Solar Cover Maintenance Questions

[Cwiggs]

Hello TFP,

I'm in the process of researching solar covers and have a few questions:

Long version:

1. I want to keep the cover on during fall/spring so that I can run my heater and not waste money. I want to keep the cover on during the winter to keep debris from falling in while we aren't using the pool. In this post it's mentioned the water needs to "breath" to release the CC, if I take the cover off once a week to brush the pool, will that be enough? I figure to put in chemicals I'd just pull back the cover a little bit since I'll be putting in chemicals much more than once a week.
2. I have a suction side vacuum attached via a vac port. I'm concerned that the hoses will be too close to the surface and be impeded by the cover, is that something I need to worry about?
3. Right now I have about 50/50 pressure to the vac port and 1 skimmer, nothing to the main drain or 2nd skimmer because my pump doesn't seem to have enough suction. My VS pump runs with basically 2 settings, low setting where the skimmer works well, and the high setting where the vacuum works well. I assume with the cover the skimmer(s) won't be working at all, I figure I'd adjust the pressure to the vac port and/or main drain to get the water circulating. Does that sound right?

Short version:

1. I'll take the cover off once a week to brush. Other than once a week, can I keep the cover on all year?
2. I have a suction side vacuum attached to a vac port, will that still work with the cover on?
3. Will the water still circulate properly?

Thanks!

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

1. I'll take the cover off once a week to brush. Other than once a week, can I keep the cover on all year?
2. I have a suction side vacuum attached to a vac port, will that still work with the cover on?
3. Will the water still circulate properly?

1. I hate messing with my cover so there's no way I will keep it on in the winter. You'll probably do the same after messing with it for a few weeks in the winter. That aside, keeping the cover on during winter should not be an issue. There are times in fall/spring/summer that I leave my cover on for a week or more and have experienced no ill effects. When you remove the cover to clean, most of the stuff on top of the cover ends up in the pool anyways. Pro-Tip: at my previous home, the skimmer was on a side wall. I was able to attach the straps to the cover inline with the skimmer which created an upward fold. Before removing the cover, I would rinse down the cover and used this fold as a dam to direct the debris into the skimmer. If you're skimmer position will allow this, it will keep all the junk on the cover from dropping into the pool.
2. I have a suction side port and suction cleaner. The cover won't interfere with the movement of the hose or cleaner.
3. The skimmer will still work fine. It will still take in water. Your plan to use your vacuum or main drain will work as well.

 

[Cwiggs]

@Rancho Cost-a-Lotta I have seen a few videos where they show the upward fold thing for the skimmer, I'll give that a try.

Thanks for the response, that helps clear things up and makes me feel better about the cover.