Liquid Pool cover opinions

[subslug]

We've just began using this product instead of the old physical covers to cover our indoor pools. We have several indoor swim facilities and are trying to do what we can to lower heating costs, since we teach babies and children to swim we strive to maintain 90 degree water and 90 degree pool rooms so you can see how that would add up $$. Our pumps run 24/7/365 if it matters.

Anyway, the product is basically just alcohol which seems harmless enough, I just can't help but wonder.....if it's such a great thing then why do they still sell so many heavy blue pool covers....?

Anyone ever dealt with the stuff?

 

[kirbinster]

The stuff does not work well in outdoor pools, but for an indoor pool it might work. You would probably have better luck with it turning off the circulation at night. The concept is a good one. It forms a very thin film on top of the water which prevents evaporation. The problem is that any disturbance to the surface of the water minimizes its ability to do this. Thus, a totally still surface will help it work.

 

[Guest]

The isopropal alcohol is just the carrier for the active ingredient. If the water is totally undisturbed it can help prevent heat loss from evaporation at night. If you are funning your pumps 24/7 then the product will most likely not do you much good. It will really have no effect while the pool is in use since the water surface is being constantly disturbed. It is not as effective as a solar cover and does not work well in many outdoor pools where the water surface gets disturbed by winds at night. I have several customers that have tried it and I have tried it myself. The results have ranged from no effect to a heat savings of maybe about 4-5 degrees overnight. A solar cover can typically give up to a 10 degree heat saving overnight. You will have to monitor how much heat the product can save for you and determine if it is a cost effective solution for your installation. If it is you might want to consider using a peristaltic pump to dose it automatically so you don't have to add it daily on a manual basis.

 

[mas985]

I tried it last year but didn't notice any difference than without. As others have said, the water has to be perfectly still for it to do any good.

 

[subslug]

Thanks for the reply;

I probably should have asked here first and gotten info from users instead of the sales folks. They never bothered to tell me we would need to shut our pumps off to see any benefits but it makes sense that we would.

Oh well, we'll chalk this up as a (another) learning experience....luckily I didn't buy much of it. At $65 a gallon though..........

 

[Guest]

Then again the job of sales folk is to sell stuff!