Chlorine levels and solar cover degradation

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J

Joan

0
May 1, 2012
11
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pool Size
22000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
I have been maintaining my own pool for 30 years. Each year I keep a solar cover on it from the late spring to early fall. Typically the solar cover lasts 2 to 3 seasons. When the pool is being used the cover is off and wrapped in a tarp from the sun. Later in the day the cover goes back on. For the past 30 years I have maintained a chlorine level between 2 to 4 in accordance other pool websites, local pool stores, etc. Periodically I would get some algae which was always very annoying to deal with. This season I decided to try TFP recommendations so with a starting CYA of 30 I maintained free chlorine levels between 4 and 6. I used some tricolor tabs at first this season but once the CYA hit 40 I switched to just liquid chlorine. I always had problems with the CYA getting way too high. So now it looks like with a CYA of 40 I should maintain target FC of 5 to 7.
The good news is I have had absolutely no algae, even with the water temperature reaching the high 80's. However my one year old Doheny solar cover is falling to pieces and every day there is a new tear. I have never in 30 years had a cover keep tearing in multiple places, one new tear a day! Usually the cover with disintegrate next to where the chlorine float sits (when I used tabs), but I never had random tears all over the cover.
When I add the liquid chlorine at night I peel back the cover near the jets, add it there, and then let the filter run on high of 2 hours. The tears however are throughout the entire cover.
So I am left to wonder if the higher chlorine levels are killing my solar cover, or whether this Doheny cover is just junk? I have not had this brand before.
Anyone else having a problem with their solar cover while maintain the TFP recommended chlorine levels?
 
Solar covers are consumables.

Buy the least expensive cover that works for you and plan to replace it as necessary.
 
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I keep my pool at the same levels you do, maybe 1 ppm lower, since I run a SWCG. I also bought my cover through Doheny (The mid range one).
I do not wrap my cover in the summer - it gets sun all day long, regardless of if it is on the pool or not. It also gets stored outside in the winter (but I do wrap it in a tarp for the winter)

My covers last about 3 seasons, and then the bubbles on them start to delaminate. I can tell it is time for a new one when my skimmer basket starts to collect what looks like dozens of tiny jellyfish.
 
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Joan said:
So now it looks like with a CYA of 40 I should maintain target FC of 5 to 7
Click to expand...
According to the FC/CYA Chart that is correct.

Joan said:
So I am left to wonder if the higher chlorine levels are killing my solar cover
Click to expand...
7 FC isn't really high. And the difference of keeping the pool 2-4 as in years past, and now 5-7 isn't really that big of a difference either. My guess is its more of the cover than the "high" chlorine. Many members here run chlorine higher than this and still get a solid three seasons out of a cheap cover.
 
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With CYA 40 and a FC of 7 your amount of ACTIVE chlorine is less the 0.1 ppm.

You should not just focus on what a HIGH level of fC without taking into account CYA's buffering of most of the chlorine.

This chart illustrates the amount of active chlorine you have depending on the CYA label...

HOCl.gif


Note the top blue line is 0 CYA. And see where the 7 FC line intersects between the orange and brown lines.

That is all the active chlorine you have.
 
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My solar cover lasts only 1 season. It begins to degrade at about the 4 month mark, with complete trashing by 6 months. This year I added it in April and yesterday I saw the beginning of tearing. Pretty typical for me. I don’t really care how long it lasts because it beats the gas bill I’d be paying to heat the pool. Also saves water. Also is a pain to pull on and off, but that’s just part of the deal. My pool doesn’t really allow for a reel, so can’t comment on that part.
 
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phonedave said:
I keep my pool at the same levels you do, maybe 1 ppm lower, since I run a SWCG. I also bought my cover through Doheny (The mid range one).
I do not wrap my cover in the summer - it gets sun all day long, regardless of if it is on the pool or not. It also gets stored outside in the winter (but I do wrap it in a tarp for the winter)

My covers last about 3 seasons, and then the bubbles on them start to delaminate. I can tell it is time for a new one when my skimmer basket starts to collect what looks like dozens of tiny jellyfish.
Click to expand...
Interesting about your Doheny mid range cover lasting 3 years. Mine is the Doheny 3200 clear with "micro bubbles". I had placed an order in the spring of 2021 for a Harris 16 mil clear cover since that was the one I was replacing and it lasted 3 years. After being backordered for several months I was shipped this Doheny cover which perplexed me why I did not received the cover I ordered. The claim was that Harris and Doheny had merged, and this cover was the equivalent. I am having my doubts.

This cover is noticeably more lightweight than the Harris and seems to be made of thinner material. I have not had a single bubble delaminate but the darn thing is tearing like crazy, the ends, the middle, you name it. I have never had a cover tear like this is 30 years! The bubbles delaminating was always what signaled the end of the useful like of previous covers, just like for you.

I am concluding this particular cover is Crud. I would have been happy with two seasons, but definitely not one!
 

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gingrbredman said:
According to the FC/CYA Chart that is correct.


7 FC isn't really high. And the difference of keeping the pool 2-4 as in years past, and now 5-7 isn't really that big of a difference either. My guess is its more of the cover than the "high" chlorine. Many members here run chlorine higher than this and still get a solid three seasons out of a cheap cover.
Click to expand...
I am thinking it is this new cover too. Oddly not a single bubble has delaminated, which always before been the failure point before when they started raining off like snow flakes! The basic material just seems thinner and therefore more prone to tearing. I have never had a problem with tearing before.
 
1Sammy said:
Solar blanket = MUST for a roller, OR replace much ahead of what could be a useful life. AND cover when on the roller.
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I wish I could use a roller! Unfortunately my pool has a very irregular shape and the surrounding decking is on 3 different levels because of the hillside. The size and complex shape caused us to cut the cover onto four sections, which we handle carefully and always cover when off.
 
kul said:
My solar cover lasts only 1 season. It begins to degrade at about the 4 month mark, with complete trashing by 6 months. This year I added it in April and yesterday I saw the beginning of tearing. Pretty typical for me. I don’t really care how long it lasts because it beats the gas bill I’d be paying to heat the pool. Also saves water. Also is a pain to pull on and off, but that’s just part of the deal. My pool doesn’t really allow for a reel, so can’t comment on that part.
Click to expand...
Sound like you and I and I share similar experiences!
 
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Joan said:
Interesting about your Doheny mid range cover lasting 3 years. Mine is the Doheny 3200 clear with "micro bubbles". I had placed an order in the spring of 2021 for a Harris 16 mil clear cover since that was the one I was replacing and it lasted 3 years. After being backordered for several months I was shipped this Doheny cover which perplexed me why I did not received the cover I ordered. The claim was that Harris and Doheny had merged, and this cover was the equivalent. I am having my doubts.

This cover is noticeably more lightweight than the Harris and seems to be made of thinner material. I have not had a single bubble delaminate but the darn thing is tearing like crazy, the ends, the middle, you name it. I have never had a cover tear like this is 30 years! The bubbles delaminating was always what signaled the end of the useful like of previous covers, just like for you.

I am concluding this particular cover is Crud. I would have been happy with two seasons, but definitely not one!
Click to expand...

That is strange, as that is the exact same cover I have - 28' cover (cut down to 27') 3200 series clear with micro bubbles.

I ordered it last year at the start of the season. It was on my pool all last season, spent the winter on the roller under a tarp, and has been on my pool all this season, including being attached to a roller in the middle, meaning there a holes poked in it, where mounting plates with string attached go, and it gets pulled up off the water with them. The only rip I have in it is where I had cut out for the railings on my stairs, and I pulled on it there by accident.
 
I'm just finishing year three with my solar cover. I have the cover on the pool most of the time and do not cover it when it's reeled up. About mid way thru the season I starting to see bubbles with water in them. I guess that means Santa is buying me a new cover for next year.
 
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sduda210 said:
I'm just finishing year three with my solar cover. I have the cover on the pool most of the time and do not cover it when it's reeled up. About mid way thru the season I starting to see bubbles with water in them. I guess that means Santa is buying me a new cover for next year.
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You are doing well then. That was my experience until this year!
 
I just saw this and thought I'd add my $0.02! :)

I haven't had a pool for 3 years and haven't bought a cover in maybe 4 years. We are waiting for our pool to get installed in hopefully 2 weeks and because living in NJ with trees around the yard the pool season is going to be extremely short but we purchased a solar cover to hopefully have not so cold water ... :ROFLMAO: Just as a reference I was following the TFP recommendations loosely with the last pool and usually got 3 years out of the solar cover. It got lumped on the floor when we used the pool and was not covered.

I found shopping for a cover this time around was interesting as most covers I saw were 8 mil thick vs the 12 mil for a "standard" one 4/5 years ago; I also found them very expensive. I shopped around trying to find descriptions of thickness on pool covers and a few places like Doheny didn't list the thickness just their "model number" (for lack of a better term). A couple of websites used the same type of model number reference on their covers so I just assumed they were the same. On one of my trips around the web researching I found a website that listed that a "1200" solar cover was not 12 mil thick but 8 mil and a "1600" was also 8 mil. My assumption was the model numbers were the thickness in mil so in my head I realized (could be wrong) that I need to know thickness. I ended up going to In The Swim and buying a 12 mil cover.

My point is it is possible that the cover you bought is a thinner version of what you thought you were getting. Since I had been following the TFP way I think this may have been the issue. I agree that buying a cheaper cover is the way to go; way back when I did buy solar covers that was the criteria I used and still got 3 years out of a 12 mil cover. I will also say that getting 3 years out of a $150 cover is better than getting 1 year out of a $79 cover (good luck finding that cheap of a cover!:() Ultimately, I paid about $150 for a solar cover for my new pool which was more than I expected to pay ... hopefully I get more than 1 full season out of it.
 
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VinnyinNJ said:
I just saw this and thought I'd add my $0.02! :)

I haven't had a pool for 3 years and haven't bought a cover in maybe 4 years. We are waiting for our pool to get installed in hopefully 2 weeks and because living in NJ with trees around the yard the pool season is going to be extremely short but we purchased a solar cover to hopefully have not so cold water ... :ROFLMAO: Just as a reference I was following the TFP recommendations loosely with the last pool and usually got 3 years out of the solar cover. It got lumped on the floor when we used the pool and was not covered.

I found shopping for a cover this time around was interesting as most covers I saw were 8 mil thick vs the 12 mil for a "standard" one 4/5 years ago; I also found them very expensive. I shopped around trying to find descriptions of thickness on pool covers and a few places like Doheny didn't list the thickness just their "model number" (for lack of a better term). A couple of websites used the same type of model number reference on their covers so I just assumed they were the same. On one of my trips around the web researching I found a website that listed that a "1200" solar cover was not 12 mil thick but 8 mil and a "1600" was also 8 mil. My assumption was the model numbers were the thickness in mil so in my head I realized (could be wrong) that I need to know thickness. I ended up going to In The Swim and buying a 12 mil cover.

My point is it is possible that the cover you bought is a thinner version of what you thought you were getting. Since I had been following the TFP way I think this may have been the issue. I agree that buying a cheaper cover is the way to go; way back when I did buy solar covers that was the criteria I used and still got 3 years out of a 12 mil cover. I will also say that getting 3 years out of a $150 cover is better than getting 1 year out of a $79 cover (good luck finding that cheap of a cover!:() Ultimately, I paid about $150 for a solar cover for my new pool which was more than I expected to pay ... hopefully I get more than 1 full season out of it.
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Excellent $.02. I am certain the Doheny 3200 we received was not even close to the 16 mil in thickness that we had ordered - a Harris. Maybe 12 mil but maybe even less, it is so thin! We never had tears like this with true 16 mil covers.

I see Harris covers still are for sale so I am thinking the claim that Harris merged with Doheny and they could not send us the cover we ordered was BS.

I have also learned that polyethylene covers (which this is) are more likely to tear. However when I search covers they will either not tell you what they are made of, or will state it is polyethylene. Polypropylene is supposed to be stronger, but more difficult to roll or fold. At this point I would prefer that, if I could find one! Our older covers were harder to roll and fold, but still did not present a problem.

I think this business with "series numbers" is just a way to confuse consumers as to what thickness the cover is. As you discovered a "1200" is really a 8 mil not a 12 mil. That makes a huge difference!

Also the warranties are a joke. They now exclude every way the cover could fail other than a "manufacturers defect". The "7 year cover" will if you are very, very lucky last 3 years. If you can get then to honor the warranty, you get stuck with shipping. In 2015 a Leisure Living 16 mil cover with a 10 year, 3 year full warranty we had failed after 2 years. They replaced it but I had to pay $77 for shipping!
 
Joan said:
Excellent $.02. I am certain the Doheny 3200 we received was not even close to the 16 mil in thickness that we had ordered - a Harris. Maybe 12 mil but maybe even less, it is so thin! We never had tears like this with true 16 mil covers.

I see Harris covers still are for sale so I am thinking the claim that Harris merged with Doheny and they could not send us the cover we ordered was BS.

I have also learned that polyethylene covers (which this is) are more likely to tear. However when I search covers they will either not tell you what they are made of, or will state it is polyethylene. Polypropylene is supposed to be stronger, but more difficult to roll or fold. At this point I would prefer that, if I could find one! Our older covers were harder to roll and fold, but still did not present a problem.

I think this business with "series numbers" is just a way to confuse consumers as to what thickness the cover is. As you discovered a "1200" is really a 8 mil not a 12 mil. That makes a huge difference!

Also the warranties are a joke. They now exclude every way the cover could fail other than a "manufacturers defect". The "7 year cover" will if you are very, very lucky last 3 years. If you can get then to honor the warranty, you get stuck with shipping. In 2015 a Leisure Living 16 mil cover with a 10 year, 3 year full warranty we had failed after 2 years. They replaced it but I had to pay $77 for shipping!
Click to expand...
In the past I treated these as throw away but unfortunately it seems they have become too throwaway! I tend not to test the warranties on "inexpensive" pool items because of the whole shipping costs, I usually try to rationalize the cost per year. I did the same with winter covers as well except once I only got 1 winter before the cover basically disintegrated and I called up and they sent me another cover free of charge. But it's one thing to pay around $100 and get 3 years out of a cover vs $200 and get 1 1/2 years or less. As a consumer and not working in the industry all we can do is try and not get ripped off!
 

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