Wondering how much I can expect a solar cover to decrease chlorine loss vs. without one. Currently losing about 3-4ppm chlorine on a 4500 gallon spa, and was wondering when I go on vacation if a solar cover would decrease the loss a lot or not much at all.
How much can a solar cover slow chlorine loss?
- Thread starter beezar
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That's hard to say without knowing a lot more. Post a full set of test results and your equipment specs and how long you run your pump and at what times, what color and the thickness of yoru solar cover. It's possible that it may cut it in half but a lot depends on the rest of the equation.
Have you got a winter cover, if so use that, solar by definition allows the suns rays to warm the water therefore allowing UV through and that is wher a proportion of your chlorine goes. Exclude the UV and that loss is plugged then it's just your sanitation usage.
Well there you have Beezar, I sugest using a winter cover if you have one and racket suggests you put a window on it :lol:
A solar cover will block ~most of the UV, and should decrease your chlorine use as long as you don't have algae or other organics using up chlorine. 3-4 ppm loss per day sounds about right, so you're probably OK.
How long will your vacation be? It may just be easier to raise the chlorine higher than normal, high enough that there will still be enough residual when you get back.
How long will your vacation be? It may just be easier to raise the chlorine higher than normal, high enough that there will still be enough residual when you get back.
I had a black/blue solar cover and when it was on the FC loss was practically nil.
too funny Teapot
too funny Teapot
FPM, how would you compare that black/blue cover to a standard blue one? Sounds like it did a better job at managing FC loss. How did it compare with heat management, durability, etc...
Here is my experience. During a phase when I was collecting data on my pool daily I checked my FC consumption with cover on.
When using the cover the FC consumption doubled or tripled! The best explanation I could find was that there was more biofilm created on the increased surface area of the cover. This was in a NON-saltwater pool before I converted to SWG by the way.
When using the cover the FC consumption doubled or tripled! The best explanation I could find was that there was more biofilm created on the increased surface area of the cover. This was in a NON-saltwater pool before I converted to SWG by the way.
I betcha there was mildew or something similar that was growing on the cover when it was rolled up...
Puffin said:
I've had three types - the "space age" expensive silver/blue one that was 16ml and did a great job at temp holding. I never compared fc loss back then so I can't comment on that... that was pre-TFP days.
Then I had a cheapy/sucky 6 ml blue one (the basic variety) and it was adequate and you get what you pay for for 2 seasons lol
The black one lasted two seasons but it was worth the slightly higher price because the FC loss was nil when it was on, compare to a daily loss of 1fc with the basic, when it was on.
If there was 3-5 days of no swimming for whatever reason, and the cover was on, I wouldn't need to add chlorine at all. That was a good deal to me.
As for problems with using a cover - I've used a cover as long as I've had the pool. Never had any issues related to algae forming, etc, as long as I've maintained the proper FC it just wasn't an issue. The PH would drift down slightly however.
I have gone on 11 day vacations, shocked and covered and come home to a FC above my min, with no chlorine additions. Maybe I've been lucky, IDK, but I've read alot of problems from people who blame their cover - I just haven't experienced that.
frustratedpoolmom said:
That sounds very good. Where did you get your black cover? And how many mil was it?
I'm going to have a 2 week vacation in May, so I'm brainstorming now on ideas to keep it from getting an algae bloom while away (other than getting someone else to maintain it while I'm gone).
Bama, here are my numbers:
FC from 4-10, CYA 40, pH 7.6, CH 290, TA 60. Hayward Tristar 2HP pump running 3 hours per day running from 3pm to 6pm. Don't have a solar cover yet...
Remember that a UV-opaque solar cover left on for long periods of time effectively makes the pool into an indoor pool, which means potential problems with CC and other related issues.
Bama Rambler said:
I put FC 4-10 because it depends upon how much chlorine I add and what day I'm testing. I try to add chlorine only every 3 or so days, so I usually overshoot a bit and let it drift down. I'm using the FAS-DPD test.