Need help, lost vacuum while filling...liner too tight?

[rv4hess]

Would love to hear advice and or experiences. While pulling a vacuum on the liner and filling the step seal kept coming loose, losing the vacuum on the liner. No wrinkles,in fact the opposite, very tight and lots of stretching in the wall vinyl. I stopped filling with water just up in the shallow end. I have about an 8 - 10 inch gap between the liner and wall. I'm afraid the liner is having to stretch too much and I'll have another seam failure. All measurements are right on. How much can a liner be expected to stretch.
Thanks, John.

 

[zea3]

Could you post a picture of the problem?

 

[rv4hess]

Trying this from my phone....

 

[rv4hess]

Liner really tight, pulling away from walls.

 

[waste]

That liner looks fine from the pics. (the diamonds on the tile line are perpendicular )

It also looks like you've got 2+" of water in the shallow end, so the liner is set

What is your expected air temp tomorrow? If it's ~65* ,or more, everything should be fine.

(correction, it looks like you might have cut the liner too much at the step(?) where the phone pic was taken. I hope it's a trick of the angle, but it looks like you cut too much of the liner out and you don't have enough left to fill the gap and be able to put the faceplate on - I HOPE I'm wrong!)

If I'm right on my assessment of the gap, you can try draining the pool down below the break, put the vacuums back on and stretch the shallow end floor to be able to put the faceplates on. You'd want 70* + air temp and direct sun on the shallow end floor, to maximize the elasticity of the liner.

I wish I could help more, and I will - but, I've got 2 10 hour days this weekend and probably won't be able to log on again until this time tomorrow :grrrr:

 

[rv4hess]

Waste, thank you very much for the help..
On the step, I have an extra 6-8 inches to cut lower when the liner is pulled to the step, I definitely cut much higher than should be needed. (I thought I could tape the liner to the step. In hindsight I should have waited to cut, it is no easier to get a good vacuum ). .

As for the walls, I am afraid that the floor of the liner has not stretched much to meet the wall and the side wall vinyl will have to give several more inches let the liner pull up tight to the wall. There is 8-10 inches of gap and the wall vinyl is already very taut.
This is about the same tautness as the first liner that ended up having a seam fail. Is that only a coincidence or is stretching a liner this much going to make a seam weak?

Normally, how far from the wall should a liner be when you initially hang it and how close should it be with a vacuum pulled?

If it makes any difference it is a 28 mil. liner.

Thanks again, John

 

[waste]

John, if the pic deceived my, failing eyes, keep on filling it and put on the faceplates when you need to.

Is this an exact replicate of the failed liner? If so, I fear that the liner manufacturer was given some incorrect measurement when they made the initial liner (I've seen it). They'll make you a ~ free new liner for seam failure (** as long as you don't ask them to change the original dimentions of the liner) However, I think you can ask them to make the new one with a 'winter cut' (ie, a little larger). But you have to 'over-stretch' this one so as to make the seams fail

I'm working ~ 22 of the next 48 hours, but will try to check my 'active posts' , at least

 

[rv4hess]

Follow up on the liner, had a few days in the 90"s so I took the opportunity to pump the water out and re-seat the liner. It was so far away from the walls I was worried that we had set the liner floor with it not stretched far enough to the sides. (The floor to wall seam and liner were 6-8 inches from the wall with the water in the pool. This being caused by a poor seal and lost vacuum). I scheduled the water truck guy to pump the 5k gallons out then we resealed the steps and used 2 vacs to pull a much better vacuum. The liner floor stretched a bit more and we got the floor seams to within about 4 inches from the wall and the wall vinyl stretched nice and tight into the corners. There is still about a 2 or 3 inch air gap in the bottom floor corners. It would be perfect for some of that above ground cove foam, but too late now.
All in all coming along good and almost filled to the skimmers.
Waste, I want to thank you again for all your help to me and other DIY'ers. It is great to have the voice of an expert to help us along.
Thanks again, John

The step Waste was concerned with. (I had cut the vinyl in an effort to seal it better). Originally, when I would pull a vacuum it would pull and distort the liner down into the step area.
[attachment=2:3g7shaat]linerredosandstep3.jpg[/attachment:3g7shaat]

On the other end steps I built a simple wood jig that curved at the liner track height so I could staple and seal the liner at the correct height. Still when I pulled a vacuum it would really pull the liner down. Lots of patience and duct tape till I could get a good seal.
[attachment=1:3g7shaat]linerredojig4jpg.jpg[/attachment:3g7shaat]

Ended up working out pretty good.
[attachment=0:3g7shaat]linerredostep.jpg[/attachment:3g7shaat]

 

[waste]

John, I am happy to hear that your liner is in and I was some little help

All you have to do now is get in and enjoy that pool!