26' Intex - Planning, Install, Upgrades, and Landscaping Thread

I stopped by Home Depot and couldn't find a single adapter but I found two and got it connected.
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The only problem with having your gauge laying back like that is that the pressure relief port isn’t on the top, so when you open it to vent the gauge oil may leak out. Because of the way liquid filled gauges work they are very temperature sensitive and if you don’t vent it before you take a reading the pressure may vary by as much as 1 or 2 PSI between the morning when it’s cool and in the shade and the afternoon when it’s hot and in the sun.
 
The only problem with having your gauge laying back like that is that the pressure relief port isn’t on the top, so when you open it to vent the gauge oil may leak out. Because of the way liquid filled gauges work they are very temperature sensitive and if you don’t vent it before you take a reading the pressure may vary by as much as 1 or 2 PSI between the morning when it’s cool and in the shade and the afternoon when it’s hot and in the sun.
This is unfortunate. I didn't realize this when I bought the gauge. I read your message and watched the gauge and it swings by a lot. I really just wanted a gauge I could read without bending down. And preferably one that doesn't need venting before reading if the temp changes.

Time to look at McMaster I suppose.
 
This is unfortunate. I didn't realize this when I bought the gauge. I read your message and watched the gauge and it swings by a lot. I really just wanted a gauge I could read without bending down. And preferably one that doesn't need venting before reading if the temp changes.

Time to look at McMaster I suppose.

There was another thread about this recently and basically it came down to this:

All oil filled gauges require venting to compensate for temperature changes. However, oil filled gauges have a number of advantages, including lasting longer because the oil helps to prevent corrosion. A lot of people will just leave the vent open all of the time, but I’ve been hesitant to do that with mine because I’m afraid that water might get in when it rains. I may go ahead and try it anyway and see how it goes.

Non oil filled gauges are open to the atmosphere all the time, so there is no vent to open and they don’t have the same temperature issues. However, they tend not to last as long because moisture can get in and cause corrosion and damage the mechanism, and/or fog up the display.
 
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I cut the solar cover in half this weekend. It's easier to get on, which isn't saying much. Still a royal pain. I see why people give up on these and just pay to heat when desired. Such a waste...but the cover is such a pain. @Newdude was not kidding. I suspect we need to get a roller, or we too will give up the cover and just get a heater. It's easy enough to get off, but then you need to fold/roll it and move it off the grass, or it kills the grass in a single day... :rolleyes: And then unfolding it back onto the pool surface was a much longer process than I figured, even being in the pool.

I ordered and received a skimline 16' pole, seems fairly sturdy, $130, made in the USA which is always nice. Waiting on Amazon to ship the rest of the order which includes a Milliard vaccum head.

In other news the grass seed has started sprouting, the first shoots came up yesterday, more today.
 
When I had my old 15’ round intex pool I put some hooks like this on the side of the pool to hold the solar cover:

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(That’s just a random image from the internet. I couldn’t find any pics of the hooks on my old pool).

But you can pull the cover off and kind of accordion fold it onto the hooks, which will keep it off the grass and make it a bit easier to get it back on after swimming as well.

It’s still a pain, but it’s easier than trying to fold it and move it off the grass. I like the reel I have for my rectangular pool so much better, but a reel is difficult with a round pool.
 
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I have something very similar on my pool for the solar cover that @Brett S has pictured above. It's on the wall that faces the fence, so not visible to the rest of the yard. It makes pulling it on and off easy and keeps it off the ground. Not beautiful at all, but it is functional.
 
That’s a beautiful example of out of sight out of mind. And a nice workaround too !!
 

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I think i mentioned early in this thread i switched to an oversized solar cover and I'll never go back. I clip the cover on and never get a single leaf, bugs or dust in the pool.

Removal literally takes 3 minutes. I remove all clips except 2 that are directly across the pool from each other. This holds the cover in place while i fold it in half like a big taco, dirty top side folded over onto dirty top side. I made some pvc holders similar to the pics above, i just pull the now half circle shape cover onto the holders accordion style.

Placing the cover takes about the same time, it's just a matter of lifting the accordion back on the water, finding an edge and pulling it on hand over hand as i walk around the pool.

I struggled at first but when i figured out a technique that works for me it really is very easy and very quick. I'll gladly spend the 6 minutes per day if it saves the pounds of leaves and headaches trying to keep a spotless pool.

I never liked the idea of a solar real. The top of the cover is going to be dirty and the bottom clean. When it gets rolled up the clean bottom is going to be rolled up against the dirty top, unroll it and that stuff will end up in the pool.20200814_141700.jpg
 
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How did you attach the PVC holder to the pool?

Also, doesn't the oversize cover trap rain and then make it difficult to remove?
They're held on by zip ties high enough on the legs where the ties won't touch the pool wall, I was worried about chafing and wearing a hole over time.

I've become an expert siphoning water with an old 1" pool vacuum hose. A garden hose works too but it's very slow, a set it and forget it then come back in a few hours.
 
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Just in time for an over the top and incredibly detailed closing post, stuffed full of pics, right ? :epds:
Looking forward to that too. Will likely take down my Intex AGP here in Minnesota to store it for winter - but would like to do a bit more 'permanent' install next year and see if I can leave it up over the winter. With all the work @jseyfert3 put in, I'm guessing he's not taking it down...
 
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With all the work @jseyfert3 put in, I'm guessing he's not taking it down...
That is correct, I am not planning on taking it down. I do need to start thinking about the winterization process though.

The good thing is we do have a hot tub, which will stay operational year round. And is extremely enjoyable in the winter, so long as it's relatively calm out. I need to get a new cover ordered for that though. Being a homeowner with lots of projects means I'm never not busy. I wanted to relax yesterday, but the dryer wouldn't start. So I did some troubleshooting, found it was the door switch that failed. Of course I had to tear half the dryer apart to get the switch out. :rolleyes:
IMG_20200908_201616396.jpg

Maybe I'll actually get around to getting a new cover for the hot tub before winter truly hits! :LOL:
 
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