Solar Cover - How do you get it in place?

[dpool]

Okay - for us AGP owners we have the unique position - literally - of standing with the SOLAR COVER at waist or chest high depending on our pool depth.

So, how do you get your solar covers ON?

Now, when it's actually warm enough in my area to be in the pool the last person out of the pool sort of drags the thing behind them as they get out and up the ladder.

What I'm looking for is how to do it WITHOUT being in the pool.

Last summer I made my own SOLAR COVER 'reel' so pulling it off isn't that big of a deal but getting it back on is more hassles and often DOESN'T get put back.

I'm thinking it has to do with rope and maybe some more PVC piping.

Let me know.

dpool

 

[Crzyfrlss1]

I'm interested in seeing some tips on this as well.

What I do is put it on rolled up and sort of spread it out while walking around the pool, takes a bit of time but does eventually work out.

Roll it up from one side to take off.

 

[MikeInTN]

Before I installed a reel this year, I would manhandle the cover over the edge of the pool, and and then walk around the edge, pulling the cover out until I had it to the edges. Yes, it was a PITA to do.

Now, I have my reel off of the end of the pool, and I just start unrolling it and keep going side to side, feeding the cover onto the surface of the pool, until I have roughly 1/2 to 2/3 on the surface of the pool. I then grab the front edge and pull it into place. Still kind of a PITA, but much less than before.

FWIW, I've seen a center pull rope on a pool supply website that you attach to your cover to help pull it off a reel and onto the pool suface.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Ours is centered on the pool so here's what I do.

1. Swing reel & cover over pool.[/*:m:2eg4yshp]
2. Place equipment pole with net in easy reach.[/*:m:2eg4yshp]
3. Slowly unroll cover untill a small part of it lays on the water.[/*:m:2eg4yshp]
4. Use pole to straighten cover out.[/*:m:2eg4yshp]
5. Lay net on cover with pole end on shoulder.[/*:m:2eg4yshp]
6. Slowly unroll cover using pole to guide it into place as you unroll.[/*:m:2eg4yshp]
7. Flatten out cover with net once completely unrolled.[/*:m:2eg4yshp]
8. Put away pole.[/*:m:2eg4yshp]

Our cover kind of floats into place with very little coaxing once you get it started off the reel. The biggest thing i have to do is keep it from folding onto itself while unrolling but I find that by laying one end of the pole on my shoulder and the net on the cover I can use one hand to gently guide the cover off the reel.