!!!

OK, I saw the pix and this is a pretty straight forward application.

These are the hours I would go but you can move them to any window in the day of your choosing.

FEATURE 3 is programmed at 48gpm from 6am to 8am.
FILTER is programmed from 4am to 12:30pm at 25gpm.

No feature 4-9 programmed.

FEATURE 3 needs enabled, set the temp to 78.

Set max prime time to 15 min.
Set system prime time 2 minutes.
Set backwash flow to 55gpm, backwash time to 2 min. and rinse time to 2 min.
Set vacuum to 60gpm for one hour. (can be adjusted up/down as needed)

Filter psi is set as follows....
When vacuum is on (this is your highest gpm setting), read the filter gauge psi. It will probably be about 18ish. Then run the MANUAL mode and set the flow to 25gpm. (this is your lowest gpm setting) Take the 25 gpm psi reading on the tank. Whatever that number is, add enough to exceed the other number you got on vacuum and exceed it by 5 or 6.

Example:

25 gpm pressure is 5psi.
60 gpm pressure is 18psi.

5 + x (pump psi setting) = 18 + 6.

or 5 + x = 24

The pump filter psi setting needs to be 19. This means that when the filter hit 24psi in this example, it will trigger the clean filter alarm. Setting it this way allows for room on the system head to crank up to your high gpm w/o triggering a system block alarm.

It's not as complicated as it sounds. Just get those numbers as outlined. The high and low psi and plug in the number.

All programming needs to be followed up with the enter button so it takes. When done, hit FILTER so it is lit and START/STOP so it is lit. This will put the pump into whatever mode it needs to be and you're done.

You have my website from the e-mail. Go there to the IntelliFlo support page for detailed steps on the keypad functions.

Finally, you will set your sweep to run while in the FEATURE 3 parameters. 48gpm. You can set it in MANUAL to 48 gpm and do it that way. Once the pump is running at 48gpm, close the skimmer off completely. Then slowly open it up to the sweep until the pump sounds smooth. Check the sweep and adjust. If the sweep is climbing out of the pool, open the skimmer more, if it is not climbing, close the skimmer more.

Thanks again repair guy--I think I'm halfway there--but I had a few questions/problems! Want to fly out to Arizona and fix this for me? I'll pay your plane ticket! just kidding...

Ok--this is what I was able to do from your instructions:

FILTER is programmed from 4am to 12:30pm at 25gpm.
No feature 4-9 programmed.
FEATURE 3 needs enabled, set the temp to 78.
Set max prime time to 15 min.
Set system prime time 2 minutes.
Set backwash flow to 55gpm, backwash time to 2 min. and rinse time to 2 min.
Set vacuum to 60gpm for one hour. (can be adjusted up/down as needed)

This is what I had questions/problems with:

1. Feature three- I've had this problem since the pump was installed and can't figure it out. I know how to set the start/stop cycles - but I can't do it in feature 3. The problem is for whatever hour I set it to start - say 6 a.m., when I go to set the stop cycle, it will only let me set it to 6:10 a.m. When I arrow over to the hour and try to change it, it does nothing. When I arrow back over to minutes, it will let me go from :00 to :20 and that's it. And if I go up to :20 -- it changes the hour on its own to only account for 10 total minutes of sweeping. I have tried to set the start time at all different hours to see if it makes a difference in the way I can set the stop time- but no luck.

2. I set the gpm to 25 in manual mode, but when the filter was running it was saying 28 or 29. Is it making up for the lost time when I was shutting the pump on and off during its cycle?

3. "The pump filter psi seeting needs to be 19" Are you referring to the "Clean filter pressure"? If so, I'm good.

4. PSI--when the pump is priming for regular filtering, the psi on the filter went from 0 to 4. Once it was done priming and in running mode, it went back to 0. Is that what it's supposed to do?

5. Good news--finally go the sweep running (if only for 10 minutes due to programming issues mention above) the PSI was only at 2 -- which I'm guessing is a problem and may be why the pump isn't climbing the walls at all? I tried opening and closing the skimmer, but it seemed to have no effect at all.

6. What should max priming flow be? Its currently set to 55 gpm

7. Last! I ended up setting the sweep on Feature 3, instead of manual mode, because I can't understand how to access feature 3 in Manual mode if that makes sense. Manual mode is where I set the gpm of 25 for general filtering (maybe this isn't the right place since its still running at 28-29). I guess I'm not sure how in manual mode it recognizes whether I'm trying to program for filtering or feature 3? How do you differentiate?

Anyway, besides trouble with the stop cycle programming for feature 3, I'm guessing my main problem is the psi?

Thanks again for helping. I hate to keep bugging you and if this gets to be too time consuming for you, I'll keep searching for someone in Arizona who knows the system. I called Pentair directly and the place they gave me is the place that came out and set up my pool and they had never seen an Intelliflo VF--I had to give the guy the manual to read before he could do anything...

Ok, reading the manual for the hundreth time and figured out part of my problem setting Feature 3 --the default is set to start at 6 a.m. and stop at 6:10 a.m. How come I can change the default for the start cycle, but not the stop cycle?

HA HA, now you see the value in a pro install!!!!

Pentair has not fixed this yet and they never let anyone in on it when they trained us....

FEATURE 3-9 are staggered and even if they are disabled, they will not program as you have found out without some tedious work.

They cannot overlap. So, you need to go to FEATURE 9 and set the start time for 11:55 pm. Once you hit enter, the stop will default to 11:56. After hitting enter, hit escape and do it for each one on down to FEATURE 4. Example, 8 is 11:50pm, 7 is 11:45pm, 6 is 11:40 pm, 5 is 11:35 pm, 4 is 11:30 pm. This will work as you are not running in those hours. After that, F3 will take your program. REMEMBER, ANY CHANGE YOU MAKE TO FILTER PROGRAMMING OR FEATURE PROGRAMMING WILL DEFAULT THE STOP TIME TO ONE MINUTE AFTER. You also need to reset the stop time.

They say they fixed this but I've never seen one.

#3, The filter pressure setting on the pump is the one I refer to.

MANUAL is just for running trials. You will not set any programming from there. Find what your system does on different flow rates here. Or, if you need to run a long time for some reason you can do it here too.

Don't worry about the low pressure reading on the tank. If the 25 gpm is skimming ok, that is good and will save a lot of energy. If the FEATURE 3 programmed at 48 is not driving the sweep, try cutting the valve slightly to more sweep and less skimmer. If that does not work, bump it up a few gpm until you get the flow you need.

The system prime is ok.

If you find that you are not getting enough skimmer flow when the pump goes in to FILTER, knock 30 minutes off the filter time. Remember to set start and stop times. The pump will recognize this as knowing it needs filter the 15k in slightly less time and will speed up. you can also get the same thing accomplished by adding a few thousand gallons to the pool volume. It's all tweaking that comes easy for those who do it daily but seems a bit much for those who just buy one and want to put it in.

Let me know. You're almost there.

Ok, the good news is that I was able to set Filter 3!!

The bad news - I went out this morning at 6 a.m. to see if the sweep was moving--nothing. Then I looked down at the gravel I was standing on and noticed A LOT of water coming up. Then the sweep started moving, but not climbing the walls. So-- either it's not moving because my pipes have a leak, or I made the pipes burst by cutting the valve slightly toward sweep. I only turned it about a half inch--that wouldn't do it, would it??

Anyway, calling the plumber now... I'll keep ya posted and thanks again for helping--you're not off the hook yet :)

Sounds like a leak.

Hey repair guy--you are the best for hanging with me! False alarm--turns out the leak was a landscaping line gone wild...

But, I did cut the valve to more sweep and less skimmer (about an inch past where set up people originally notched it). And the sweeper is working way better--even starting to climb the walls. I may have to bump it up an additional gpm or two and I'm good to go. As for cutting the valve more towards sweep and less towards skimmer--the pump is kind of loud now--should I cut it a little less? It sounds like its working HARD. Also, will cutting it by that inch or so negatively affect the skimming? Because if I'm understanding correctly--where I cut it will be its new home, not where the set up folks notched it, right?

Finally, do I still need to be doing something with the psi formula you gave me above? I'm still not sure where I set psi (besides the "clean filter pressure setting." Is it a setting on the actual filter and not on the pump?

Thanks, thanks, thanks!!!

Filter psi. Now that you are running, I think you had a few pounds of pressure on the tank. Push the VACUUM button and read the filter tank pressure once primed. Take that number and add 5. That new number should be punched into the pump as the CLEAN FILTER PRESSURE reading.

The parameter is misleading. It is not a reading of clean filter pressure. It is the opposite. You will clean the filter at this pressure. During normal run, at any time, you can arrow down to scroll watts, gpm and filter status. As the filter gets dirtier, the % number will increase. The pump will alarm at 100% and you can backwash. Running the BACKWASH mode per the instructions will reset the status to 0%.

Keep in mind, as the filter gets dirtier, you may need to tweak the sweep valve to more sweep.

If the pump is loud now, less sweep and more skimmer. It is a very minor movement.

Ok, I'm almost there. Two more questions, and I think I'm good! How do I get the filter to skim at 25 gpm? Where do I set that? It's currently skimming at 31 gpm, so its finishing up and turning off about an hour earlier than the time parameters you gave me above (4 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)

Also, today when I checked the sweep, it was running at 31 gpm also, even though the setting is 49 gpm. Why isn't following the setting? Does it have anything to do w/the filter reading - which said 71% while sweeping and 17% while filtering?

Found out the pump was running loud because I think there was air in the sweep line.

Thanks!!

I just joined this forum and am happy I did, especially with knowledgeable and helpful people like repair guy. I'm sure he'll be along soon to answer your latest question but I can tell you I installed an Intelliflow and went through a lot of what you did trying to program it an understand the manual. I'm guessing your pool sweep wasn't the only "person" climbing the walls. But now it sounds like your getting smarter on programing your pump. So as far as getting your filter to skim at 25 gpm, you can't program gpm in filter mode. If you take your pool size 15,000 gallons and divide it by the number of hours you set for total filter time you programmed it to run, (8.5) = 1765 gallons per hour then divide this by 60 minutes = 29 gallons per minute. The pump computes this gpm based on your setting of 1 turnover per day and and 8.5 hours, plus or minus a small flow adjustment based on your temperature setting. With your feature 3 enabled the pump will compute the additional gpm you have programmed for feature 3 and subtract that total flow and time from 29 gpm and shut down that much earlier. All the pump cares about is how many gpms it has to produce to turnover 15000 gallons one time in the hours you set.

I have a 30,000 gallon pool, solar panels and a Polaris pool sweep with a 3/4 hp booster pump on a mechanical timer. The Intelliflo, which I run for 15 hours /day. flows at 32 gpm and handles the additional head pressure of the solar panels and negative head pressure of the pool sweep fine so I didn't program them as a feature. The part about your possible leak and then discovering it was a landscape leak was kind of funny. If it ain't one thing..well you know the rest.

I hope I didn't confuse you, If so hopefully repair guy will be along to help you more. I've read a lot of his postings and they are very informative without a lot of grandstanding . So I have a problem with my filter, a Pentair FNS 48 like yours which if you don't mind I'll start another post here in your thread to see if he has a solution.

By the way, Happy Early Birthday. I had to see what it shows if you click someones name

Follow up to my posting above: I have a 30,000 gal pool built dug in the 70's by a previous homeowner. Home is near Sacramento, CA The pumps and filter were probably just as old. I just replaced the pumps and filter. So here are the details:

Skimmer has one bottom drain at 8ft deep 1.5-inch piping up to the skimmer next to the same diameter suction line going to the pump about 12 feet away. Skimmer has the UFO
looking thing (poor description) with the adjustable oval half closed underneath the skimmer basket. Two 1.5-inch return lines. I think this a swimrite or swimquip design.

I installed a new Intelliflo VF last week I plumbed the 1.5 inch suction line into a 90 reducer to 2 inch and added 10 inches of straight 2-inch into the pump suction. I plumbed 10 inches of straight line off the pump discharge into two 45s. I know this is debatable but I plumbed about 4 feet of 2-inch flexible PVC into the 2-inch pull type Pentair backwash inlet. The filter was a PAC Fab Nautilus FRP 36 square inch filter. The backwash handle was broken and I couldn't pull the rod up even with channel locks, so twice a year I just dismanteled the filter and cleaned the grids. Pressure rise would get around 18 psi when I usually cleaned it. Past the filter is a manual Jandy solar shut off valve at the crossover then an 80 ft run to about a 12 foot vertical run to 9 helicoil solar panels with a vacuum breaker. Check valve intalled just past a 90 after the filter and on the solar return just before the crossover. The return from the solar reduces to a 1.5 line with a 3/4 inch tie in to a 3/4 hp Hayward 60606 booster pump recently installed by my pool service. They used the 3/4 inch flexible hose for the pump suction and discharge lines. The booster pump drives a Polaris 380. The Intelliflo I installed runs everything fine. I started running it 15 hours a day. I read your other posts and checked how it ran in manual at 15 gpm it pushed the head through the solar panels and provided suction for the booster pump for it to run the polaris albeit slowly. So I'm happy with the pump. So here's the problem. When I shut down the pump and opened the pressure relief valve on the old Pac Fab it pulled a vacuum and dumped water and DE back through the pump and into the skimmer and the pool. I've been wanting to replace the 36 with a bigger filter so did that this past week with an FNS plus 48. Not totally familiar with the new pump I was curious after charging the new filter with DE why the filter pressure was lower than before - 3 psi up to 8 with the solar on. Pulled the filter lid and saw the filters only half covered with DE. Didn't really notice it had probably migrated back to the pool as it already had DE in it from the last "DE loss" Ran it again for a 15 hour cycle, being concerned about damaging the grids but thinking the DE in the pool will recover them. Swept the bottom of the pool often to keep the DE stirred up and ran the sweep constantly. Same thing this morning - opened the filter relief valve and it pulls a vacuum and did see more DE at the pool drain and a small accumulation under the pump suction basket. It pulls a vacuum even with the solar shut off. Once the water is sucked out of the filter the vacuum is broken. I never remember feeling a vacuum on the filter relief valve before. The old setup would depressure and water remained in the filter tank. So any ideas. leak in the suction line? I'd like to think there isn't because when the old pump wouldn't prime I put a garden hose with a bib on at the pump inlet piping and did a poor mans hydrotest with a gauge at the skimmer inlet. Pressure at 20 pounds seem to hold for 15 minutes, but this certainly isn't foolproof.
I guess the easy fix is to install a check valve at the pump discharge, but what is causing this. Forgive this lengthy post but if you have time to answer please accept my thanks in advance

RJ

First thing first. Larger filter = less operating pressure on the same flow rate.

Second thing. In the absence of a visible leak in your equipment pad which will cause the filter to drain back, you have a classic gravity feed. This can happen simply by design of the system. More often when the equipment pad is slightly elevated above the pool line.

On the other post, yes, you don't program gpm into the filter mode of an IntelliFlo directly. It is a calculated number based of the cycle, volume and hours.

You'll need to install a full flow check valve in the line between the pump and filter. Use a Pentair of Jandy model, 2.5 x 2.0 CPVC.

Now the issue. You put flex line there and that is going to cause problems. The weight of that valve may overwhelm the pipe. This line should be rigid pvc and you will certainly develop a leak later if it is glued into the backwash valve.

On the other post. Yes, you don't program gpm on an IntelliFlo filter mode. It is a calculated number based on cycle, volume and hours. Those numbers are not known until you have your desired gpm and the final operating flow is + - a gpm or 2. The FEATURES do account for total daily volume but not 1 or 2.

Ok, I'm not sure which was the answer to my question. I guess I don't understand why my sweep was running at 49 gpm as set, but is now running at 31 gpm. I didn't change any settings...

Ok, I think I figured out why my sweep (which is set as Feature 3 from 6 to 8 a.m.) is only running at 31--it is ALSO running after that time during regular filter time. It's only supposed to run during that two hour period right? Why is running outside that time?

In one thread: a perfect example of the complexity and amazing capabilities of the Intelliflo and what a guy Repair Guy is!

After 8am, does it say RUNNING SCHEDULES, or FEATURE 3?

Feature 3, if programmed for 6a to 8a at whatever gpm will run that program. With the set up you were given, it should then kick into RUNNING CYCLES (which is filter) and shut off early to a mode called POWER SAVE or RUNNING SCHEDULE (which is off and ready for the next day).

At 8 a.m. it goes back to saying "Running Cycles" and the filter is running at 31 gpm. But the sweep is still moving, even though it no longer says "Feature 3"

I did get an alert today when the sweep was running that I needed to service soon -- so I know I need to backwash--could this have any bearing on anything?

No problem then. Your sweep is just moving on the flow rate of FILTER. Some people will take that knowing they are getting sweeping on lower flow than before or they will lower the filter rate by adding some time to it. This will still give skimming but slow the sweep to nothing. Most of this is done quickly with installation but it is hard to determine all of the little tweaks via message board.

If you get a service system soon alarm, you will see the filter status high and need to backwash.

You may not believe this, but I THINK I've finally got it!!! Thanks so much for all of your help repair guy--you have the patience of a saint!!

Last question (for now anyway). I got the Service Soon Alarm and I'm going to backwash tonight or in the morning. Pool company says to "Backwash for 30-40 seconds. Push valve back down and lock into place. Run filter for 5 seconds then turn off. Repeat this process three times."

Does this sound right or should I just hit the "Backwash" hot key on pump, which is set to backwash for two minutes and let it do its thing?

I've found that most backwash inside of 1 minute. You may want to adjust that parameter if your filter flows somewhat clear after one minute. (again, really can handle this on the initial install). If you run backwash as programmed and the pump is off, you will move the backwash valve and hit START/STOP. The pump will run. If the flow clears prior to your shut off time, simply hit START/STOP. Wait about 30 seconds and hit START/STOP. The pump will run again and if it clears before the time, hit START/STOP. That will automatically reset the pump to 100%. The filter should be fine in terms of dirt removal.

Make sure you hit FILTER and START/STOP so both are lit before you leave.

The only thing different from above is if the pump is running when you want to backwash. Hit START/STOP first and then run the backwash.

PoolGirl,

BTW you are not the only one in AZ that has a VF. I have one too and my PB (AZ only) says they have installed at least 3 or 4.

My PB is having a time getting it setup as well.

Maybe we should start a AZ club or AZ support group ... :)

Here is the link to my setup ...

Here is a link that might be useful: Arizona Guy Pool Setup