EcoStar SVRS "Drive Error!" Autoprime Failure

Jake50 · Postby **Jake50** » Wed 12 Feb, 2014 16:15

Bravo to whoever put this for all to see. Most pools use solar and this has caused me to have service calls at $100 each and when anyone came out they would put a new pump in, complete new pump. This tells me this is a secret in the industry just for the service call. My pump acted up again and this was the problem and it took one minute to fix. Thank You....

TSH Tech · Postby **TSH Tech** » Mon 24 Mar, 2014 00:02

Hi Jake,

After talking with a Hayward local representative at the time, who is a well known rep in (our) region for support, I believe Hayward's testing lab criteria did not anticipate this scenario.

This is just my opinion as a pool tech and the overall feeling I received trying to solve this problem with reps in the loop.

txbob · Postby **txbob** » Mon 12 May, 2014 15:55

Thanks, worked for me but makes absolutely no sense to me. I installed the pump a few days ago, was working fine and then I started getting these drive errors, prime failures at the end of the prime cycle. I am happy that this seems to have evaded the problem, seems to be priming and running fine. However it seems that what I did was to REDUCE the prime cycle from 15 minutes to 3 minutes. Can anyone explain why this would prevent a prime failure??

JON6 · Postby **JON6** » Wed 09 Jul, 2014 17:09

That makes perfect sense! I was thinking the sensor was bad and started to trouble shoot that. Instead, it was time to change the DE. The Auto Prime feature must be too sensitive to the least bit of back pressure. I could tell that I really didn't have any priming issues because the basket was always full when it said Autoprime Failure! I changed the DE and made the prime run 3 minutes per your instructions. Thank you for saving me time and money with this post!

Thumper0711 · Postby **Thumper0711** » Wed 09 Jul, 2014 22:40

This saved me also, I was getting very frustrated. I realize this is an old thread but I'm curious, what happens if there is actually a suction failure, won't the pump possibly run dry and ruin the pump?

TSH Tech · Postby **TSH Tech** » Fri 25 Jul, 2014 03:02

Thumper0711 wrote:This saved me also, I was getting very frustrated. I realize this is an old thread but I'm curious, what happens if there is actually a suction failure, won't the pump possibly run dry and ruin the pump?

Well, it's like every other pool pump over the last 20 years that loses prime and run dry: They get hot, plastic parts melt, impellers warp, O-rings melt and the pump side assembly warps.

There's no sure thing on protecting a pump from losing prime. It doesn't happen that often, but when it does, it's the nature of the beast and hope you catch it in time.

- ensure your water level never drops below the skimmer line
- ensure your pump pot lid O-rings are not damaged or out of round
replace them as part of a scheduled maintenance
- when you notice a drip under your pump, have ALL your seals replaced
- ensure all connecting pipe/unions to the pump do not leak
- ensure any connecting valve O-rings to the pump do not leak air
replace O-rings as necessary
- hope your pipes and fittings do not crack or leak

whiskeya11 · Postby **whiskeya11** » Sun 27 Jul, 2014 23:06

Glad this post was still here. Just spent hours trying to get my auto prime to work. Problem solved! Thanks all.

ram · Postby **ram** » Tue 05 Aug, 2014 17:34

Thanks!!! 3 minute mode fixed my problem on my SP3400VSP. It would be nice if Hayward put this in their owners manual.

karen_frnks · Postby **karen_frnks** » Mon 16 Nov, 2015 19:48

I am so thankful for this post. Thank you so much for the information. Thank you for paying it forward with this knowledge. I had been so frustrated and now it is fixed with just an simple setting change. halleluiah!!!!!

:clap:

freesoul · Postby **freesoul** » Tue 17 Nov, 2015 07:30

Wow! Such a great response to such an old post.
Just goes to show that all knowledge is useful for someone somewhere.

Heeheehee

sarena82 · Postby **sarena82** » Fri 22 Jan, 2016 05:39

Haha yes old is gold, brilliant info.

bcwillason · Postby **bcwillason** » Wed 11 May, 2016 21:22

I bought his pump about 3 months ago. Worked great for the pool. The other night I decided to fire up the hot tub, which is conjoined to the pool. (same pump, just two manual valves to switch). The pump would go into "failure" after about 15 minutes. Pain in the *** to get out and reset. I searched this problem, and discovered the "prime time" situation. I changed it to the 3 minute mode, and Viola! It is working great. No errors. I did notice that the filter gauge hit about 30 PSI in the prime mode. This may be what was causing the "failure"; too much back pressure. I run the pump on about 2750 RPM for the hot tub, which only hits about 20 PSI. Thanks to all who posted, which helped me in my hot tub dilemma!

Christian · Postby **Christian** » Mon 16 Apr, 2018 19:22

Thanks so much for the info. I thought I may need a new pump, but your solution worked immediately! Thanks for the help!