UV helpful for Covered Outdoor SWG Pool?

[dw886]

I know UV shouldn't be used as primary sanitation. Many outdoor pools get plenty of sunlight. Here in the north, we like to keep our pools covered so the UV hits the cover and heats the pool.

Our pool is covered unless we're entertaining (weekends when the weather cooperates?), doing swimming lessons (60 minutes like 12 nights / year). Kids are young, so we really don't use the pool a ton during the week after work, because we're into bedtime routine.

With that background, I'm guessing that our pool actually is more like an indoor pool in terms of the amount of UV that it gets - if we're not actively in it, it's covered for safety and heating reasons. In a situation like this, is it beneficial to use UV at a small amount (say enough to turn the pool once / day) to eliminate any Chloramines / organics?

 

[ajw22]

Problem with a UV system is that there is no way to test if your UV system is still effective as it ages.

Better to remove your pool cover during the day after usage and let it breath for an hour or two.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

I too have an automatic cover and feel its important to open every few days to "breath". When it has built up chloramines or gasses you can often smell a "chlorine" smell when you first open the lid. Not something you want to breath in for health sake.

You should consider opening the cover every few days (4? maybe?) and letting the sun have at it for a few hours.

Maddie

 

[dw886]

...When it has built up chloramines or gasses you can often smell a "chlorine" smell when you first open the lid....

? This is exactly why I'm wondering. I notice the same smell after opening. It's kind of a combination of chlorine and the vinyl smell from the cover.

I know UV comes up on here a lot, just curious if this would actually help in this situation with small doses of UV, knowing that it's also going to eat some of my FC. That being said, my SWG doesn't really run much with the cover in place, so I don't think that it would impact the life of the SWG much... If it would help, I'd consider picking one up, wiring it up to one of my relays on my ET, and turning it on for a few hours / day...

 

[Donldson]

Covers do not heat the pool, covers retain heat. Keeping a cover on the pool during the day will reduce FC loss but it does not help heat, it is keeping it on at night that retains heat and allows the pool to warm up more during the day. So there is really no downside to simply removing the cover for a couple of hours in the middle of the day to deal with this problem.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

I personally think a small UV device is a waste of money. The sun is plenty good enough. A bit of water running over the bulb doesn't seem very productive in the big picture to me. Many folks who have them later realize when they have broken down that nothing is different in their pool, so was it making any difference??

Maddie