Guess what I learned yesterday? An unpleasant surprise

[CarlD]

My 16mil, heavy-duty diamond-shaped solar cover is in its 3rd season. The other day it started popping diamonds, leaving clear plastic in the water. It (supposedly) has a FULL 3 year guarantee, and a 10 year limite warranty.

So I called Leisure Living /PoolSupplies.com, and asked about getting it replaced.

You know what they told me? Popping diamonds or bubbles is the ONE thing that's NOT covered by the warranty. All the warranty covers is if it's de-laminating or the seams are separating.

I've seen the separate, but I've never seen one de-laminate. But I sure has heck have seen all the bubbles fail fairly rapidly.

So, I now know that the warranty on solar covers isn't worth a bucket of green algae-infested pool scum.

I NOW have to backtrack and say Do NOT buy expensive covers--the warranty is useless. Buy the CHEAPEST solar cover you can because it will be garbage after 3 years anyway!

Generally, Leisure Living has been good about honoring warranties, especially on their own products. But this threw me for a loop--I NEVER expected that solar cover makers wouldn't cover the ONE THING that fails most often. I wouldn't (and didn't) mind if the warranty had expired and they would not warranty the time period when the bubbles pop.

But I really mind that the warranty is STILL in-place and they won't honor it. I believe the manufacturer is Western, but I have to find my notes on it.

[Spensar]

I spent good $$ on a supposed premium one and it ws sone in 3 years. I have a great pool tech and he says that's about all they get, if you take good care of them. Mine was a black and blue one and it was leaving little blue circles all over the pool - the back of the pockets.

So got a much cheaper one this time ($90US), supposedly a "5 year" cover. Much lighter, light blue all over. After installing it on the roller I laughed by ass off when I read the "fine print" of the warranty - "do NOT ROLL" the cover. So for my pro-rated warranty to be good I am supposed to FOLD the damn thing everytime I use it and cover it with the flimsy piece of white plastic. And the plastic is a flat rectangle and the only way to put it on the rolled up cover would be with about 6 bungees.

[doggie]

Anyone looking for a cheap but good solar cover (since warranty wording excludes bubble popping) might want to check into the extruded ones like they sell at Poolgear. They are lightweight so they are easy to move. Also, being extruded (all their solar covers are extruded except for the silver diamond ones), they can be rolled up on the reel and left uncovered. No white cover is ever needed! Check the prices. I found them to be very reasonable. I got our 18x36 for a delivered price of $101.98 after I had found an online coupon for $15.00 off.

http://www.poolgear.com/index.asp?Pa...ODGROUP&ID=166

[waterbear]

I've said it before and I'll say it again...a 12 mil silver/blue cover is the best value for the money. Most of these have a 2 year warrenty and will last about 3! They are only slightly more expensive than the 8 mil all blue ones that will last about 1 season. The expensive covers don't last any longer (sometimes the even don't last AS long) and don't really do any better job of keeping the heat in the pool.

[matt4x4]

Funny thing is that the bubbles are sort of needed as part of the functionality of the product.
I'm on year 4 of my plain blue solar cover, it still looks like new, this particualr one is a 5 year, not the basic 3 year, but it looks like it will go a good 8 years (I hope - knock on wood!!)

[Poconos]

Hey Carl. Also look at the fine print and see if they say anything about the maximum chlorine concentration that will void any warranty. Digging into the recesses of the brain now but had one years ago that I think stated 1.5 ppm max. Thought it was a slipped decimal point misprint until I checked and found the number was right. When was the last time any pool was at 1.5 ppm?
As for folding and not rolling, I don't get it. Seems to me rolling would put less stress on the material as there are no creases that would creat high stress points for the bubbles.
On covering the thing, any solar cover folded, rolled, bubbles, or extruded, will let the infra-red pass to the inner layers and heat the thing up. In strong sun I'd bet the inner layers could reach the melting point. I roll mine and use white bedsheets as a cover. Even then, when I unroll it the inner laters are much warmer than the outer layers.
For what it's worth.
Al

[mathey]

you didn't use it outside or near water did you? :-)

[Spensar]

The Fine Print:

Keep stored away from water and chemicals at all times.

[CarlD]

you didn't use it outside or near water did you? :-)

Uh-oh!!!!