pump for cover

[Sean-NJ]

I was looking for a pump for my pool cover. I was considering this type of pump, http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...1526&rd=1&rd=1
Anyone use this type of pump?

[b2001]

I've got a 1/4 flotec auto on/off pump similar to this - I've used it extensively to drain the water from my pool cover. I used it this year to drain the water from the pool for winterizing it. It works great.

[Sean-NJ]

How much does a pump like that cost?

[Poconos]

Check Home Depot. They have quite a variety and with the quick look I did, prices are comparable to the ebay one you mentioned.
Al

[Sean-NJ]

Hey b2001 is this the pump you have?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Flotec-1-4-HP-su...QQcmdZViewItem

[b2001]

No, I have the Flotec FPOS1775A Intellipump:

http://www.depcopump.com/catalog206/114.pdf

As you can see from the picture, it doesn't have the on/off switch, or the wide base. It automatically turns on or off when plugged in if there is enough water at its base to be pumped. It doesn't appear to be as powerful as the one you found - 1790 gph vs. 2880 gph.

That extra wide base is not detachable on the ones that I have seen, similar to what you found. I prefer the narrower base - but I cover my pool as soon as I can in autumn as the leaves fall, and then pump the water out with my pump by placing it in the skimmer prior to winterizing. It took a while to do this, and it takes a while to drain rain water from the cover after a heavy storm, but I feel 1/4 horsepower is sufficient. I didn't want to spend anymore.

Seems like I was having to rent one out for about $15 for a half day prior to this purchase, so I've probably come out ahead by now. I've been real pleased with it, and with having a pump in general.

The going price seems to be between $120 to $130 - I got mine at Home Depot early last year and paid about that much.

There is this ebay deal on one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/FLOTEC-Utililty-...QQcmdZViewItem

[Sean-NJ]

Can the pump you have be put on the cover to pump water off or would it be too heavy?

[b2001]

Heaviness is not an issue. That's what I do, throw it on the cover into the water - it weighs, at most, 10 pounds. Considerably less than the weight of water after a heavy storm - which is my main weight concern - although the water underneath the cover supports that weight.

I have an 16' x 36' ag pool. My cover is secured by a tightened wire going around and under the top rails. I also use clips as a supplement, but I wouldn't trust them as the only means to secure the cover. This, plus the water underneath the cover is more than enough to support the pump.

I have a couple of 3' x 16' or so pillows going across the width of the pool in the middle to reduce the size of the potential ocean that might be created after heavy rain - I end up with two smaller moats instead. It might take, it seems, 4 to 6 hours to drain them both if they are swollen. I always leave some water on top of the cover, the wind has blown our cover off before.

Hope this helps ...

[chem geek]

For my pool I use a Rule 1800 pump that automatically checks for water every few minutes (it spins for a couple of seconds and if there is resistence consistent with water, then it stays on until the resistence and water are gone). Though the claim is for 1800 Gallons-Per-Hour (30 Gallons-Per-Minute), I have measured closer to 390 GPH (6.5 GPM) after a hose is attached and is higher than the pump by a few feet. Nevertheless, this seems to be enough to keep up with a normal rain. An extremely heavy rain will overwhelm it, but generally we never get that for more than a few minutes at a time. The pool surface area it attempts to clear out is 16' x 32' so the effective 390 GPH is equivalent to 1.2" per hour of rain.

For an eBay bid, see this link. For a discounted store purchase see this link. For features and benefits of this particular pump, see this link.

It looks like this is a more expensive pump than some others on the market, but it's what I have and I'm happy with it. The "extension" that I have that lets the pool pump stay flat on the cover and keeps out leaves is different than what is offered today (in the store link above), but this newer blue cage looks better as mine seems to get clogged a little too easily (the pump unsnaps from the extension which has a wire screen filter in it).

Richard