Feedback/ recommendations on solar cover and reel.

[blakeusa]

I have a new 20x40 free form gunite pool. My heating off my central boiler outdoor wood furnace works great. Had the pool in CT up to 95 on Fri night for my son's 21'st b-day party.

Looking for recommendations on a solar cover and reel. i.e. Thickness, brand, suestppliers, colors etc/

What works best if I plan on keeping covered when not using and at night?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.


Blake

 

[lbridges]

I have a Rocky's Roller and a 12mil clear cover for a 16X36 and think it works reasonably well for all the family to use (no small children though). Acquired mine through solarcovers.com (also known as LeisureLiving I believe). When FedEx was doing their best to screw up delivery the company put their weight to the issue with FedEx and it showed up PDQ. YMMV.

 

[ride525]

I have an older solar reel, which I've had for years, and don't know the name.

I just purchased a solar cover (12 mil) also, from SolarCovers/LeisureLiving and had good experience with them when there was a problem. The cover is a darker blue than the previous covers I had in the past, which I like. Some say covers thicker than 12 mil are harder to roll up, but I have always just purchased 12 mil covers, which are lucky to last 3 years.

Make sure to keep your cover covered with a white cover when it is rolled up, so it does not overheat in the sun.

 

[J20832]

I have a 16 mil, supposedly clear, but it is really silver. Anyway, it is very heavy, falling apart (bubbles disintegrating), and only 3 years old on an 8 year warranty. I would steer clear and buy a thinner cover since most people report a similar life expectancy anyway. I had even used a winter cover for the cover (which made a nice nest for yellow jackets in early spring before opening!

This is the cover I have.

http://www.intheswim.com/Pool-Cover...l-Ultra-Clear-Solar-Heating-Blankets/#reviews

For the reel, I don't think the one I have is available anymore. One upgrade I made was to replace the 1" casters with 8" so I can go over the diving board and roll on rocky terrain more easily. In retrospect, I think a reel that fits under the diving board would have made more sense and saved the cost of the upgrading.

Hope that helps!