I can accomplish that on the first step into the pool. Also it is the easier place to set up to where I send the drain hose.
Winter cover purchase calling all mesh cover owners
- Thread starter Superblue72
- Start date
I can accomplish that on the first step into the pool. Also it is the easier place to set up to where I send the drain hose.
- Jun 7, 2017
- 10,029
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
@Newdude
They say a picture tells a thousand words so here's a pic to help me explain. See how the back pool wall is lower because the box to store the cover is there. The drain is at the bottom of that box. If the water gets to high it will go into there and not overflow onto the patio.
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So let me put something out there. The drain in the box is there for the purpose of excess water coming off the cover and needing a place to go. On a plaster pool the bond wall is concrete so water can go over it and drain in the cover vault drain, but if you have tile you don't want that to be submerged at all over the winter so therefore you still need a means of keeping the water below the tile line. On a liner pool you surely don't want the water going over the top of the wall there either as it will pull the liner out of its track because that's what happens if gone unnoticed. Besides the bond wall on a liner pool isn't water proof and it'll destroy the bond wall after several seasons of this behavior. Case in point I have now 2 pools (from before I took over) needing the back wall repaired for this very reason costing mucho $$$ because not only is the wall being repaired but it needs a new liner as there isn’t a guarantee the liner can go back as they're too old for that chance. The best way around all this is to have a automatic pool cover pump on the first step or the second step with a paver under the pump which will keep the pool from ever getting too high. I tether the pump either with a polypropylene rope or with its electric cord via the spring loaded straps that it can't budge from where it's placed.
Well this is the info I was looking for. The way I see it if I'm going to have to keep a pump on the cover or in the pool anyway I might as well just get a solid cover. Pool stays clean, only con is a heavier cover.
I do have one client with the solid winter cover and as much as they need to be on alert with the cover over the winter they have a pump on top all the time as water does not get through. The instructions for that cover has it to be sure the water isn't set to low before the winter so the cover always will have the support of the water below as per the spec sheet of the springs. When the pool gets opened for the new season I find it to be cleaner as dirt doesn't get through like the mesh cover, but the landscaper needs to be forewarned not to blow anything towards the covers edge because that is the killer one next season.
This is my first year with inground pool. I'd had above ground for 15 years so I'm used to solid covers. Close it clean open it clean. I was trying to tall myself into a mesh but that's not happening.
amymeme
Well-known member
Just a caution - we have a very high seasonal water table and have been advised never, ever to to lower the water level or our walls will collapse. Probably not a problem in better geology
I have had both mesh and solid Loop-Loc covers. I had the mesh first, then went to solid, and then back to mesh. Solid covers are harder to put on and take off the pool. The mesh does allow dirt to get in the pool but it is easy to vacuum in the spring. I have not ever opened to a green pool. With the mesh cover, I may need to break out the utility pump once per winter at most. With the solid cover, I needed to keep the pool cover pump powered and on the pool cover at all times. That means keeping an extension cord plugged in for several months. Then dirt and leaves build up in the little pool of water surrounding the pump. The pump does not remove 100% of the water. Then in the spring, it is difficult to keep this small pool of dirty water from getting into the pool as you remove the cover. I find the mesh cover to be far less hassle.
I see you live in NC so your pool being closed shorter than mine. I'm in Ct probably from mid October to mid April the pool will be closed, that's 6 months of water being added to the pool. I'm definitely going to have to pump watwr out. To me it seems like keeping all the water and debris out of the pool will result in a overall better experience. Plus it seems easier put the cover on, place the pump on top and done. No peeling back the cover and checking water level no water getting in and messing with the chemicals, no maybe green water in the spring. I can deal with a heavy cover, and I already do the pump now as I have an auto cover.
- Jun 24, 2021
- 17,378
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
IIRC, he got the bucket idea from me. Put the pump in a bucket to protect the liner (when you are pumping normally with the pump on the bottom), and use rope to the bucket handle to relieve the strain on the power cord by lifting the rope, not the power cord.
He just happened to rig it so the pump took mostly rain water in this picture. @Newdude will tell me I'm wrong, if I'm wrong.
Nope. I totally stole your bucket idea to save the liner. Then tweaked the reason why. 
Is that a water feature you are covering? If so what type of top do you have? I just had a pool installed and am deciding on a solid vs mesh cover.
I have a water feature and the pool installer says there is no good reason or way to cover it. Mine is a limestone cap and they say drilling the anchors ad the pressure of the cover would very likley either crack the tops and may even pull them off .
- Jun 7, 2017
- 10,029
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
It is a mesh cover. There are 2 water features. A sheer descent and a rock waterfall. The sheer is integrated into the coping so no real extra to cover it. There is extra padding under the cover in that area. The rock waterfall has 2 ground anchors that go 3 feet into the soil. The rest of the anchors are in the concrete deck. The front wraps around the rock. Also has extra padding underneath. I did get a small tear in the cover but used the repair kit I got with the cover and no issues since.
Thanks for all your help everyone I ordered a looploc ultra III solid with pump. I was up in the air on grey or blue but I went grey.
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Either is great. The grey will blend in the patio and the blue kinda fools your eyes that the pool is still open if you aren't looking right at it.
We had a hard time deciding and went with grey too. We hated the 'green trampoline' at the old place.
Hey all 1 more question. My auto cover box is 2'. My pool is 16×32, should I get a 16×34 cover to cover up the whole auto cover box? If I go with the size of the pool the cover will end right in the middle of the aluminum lid that covers the auto cover box.
Most auto cover lids in this situation are under the winter cover.
Ok so getting the 34' length would be better right. This was my thought as well