Optimal setup with no sweep

[timsen]

Hello all,

We're getting a rectangular pool (36x15) with SWG and automatic pool cover.
Location: San Jose, CA
We plan to have the cover closed at any time when we do not use the pool.

What's a good setup that allows to avoid a sweep? We don't want a sweep for both esthetically and practical reasons. We had a sweep in the pool at our old house and found it to be bothersome to take it out every time when we wanted to use the pool.

Would an in-wall or in-floor system be enough to keep it clean? Maybe also to drop in an robotic cleaner once a week?

Thanks,
Tim

 

[Jimrahbe]

Tim,

Seems to me that the Robot would be your best bet. I agree with you that having a cleaner of any kind in the pool 24/7 takes away from the pool esthetics. If the cover will be closed when the pool is not in use, it should limit the amount of dust, leaves, etc., entering your pool, so a Robot should be perfect.

In your case I would not recommend an in-floor system for three reasons:

1. Cost to install and maintain as they get older.
2. Cost to run. Most new pools use variable speed pumps to conserve energy, but an in-floor system will require that the VS pump be run at a pretty high RPM, negating any energy savings.
3. With an auto cover, I believe that an in-floor system would not be cost effective for the amount of cleaning that will be needed.

Jim R.

 

[timsen]

Hi Jim,

Thanks a lot for the advise!
Would the same apply to in-wall cleaning systems?

-Tim

 

[GaryT58]

I have an autocover as well, but in NE GA with the recent weather, and because the pool gets about 9-10 hours of direct sunlight, the water got to the mid 90s with the cover closed. This is because the cover also acts as a thermal blanket, which will be nice when it gets cooler, but we did not want water that warm. So I insert a pair of water jets into my returns at night, which bring the water down to 78 by morning. So I am not currently closing my pool at night.

I have a Polaris Sport 9550 robot. I really like this unit. Because of leaving the cover open most times, I have been running the robot 2 times/week (sometimes a third time if we're having company). For a rectangular pool this robot would take about 1:35 minutes for a "intense" cycle to clean the bottom and sides. Can select to clean just bottom, or just sides as well. I really like this unit. But it does not perform 100$ of the cleaning. It climbs the walls to just slightly above the water line. It can climbs stairs, but not the final one which is only in a couple of inches of water. So once/week I will still sweep the steps, built in lounger and table and small edge which is around the top of the pool, then run the robot. About 1/month I use a soft scrub pad to clean a ring that appears around the top of the pool where the lotions and dirt are not scrubbed as well.

If you can keep the cover closed when not using, then you should be able to just run a robot once/week to keep clean.

I like the robot because I can put in pool in the morning and run it and take out in a couple of hours. Note - sometimes I do run it a couple of time in a row if there was a lot of dirt. It also comes with a remote so you can drive it over specific dirty areas. I don't use the remote much, I just like to start and go off and do stuff and come back to a clean pool.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Hi Jim,

Thanks a lot for the advise!
Would the same apply to in-wall cleaning systems?

-Tim

Tim,

I just believe that the simpler, the better. I throw my Robot in the pool a couple of times a week and have never had a cleaning problem. If my Robot went bad today and couldn't be fixed, I'd buy another one tomorrow. Robots are getting better every year, so I'd just buy a better one. Once you have installed an in-floor/in-wall system, you are stuck with it whether it works or not.

Just my thoughts... Let's hope you hear from someone on the other side of the argument.

Jim R.

 

[timsen]

Thanks, all!
I think I'm convinced to avoid both in-wall and in-floor and save a lot of money

-Tim