Preach. Feel free to buy/rent things as needed with all the savings.
26' Intex - Planning, Install, Upgrades, and Landscaping Thread
- Thread starter jseyfert3
- Start date
I should take a picture of all the new tools I bought during the course of this project!Preach. Feel free to buy/rent things as needed with all the savings.
Ha. You’ve been filling us in during the journey. Nailguns and whatnot. And next time you already have them all.
hehe on waiting to the last min THEN it being harder than you thought it would be! Been there done that!
Electrical inspector came out just now. I got a little worried when he tapped on the pool uprights and said "these are plastic then?" and I replied "no, powder coated metal". I thought he might say they need to be bonded, dispite NEC not requiring bonding on storable pools and our emails back in February (which I assume he wouldn't remember).
But, that was that, he made no other comments on it, checked the electrical wiring back to the main breaker panel, said all was good. I asked if someone else needed to come do the final pool inspection, and he said that no, he could do that and note that he had performed that. He checked all the gates were lockable, said everything was good and I could take down the permit from where it was displayed in our front window and file it.
Pool is back up to 80 today, and we've got some family coming for the weekend. Will be a good weekend!
But, that was that, he made no other comments on it, checked the electrical wiring back to the main breaker panel, said all was good. I asked if someone else needed to come do the final pool inspection, and he said that no, he could do that and note that he had performed that. He checked all the gates were lockable, said everything was good and I could take down the permit from where it was displayed in our front window and file it.
Pool is back up to 80 today, and we've got some family coming for the weekend. Will be a good weekend!
Mail it to the crummy neighbor with a note that says because she liked looking at it so much that you thought she should keep it as a momento.
I have the same setup (skimmer and Intex cleaner). When I upgraded to a new filter and pump it moved enough volume to have 2 returns so I was able to run the Intex cleaner and an eyeball for circular water circulation at the same time. I don't know if the Intex filter and pump you have moves enough water to do that, mine didn't anyway.
The same goes for adding a second skimmer. There is a chance that having 2 skimmers and a small pump that there won't be enough flow to each one that they will pull leaves in.
I think I'm going to get a manual vacuum for the pool. The Intex auto cleaner works okay, but can't get grit/small debris at the rounded edges of the pool (leaves at the edge eventually get "blasted" via the water jets that moves the cleaner and picked up when they settle in a different location). Plus after a storm there's a lot of stuff to pick up since it's under so many trees. People say get the roller vacuums, but are while fast, do they work okay at the edges of a round pool? Or should I just get one of those basic "triangle" vacuum heads? Or should I get two, the roller head for quickly cleaning the bottom after a storm, and a triangle or similar head for cleaning the edge of the pool?
Also any better or worse poles to get for a vacuum head/net or are they all about the same quality?
It took me 15 minutes to put the solar cover on myself the first time. I was trying from inside the pool the second time myself, and it wasn't much easier. While a reel is probably best, it also probably is at least a minor project to get it to work with an Intex pool. I've ran out of desire to add additional pool projects this year, so I'm pretty sure I'll just cut the cover into halves or perhaps even quarters, so it's easily managed. Otherwise without a reel it won't get used, which is a shame, as it's crazy how fast the pool cools off with the cover on cool nights. Cooling is drastically slowed with the cover, and hence the pool water stays much warmer.
Also any better or worse poles to get for a vacuum head/net or are they all about the same quality?
It took me 15 minutes to put the solar cover on myself the first time. I was trying from inside the pool the second time myself, and it wasn't much easier. While a reel is probably best, it also probably is at least a minor project to get it to work with an Intex pool. I've ran out of desire to add additional pool projects this year, so I'm pretty sure I'll just cut the cover into halves or perhaps even quarters, so it's easily managed. Otherwise without a reel it won't get used, which is a shame, as it's crazy how fast the pool cools off with the cover on cool nights. Cooling is drastically slowed with the cover, and hence the pool water stays much warmer.
I have heard just as many yays as nays with the roller vacs. I went with the triangle and it works for me, just slowly.
There is a huge difference. The freebie that came with the pool (well, for $60k) was utter garbage. Weak and bendy and it snapped on year 2. You won't be nearly as extended as me, but still, get a HD one from the start and it will last forever. I got mine from the pool store and its the one their guys use. Its aluminum so still lightweight VS the HD fiberglass pole, but its twice as thick as the cheap one. I'm sorry I dont have a part # but search for HD.
Cut strips and not Pizza slices. You'll have to get in for pizza slices and good luck getting out without messing up the middle.
Everyone agrees they work great and most agree they are a PITA. 5 years was enough for me.
Also I was just reminded due to another thread, The triangle vac has brushes and more often than not it kills 2 birds with one stone. I almost never have to brush because of it. Squeaky clean all the time.
JoeSelf
Gold Supporter
I have not brushed since I set the pool up in June. Don't even have a brush yet...
Speaking from experience? I'm not visualizing how strips would work better than pizza slices. I am hoping that just cutting in half makes it easy enough that that's all I need to do. I wrestled it back on this morning so that hopefully I could trim/cut it this evening, man what a pain that was!
You can tug them from either side to make the seams line up. Once the pizza point goes in it will float where it wants to and you can no longer reach it if need be. 2 pieces is probably prefect for you. I have big pool brain and naturally think that direction. Sorry. Lol.
Great point. Again I have big pool brain and vac my walls too. Wasn’t even thinking it wouldn’t work for all. My bad # 2.
Another day, some more progress. Worked more on filling up the trench. Nearly all full, mostly just cleaning up the last of the loose dirt now, spreading it evenly, and planting some grass seed. Oh, and then trying to keep out dog out of it while it grows...
Exactly! Plus dug up grass clods are his favorite thing to eat, try as I can to keep him from grabbing them he'll sneak one if I'm not looking...
The "freebie" that came with my pool from Intex is too short to reach the center of my pool without getting in, so it's kinda worthless. At least yours was usable for 2 years.
Do you know what brand it is? I'm seeing an ad on amazon for a ProTuff 16' one. Looks like it's built heavier and instead of twist lock it has spring loaded pins and holes for extending and retracting it. But it's $150, or 3x more than the US Pools "regular" 16' pole. But if it lasts forever then I suppose it's worth it.
How extended is your pole normally? Are you normally on one side? I need at least a 16' pole myself, to reach the middle, and I'd still have to walk around the sides. I figure with a 16' pole I could vac maybe to half the pool without moving.
Also I need to get a leaf blower so I can blow leaves off the solar cover before removing the cover.
The "freebie" that came with my pool from Intex is too short to reach the center of my pool without getting in, so it's kinda worthless. At least yours was usable for 2 years.
It has no markings so I have no idea. When the old one snapped I just went to my store and told them to order me the one they used that I saw the startup guy with. It was $100 (double) and i was happy to pay it. It has a twist lock but its bigger and beefier, about 4 inches long.
The rechargeable ones have come a long way if you dont have extensive needs for it in the rest of the yard.
JoeSelf
Gold Supporter
I have an older 40 volt Kolbalt blower and weed wacker (same battery). But I like them a lot. The new ones look different. Use them because of a rotator cuff tear. That's what happens when your blower & trimmer won't start and you get mad and just pull away.
Yeah I know. I'm already invested in the Ryobi 40 V system for lawn tools. I have the 20" lawn mower, straight shave trimmer with attachment capability, pole saw attachment for trimmer power head, and a 14" chainsaw, along with three batteries. All work very well. I had been considering the blower attachment for the trimmer head just to do minor things like clean off sidewalks after mowing/trimming or get some leaves out of the rocks around my house, but hadn't decided yet.
If I want something for the pool, I should probably spend the money to get the standalone blower instead of the trimmer blower attachment, as it would be a lot more powerful. Actually...yeah, I totally should just get the standalone blower. Without a battery the standalone blower is $99, and the trimmer blower attachment is $75, and I have to swap it out with the trimmer head every time I need it.
Ouch. But yeah, I do really like my electric lawn tools. I think the Kobalt 40 V stuff is fairly equivilent to the Ryobi 40 V stuff.