Pool pumps
Hayward TriStar VS "Check System" messages, explained
The TriStar VS reports faults as "Check System" messages, or "Drive Error!" on early pumps, and Hayward's manuals say what each one means. A few come down to airflow, heat or debris you can check yourself. Most are about the supply voltage or the drive, and those are for a technician.
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When a Hayward TriStar VS has a problem, the display says Check System and names it: "Drive is overheated", "Pump has stalled", "DC voltage too low". Early pumps say Drive Error! instead. The message tells you which part of the pump is unhappy. Hayward's manuals then say what each one means and what to check, and for most of them the answer is the supply voltage or the drive, not something you can fix at the pad.
Which manual matches your pump?
Hayward has published three sets of these messages, and the wording and numbers differ between them:
- Current TriStar VS pumps are covered by the 2.70 THP VS Pump Family manual (1011786 Rev B), which lists models including SP3206VSPBH, SP32950VSP, HCP2500VSP and W3SP3206VSP (Hayward 1011786 manual, cover and p. 27).
- The TriStar VS 950 (SP32950VSP) also has its own manual, which gives exact voltage thresholds (Hayward TriStar VS 950 manual, p. 32).
- Early TriStar VS pumps show "Drive Error!" messages, covered in Hayward's 2014 technical guide (Hayward TriStar VS technical guide, pp. 36–38).
Your model number is on the label on the motor. If the message on your screen isn't listed here, check the manual for your exact model before acting on it.
Safety first
The drive runs on household line voltage. Hayward's technical guide says not to attempt to remove the drive from the motor or to service the motor (Hayward TriStar VS technical guide, p. 36). Everything we suggest checking below can be done by looking, with the pump off at the breaker before you touch anything near it.
First step for any message
Hayward says to reboot the pump to try to clear the fault first (Hayward TriStar VS technical guide, p. 36). On current pumps, any error can be reset by pressing Stop/Resume while the message is showing, or by switching the pump's power off and on. A "Drive overload" sometimes clears only by cycling the power. If the troubleshooting steps don't clear it, Hayward says the problem may be inside the motor or drive (Hayward 1011786 manual, p. 27).
If the message comes back, write it down, with the time. The original TriStar VS has a Diagnostic screen in its menu with an event log that shows the last 20 errors and how long ago each happened, along with the drive temperature and motor current (Hayward TriStar VS technical guide, p. 35). That history is the most useful thing you can give a technician.
The messages at a glance
| Message | What Hayward says it means | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Drive is overheated | The drive's internal components are too hot | Check airflow first |
| Heatsink overheated (VS 950) | The drive's heatsink is too hot | Check airflow first |
| Drive overload | Motor current is too high | Check for debris; then technician |
| Pump has stalled | The drive lost control of the motor shaft, or couldn't start it after 3 tries | Technician |
| Pump failed to start / Startup failed | The drive couldn't start the motor | Technician |
| AC voltage too high / too low (VS 950) | Line voltage outside the range the pump needs | Electrician or technician |
| DC voltage too high / too low | The drive's internal voltage is out of range, usually from the supply | Electrician or technician |
| Motor phase lost | One of the motor's phases is open | Technician |
| Processor failed | A problem with the drive's processor | Technician |
| Memory failed | Drive memory damaged or corrupted | Technician |
| Defaults loaded (VS 950) | Drive memory temporarily corrupted | Technician if it repeats |
| Communication failed / Drive comm failed | Communication problem between the display and the drive, or inside the drive | Technician |
| Unknown opcode (early pumps) | Drive software corrupted | Technician |
| Error code XX / Unknown error | The display got an error from the drive it doesn't recognize | Technician |
| Keypad stuck (early pumps) | A button has been held for over 2 minutes | Check first |
| Pool bridge comm (on a Hayward or Goldline control) | Interference between the control and the pump | Technician |
Sources: Hayward 1011786 manual, p. 27; Hayward TriStar VS 950 manual, p. 32; Hayward TriStar VS technical guide, pp. 36–38.
Drive is overheated, Heatsink overheated
Both mean the drive got too hot. Hayward says to check the motor's airflow path for obstructions and clear them, and to check the ambient temperature against the motor nameplate rating of 50°C (122°F) (Hayward 1011786 manual, p. 27; Hayward TriStar VS 950 manual, p. 32). The early-pump guide adds checking the fan and its shroud for blockage (Hayward TriStar VS technical guide, p. 36).
In the East Valley, a pad in full afternoon sun can get there. What you can do: clear leaves, dust, stored chemicals and anything else from around the motor vents, and keep the motor clean and dry. Hayward says not to hose the motor off with water (Hayward 1011786 manual, p. 22). Shade over the pad helps, as long as air can still move around the motor. If it overheats in the shade with clear vents, the drive or its fan is the next suspect, and that's a technician's job. See pool pump keeps shutting off.
Drive overload, Pump has stalled, Pump failed to start
These are the drive telling you the motor is hard to turn or won't turn.
- Drive overload: motor current is too high. Hayward says to check the impeller, diffuser, shaft seal and motor for any issues or binding (Hayward 1011786 manual, p. 27), and the VS 950 manual adds verifying the motor's connections to the drive (Hayward TriStar VS 950 manual, p. 32).
- Pump failed to start: the drive couldn't start the motor. It tries three times before showing Pump has stalled (Hayward TriStar VS 950 manual, p. 32).
- Pump has stalled: the drive lost control of the motor shaft's rotation. Hayward's checks are the same: impeller, diffuser, shaft seal and motor (Hayward 1011786 manual, p. 27).
The one part of this you can check is the strainer basket: turn the pump off at the breaker, and if the basket is packed, empty it. A stone or debris jammed in the impeller, a failed seal or a seized motor means taking the pump apart. See pump humming but not starting and pool pump not turning on.
Voltage messages
These are about the electricity reaching the pump:
- AC voltage too high / too low (VS 950): line voltage has risen above 270 VAC or dropped below 183 VAC. Hayward says line voltage should be within 10% of the pump's rating, 207 to 253 VAC, at the terminal block (Hayward TriStar VS 950 manual, p. 32).
- DC voltage too high / too low: the drive's internal DC voltage is out of range. Hayward's check is the same: verify the line voltage is within 10% of the pump's rating at the terminal block, and for "too low", that the power connections are properly made at the breaker and at the terminal block (Hayward 1011786 manual, p. 27). The VS 950 and early-pump manuals give different thresholds (395 and 270 VDC, against 400 and 230 VDC), which is one reason to use the manual for your model (Hayward TriStar VS 950 manual, p. 32; Hayward TriStar VS technical guide, p. 37).
Hayward's troubleshooting section also lists low voltage or a power drop at the motor, "frequently caused by undersized wiring", as a reason a pump shuts off, and says to have a qualified professional verify the electrical supply (Hayward 1011786 manual, p. 25). One message during a storm or an outage is the supply. If it keeps coming back, the voltage needs measuring at the pump while it runs. If the breaker itself keeps tripping, see pool pump tripping breaker.
Drive faults: processor, memory, communication, phase
These are the messages Hayward most often follows with "the motor/drive may need to be replaced":
- Motor phase lost: one of the motor's phases is open (Hayward 1011786 manual, p. 27).
- Processor failed, Memory failed and Drive comm failed: a problem inside the drive (Hayward 1011786 manual, p. 27).
- Defaults loaded (VS 950): the drive memory was temporarily corrupted (Hayward TriStar VS 950 manual, p. 32).
- Unknown opcode (early pumps): the drive software is corrupted (Hayward TriStar VS technical guide, p. 38).
- Communication failed: a communication problem between the display and the drive. Hayward says to verify the connections between them first (Hayward 1011786 manual, p. 27).
- Error code XX or Unknown error: the display received an error from the drive that it doesn't recognize (Hayward 1011786 manual, p. 27).
One reset is reasonable. If any of these comes back, the drive needs testing. When a TriStar VS motor or drive does need replacing, Hayward sells it as a "power end" assembly that keeps the strainer housing and plumbing in place. Whether that or a new pump is the better money is covered in repair or replace your pool pump.
Keypad stuck and Pool bridge comm
- Keypad stuck (early pumps): a button has been pressed for more than two minutes. Hayward says to turn the power off and press the buttons repeatedly to try to free it, and that the interface may need replacing if that doesn't work (Hayward TriStar VS technical guide, p. 37).
- Pool bridge comm shows on a connected Hayward or Goldline automation control, not on the pump. It means electrical noise from the pump's drive is interfering with the commands from the control (Hayward TriStar VS technical guide, p. 37). See pool automation repair.
When to call
Call when a message comes back after a reset, or when it's a stall, a drive fault, or a voltage message you can't explain with a storm. We read the message against Hayward's manual for your model, measure the voltage at the pump, and check the wet end, motor and drive before anyone talks about a new pump. You can look up your pump's parts in the Parts Finder.
If you don't know what's wrong, a diagnostic is $120, and it's credited toward your repair if you go ahead. Start from variable-speed pump repair, or answer a few questions in the Pool Problem Finder. A photo of the display and of the motor label helps.
Sources
Every Hayward statement above links to this list. Page numbers are the printed page numbers in each document.
- Hayward Industries, 2.70 THP VS Pump Family Owner's Manual (TriStar VS), 1011786 Rev B.
- Hayward Pool Products, TriStar VS 950 Owner's Manual, IS32950VSP Rev B.
- Hayward Pool Products, TriStar VS Technical Guide, Version 1 (2014).
Hayward, TriStar and Goldline are trademarks of Hayward Industries. They are named here only to identify equipment.