16' Prism frame won't stay together

[evan_w]

Greetings all...
Just replaced a rusted-out three year old prism frame pool with a new one that has the new and "improved" frame system (plastic tees, horizontals have no locking pins).

I'm on my third attempt at filling the pool and with the first two, as the pool filled and spread out, about half of these new tee joints separated from the tubes.

I just stopped the third attempt because, as with the first two, the liner is spreading out to a larger circumference than the frame and the joints are separating AGAIN.

What is the secret to getting this frame to stay together?

Should I simply drill and pin the tubes into the tees before I fill it and hope for the best?

Thanks,
evan

 

[dBsooner]

Greetings all...
Just replaced a rusted-out three year old prism frame pool with a new one that has the new and "improved" frame system (plastic tees, horizontals have no locking pins).

I'm on my third attempt at filling the pool and with the first two, as the pool filled and spread out, about half of these new tee joints separated from the tubes.

I just stopped the third attempt because, as with the first two, the liner is spreading out to a larger circumference than the frame and the joints are separating AGAIN.

What is the secret to getting this frame to stay together?

Should I simply drill and pin the tubes into the tees before I fill it and hope for the best?

Thanks,
evan

Welcome to TFP! Glad you’re here and reaching out for assistance! Hope you follow the TFP procedures for keeping your pools sparkling clear!

Just curious, the ground is 100% level correct? I assume yes since you’re replacing an older pool.

Also, shouldn’t the strap that goes around the circumference keep the legs from bowing out? I know when I filled mine (XTR frame with the locking tabs), I had to continually go around making sure the legs stayed where I put them.

 

[evan_w]

Welcome to TFP! Glad you’re here and reaching out for assistance! Hope you follow the TFP procedures for keeping your pools sparkling clear!

Just curious, the ground is 100% level correct? I assume yes since you’re replacing an older pool.

Also, shouldn’t the strap that goes around the circumference keep the legs from bowing out? I know when I filled mine (XTR frame with the locking tabs), I had to continually go around making sure the legs stayed where I put them.

Yes, ground is graded, compacted, and level. Has not been disturbed since removal of old pool.

And the strap around the pool and the sleeves for the legs are doing their job.
When the pool filled, the legs were all plumb but it seemed like the horizontal tubes are sized for a 15' diameter pool, not a 16' diameter.

I'm also curious about the horizontal tubes having the holes in them for the old style pins... Perhaps the wrong tubes were included with this pool? Too short and old style?

 

[dBsooner]

It should have been pretty hard to get your last t connector together. That’s why I’m confused as to why they are coming apart so easily. Did you try reaching out to Intex?

 

[evan_w]

It should have been pretty hard to get your last t connector together. That’s why I’m confused as to why they are coming apart so easily. Did you try reaching out to Intex?

On my last pool it took some effort to get the last horizontal into place. For this one there is no issue whatsoever. In fact, when all are assembled and legs are plumb, the last horizontal falls about 4 inches short of reaching its tee connector.

 

[dBsooner]

On my last pool it took some effort to get the last horizontal into place. For this one there is no issue whatsoever. In fact, when all are assembled and legs are plumb, the last horizontal falls about 4 inches short of reaching its tee connector.

4 inches short in circumstance translates to about 1.5 inches too wide in diameter. Have you measured your diameter to make sure you are exactly 16’ (inside rail to inside rail)? Maybe Intex changed it to be outside to outside (which would be dumb, but a way for them to save a couple dollars in materials for every pool they manufacture).

Aside from that, I’m out of ideas other than calling Intex.

 

[evan_w]

4 inches short in circumstance translates to about 1.5 inches too wide in diameter. Have you measured your diameter to make sure you are exactly 16’ (inside rail to inside rail)? Maybe Intex changed it to be outside to outside (which would be dumb, but a way for them to save a couple dollars in materials for every pool they manufacture).

Aside from that, I’m out of ideas other than calling Intex.

I'm out of ideas. I used a 1/4" nylon rope as a "belt" around the top and tied every tee joint to its neighbor.

As the pool is filling now for the fourth time, the liner is bulging out significantly between each upright and there are folds of loose liner on the inside of each tee joint.

I'm convinced that Intex shipped the wrong horizontal tubes with this frame. The only way that the top of the pool liner can expand to stretch tight is to enlarge the circumference of the frame, but then all the tubes fall out of the tees.

VERY disappointed with this Intex product.
And their customer service is horrible. No response to the online form and no call back.

I forgot to add that Intex didn't bother to include any instructions with this pool either.

Time to give up on this pool and just spend my days on my boat.

 

[dBsooner]

I'm out of ideas. I used a 1/4" nylon rope as a "belt" around the top and tied every tee joint to its neighbor.

As the pool is filling now for the fourth time, the liner is bulging out significantly between each upright and there are folds of loose liner on the inside of each tee joint.

I'm convinced that Intex shipped the wrong horizontal tubes with this frame. The only way that the top of the pool liner can expand to stretch tight is to enlarge the circumference of the frame, but then all the tubes fall out of the tees.

VERY disappointed with this Intex product.
And their customer service is horrible. No response to the online form and no call back.

I forgot to add that Intex didn't bother to include any instructions with this pool either.

Time to give up on this pool and just spend my days on my boat.

That’s terrible! My guess is this was a return product and they just reshipped it. The sides shouldn’t bulge through the supports, but half way between the supports the liner does get pretty close to even, it forms a circle where the actual supports are a non-circle geometric shape (depending on supports, defines shape). Did you try actually calling instead of online support? I find some companies are just terrible at digital support.

Boats are more expensive. Bring Out Another Thousand.

 

[evan_w]

Spent about 45 minutes on phone with Intex rep this morning.
Their conclusion? Since they didn't provide instruction manual with the pool, I was not able to follow the instructions, so I didn't set it up properly.
I guess this pool must simply be too difficult for a master's degreed engineer to figure out.
They asked for photos and said they would get back to me.
So, I am now draining gallons 18,097 through 24,128 into my backyard and will wait to see if Intex sends me the correct frame.
In the meantime, I will assemble this frame without the liner, pull it all together with a band at the top, then measure its diameter. I bet I get a measurement of 15 feet!

 

[dBsooner]

How'd this turn out? Did Intex ever get back to you?