Mesh cover effect on evaporation?

[Saturn94]

For the first time since we’ve had our pool installed we will be gone for a couple weeks during peak swim season. Unfortunately, we don’t have anyone to tend to the pool while we’re gone (some years ago, we had a friend take care of the pool for a week, and it did NOT go well! ).

Our SWCG will take care of FC, but there’s the issue of keeping skimmer baskets/pump basket clean and adding water if needed (no autofill). We figured we would install the mesh safety cover to keep debris out.

Which brings me to my question. During the season it’s not unusual to lose 1/4”+ a day to evaporation. How much can we reasonably expect evaporation to reduce with the mesh safety cover installed? Would it be reduce enough to alleviate any concerns about the water level dropping too low while we are gone?

Thoughts? Advice?

Thanks.

 

[Newdude]

Would it be reduce enough to alleviate any concerns about the water level dropping too low while we are gone?

Wind takes the ----------- water and increases the surface area with ripples. ^^^^^^^^^^^ making more evaporation. Less breeze means less evaporation.

Then what does evaporate will mostly condensate on the underneath of the cover and fall back into the pool.


IMO, the safety cover will all but eliminate evaporation.

 

[Saturn94]

Wind takes the ----------- water and increases the surface area with ripples. ^^^^^^^^^^^ making more evaporation. Less breeze means less evaporation.

Then what does evaporate will mostly condensate on the underneath of the cover and fall back into the pool.


IMO, the safety cover will all but eliminate evaporation.

Thanks. I appreciate the feedback.

I just had another thought…if I wanted to be extra cautious for my own peace of mind , what if I plugged the skimmers and only use the main drain (there’s a single main drain)? In this case it wouldn’t matter if the water level dropped below the skimmers. Would only using the main drain put too much stress on the system/plumbing (1hp single speed pump, 1.5” plumbing)?

 

[Newdude]

what if I plugged the skimmers and only use the main drain (there’s a single main drain)?

That works too.

 

[Saturn94]

That works too.

So no issue straining the plumbing/pump with the single main drain as the only place water draws from?

 

[Newdude]

So no issue straining the plumbing/pump with the single main drain as the only place water draws from?

The water level is the water level, whether in the pool or the plumbing. It needs to be raised the same height to the on ground equipment regardless of which pipe is used.

 

[Saturn94]

Thanks @newdude, this info is helpful.

I’ve been stressing how to handle the pool (as well as other things…pet sitter, veggie garden) while we’re gone. What makes it worse is this is not a trip I want to go on.

 

[Newdude]

I’ve been stressing how to handle the pool

Now that we've talked this out, I would :

1) road test the covered pool FC loss for 2 days before you go.

2) raise FC to half SLAM and set the SWG to produce the loss you saw the 2 days prior. (This way you have +/- 14 FC if it's not perfectly matched). If it does swing any, it'll be slooooow.

3) turn off skimmers.

4) enjoy trip

 

[Saturn94]

I figured I post an update for posterity.

Our pool was fine upon our return…yay! . It was in better shape than me after driving several thousand miles the past couple weeks, lol.

Before leaving, I raised the water level some to give a bit it wiggle room (left the skimmers running), raised FC to about 15ppm (CYA about 80), and installed the mesh safety cover. I decided to leave the SWCG at its normal setting (54%, 10hrs a day) instead of trying to figure out FC loss with the cover.

As expected, FC went up a bit (tested at 24ppm today), but that’s below SLAM level, so no big deal. I’ll just leave the SWCG off until FC drifts back down to normal.

The mesh cover did allow a bit of fine dirt through. A manual vacuum took care of that.

It felt so good to get in the pool again!