I have seen a few posts where people have had trouble getting there automatic pool cover motor to open. I hope this post will help any of the few folks with a situation such as mine. In 2005 we added an automatic pool cover over our pre existing kidney bean shaped pool. To do this we had to create a rectangular step around the pool where the track runs. The cover slides over both the water and some of the decking around the kidney shaped pool. Our system is hydraulic to help combat the added drag.
Despite good maintainence, cleaning the deck and tracks, the cover would often stick to the deck, particularly after rainstorms requiring me to either go out and shake the edge or use my leaf blower to pump air underneath and relieve the surface tension.
This spring I came up with a solution. I ran a 1 1/2 inch pvc pipe into the take up box at the end of my pool attached to a blower motor that I usually use for blowing out my lines for closing.
I gouged a trench in the side of my pool box with a mini jackhammer that a friend loaned me. Once inside the take up box the line is split off using fernco coupelings and flex pvc to both sides of the pool. It then transitions with fernco couplings and adaptors to 1 1/4 Hard pvc that aims air under the cover with a series of elbows. I used 1/1/4 pvc for the outflows because it was the biggest that I felt could fit without interfering with the cover motion. The outflow PVC nozzles are secured to the cement with tapcons and brackets so they are fixed and will not interfere with the cover. The outflow nozzle is a street 1 1/4 pvc elbow installed backwards to minimize its diameter where it sits under the cover.
The blower moter plugs into an outlet that is controlled by a switch in my home. The switch formerly turned on the pool light, but I moved that control into my automation system. I changed it to a momentary switch (won't stay on without holding it) so I wouldn't accidenally leave the blower on. Now come rain or shine I hold on the blower for a few moments before I open the cover and it glides easy peazy. I should have done this years ago.
Beige switch below is a center off momentary switch
Nothing is without trial and error. I had tried to do this with pex, using the aluminium channels that my cover glides on to distribute the air(there is a dead space under the active part of the glide track) but 3/4 pex that would fit in the channel was too narrow and I wound up with a high resistance and too little airflow. The 1 1/2 to 1 1/4 pvc allows enough airflow to make this work.
I know its is a fix for a small group of people but I hope this post helps someone . Pm if you have any questions.
Despite good maintainence, cleaning the deck and tracks, the cover would often stick to the deck, particularly after rainstorms requiring me to either go out and shake the edge or use my leaf blower to pump air underneath and relieve the surface tension.
This spring I came up with a solution. I ran a 1 1/2 inch pvc pipe into the take up box at the end of my pool attached to a blower motor that I usually use for blowing out my lines for closing.
I gouged a trench in the side of my pool box with a mini jackhammer that a friend loaned me. Once inside the take up box the line is split off using fernco coupelings and flex pvc to both sides of the pool. It then transitions with fernco couplings and adaptors to 1 1/4 Hard pvc that aims air under the cover with a series of elbows. I used 1/1/4 pvc for the outflows because it was the biggest that I felt could fit without interfering with the cover motion. The outflow PVC nozzles are secured to the cement with tapcons and brackets so they are fixed and will not interfere with the cover. The outflow nozzle is a street 1 1/4 pvc elbow installed backwards to minimize its diameter where it sits under the cover.
The blower moter plugs into an outlet that is controlled by a switch in my home. The switch formerly turned on the pool light, but I moved that control into my automation system. I changed it to a momentary switch (won't stay on without holding it) so I wouldn't accidenally leave the blower on. Now come rain or shine I hold on the blower for a few moments before I open the cover and it glides easy peazy. I should have done this years ago.
Beige switch below is a center off momentary switch
Nothing is without trial and error. I had tried to do this with pex, using the aluminium channels that my cover glides on to distribute the air(there is a dead space under the active part of the glide track) but 3/4 pex that would fit in the channel was too narrow and I wound up with a high resistance and too little airflow. The 1 1/2 to 1 1/4 pvc allows enough airflow to make this work.
I know its is a fix for a small group of people but I hope this post helps someone . Pm if you have any questions.
