New options for my solar cover

[chrysrobyn]

My mother-in-law in going to share our pool with us. She's 70 this year and can't responsibly roll up or unroll the solar cover anymore. I'm looking at powered options. I saw a Youtube video on the Pool Boy (Pool Boy Powered Solar Blanket Reel - YouTube), and I see it's on Amazon. Does anybody have any experience with this kind of thing? Is there a better product?

My concerns:
1) Needs to be able to roll up my cover on a 20x32 pool automatically without requiring a lot of strength or balance.
2) I can't ask / trust her to safely "tug" on the sides as it rolls up to keep it straight. My current hand crank needs this. Doesn't bother me or my kids much, but it's going to be a problem this summer. The Youtube video looks like there's a rope you can use to help keep it straight -- does this actually work? Is it practical to ask a 70 year old to use it?

Thanks for any experience or insight.

 

[JVTrain]

Sorry... posted in wrong thread...

But now I'll post anyway!

I have not used that powered reel. I would think it would work OK to roll it up IF you had three things.

1. The straps were precisely the right/same length attaching the liner to the roller. Even, square rolling.
2. The solar cover was cut to be slightly smaller than the width of the pool. Don't want any folding happening on the sides.
3. There is tension on the loose end of the cover when starting to roll the liner and throughout rolling. Such as having a weight or water sail attached to that end or the rope. If the PVC? running across the loose end of the cover is the right length, that should help keep it centered as it rolls.

Think I might even try installing a length of 1/2' dwv (foam core) PVC and Y-rope on the end of mine to help with rolling and covering...