Solar Reels.

I got a cover. I want a reel!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My post was not weather I should get a solar cover or what it does. The post was suggestions for a solar reel. It is so hard to put it on because it is so heavy and somewhat a hassle to take it off. I was asking for advise on a good reel to purchase. I have the cover and have to use it every night or my pool gets cold.

Because of all the post by others on how bad their reels were and how hard they were to turn after a year or so I wanted to get a good one. I am suspecting the bearings were cheap or were plastic or no bearings at all which caused them to go bad. I was asking other pool owners if they had purchased a good heavy duty one that they liked or would recommend.

Thank you
Aranon

Aranon

I feel your pain. Well really i don't, but I can hear it in your voice.
I can offer no help but did you check out these kick butt solar reels?
http://www.covers4pools.co.uk/acatal...l_rollers.html

Yeah, I know they are not in the US but wow.... cool stuff. Probably impossible to get one of those to the states- the shipping wouldn't be worth it.

What about your local public pools, hotel chains ect, do they have solar reels? Can you ask them for leads on a comercial supplier?

Hope you find something soon.
~Hoffmans

Hey Aranon ! I sent you a private message about the reel I have....
crazimom

Thanks for the info. So it is pretty easy to un-roll and roll up by yourself.

I thought about attaching mine to my fence and thought about adding some type of water sprayer to spray toward the bottom of the roll when rolling it up to clean it. I seem to get a lot of dirt and leaves on it.

Maybe use PVC or one of those water hoses that spray the length of the hose mounted underneath so when I roll it up it cleans the cover and the dirt and water come off the bottom of the reel as I roll it up and drop down thru the deck to the ground and that way it would clean the cover as I roll it up.

Anyone ever rig up anything like that before?

Aranon

I have a Horizon HV-200 "commercial grade" reel - I got it because it fits above my diving board, it has self-contained steel ball bearings holding the axle, and it is all metal. It was a bear to assemble but it has been holding up well. I think a reel is one of those things you don't want to skip on qualitywise. The bigger the reel, the more important it is to have sturdy construction and quality ball bearings. If the reel isn't easy to turn you're much more likely to get frustrated. Also, once you have a reel, make sure to cover your reel with white plastic or cloth once it is rolled up - the hot sun on many layers of rolled up solar cover is not good for it!