So the first one--if it is ABS DWV it is ok--even if it doesn't say Cellular Core or Foam Core? Plus for a 20 Ft piece (looks like no 10ft) it has to be ordered in multiples of 30! Should we do a group buy LOL?
DIY Solar Cover Roller
- Thread starter mas985
- Start date
So the first one--if it is ABS DWV it is ok--even if it doesn't say Cellular Core or Foam Core? Plus for a 20 Ft piece (looks like no 10ft) it has to be ordered in multiples of 30! Should we do a group buy LOL?
- May 3, 2007
- 17,000
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
The first one does say foam core. Read the description. Both Lowes and Home Depot should have foam/cellular core. It will be printed on the pipe.
Nothing within a 100 mile radius to me and they won’t ship.
I did just get some pvc cellular core from plumbing store. Guys said if I cap it should float. Think it will work?
- May 3, 2007
- 17,000
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
If it is cellular core, you shouldn't need to cap it. It will float on it's own.
Plus capping won't do anything other than making it much harder to drain water out of the pipe. In order to attach the cover, holes will need to be drilled into the pipe which will allow water to enter the pipe while in the pool. Leaving the ends open makes it easier to drain the pipe when removing it from the pool so it isn't too heavy.
Plus capping won't do anything other than making it much harder to drain water out of the pipe. In order to attach the cover, holes will need to be drilled into the pipe which will allow water to enter the pipe while in the pool. Leaving the ends open makes it easier to drain the pipe when removing it from the pool so it isn't too heavy.
A two year update:
This has held up well over the past two years. The cover is now beginning to disintegrate so I'll be buying a new cover. Will probably stick with the 12 mil blue or clear depending on the price. The 12 mil has torn loose from a couple of fasteners and I am concerned that I could have more issues with the 8 mil. The 12 mil adds more weight and I have to be careful not to lift from the middle. I snapped one of the pipes by being careless when lifting from the middle. It was easily fixed by gluing the broken sections with a coupling. The blue tends to show salt on top of the cover, but I just hose it down every couple of months. This has saved a lot of time as the cover catches leaf debris. Have also been able to reduce water evaporation and save wear and tear on the pool equipment. My SWCG use has been reduced significantly. Well worth the time and expense to build.
This has held up well over the past two years. The cover is now beginning to disintegrate so I'll be buying a new cover. Will probably stick with the 12 mil blue or clear depending on the price. The 12 mil has torn loose from a couple of fasteners and I am concerned that I could have more issues with the 8 mil. The 12 mil adds more weight and I have to be careful not to lift from the middle. I snapped one of the pipes by being careless when lifting from the middle. It was easily fixed by gluing the broken sections with a coupling. The blue tends to show salt on top of the cover, but I just hose it down every couple of months. This has saved a lot of time as the cover catches leaf debris. Have also been able to reduce water evaporation and save wear and tear on the pool equipment. My SWCG use has been reduced significantly. Well worth the time and expense to build.
I’m thinking about making one of these rollers and I understand what Mas said about buying the right pipe, but I’m a little confused how the fasteners work. I see Mas said to buy the auto fasteners, but how exactly do they attach to the solar cover itself?
Does anyone have a close up pic of how they use the fasteners?
Does anyone have a close up pic of how they use the fasteners?
- May 3, 2007
- 17,000
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
At the beginning of this thread, I talk about how to make cover clamps out of the pipe itself. These are just a 2" length of pipe cut into quarters. This allows you to sandwich the cover between two pieces of pipe so it is less likely to tear. The fastener goes in a hole drilled through both pieces of pipe and the cover.
Hayseed
Bronze Supporter
Sure would have been nice to see some pictures associated with all these builds. I heard one had actual mechanical rollers but never saw its build. Remember if you don't have pictures it did'nt happen
- - - Updated - - -
The picture of the clamp and fastener I don't understand what I'm looking at, they don't appear to be shown in any other pictures being used
- - - Updated - - -
The picture of the clamp and fastener I don't understand what I'm looking at, they don't appear to be shown in any other pictures being used
- May 3, 2007
- 17,000
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
That is what I used. Not everyone that posted in this thread did the same thing. However, I would recommend using the clamps.
Hi - thanks for this great post. I'm attaching a picture of my pool (to help explain my question a little better - there's no diving board anymore BTW - which is the white rectangle on the right edge of the picture). I got a 20'x40' 12 mil cover and threw it over the pool and cut it to shape. And then I cut it in the middle (roughly the black line). My main concern is, since I'm looking at almost 18'-19' of pipe for each half, does it matter whether I clamp the cover to the pipe along the center of each half and probably the most ideal location from an ease of rolling point of view (which would be the white lines in the picture) OR can I just go along the purple line because that is pretty much the center line of the original 20'x40' rectangle (in other words, it's roughly a 40' long section about 10' from each end and is flat - has no bubbles for about 4 inches along the whole length). To me it seems like clamping down the pipe on the flat section is more ideal although the pipe won't be centered. Would that matter?
Appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.
I'm not very clear on what these generic 'auto fasteners' are. Will go around and checkout Ace HW etc.
Appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.
I'm not very clear on what these generic 'auto fasteners' are. Will go around and checkout Ace HW etc.
- May 3, 2007
- 17,000
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Having the pipe centered probably matters less than having the pipe orthogonal to the straight edges. If the pipe is orthogonal to the straight edge, it rolls up much neater than if it is at an angle to that edge. Also, the opposite sides where you will be rolling should be the longest points so no excess cover gets rolled up and interferes with rolling the pipe. Note too that the two pipes don't need to line up with each other and their placement can be completely independent from one another.
Here are some trim clips that might work:
https://www.oreillyauto.com/shop/b/body---trim-16771/interior-trim-clips-17575/7ac720272518
Lowes has them too.
Here are some trim clips that might work:
https://www.oreillyauto.com/shop/b/body---trim-16771/interior-trim-clips-17575/7ac720272518
Lowes has them too.
Makes sense. Thanks.
Great! Thanks again. Hope to start this project soon.
Does anyone have pics of this on a round pool? Is the cost less/equivalent to a ready to go cover reel? Thanks for everyone's input on this subject!
Very interesting thread!
We have a 30' above ground pool, and I have had a great heavy duty 4" dia. reel that worked great for almost 15 seasons. Towards the end of last season it finally broke, pretty much in the center of the span. I had the reel sitting in the center of the pool, with the ends sitting on top of 4" x 4" posts, and I had a third post away from the pool, where I would swing the rolled cover to when the cover is off the pool. Like I said it worked great for 15 years.
When it broke I contacted the manufacturer of the reel, and was informed that replacing the 8' long portion of the 4" dia. aluminum tube would cost over $500! I emailed him back to verify that all I wanted was ONE section of the tube, and he verified that yes, one section will cost $500!
The only drawback that this reel had was the weight of the reel and the 30' dia. cover. My wife is just not able to uncover the pool by herself, so now that I am in the need of a new reel, I'm thinking the option in this thread may be what we try next.
I'm wondering about taking our 30' round cover and cutting it into 4 pieces of a pie, and then having 4 of these reels meeting like spokes in the center of the pool, to allow the weight of the cover to be a quarter of the weight of the old system. Does this make sense, or does anyone have any other suggestions?
To add to the difficulty, we have a pool deck along one "end", so all the cranking would be done off the deck, while standing on the ground.
I'm also thinking that I can install something on the outside of the deck to hold the 4 rolled up sections.
I would love to hear any suggestions from above ground pool owners.
Rob
We have a 30' above ground pool, and I have had a great heavy duty 4" dia. reel that worked great for almost 15 seasons. Towards the end of last season it finally broke, pretty much in the center of the span. I had the reel sitting in the center of the pool, with the ends sitting on top of 4" x 4" posts, and I had a third post away from the pool, where I would swing the rolled cover to when the cover is off the pool. Like I said it worked great for 15 years.
When it broke I contacted the manufacturer of the reel, and was informed that replacing the 8' long portion of the 4" dia. aluminum tube would cost over $500! I emailed him back to verify that all I wanted was ONE section of the tube, and he verified that yes, one section will cost $500!
The only drawback that this reel had was the weight of the reel and the 30' dia. cover. My wife is just not able to uncover the pool by herself, so now that I am in the need of a new reel, I'm thinking the option in this thread may be what we try next.
I'm wondering about taking our 30' round cover and cutting it into 4 pieces of a pie, and then having 4 of these reels meeting like spokes in the center of the pool, to allow the weight of the cover to be a quarter of the weight of the old system. Does this make sense, or does anyone have any other suggestions?
To add to the difficulty, we have a pool deck along one "end", so all the cranking would be done off the deck, while standing on the ground.
I'm also thinking that I can install something on the outside of the deck to hold the 4 rolled up sections.
I would love to hear any suggestions from above ground pool owners.
Rob
tateland
Member
Which solar cover did you get?Someone in another thread had asked about how I built my own solar cover roller. So here it is.
Initially, I had purchased a SolarRoller and it worked pretty well for about three years after which the aluminum pipe corroded through. So I looked at several alternatives and came up with the following:
The design is based on a 1 1/2" ABS DWV pipe which because it is foam core floats unlike PVC or the original aluminum which tended to make the center of the cover sink. I used 10' pipe with a coupler but it would be better to use a continuous piece of pipe if you can find it that long.
To attach the cover to the pipe I used a faster with a 2" long 1/4 piece of the pipe in a clamp configuration (see pictures). I used the fasteners that came with the original solar roller but you could also use automotive panel fasteners with a hole drilled through the clamp and the pipe.
To roll up the cover, I reach under the cover for the pipe and just twist the pipe and the cover rolls up on itself. To unroll, I partially unroll the cover on the deck before pushing it all the way in and then simply unroll or pull on the ends of the cover to unwrap it.
Here are the pictures of the parts
Cover clamp and fastner
Cover Rolled Up
Cover Unrolled
Pipe Close Up
- May 3, 2007
- 17,000
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
It doesn't really matter which cover you use. However, the lighter it is, the easier it is to lift. I would just go with the cheapest one you can find.
AveMaria472
Gold Supporter
We have a very similar setup... 27' above ground with deck on one "end"... just purchased a new solar cover this year since we are installing a heater in the next week or two. Following advice on the forums that the thicker ones add weight and not longevity, I bought an 8 mil from In the Swim. I will NOT be able to put on/remove this cover by myself so I'm looking for something to help!
Curious if any above ground pool owners have made this and use it successfully?
Or any suggestions from OP on what pole lengths and cover section sizes might be best for me?
Another option we looked at was a solar saddle but that will still involve a lot of pulling and tugging and multiple people, plus maybe getting in the water...
Solar-Ez Inc. Solar Saddle Pool Solar Cover Holder | In The Swim
The Solar-Ez Solar Saddle Pool Solar Cover Holder provides an easy solution to storing your above ground pool cover while the pool is in use.