Solar cover / blanket quality buyer beware

[tacoma5050]

Beware not all 12 mil covers are the same thickness or quality!!

I recently purchased my third 12 mil solar cover. The previous two both lasted 5-6 years. Both my previous covers and the new one had 7 year warranties. But I ordered this new blanket from a different supper because it was a little cheaper.

When the new one arrived I knew immediately something was wrong as I could lift it very easy, where as with my last two I could not handle it as easily, so I suspected the new one weighed less. Then, when rolling out the new cover it was undoubtedly thinner and more flimsy than my past two covers.

I called the supplier and they assured me I received a 12 mil cover.

So I borrowed a digital micrometer (accurate to 0.1mm) from an engineer friend. I measure my old 12 mil cover and to my surprise it was 24 mil, but if I measured the thickness of the top layer and bottom layer where a bubble has been cut in half, then each layer was 12 mil. On my new cover, the total thickness was only 12 mil and each layer was only 6 mil. So my suspicion was confirmed, this new 12 mil blanket was half the thickness of my previous two!

There were many weeks of discussions with supplier, they told me things like:
“12 mil doesn’t really mean 12 mil” and
“You can only measure the thickness with a laser micrometer” and
“we weighed the blanket before we shipped it and it is the correct weight”
etc, etc.
Finally I told them: “order a 12 mil sample from my previous supplier and compare it to your 12 mil cover, the difference in quality and thickness will be undeniably noticeable”. A few days after they received the sample they agreed to refund my money in full. I am not sure if they are pulling that blanket from their inventory, or if they just want me to go away.

Bottom line: Always request a sample before you buy a solar cover.

 

[amjohn]

Can you tell us who the old and new manufacturers are (I realize suppliers change what they carry, so manufacturer is more useful)? 12 mil is my thickness of choice as well. Mine was manufactured by Midwest Canvas, and it is heavy. I bought it from Amerimerc, though I do not think they are still carrying that brand. I am curious which brand yours was before and the less weighty one now.

 

[tacoma5050]

The good previous covers were made by Midwest Canvas as well, at least that's what InTheSwim tells me.

For the bad cover, I do not want to give the retailer "bad press" since they made good on the deal and gave me a full refund, they were curtious and I think they were a victum of a bad supplier. One of the techs told me that he thought their covers came from a supplier called NTI.

Can you tell us who the old and new manufacturers are (I realize suppliers change what they carry, so manufacturer is more useful)? 12 mil is my thickness of choice as well. Mine was manufactured by Midwest Canvas, and it is heavy. I bought it from Amerimerc, though I do not think they are still carrying that brand. I am curious which brand yours was before and the less weighty one now.

 

[JohnT]

Plastic thickness in mils is not millimeters, it is thousandths of an inch.

 

[amjohn]

Thanks for checking on manufacturers. I think I had beginner's luck on my cover purchase, because I had no idea what I was ordering, and had never heard of Midwest Canvas, but I am very pleased with mine. I read the troubles other people have with bubbles bursting, etc. I am not kind to mine at all, and I have had one (1) bubble burst. I also had to cut it up, and have not had to tape the edges- even the raw open bubble edges hold just fine on their own. I am pretty sure I will stick with that brand. Sorry you had a bad experience. We all get to learn the hard way sometimes (mine was on chemicals). Glad to hear that the seller made good. That happens less and less these days.