Lazy Girl - solar cover modification

[NWMNMom]

Well as I was installing our replacement solar cover today I decided to be even lazier about handling it than before. Our reel has always been fairly smooth to roll up by one person with just one hand, but I admit, I'm a whiner when I have to walk from side to side to straighten out a bunched up or a crooked solar cover/blanket.

I put grommets in on the two "weld seams" on the blanket at the end that goes near the deck. I pulled a strap through to make a big loop across from grommet to grommet and secured it. Another "pull" strap was attached midway in that loop and made long enough to run the length of the pool. I attached pieces of foam pool noodle at the cover and at the end of the pull strap to keep the strap from sinking if it falls in the pool. I leave the pull strap tucked away off the side of the deck when the pool is open and when its time to cover it - stand right on the center of the deck and just pull. The cover straightens out as it pulls out because the pull is from the center and not one side at a time. When the cover is all the way on, I roll the excess strap up on the piece of attached pool noodle like a reel. Yep - I'm a lazy girl and it works really sweet.

 

[lbridges]

REALLY nice idea - I'm even impressed by the drawings!

 

[duraleigh]

Very clever and professionally done. I am impressed with the drawings, also. :lol:

 

[4JawChuck]

What a great idea, your computer drawing skills makes me jealous too!

 

[NWMNMom]

Since I was already braving clouds of mosquitos to put grommets in the other end, what's two more? I actually put some industrial duct tape on the top of the cover to reinforce the area around the grommets since it will have some pressure and force when pulling the cover on - that stuff will stick and stay on a wet cover if installed on a dry surface which is left to adhere for a bit before messing with it and not continually exposed to water like the underside would be. I have to admit that this wasn't a "new" idea - we used to do something similar with our cover when we had an 18' round pool - THAT's how lazy I am - back then I used to whine about pulling that itty bitty cover on!

Re: the drawings - Microsoft Publisher, most of the shapes are already in the program, just plop them on the page, fill with a color/pattern/texture - select all and right-click to save as a jpg. tada

 

[glrfti]

I've done something similar and you are right with the constant stress exerted they do eventually tear the cover but I get my covers longer than I need and then just cut when it tears and it is brand new again. Not nearly as nice as an automatic cover but it fits my budget and works great for one person to get the cover on.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

NWMNMom, sounds like you have a great system. Can you post some pictures (or have you already someplace) showing how your straps attach to the cover and the reel? Seems like a much better idea than my cover, which I attached directly to the reel since I didn't know any better!