Cover Pools Automatic Pool Covers Experience/Reviews?

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OGSW20

OGSW20

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2019
120
San Jose, CA
Curious to know if anyone on here is using the Cover Pools automatic pool cover? My automatic pool cover is finally going in and I did not know who the manufacturer was until today. Looking them up on the web, it doesn't sound like they are getting very good reviews on customer service and reliability. Luckily, it is a Zodiac/Jandy product, and with my additional equipment all being Jandy, I have a 3 year extended warranty on everything. Any feedback from anyone currently with a Cover Pools cover?
 
I have one - seems to be fine despite a few problems here and there in almost 5 seasons of use. All covers require some preventative maintenance to keep them happy and running well. Ropes, cover materials, pulleys, switches, tracks and other areas all wear and break down over time like many things in life.

I really like that the Cover-Pools setup in the Jandy automation allows me to turn down the SWCG % when it is covered vs open. I have an extra PC_Board in my automation panel that helps control all of that (getting that installed was fun as I think ours was the first one put in by the electrician that did our pool equipment).

I haven't found a local service company yet - or at least one who will do service here in Santa Cruz yet. The company who installed my cover was from Petaluma and went out of business shortly after our pool was built. So far I have been able to tackle all of my routine maintenance and small repairs myself.

Honestly, the biggest issues with the cover were really installation mistakes/problems/short cuts that the original installer caused.
 
Thanks for the feedback Monty! So far, the the cover looks great and is functioning as intended. What kind of preventative maintenance have you done with the cover itself to keep it in good shape?

All my equipment is Jandy as well. I definitely like the automation so far. One thing that I am unsure on our SWG, is that it is the Fusion Soft and not the AquaPure. When I go into my settings on iAqualink, it does not see the SWG. I wonder if something is not hooked up right or the Fusion Soft does not fully integrate like the AquaPure does?
 
OGSW20 said:
Thanks for the feedback Monty! So far, the the cover looks great and is functioning as intended. What kind of preventative maintenance have you done with the cover itself to keep it in good shape?
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So I have done what is called out in the manual - lubing, cleaning, adjusting the tension etc...and the worst part is cleaning out the vault - I call it the pit of despair. Lots of spiders and things love it in there.

I have also replaced the rope stops and replaced a failed key switch contact at one point.
 
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santacruzpool said:
So I have done what is called out in the manual - lubing, cleaning, adjusting the tension etc...and the worst part is cleaning out the vault - I call it the pit of despair. Lots of spiders and things love it in there.

I have also replaced the rope stops and replaced a failed key switch contact at one point.
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Got it, I will flip through the manual to familiarize myself with what they suggest. I can imagine what kind of critters will live in that trench. Even before the cover went in, I could already see webs being formed in there.

Does your cover pull a bit of water in there, and it becomes standing water?
 

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newpoolbuild said:
So is it a good cover? it can not be controlled by pentair intellicenter? my PB quoted $16000 incl install.
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It looks to be a nice pool cover. All the parts seem like they are good quality. However, after finding out which brand I got and started searching the web, it sounds like many people are not happy with it.
 

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santacruzpool said:
It does pull water when opening it - there should be a drain in the vault - that is super important as there will be splash over the dam wall when the pool is used as well.
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Yeah, there is drainage in the box, but I still see standing water in there. Maybe the angles of the drainage doesn't quite get all the water out. I should fill the vault with some water to see how high it might get just in case.
 
Our previous pool had a Coverpool autocover. It was 3 years old when we bought the house and we used it another 5 years with no issues. And that was using the autocover as the sole winter safety cover. Year 9 the vinyl fabric started leaking at the seams, but i learned 8-9 years is a pretty good run for an autocover fabric. We did not repair or replace it as we knew we would be putting in a new pool at the end of that season.
 
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The "control" generally referred to when discussing autocover and automation, is what I believe only Jandy offers, which is to lower the SWG output when it senses the autocover is closed. It's a great feature that I wish I had. The alternative isn't bad, but I have to let my FC ride up when it's closed and it lowers when it's open if its during period that I'm using the cover off and on. So I end up setting it in between the setting needed for closed and open and then check and adjust as needed. The SWG control option would be handy and could simplify things a bit in that area. Unless I want to adjust my cell output every couple of days.

Just hold your breath when your ropes break if you have them do the replacement. It's a tough pill to swallow, but then again, an autocover is a luxury item with repair bills to match.

I wouldn't be concerned about the negative reviews you are seeing. I think you are seeing the internet effect regarding product complaints. 50% of the people with problems comment while only 5% of the people without problems comment. I just made up the numbers of course to express my thought.
 
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santacruzpool said:
So I have done what is called out in the manual - lubing, cleaning, adjusting the tension etc...and the worst part is cleaning out the vault - I call it the pit of despair. Lots of spiders and things love it in there.

I have also replaced the rope stops and replaced a failed key switch contact at one point.
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The vault for pool covers is about as small as can be. Most of them anyway :)
 
Installation is a very exacting process. If the installer is not an expert, the cover will never work correctly.

If the installer knows what they're doing, the cover will work well.
 
I’ve had my cover for 3 years now. As a new pool install

Year 1: Undermount track pulled off of the coping, causing it to get stuck. Took 2 months before they came out to repair and made the pool unusable.

Year 2: Tracked pulled again, this time on the opposite side. Took them 3 weeks to come out to repair. Pool remained usable.

Year 3: Stopped working shortly after pool opening. It’s about 1 foot from its fully open position. It was then out of warranty and estimated to be $1000 to come out for servicing. I’ve left it and spent the $1000 on a mesh cover.

I miss being able to open and close it when not in use, but I’m happy to be free of the headaches. I’m not sure I blame the product, more the installer.
 

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