November 1 and I want to run the robot one last time

[rdshackleford]

Here we are in eastern PA, November 1 and, as usual, I am finally getting around to winterizing the pipes. Put the security cover on a month ago, and did all the rest of the closing activities; final cleaning, chems, pump shutdown/drain/removal, etc.

As I peeled back the security cover to get access to the skimmer, secondary suction port, and the return line, I noticed a depressing number of leaves down there in the water. My security cover, as tight as it seems, will let in the leaves with strong gusts of wind. Anyone else notice this?

Has anyone run their robot underneath a security cover? Is there any danger to the robot in doing so?

Sigh,
-R

 

[samt]

That happens to me also with my loop loc cover. I also put it on a month before I blow the lines. Before I blow the lines, I bring it up to shock level. In the spring when I open it and test the water, it still has chlorine in it. So I don't worry about the leaves anymore.

I once thought about correcting the problem with the leaves getting under the cover like that and my solution was to line the under edge of the cover with a garden hose or 3/4 rope. In my case I think that would have done the trick. I just never tried that though. It opens clear and a good vacuuming it's ready to go.

 

[rdshackleford]

Thanks, I hear ya. In my case, I don't think anything less than those darn water bags would keep the leaves out. Which defeats half the benefit of the security cover, IMO.

I don't mind the robot going in for a nice mid-November cleaning. The user manual says it can operate down to 43F. I just don't want to somehow get it wedged into the cover, or have either the cover or the robot damaged. Naturally with the cover on, it is difficult to monitor the robot's progress.

-R

 

[rdshackleford]

Nov 4 and 75 degrees here in southeast PA. Spartacus the robot is out on an undercover recon mission to bring back as many leaves as possible. Brave Spartacus; I wish him luck.

-R

 

[samt]

Nov 4 and 75 degrees here in southeast PA. Spartacus the robot is out on an undercover recon mission to bring back as many leaves as possible. Brave Spartacus; I wish him luck.

-R

LOL.... Run silent Run deep Spartacus

 

[rdshackleford]

He survived the mission and came up with a booty of leaves and brownish dirty filters. I think the brown color was broken up leaf particles, mainly. FC is down from 21 to 14 in the last 3 weeks with the cover on. I'm wishing I had a good way to get some bleach in there without removing the cover.

 

[samt]

He survived the mission and came up with a booty of leaves and brownish dirty filters. I think the brown color was broken up leaf particles, mainly. FC is down from 21 to 14 in the last 3 weeks with the cover on. I'm wishing I had a good way to get some bleach in there without removing the cover.

You need a trolling motor.

 

[rdshackleford]

With my luck, a trolling motor would immediately break loose and tear the liner. In the end, I went with a simple process of diluting the bleach in a bucket, pouring it in one end and then the other, and then trying to stir things up by scooping up buckets full of water and pouring them back in. I alternated doing this in the deep and shallow corners. Several days later, the FC numbers were up to my liking.

-R
p.s. Since the pool was so squeaky clean and it was such an unusuably warm day for eastern PA in November, I took a final dip into the uncovered deep end corner last Friday. A new record for me.