Closing Solar Cover Alone
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- čas přidán 28. 08. 2024
- I live by myself and get tired of the solar cover tearing so quickly from pulling on both sides to get it closed. I came up with this little idea to help.
The number of bolts to hold the vinyl trim are however many you think you may need. I put the trim together then drill the holes so the holes match.
I’m not an engineer so I kind of winged it. I did make sure the bolts were OK with saltwater.
2 eye bolts
Thicker rope (easier on the hands)
2 pieces vinyl trim from lowes
4 other bolts
4 cap nuts
Thank you so much for this simple and brilliant idea. It has made my pool much easier to deal with and I know I will use it more this summer because I can pull it on to pull so quickly without all the struggles. My friend’s husband who is a retired firefighter put the rope on and tied the knot where they meet to form the one rope and he tied knots all down the rope so it would be easier to pull with arthritic hands. Best part he made one for his pool also so your invention is spreading. Thank you
OMG! Thank you so much! I am so happy for you! I’d love to see a pic. Tag me if you post one!❤ love the knots idea!
Great idea, I have watched your video a few times and now am off to buy vinyl trim and parts. Thank you for putting this out there.
David
@@davidenlow3285 your welcome. There’s another video which shows a little better how it’s put together.
@@davidenlow3285 here the link in a little more detail. czcams.com/video/hotPL7bseCM/video.htmlfeature=shared
You, madam, are an absolute genius! What a great idea. Thank you!
I like your style
Great idea! Just in time as I have to do it alone for the pool. Thank you so much for sharing!
I saw video 2 years ago in the winter and thought "great idea, I should do that next spring when I open the pool"... and then went about my day .... and completely forgot where I saw the idea!
and every night since then while I close the pool I think " where did I see that brilliant idea and how do I google it?!!!"
and finally it popped up on my CZcams suggestions again!!!
It has now been saved and I am going to get the supplies needed in the morning!
great idea!
😂
Excellent! Great design!
Awesome! Thank you for sharing your idea
Brilliant engineering!
The only thing I’d change is I would tie the rope in a knot at the eye bolts so the rope triangle doesn’t shift off center.
Well done you. That is a fantastic solution. Respect.
Excellent job, i like your design.
Thank you very much!
Awesome, I’ve been thinking about doing something like this
Very nice I will try that thank you have a great day
Hope you enjoy
Wow! Love it!😃👍
You are a genius
Thank you! Every once in a while my brain cells fire!😂✌️
I get in the pool and hold the cover over my head and pull it across the pool....this is a better idea, thank you!...
Nice job
Love it! 💪🏼
Great job!
Thanks. Getting ready to put a new cover on.
I don't understand : Are there 2 pieces of vinyl trim? How did you get the bolts through both of them and the cover? Did you use a drill and what size bolts and drill is required.? I geryrigged a pull last year and because I just attached the roped to the cover I got the water going on top so I like this idea1. I am a woman living alone and don't use the pool as much because it is a pain to recover. I have a battery powered poorboy reel and it did come with a pull device which fell apart and they want $300 for another one. No Way
Hi. Yes. Two pieces one on top of the cover and one below with the solar cover between. I’m glad the trim is 8 foot. My step opening is 6’ so I made sure the trim extended evenly on both sides so the cover wouldn’t tear.
Before that, I put the two pieces of 8’ trim together. I drilled a hole through both at the same time. That way the holes line up.
It’s easier to be in the water to put it all together.
There’s a total of 5 bolts. They are, in order, 1 bolt, 2 eye bolt, 3 bolt, 4 eye bolt, 5 bolt. Getting those covered nuts on was the toughest.
To get the right size bolts & nuts, I took the trim (got it at Lowe’s) to the hardware section and had the guy help me get the right length bolts to go through the two pieces of trim & the cover. (If you have a piece of solar cover, take a piece with you so you get the right length)
Make sure the eye bolts are under the cover so when you pull, and it lifts the cover, it doesn’t scoop a bunch of water.
I used one length of rope. I fed it through one eye bolt, then through the next and knotted it in the middle. Kind of like a triangle.
Make sure there’s enough rope for the length of the pool. Mine is at least 24 feet.
I have a salt water pool so the rope does deteriorate after time. I have arthritis in my hand and a thicker rope is easier to pull than a thin piece.
Any more questions, just ask!😊👍
At about 45 seconds in you can see the bolts.
At 1 min 42 seconds you can see how the rope is attached.
The bolts you buy should give you the size on the pack so that’s the drill bit you would use for the holes.
The lowes guys are super helpful. Show them the video, just those sections I mentioned, and they should fix you up.
Uploaded a video of the bolts.
Video is up.
Genius!!!
Thanks! But more frustration and desperation. 😂
Did you use one rope or 2 and it looks like you have them attached together at some point? I wish you had been more detailed for those of us that need to know exactly how you put it together. I am wondering if one long rope could be used and run it through and out the other side and then use the double ends to pull. or two pull ropes and this is the hard part how do you hold together the three ropes together
Thanks. Great idea. Has the metal hardware stood up to the water? Rusting?
@@jesseayers9322 yes. I told the lowes guy it will be in salt water and he gave me the stuff.
I should have done a video on everything I did. I honestly didn’t think I’d get comments.
@@jesseayers9322 oh. The cotton rope only lasted a couple years. But it’s easier on my hands. A thinner rope just doesn’t feel as good as thicker rope.
That is a great idea. I just purchased one of these for my pool, because our pool gets so many leaves in it and I don’t close my pool til it gets very cold. I have many health issues and it’s getting too much for me to clean out all the heavy leaves out of my pool. I clean them out and the next day it looks the same. My question is how do you clean the leaves off of a solar power cover? I was thinking I could use a leaf blower, but don’t know if that would be too powerful to use? How do you do it?
Hi. Leaf blower doesn’t work for me. Leaves are still damp on the cover. Leaves are a pain. Leaves came early here in PA. We usually don’t get them until October. Sadly it’s my creeper and the net.
There is a remote controlled leaf picker upper for the pool. Not sure of that would help.
Great job! Can you tell me the size of the vinyl strips you used? Are they flexible or stiff? Many thanks.
Hi. I used 2, 8 foot strips. I wanted to go beyond the step insert on both sides so the corner wouldn’t tear from pulling. Drilled the holes with them together so it would be even. They aren’t stiff. I mean, if you pick them up from the middle they’ll arch. I got them at Lowe’s and the 8 foot were the longest they had. I’m pretty sure they’re vinyl. It’s a salt water pool so I wanted something that wouldn’t get eaten by the salt.
I spaced out the nuts/eye bolts just by eyeballing distance between.
Heres a link with a bit more detail? czcams.com/video/hotPL7bseCM/video.htmlfeature=shared
@@renate19861958 thank you. Got the link as well. I’m having trouble finding the vinyl strip. Can you provide me the width and thickness of the ones you used? Or perhaps even a link. I have not been able to find it at Home Depot or Lowe’s.
@@marcgordondotca hang on. Let me go to the web site. I’ll be back. 😂
@@marcgordondotca I apologize. It’s PVC I believe. When I got it, 10 years ago, I went to the baseboard trim area in lowes. It’s the lightest weight. Mine was 8’x2”x1/4”. Not exact measure on the 2” & 1/4”. We have a downpour here so I kind of winged it. It’s raining. Depending on how heavy your cover is you may want something wider.
I think the PVC is lightweight.
I’d go to Lowe’s and make sure it’s lightweight. I knew I didn’t want wood.
www.lowes.com/pd/Royal-Building-Products-0-625-in-x-1-5-in-x-8-ft-S4S-PVC-Trim-Board/5013353083
About to put mine together ,but it looks like you have 2 eye bolts plus 3 or 4 regular bolts because I can see one between the eye bolts. Right ? I bought only 2 bolts like the list says but that will not keep my 7 ft of vinal together.
Yes. I tried to makes sure I had enough. How about I video a better closeup tomorrow and tag you?
I’m sorry. Totally forgot to get the pic for you. Bear with me.
Great! This is such a good idea , I want to get it right. Thanks for responding @@renate19861958
Love the video if u don’t mind how much did the pool plus installation cost
Hi. I’m single. It was a choice between a new car and a saltwater pool. I chose to wait with the car. $32,000. Saltwater is easiest to maintain and better for my psoriasis skin. This was in 2008.
I live in central PA and, since I’m older, I also got a heater. I maintain the water at 86°. This helps with arthritis, keeps the pool open longer and i can stay in for hours and not get too cold from hypothermia.
If you decide to do this, let me know. I’ll give some things to keep an eye out for when they build.
Example:
- more jets. Especially in the steps if possible. Great on your back. If the jets are strong enough, you can swim in place too. The basic jets keep water circulating.
- Hand holds that aren’t metal because they get way too hot.
- careful where the pump and heater are so you can access all the buttons.
- have your pool fuse box near your pump and all that or you’ll be running inside to your breaker box.
- pool lights for at night was a waste of money for me.
- get the creeper cleaner (dolphin). Worth every penny. The wifi connection is a joke though. Have to be within 3 feet of the base to connect. I can push a button if I have to go within 3 feet!
I opted for no diving board because it’s a smallish pool and I didn’t want the liability.
Probably more info than you expected. 🤪
And all my animals learned how to get out of the pool from all areas within just in case they accidentally fall in. And they will.
I pay about $300 to close the pool every year because I don’t want to be worried about pipes freezing.
Opening the pool is simple but the winter cover is a pain. You’ll need 2 people.
Oh - seal the concrete. Salt water wreaks havoc with concrete. Be careful with the edge.
Mound the soil over your pipes. After a year or 2, dirt will settle. I ended up with a little pond there. Had to fill the dip with dirt.
Double check the cost of the water. May be cheaper to fill with a hose.
I do like the variable speed pump.
If you put a fence around it? Watch how the gates swing. I got a double gate for more room at the end.
Great Job ! ,.. I have a question… I’m considering buying a solar cover because I lose 1/4 “ of water in 24 hrs do to evaporation ( just under 2 inches per week ) ,…if you were also loosing water do to evaporation have you seen any difference since using the cover ?… thank you !
Absolutely it stops evaporation. The bad part is if you have several days of high temps, the solar cover will make the water pretty warm. But I keep my pool at 86°. I have a heater. On a hot day I can go from 86 to 90 and more depending on temps.
@@renate19861958 thank you for answering me so quickly ,.. and again. ,.. I love your invention !
Yes, with a solar blanket, your pool will lose no water to evaporation. What's more, evaporation doesn't just lose water, it loses your pool's heat, too. And lots of it! Transforming liquid into vapor takes a tremendous amount of energy (and that energy goes with the vapor!). As an example, think about how long it takes to boil a pot of water on your stove. That's just raising the liquid's temperature from tap water temperature (55 degrees F) to boiling (212 degrees F). Now consider how much longer it takes for that pot of boiling water to completely evaporate! That water is still 212 degrees F, and all that additional added boiling energy simply goes into transforming water's physical state from liquid (at 212 F) to vapor (at 212 F)! Pool-temperature water actually takes more energy that boiling-temperature water to make that liquid- vapor transformation because the liquid molecules are vibrating less energetically... so they are more strongly bound to their neighboring water molecules. So, when your pool is losing an inch of water per week due to evaporation, you can also view that as an equivalent energy loss (to the air) of boiling all that water on your stove. Once I figured that out, I regarded heating my pool like heating a ginormous (35,000 gallon) pot of water on the stove. Crazy! I stopped heating my pool, and instead bought a great-fitting solar blanket pool cover. And for swimming during winter (here in the SF Bay Area the pool gets down to 53 F in the dead of winter) I just bought a shortie wetsuit and neoprene hood.