Pump and heater wiring causing: Water sw open error (2024)

D

Dave C In Ontario

Well-known member
Feb 16, 2021
48
Courtice, Ontario, Canada
Pool Size
13400
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
  • Jun 16, 2021
  • Add bookmark
  • #1

My automation panel is still on order, so my electrician temporarily brought main power from my panel, to a disconnect box ( similar to what you'd have for an air conditioner ) Anyway both my intelliflo vsf and raypak 266k heater is powered from that box.
again this is supposed to be temporary until I get my panel.
The heater is throwing Water sw open errors because when the pump stops.. there is nothing except the heaters flow switch to stop the heater.
Should I just run my pump 24/7 at 41 gpm flow so there is always enough flow for heater..
How do people usually do this?
I am trying to run a schedule ( basically run for 8 hours.. off for 5. run 7..off for 4.
If you try to use the internal scheduling of the pump.. how do you control the heater to be in sync..
Or can I just rely on the flow sensor switch in the heater ... that seems wrong to me...

Jimrahbe

Mod Squad

TFP Expert

LifeTime Supporter

Jul 7, 2014
33,621
Bedford, TX
  • Jun 16, 2021
  • Add bookmark
  • #2

Dave,

Why are you worried about the heater errors.. As long as the heater is not running without water there is no real issues.

Personally, I see no value in turning your pump on and off during the day. My suggest is to run it for whatever time you want to run it and have it off the rest of the time..

So.. if you want to run it 12 hours a day, run it for 12 hours and then have it off for 12 hours..

I have a SWCG, so I run my pump 24/7, because I like to make a little chlorine all the time and skim all the time. But.. I don't have a heater so I can run at a pretty low RPM. I am not much of a fan of running in the VF mode..

Thanks,

Jim R.

D

Dave C In Ontario

Well-known member
Feb 16, 2021
48
Courtice, Ontario, Canada
Pool Size
13400
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
  • Jun 16, 2021
  • Add bookmark
  • #3

Jimrahbe said:

Dave,

Why are you worried about the heater errors.. As long as the heater is not running without water there is no real issues.

Personally, I see no value in turning your pump on and off during the day. My suggest is to run it for whatever time you want to run it and have it off the rest of the time..

So.. if you want to run it 12 hours a day, run it for 12 hours and then have it off for 12 hours..

I have a SWCG, so I run my pump 24/7, because I like to make a little chlorine all the time and skim all the time. But.. I don't have a heater so I can run at a pretty low RPM. I am not much of a fan of running in the VF mode..

Thanks,

Jim R.

My original schedule has the heater running at night at just the lowest speed. I live with woods 4 feet from the pool edge..and get a ton of insects pollen, a few leaves.. so I like the constant skim as well. The Day time run at 41 gpm is to allow the heater to run.(min. heater flow is 40)
I lost 12 degrees on my pool temp by having it off just 18 hours yesterday. (down to 50 degrees f last night)
so the day time run is really for me to be able to get in some warmer water when done work.
Anyway, the error code is saying that the heater was not getting water so shutdown..I just thought relying on a safety sensor might be bad.. as the heater gets abruptly shutdown and doesn't have water flow to cool it.
So I was just wondering, is this just the normal way for the heater to be stopped for those without automation panels?
I'm okay with error codes, If they don't mean I'm shortening the life of the heater.
But, if it's normal or no big deal, I'll just go back to the schedule. Thanks..still learning.

Jimrahbe

Mod Squad

TFP Expert

LifeTime Supporter

Jul 7, 2014
33,621
Bedford, TX
  • Jun 16, 2021
  • Add bookmark
  • #4

Dave,

Instead of just having the pump shut off, I'd have another schedule that ran the pump at a slower RPM, to the heater stops working, but there is still plenty of water passing through the pump for half an hour or an hour.. That will be plenty of time to cool the heater down.

Or you could run fast enough to run the heater in the day time and slower for just skimming at night..

Thanks,

Jim R.

  • Pump and heater wiring causing: Water sw open error (3)

Reactions:

Dave C In Ontario

D

Dave C In Ontario

Well-known member
Feb 16, 2021
48
Courtice, Ontario, Canada
Pool Size
13400
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
  • Jun 17, 2021
  • Add bookmark
  • #5

Jimrahbe said:

Dave,

Instead of just having the pump shut off, I'd have another schedule that ran the pump at a slower RPM, to the heater stops working, but there is still plenty of water passing through the pump for half an hour or an hour.. That will be plenty of time to cool the heater down.

Or you could run fast enough to run the heater in the day time and slower for just skimming at night..

Thanks,

Jim R.

Thanks Jim, I like that suggestion..always end a heater schedule with a 20 minute low rpm schedule.

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Pump and heater wiring causing: Water sw open error (2024)

FAQs

What does rollout SW open on pool heater mean? ›

The rollout switch is activated when something like wind causes the flames to shoot out towards the front of the unit. This is usually caused by high winds while the unit is running.

How long should it take to heat a pool with a heat pump? ›

These factors include pool size, weather conditions and starting water temperature. Generally speaking, it can take anywhere from 12 to 72 hours for your pool to fully heat up.

What does open water sensor mean on pool heater? ›

The model is inside the pool heater. I do not need the Aqualink model number. Anyways the answer is as I mentioned before. (open water temp sensor) That means the control board can no longer read the temperature of the incoming water.

Why is my pool heater not detecting water? ›

Your heater may have inadequate water flow due to a dirty filter, closed valve, external bypass, reversed water connections, or pressure switch out of adjustment. It is also possible that your thermostat is out of calibration or needs to be replaced.

What does rollout switch open mean? ›

The flame rollout switch is a safety feature that shuts off the gas supply to the burner if the flame blows out. This can happen for several reasons, such as a dirty burner or a blocked flue. A flame rollout can also be caused by a faulty gas valve or a problem with the electrical igniter.

What is open vs closed water? ›

A closed system is one in which potable water has no way to exit a home's plumbing (in an open system, water inside plumbing can be forced back into the city water main through the supply line).

What does it mean when my pool heater says no demand? ›

No demand means that you have met the desired temperature. If the pool temperature falls 2° below your Set Temperature , then the heater will come back on. Then it will register a heating prompt, letting you know that the heater is back on. Pool and Spa Expert: Patrick D.

Are Raypak and Rheem the same? ›

As a member of the Rheem® family of brands, Raypak® is a big part of Rheem Manufacturing's commitment to taking a greater degree of responsibility for future generations.

Can a heat pump heat a pool to 90 degrees? ›

A heat Pump, when properly sized, can maintain any desired pool temperature between 80 and 90 degrees, regardless of outside weather conditions. A Heat Pump will work when the outside air temperature is above 45 degrees. Due to their high efficiency, heat pumps have a low cost of operation.

Is it better to heat a pool at night or during the day? ›

Most residential swimming pools have power-efficient heating units and do not require that much energy to reach a comfortable temperature. We only recommend keeping your pool heater on overnight if you expect family or guests to take a dip.

At what temp does a pool heat pump not work? ›

Most heat pumps shut down when the outside temperatures go down below 55° degrees, some can continue to operate down to the mid to low 40's, and some can operate in temperatures of mid to low 20's.

Why does my pool heater say no water flow? ›

A dirty pool filter wins for the most popular water flow issue on a heater service call. Luckily, it's also the easiest one to diagnose and fix. You can overcome this issue by having a pool heater service tech or pool specialist remove the filter and run the pump again without a filter in.

How do I know if my pool valve is open? ›

In order to tell if the valve is open or closed, the general rule is, if the handle is switched 90deg to the flow, it is off. As you can see from the diagram above, if the handle is in line with the flow path, it is on. Simple.

Does water run through pool heater when heater is off? ›

Water circulates through the heater core all the time the pump is running, whether the heater is on or off. If the heater springs a leak, you have to shutdown the pump, which stop waters circulation, filtering and chlorinating your pool.

How do I know if my pool heater is leaking? ›

A very simple way to test is to shut the unit off for several hours and leave the pool pump running. The water should start to disappear. If there is still water present put a chlorine test strip in the water around the heat pump.

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