Solar cover too small, will it still work

[rj2222]

Bought a new solar cover, which is supposedly the same size as my round AGP. The solar cover measures 16ft but there appears to be about a foot gap between the solar cover and the edge of the pool, even though my old cover was 16ft and the pool is supposedly a 16ft. I even took the cover out and measured it, it's definitely 16, so i guess my pool grew

My question is, with that foot or so gap all around the edges of the solar cover to the pool wall, does that mean the solar cover won't work, or will it be only like 90% as effective as one that fully covered the water?

I don't want to return and pay a restocking fee then pay even more for a new one if it's probably not really worth it.

 

[JohnT]

It will be partly effective. The cover works by reducing evaporation, so it all helps.

 

[rj2222]

OK, so sounds like I can probably just keep it then, since it covers like 90% of the water service. But am I accurate in guessing since it covers 90% it'll be 90% effective, or does having that big a gap around the edges really make it less effective than that? generally speaking of course.

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

You are basically insulating most of the surface from the ambient temperature so you will be saving most of the heat and preventing most of the evaporation.
I don't know how to judge if getting that last foot of coverage would be worth the trouble and cost of getting one that's bigger

 

[rj2222]

thanks Kiss. My uneducated guess is it's probably not worth the hassle, but I'm sure someone out there might know.

 

[mas985]

Effectiveness should be proportional to the covered area

Evaporation, radiation and convection are all proportional to the exposed surface area so when you cover part of the area, the reduction in heat loss should be proportional to the surface area covered. If it were not, then the uncovered area would need to lose heat faster than it would normally do when the cover was not on. And I cannot think of a reason as to why it would.

I have a cover that only covers about 75% of the pool and from what I can tell it isn't all that much different then when I had 100% coverage.

 

[rj2222]

thanks mas, glad to hear your experience from a similar situation as mine.