Pool cover question

[Thurge]

Hello,

Today I drilled a hole for the anchors that will hold my safety cover in place. It seems the hole is a little too big. The anchor comes out easily. I'm sure I bought the right sized bit. Does anyone have a suggestion on what I should do about this?

Thanks in advance...

 

[Texas Splash]

I wonder if you could slip something like a thin piece of wood or plastic in between the anchor and hole. Something like that in hopes it will hold the anchor in place once tightened. Same concept of people who slip a toothpick in a hole for a loose screw. The only other thing I can think of would be resorting to a helicoil, but that would require drilling-out the hole a bit more to accommodate the helicoil.

 

[Bperry]

Hello,

Today I drilled a hole for the anchors that will hold my safety cover in place. It seems the hole is a little too big. The anchor comes out easily. I'm sure I bought the right sized bit. Does anyone have a suggestion on what I should do about this?

Thanks in advance...

You could add some hydraulic cement in the hole before installing it. Generally the anchors are supposed to be pressed in with a decent amount of force.

 

[newdude]

My holes were a skootch too big when my cover was installed at the end of last season and I had every intention of filling them with polymeric sand to match the rest of the patio. I just realized yesterday while emptying the skimmers and walking around out there, 7 full months into this season, that I never once saw or thought about the minor gaps.

They can wiggle a little in the hole without harm. All of the cover force is lateral and there is zero upwards force on them.

 

[Thurge]

My holes were a skootch too big when my cover was installed at the end of last season and I had every intention of filling them with polymeric sand to match the rest of the patio. I just realized yesterday while emptying the skimmers and walking around out there, 7 full months into this season, that I never once saw or thought about the minor gaps.

They can wiggle a little in the hole without harm. All of the cover force is lateral and there is zero upwards force on them.

Mine is so loose that they spin when you try to turn the Allen key to raise or lower the hook pin. I was thinking about using some kind of adhesive. I like the sand idea but I'm not sure how to make it work.

 

[JamesW]

What size is the drill bit?

Do you have pictures?

How many holes have been drilled?

 

[newdude]

Mine is so loose that they spin when you try to turn the Allen key to raise or lower the hook pin.

That's OK because you only touch them twice a year. Apply a little sideways pressure to the allen key and lift the anchor out. Open or close the screw at waist high and put the anchor back.

 

[sande005]

Mine is so loose that they spin when you try to turn the Allen key to raise or lower the hook pin. I was thinking about using some kind of adhesive. I like the sand idea but I'm not sure how to make it work.

As mine have aged, they tend to get that way - one here, one there. I've used epoxy to glue them back into the hole, and it is very robust in resisting the twisting forces later when unscrewing. Just take care that you don't use so much it "gooshes" out of the hole and glues the threaded portion you unscrew to the body....
I may be in trouble in future years, if the threaded portion binds due to dirt/corrosion, and the hex head rounds out. Might be a big issue to get the whole thing out for replacement. But heat will soften epoxy, so getting the torch out will likely resolve the future issue, if it occurs....

 

[Bperry]

As mine have aged, they tend to get that way - one here, one there. I've used epoxy to glue them back into the hole, and it is very robust in resisting the twisting forces later when unscrewing. Just take care that you don't use so much it "gooshes" out of the hole and glues the threaded portion you unscrew to the body....
I may be in trouble in future years, if the threaded portion binds due to dirt/corrosion, and the hex head rounds out. Might be a big issue to get the whole thing out for replacement. But heat will soften epoxy, so getting the torch out will likely resolve the future issue, if it occurs....

Be careful with a torch around concrete. Heating with a torch can inflate small air pockets under the surface and create little (and sometimes not so little) explosions that shoot a piece of hard rock at you or your small child’s friend when they are standing around watching. Then you have to explain to your sons, friends father why they have a bleeding wound on their leg…