Based on my understanding on the documentation: http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/uikit/reference/UIRefreshControl_class/Reference/Reference.html
Tells the control that a refresh operation was started programmatically. ... Call this method when an external event source triggers a programmatic refresh of your table.
I think it is not used to start a refresh operation, rather it is just for updating the refresh control status that it is currently refreshing, in which it will make the refresh control spinning. The purpose will be to avoid the user pulling the table view and trigger the refresh operation again while it is still refreshing.
So you should call the refreshView: method by yourself.