Solar Cover Recomendations

[MaxxFusion]

I havent used my solar cover at all this year because I dont want to fight with it everyday. I am just losing too much heat, chemicals, and water.

I do have an Odessey M824 in a box but a friend said he has one and it doesnt work well. Only this is he has a 27' pool. Plus I am not 100% sure he has the exact reel I have.

I am just looking for some feedback on a good reel. If the one I have is good then great. If there are others out there that are better then I want to know that as well.

Thanks,

[matt4x4]

First off - how big is your pool?
For anything up to 27 feet (and they'll all bow some at that length), I heard lots of good things about the feherguard reel, as well, it's mounting, swinging action is really versatile and easy to work with for removal by one person.

To explain better, a reel situated off the end of a round or rounded end pool is more work than a reel situated across the center of a pool. Reason behind this is you start of with a partial width of cover and the material gets wider and wider as you roll it up, it tends to bunch towards the center and make a mess of the roll up job unless you do about 1-2 rotations per side, pulling outwards on the blanket, then travel to other end pull outwards and roll another 1-2 rotations, travel back etc.
When situating the roller over the center of the pool it start with the wide portion of the blanket folding it in half as it's rolling it up, most then require a person at each end to lift it off and carry it off the end of the pool, the feherguard (one model) comes with two pegs where the reel drops on to, you can buy a third peg, mount it on a post the same level as the rail but off the side of the pool, lift one side and swing the reel over to the post/peg that's set up off to the side - making it an easy move.
To unroll, simply place over pool again, and unroll slowly - when you're pulling on the one half, the other half will move towards the far end from you.

[zephans]

This thread is close enough, so I'm just going to extend it with my closely related thoughts and feedback request.

I have an inexpensive reel that came bundled with my pool. The brand is Solar Roller and looks relatively lightweight and pretty sturdy (but is definitely not industrial strength).


GOAL: I want my 9 year old to be able to remove the cover by herself. (She will always be supervised, but I'd rather not subject Mom to having to deal with the solar cover if she's not the one using the pool.)


PLAN: I'm just now starting resarch (on pf of course) to install my solar cover in order to pivot it to the side of my 12'x24' oval. Nice part about that is my pool length should have plenty of room to accomodate the swiveled reel.

I'm currently planning on constructing a fabric or plastic (tarp?) Solar Cover Sling(tm) along the side of my pool that the reel can be easily pushed into for storage during pool use. Here's my theoretical operation steps:

Materials needed:
4-6 4x4x8' posts (depending on weight of your solar reel & cover when wet)
Tarp material as long as your pool width and as wide as 1/2 the circumference of your solar cover on reel.
Grommits for reinforcing tarp material where it will attach to each post.
2 concrete bags per 4x4 post (OK to try out design without setting in concrete but recommended for permenant installation)
Skill saw for cutting 4x4s to height
screwdriver and screws or hammer and nails to fasten grommited tarp to posts.

Build Solar Cover Sling(tm):
1. Dig 2 holes near edge of your pool, then Sink 2 4x4 posts up to height of your pool top rail. (Omit if you plan to secure the Solar cover Sling tarp directly to your pool's top rail.)
2. Dig 2 more holes about 1.5 feet (or diameter of solar reel + cover) apart from first posts, then sink 2 4x4 posts to be about 2 feet higher than your pool top rail.
3. Connect 4x4 inside post to outside post with 2x4 to prevent sagging.
4. Stretch tarp to connect to all 4 posts, attach grommits to each corner, then fasten tarp to posts.
NOTE: You might need to install additional center posts (2x4 or 4x4) if your reel is too heavy for the tarp.

Use pool:
1. Wind the solar cover onto reel. Reel is installed at beginning of oval end (per manufacturer's instructions for oval pool).
2. Swimmer enters pool, then lifts end of reel opposite the solar cover sling (tm) and carries the reel end across the pool so it swivels to all be on same long edge of the pool. Solar cover is on the reel and resting along long edge of pool top rail at this stage.
NOTE: For round pool this will require leaving the pool half-way through.
3. Push solar cover reel from the center so it falls into the solar cover sling (tm) which is conveniently located just on the other side of the top rail and at the same height.
Solar cover is now off the pool top rail and pool is ready for use.

Use Cover:
1. While still in the pool, pull the solar cover reel out of the solar cover sling(tm)
Use the Solar Cover Sling tipper to tighten the sling fabric. this will turn the sling into a gentle ramp that drops the solar cover and reel right onto your pool's top rail. If that doesn't work use the solar cover sling straps (available separately or with models that don't have ability to tip) to pull the cover out.
2. Insert solar cover reel end closest to the reel mountings into it's mounting.
3. Carry the other end to it's mounting on the other side of the pool
TIP: Removing all pool toys and occupants before doing next step.
4. Detach solar cover straps, then unroll by pulling solar cover toward the exit (located at other end of the pool).
At same time have helper extend the short side as you unroll the long side.
5. Exit pool. Solar cover is now installed until you reel it up for pool use again.


ADDITIONAL THOUGHT: After writing out materials and construction I decided it would be much easier to just install just two 4x4 posts with PVC pipe that fits the pegs on my solar reel. However I think the sling is much easier for daily remove and reinstall use.

FEEDBACK REQUEST: Any thoughts, ideas, related products, or pointers to old postings that might help me build this prototype Solar Cover Sling or anything else that accomplishes my goal?