Autocover opening crooked

[jmlodin]

Our autocover closes evenly on the shallow end but is opening very crooked on the deep end. Is this something that we can fix on our own or do we need to call in the "professionals"? Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks

 

[8corneflakes]

ours did that when we opened this summer. We looked in our manual and there was very detailed instruction on how to correct it. It is just a matter of adjusting a lever thingy right or left. We have an aquamatic cover. Certainly didn't warrant a professional.

 

[harleysilo]

Our autocover closes evenly on the shallow end but is opening very crooked on the deep end. Is this something that we can fix on our own or do we need to call in the "professionals"? Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks

Are you saying that when it is rolled up it is crooked (as in one side more rolled up than the other, or closer to the pit than the other?

What brand?

 

[jmlodin]

Unfortunately there are no troubleshooting hints in our manual, just says to call them if there are problems!! I don't think they want us fixing anything on our own! It is a cover from a company in Fishers Indiana called Automatic Pool Covers. I am guessing it is not rolling up straight since it is way off at the back. It is an under track cover with a covered pit area where the cover is. We can open the back area but my husband does not know what to look for to make an adjustment to get it to open straight. Ideas?

 

[8corneflakes]

we looked into that company as well. Our cover is an undermount with a vault too. I took a scan of the instruction page that tells how to adjust it. not sure if it will help you. Maybe they are similar even though they are from different manufacturers.

 

[jmlodin]

Thank you so much for posting that! I will have my husband take a look and let you know if we get it fixed. I hope so!

 

[divepool]

ON the Aquamatic pool covers before making any adjustment with the cover closed, walk on the cover at the deep end this will shift the cover material and will most likely fix your issue.

Aquamatic cover systems have an equilizer pully system for the ropes in the center of the vault back wall, look at the top back of the cover in the middle of the vault with a flash light if dark, you will see this pully system. It should be in the middle when closed and will move from one side of or the other to help keep the cover pulling stright. Watch to see what the pully does as you open and close the cover.

I bet that the walking on the cover to release extra material out and reroll correctly will fix your issue.

 

[divepool]

Sorry mis read the MFG, the drawing above is also by the looks of it for a Aquamatic. I installed this cover system on my pool. I also looked at the Automatic cover system but did nto like it for the reason you are explaning. Your cover has the electric motor at the pools edge where as the Aquamatic uses a slave Hyd pump at the pools edge and a pump assy at the equipment pad.

Adjustment is very simular to the picture above.

Still try the walking on the pool cover first.

 

[jjslinger]

I also have an aquamatic cover.

It is very difficult to make the skew adjustment perfect. The manual says that 2 or 3 inches is okay, and I never try to get any better than that, it is just too time consuming and it drifts away within a month or so anyhow.

 

[swimcmp]

I have been installing Aquamatic for 15 years, never have I had anyone from the factory tell me to walk on the cover to release the extra material and then run it back. I will have to try that and see. But jjslinger something isn't right if it is getting out of adjustment that often. I have covers that I don't adjust except when we install new covers on them, then usually only have to adjust maybe once or twice in the first month then good unless a rope breaks .

 

[jjslinger]

But jjslinger something isn't right if it is getting out of adjustment that often. I have covers that I don't adjust except when we install new covers on them, then usually only have to adjust maybe once or twice in the first month then good unless a rope breaks .

My cover is now about 9 months old.

There seems to be a bit of "backlash" or "hysterisis" in the skew adjustment. If I'm 3 inches off, and I slide the plate 1/4 inch and try again, nothing might happen. Then I silde another 1/4 inch, and it's overshot by 3 inches. I slide the other way 1/4 inch and nothing happens. Etc. I'm not unhappy. The manual says 3 inches is okay, and that's about what I end up with. After a couple months, it might drift to 6 inches, then I set it back to about 3 inches, and I'm good for another couple months.

If you have some advise on how to make this better, I would be interested to hear it. I plan to have the service guys out sometime this year just to doublecheck everything.

Don

 

[swimcmp]

Not sure without seeing it first hand but I believe something has to be installed out of square. Measure an x from end of track to end of track. Check width on both ends, check length of both tracks.

 

[jjslinger]

Not sure without seeing it first hand but I believe something has to be installed out of square. Measure an x from end of track to end of track. Check width on both ends, check length of both tracks.

Thanks swimcmp. I will do as you say and start a new post, I don't want to hijack the OP's post anymore.

Don

 

[jmlodin]

Wow it worked! We took the suggestion to first walk on the cover to fix the misalignment and it took care of it. It is not perfect, but much better than it was so THANK YOU!