Just cut solar cover to fit!

[PoolGate]

okay, I just ordered an 18x36 for my pool. I really don't want a reel, just more stuff in the way. Cover will be on 4-5 days out of the week. Should I just cut my cover in 1/2's or 1/3rds, or leave it be if I have 2 people to take off? Georgia weather.

Thanks,
Ryan

My cover is 40+ by 23+ and I see no reason to have 2 people. I'll know later today when I take it off. I really didn't have any issue with my safety cover and this weighs like nothing. I was going to just roll it up and shove it under my stairs when not in use.

Also robot is done. There were a few issues.

When it climbed up the walls to do the sides and waterline, a few times it flipped itself backwards when the tires got traction on the top. It self-rights itself so it just ended up on the bottom and tried again.

Getting it out was somewhat of a challenge since I couldn't really see the robot to know if it was ready to be put into retrievable mode where it climbs up a wall and waits to be pulled out. It ended up on the far side of the pool which was a minor inconvenience.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

okay, I just ordered an 18x36 for my pool. I really don't want a reel, just more stuff in the way. Cover will be on 4-5 days out of the week. Should I just cut my cover in 1/2's or 1/3rds, or leave it be if I have 2 people to take off? Georgia weather.

Thanks,
Ryan

If i had a choice, I would have used a reel. Even with the cover rolled on the reel, I was able to pick up by myself and move it to the side of the house. At my new house, I reel wouldn't work.

The covers attach to the reel with clips on a nylon strap. These clips create an upward fold in the cover that I lined up with my skimmer on the side of the pool. This made it easy to rinse the leaves and dirt off the cover and straight into the skimmer, using the fold as a dam. Without the reel at my new house, all this junk ends up in the pool. Just something to consider if you have the means to install a reel.

Do your best to avoid cutting it. Your biggest challenge will be rolling or folding it to a manageable size. You will want to try to remove all water out of it before your roll it up...the water makes it heavy. With 2 people, you can probably fold the long sides in and pull the cover up onto the deck to finish rolling it up. When I cut mine, I left an overlap of about 8" which helps to keep the two pieces from moving independently. It works for me.

 

[Arizonarob]

There is a thread somewhere in this forum where the OP made a homemade device for rolling up his cover. He had his cut in two pieces, and it was a really great idea. See if you can find it.

 

[PoolGate]

So I had no issues at all removing and putting back on the solar cover. Took 5 minutes to take off and 10 to put back on. I stood on the sunshelf and rolled it up as I brought it towards me. When it was rolled all the way I folded it in 3. Dragged it on the deck not heavy at all. Putting back on was the reverse and took a little longer since I had to smooth out the bubbles when it was done.

 

[changeyez]

There is a thread somewhere in this forum where the OP made a homemade device for rolling up his cover. He had his cut in two pieces, and it was a really great idea. See if you can find it.

I think you're speaking of this thread. I have all the parts to build it this summer. I can't wait to try it out.

 

[PoolGate]

I think you're speaking of this thread. I have all the parts to build it this summer. I can't wait to try it out.

Honestly I think it would be more time and effort to roll it onto a roller than just pull it off by hand and stuff it in a deck box out of site.

 

[Meadow]

Also robot is done. There were a few issues.

When it climbed up the walls to do the sides and waterline, a few times it flipped itself backwards when the tires got traction on the top. It self-rights itself so it just ended up on the bottom and tried again.

Getting it out was somewhat of a challenge since I couldn't really see the robot to know if it was ready to be put into retrievable mode where it climbs up a wall and waits to be pulled out. It ended up on the far side of the pool which was a minor inconvenience.

^ditto... I got so excited when I received my 8 mil solar cover. But that excitement quickly turned into frustrations due to the following reasons.
1. I cut the cover into two pieces but the strong wind keeps blowing the darn thing out of our pool and into the deck. I sprayed water on top but that didn't help.
2. I normally walk around the pool to broadcast diluted MA when needed but that seems impossible now with the cover on.
3. For the very first time, my robot got stuck underneath the cover and flip upside down when it tries to climb the wall. The motor made loud continuous noise trying to push the solar cover upwards while in an upside-down position. I quickly turned the power off and perhaps had prevented an otherwise costly repair.
4. Our plumbed fill outlet when turned on is pushing the cover in disarray, followed by the strong wind and off it goes.

And oh, just this morning we saw a couple of birds taking their early morning bath in the puddle of water sitting on top of the cover. We enjoyed watching them, though. But not the feathers and droppings they left behind.

Anyway, no regrets here! At least I have proven that Solar Cover is not for me. :sad:

 

[PoolGate]

^ditto... I got so excited when I received my 8 mil solar cover. But that excitement quickly turned into frustrations due to the following reasons.
1. I cut the cover into two pieces but the strong wind keeps blowing the darn thing out of our pool and into the deck. I sprayed water on top but that didn't help.
2. I normally walk around the pool to broadcast diluted MA when needed but that seems impossible now with the cover on.
3. For the very first time, my robot got stuck underneath the cover and flip upside down when it tries to climb the wall. The motor made loud continuous noise trying to push the solar cover upwards while in an upside-down position. I quickly turned the power off and perhaps had prevented an otherwise costly repair.
4. Our plumbed fill outlet when turned on is pushing the cover in disarray, followed by the strong wind and off it goes.

And oh, just this morning we saw a couple of birds taking their early morning bath in the puddle of water sitting on top of the cover. We enjoyed watching them, though. But not the feathers and droppings they left behind.

Anyway, no regrets here! At least I have proven that Solar Cover is not for me. :sad:

I have already decided when the nighttime temps are in the 80s the cover goes away for the season. Another problem for me is when it is on the skimmers don't work and I remove it to a bunch of garbage in the water.

 

[Arizonarob]

I have already decided when the nighttime temps are in the 80s the cover goes away for the season. Another problem for me is when it is on the skimmers don't work and I remove it to a bunch of garbage in the water.

Yeah, that was one of my main fears about putting mine on. I would then have to just use it at night to retain the heat gathered during the day, then remove during pump times.

I might try leaving half the cover on during the day on a part of the pool away from the skimmer to see if it would help. Dunno.
Looks like I may end up just putting it up for sale in the end.

 

[Meadow]

I pulled out our 3 days old 16 x 32, 8 mil Solar Cover this morning. I rolled it neatly and intend to put it back in the original box later when it dries.

I am giving it away for FREE for those willing to pick it up. Shoot me a PM and I'll save it. Else, it's going in the trash!

The wind just won't let me keep the cover in place and I had enough! Here's how it looks like when I pulled it out this morning for good.

 

[PoolGate]

I pulled out our 3 days old 16 x 32, 8 mil Solar Cover this morning. I rolled it neatly and intend to put it back in the original box later when it dries.

I am giving it away for FREE for those willing to pick it up. Shoot me a PM and I'll save it. Else, it's going in the trash!

The wind just won't let me keep the cover in place and I had enough! Here's how it looks like when I pulled it out this morning for good.

I am really beginning to hate wind. When we moved into this house we thought it was kind of cool as we had never lived anywhere that was windy. But this constant all wind all the time grates on your nerves and is really limiting on what you can do outside. It isn't light wind either more like gale force with 20-30mph gust or higher. If I could get a home windmill it would cover a lot of my electrical usage. It is hard to have a cookout with constant wind, hard to sit and talk. Stuff on the pool deck blows into the water and all over the lawn. Leaves blow everywhere. etc etc etc. I really want to get some shade sales for the pool but I think they will have issues with the wind. The only really good thing about it is we have very little bugs. It isn't windy 100% of the time some days are calm as can be. But it is totally unpredictable. And mostly it is when the seasons change. We have had no Spring here at all either. Yesterday was a nice low 70s and today is low 50s. But, through all this I did not have any issues with the solar cover staying on the pool. Perhaps it is just where the wind hits your pool and lifts the cover. No issues like that with me but I am surprised there isn't. Too bad too these tops are very useful!

Also just to make sure - you cut your top so that it is totally touching the water surface right and not curling up the sides of the pool at all?

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Sorry it didn't work out for you Meadow. I read your previous post and saw your other issues with the cover. If it was just the wind you could probably add a few capped pvc pipes filled with water or sand to add some weight, but I get the feeling you're over it. My area is notorious for Santa Ana winds, but I'm far enough west and up the hill to avoid most of it. That said, I know what its like to chase my cover around my backyard.

Mike.

 

[Arizonarob]

I am really beginning to hate wind. When we moved into this house we thought it was kind of cool as we had never lived anywhere that was windy. But this constant all wind all the time grates on your nerves and is really limiting on what you can do outside. It isn't light wind either more like gale force with 20-30mph gust or higher. If I could get a home windmill it would cover a lot of my electrical usage. It is hard to have a cookout with constant wind, hard to sit and talk. Stuff on the pool deck blows into the water and all over the lawn. Leaves blow everywhere. etc etc etc. I really want to get some shade sales for the pool but I think they will have issues with the wind. The only really good thing about it is we have very little bugs. It isn't windy 100% of the time some days are calm as can be. But it is totally unpredictable. And mostly it is when the seasons change. We have had no Spring here at all either. Yesterday was a nice low 70s and today is low 50s. But, through all this I did not have any issues with the solar cover staying on the pool. Perhaps it is just where the wind hits your pool and lifts the cover. No issues like that with me but I am surprised there isn't. Too bad too these tops are very useful!

Also just to make sure - you cut your top so that it is totally touching the water surface right and not curling up the sides of the pool at all?

PG, don’t even get me started with the wind! Same here, back east it drove me bat bananas, there was never a friggin breeze when it was 90 and humid as a swamp. But, oh, it’s 75 and beautiful out? Well, here’s some wind to make it feel like 50!!! And, New England hasn’t had a spring (or a fall) in over a decade.

That’s one of the many things that drove me over the edge and get out!

Anywhoo, I had posted a suggestion in another thread regarding the sails for your backyard, but I think you got sidetracked with your neighbors pool.

https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/158564-Shade-Sails

 

[smooth2222]

Meadow, does the cover lay completely flat on the water everywhere? Also when you cut it, when you put it back onto your pool, if part of the cover is overlapping the other part, it gives the wind something to catch and lift it up. I would assume only half is flying away?

 

[Meadow]

Yes, to be honest the cover was cut into shape, laid flat and definitely no overlap. I spent all day on the first day ironing and massaging the cover using our nylon brush releasing air that was trapped underneath. I even sprayed water on top hoping the puddle of water will somehow make the cover heavier. But nope, the wind blows in all direction and I just can't keep up. If you may notice, we have a sunsetter retractable awning attached to the covered patio in the background to provide shade in the spa area and it was once collapsed by the wind. Also, we have to use hollow blocks to counterweight the umbrella in the sun shelf. No fun chasing your stuff in the neighbor's backyard though.

Anyway, I thank you all. Now I feel guilty for hijacking this thread...my apology :gone: