Do you leave your solar cover/blanket off when air or pool water hits a certain temp?

[bbrock]

Hi TFPers,
In a heat wave here in the Tri-Valley of Northern California. I have been using a solar blanket for about 3 seasons now. Really helps to retain heat, reduce evaporation, and reduce chlorine burn-off. My sweet spot for our water is anywhere from 84/85-90. My 4 year old twins will stay in forever at these temps. Anyhow, with the air temps in the 90s-100s right now in the daytime, and 70s-hi 60s at night, I have been leaving my solar blanket off during the day/night. My solar heating is not even being used too much because, using just this AM as an example, the water temp was 84 in the AM and now it is 87. My solar heating set point is about 85ish.

This has been costing me some more chlorine usage as I have been adding about 30-40 oz per night of my 12.5% chlorine. But, that is to be expected with warmer water and air temps. My CYA is 30, FC goal is 4-6, and my CC 0. With no cover and pool usage, I could have FC burn-off of 2-3 ppm. So, even when I have a FC of 6 at night, I still add some chlorine just to be safe.

Anyhow, what are your parameters as far as leaving your solar blanket off? Do you put it back on regardless? Curious what other TFPers do who use a solar blanket and have hot summers.

 

[atttech-2]

I am in Tracy and do the same, as soon as the ambient temp and sun exposure will allow the pool to get to around 85F or higher by 2PM with out the cover I leave it off. It may cost a bit more in chlorine and evaporation but worth the price in my opinion for being able to jump in on a whim even at midnight which I did just last night . If we go out of town for a few days I cover

 

[bbrock]

+1 to simplicity of jumping in w/ cover off.

 

[jobybett]

Agreed, I'm in SoCal and since the heat hit last week I've not put the covers back on, pool is at about 84 by 11am

 

[borjis]

Nice. I wish I could do that! (keeping cover off)

You could also keep the cover on and run your solar at night to cool
the water. If evaporation and chlorine loss is important to maintain.

 

[ping]

I just removed mine this weekend, cleaned it, dried it, and stored it for the summer. Once the overnight temps stay in the 60's I stop using the cover. The pool is used everyday so it gets to be a pain dealing with the cover.

 

[mas985]

Most of the swim season the cover is on for me but we are now in the same heat wave and during these times, I just leave off all the time. Water doesn't cool off that much overnight but if I left the cover on, the water would be in the upper 90s.

 

[svenpup]

Once the water gets too warm I will leave it off at night to let it cool down and put it back on in the morning to keep the sun off my precious FC.

As an aside, I built a tow harness out of PVC so it is easy to put it back on with only one person. Now I can take it off in 15 seconds and put it back on in 30 seconds.