Swimming Pool Cover
Nov 23rd 2006, 11:59 pm
#16
Where traffic lights rule
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Brighton QLD
Posts: 2,460
Re: Swimming Pool Cover
I bet it's a pain in the bum to keep taking the cover on and off all the time.
After a few months I bet you won't bother with it. Might save water over winter when the pool is not in use though.
Our pool has a waterfall so I'm not sure if a cover would be ok.
We have gone down the water tank path instead, I figure that would be more handy in the long run as I can use the water to hose stuff and wash the car.
BTW do you know you can't use a hose to wash the dog, but you can use a presure washer
After a few months I bet you won't bother with it. Might save water over winter when the pool is not in use though.
Our pool has a waterfall so I'm not sure if a cover would be ok.
We have gone down the water tank path instead, I figure that would be more handy in the long run as I can use the water to hose stuff and wash the car.
BTW do you know you can't use a hose to wash the dog, but you can use a presure washer
Originally Posted by BadgeIsBack
After 2 summers of watching our water evaporate away I finally bought a pool cover for this one.
It's like many - it's basically bubble wrap but I'm not going to be popping the bubbles just because I can.
I spent more money and got the 500 micron thickness and it is pretty thick and a little winder - Chief insisted I get the winder along with the cover and not pennypinch by getting it later etc etc.
All up I paid 600 bucks. It worked out cheaper than other mobs and less than even the ones you can cut off a roll (like wallpaper) in Clarks Rubber.
I could have saved a few hundred by going for a thinner one but decided to go the whole hog.
benefits:
i)The water will stay warmer
ii)There will be less evaporation - less water usage
iii)Easier to keep leaves out, I still expect sentiment and dirt to blow in of course
iv)Some councils (in QLD) will give you a rebate to the tune of a few hundred bucks - doesn't apply to me of course
cheers
It's like many - it's basically bubble wrap but I'm not going to be popping the bubbles just because I can.
I spent more money and got the 500 micron thickness and it is pretty thick and a little winder - Chief insisted I get the winder along with the cover and not pennypinch by getting it later etc etc.
All up I paid 600 bucks. It worked out cheaper than other mobs and less than even the ones you can cut off a roll (like wallpaper) in Clarks Rubber.
I could have saved a few hundred by going for a thinner one but decided to go the whole hog.
benefits:
i)The water will stay warmer
ii)There will be less evaporation - less water usage
iii)Easier to keep leaves out, I still expect sentiment and dirt to blow in of course
iv)Some councils (in QLD) will give you a rebate to the tune of a few hundred bucks - doesn't apply to me of course
cheers
Nov 24th 2006, 12:06 am
#17
Alive and boinging!
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Kinross, WA
Posts: 348
Re: Swimming Pool Cover
Having fun with our pool right now. Solar pump has packed up and I reckon we've got a leak as the level is dropping faster than it should through evaporation alone.
There are guys out here who self their services as 'leak detectors'. They charge the best part of 200 bucks to supposedly use an ultrasonic device to pinpoint your leak. I'm waiting for the guy's verdict but suspect we'll need to take the skimmer box out and reseal it. Do you do this sort of stuff Scossie (not to mention a good deal on solar pumps)?
There are guys out here who self their services as 'leak detectors'. They charge the best part of 200 bucks to supposedly use an ultrasonic device to pinpoint your leak. I'm waiting for the guy's verdict but suspect we'll need to take the skimmer box out and reseal it. Do you do this sort of stuff Scossie (not to mention a good deal on solar pumps)?
Nov 24th 2006, 12:12 am
#18
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: Swimming Pool Cover
Originally Posted by MrsDagboy
LOL - there's a line there but I will leave it alone 
.
.
Nov 24th 2006, 12:49 am
#19
Rocket Scientist
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Dreamland AKA Brisbane which is a different country to the UK
Posts: 6,911
Re: Swimming Pool Cover
Originally Posted by BadgeIsBack
We have a winner - a quote I can attribute to you, Mrs D!
Nov 24th 2006, 7:49 am
#20
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 9,397
Re: Swimming Pool Cover
You "done" the right thing, Badge!
Nerd that I am I kept daily records of water consumption of my pool in Florida from Dec '98 to Apr '03: the evaporation rate with a cover was a fraction of that without (excluding the times when I detected leaks!).
Wind speed is a far greater factor than water temperature - a stiff breeze across an uncovered pool really sucks the water out.
Quite apart from the far smaller heat loss overnight (averaged around 4°), there must be quite a lot of latent heat of evaporation saving too. With a winder it was only a matter of 30 secs to uncover the pool. The only downside was that the cover didn't look quite as inviting as sparkling clear water!
Nerd that I am I kept daily records of water consumption of my pool in Florida from Dec '98 to Apr '03: the evaporation rate with a cover was a fraction of that without (excluding the times when I detected leaks!).
Wind speed is a far greater factor than water temperature - a stiff breeze across an uncovered pool really sucks the water out.
Quite apart from the far smaller heat loss overnight (averaged around 4°), there must be quite a lot of latent heat of evaporation saving too. With a winder it was only a matter of 30 secs to uncover the pool. The only downside was that the cover didn't look quite as inviting as sparkling clear water!
Nov 24th 2006, 7:50 am
#21
(It's not my real name)
Joined: Sep 2002
Location: Ilukapool. WA
Posts: 12,467
Re: Swimming Pool Cover
You've got to have a cover. A winder too - bloody luxury!
Nov 24th 2006, 8:38 am
#22
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 9,066
Re: Swimming Pool Cover
Originally Posted by bal56
Having fun with our pool right now. Solar pump has packed up and I reckon we've got a leak as the level is dropping faster than it should through evaporation alone.
There are guys out here who self their services as 'leak detectors'. They charge the best part of 200 bucks to supposedly use an ultrasonic device to pinpoint your leak. I'm waiting for the guy's verdict but suspect we'll need to take the skimmer box out and reseal it. Do you do this sort of stuff Scossie (not to mention a good deal on solar pumps)?
There are guys out here who self their services as 'leak detectors'. They charge the best part of 200 bucks to supposedly use an ultrasonic device to pinpoint your leak. I'm waiting for the guy's verdict but suspect we'll need to take the skimmer box out and reseal it. Do you do this sort of stuff Scossie (not to mention a good deal on solar pumps)?
Nov 24th 2006, 8:55 am
#24
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: Swimming Pool Cover
Originally Posted by Wol
Quite apart from the far smaller heat loss overnight (averaged around 4°), there must be quite a lot of latent heat of evaporation saving too. With a winder it was only a matter of 30 secs to uncover the pool. The only downside was that the cover didn't look quite as inviting as sparkling clear water!
days not so hot - yet windy.
I am contemplating having it quite wide to stop leaves but also realise this would be more cumbersome to roll.
So we'll see what happens at the fitting stage.
Nov 24th 2006, 9:11 am
#25
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 9,066
Re: Swimming Pool Cover
Originally Posted by BadgeIsBack
The evaporation effect you talk about would account for the water loss even on
days not so hot - yet windy.
I am contemplating having it quite wide to stop leaves but also realise this would be more cumbersome to roll.
So we'll see what happens at the fitting stage.
days not so hot - yet windy.
I am contemplating having it quite wide to stop leaves but also realise this would be more cumbersome to roll.
So we'll see what happens at the fitting stage.
Nov 24th 2006, 10:29 am
#26
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: Swimming Pool Cover
Originally Posted by annqldau
Surely you still have to get all the leaves off the cover.
Nov 24th 2006, 11:05 am
#27
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 9,066
Re: Swimming Pool Cover
Originally Posted by BadgeIsBack
Yes, but if I don't deal with them they sink to the bottom - then they are a pain.
Nov 24th 2006, 11:14 am
#28
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2005
Location: WA
Posts: 1,784
Re: Swimming Pool Cover
Poor dog
Originally Posted by themerlin
BTW do you know you can't use a hose to wash the dog, but you can use a presure washer
Nov 24th 2006, 11:24 am
#29
Scottish Aussie ©
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Belmont, Perth, WA
Posts: 2,009
Re: Swimming Pool Cover
Originally Posted by bal56
Having fun with our pool right now. Solar pump has packed up and I reckon we've got a leak as the level is dropping faster than it should through evaporation alone.
There are guys out here who self their services as 'leak detectors'. They charge the best part of 200 bucks to supposedly use an ultrasonic device to pinpoint your leak. I'm waiting for the guy's verdict but suspect we'll need to take the skimmer box out and reseal it. Do you do this sort of stuff Scossie (not to mention a good deal on solar pumps)?
There are guys out here who self their services as 'leak detectors'. They charge the best part of 200 bucks to supposedly use an ultrasonic device to pinpoint your leak. I'm waiting for the guy's verdict but suspect we'll need to take the skimmer box out and reseal it. Do you do this sort of stuff Scossie (not to mention a good deal on solar pumps)?
The most common leak is at the connection from the skimmer box to the pipe that goes to the pump, (caused by the fact that the skimmer is heavy cos it's it's always full of water). That's why we always fully encase the skimmer in concrete in our pools. Most companies just tag it onto the pool so that it is only surrounded by sand. Very common leak with fibreglass pools!
Solar pump wise... Yup, I can get you one.
Just need to know the wattage / horse power of the pump.
It should be on the spec plate on the pump...
Nov 25th 2006, 4:10 am
#30
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 9,397
Re: Swimming Pool Cover
DIY leak detection!
Buy a little bottle of cochineal or other food dye and a syringe - you don't need the needle. Fill the syringe and approach the suspect area very very gently: give a SLOWWW squirt of the dye near the position and observe. You will see tiny tendrils of dye make their way towards any leak, however small.Leaks are usually round pipes, drains, skimmers and the like.
Repair with 2 part waterproof epoxy -you can use it underwater.
I repaired several leaks in my last pool and still have most of the bottle of dye and half the epoxy!
Buy a little bottle of cochineal or other food dye and a syringe - you don't need the needle. Fill the syringe and approach the suspect area very very gently: give a SLOWWW squirt of the dye near the position and observe. You will see tiny tendrils of dye make their way towards any leak, however small.Leaks are usually round pipes, drains, skimmers and the like.
Repair with 2 part waterproof epoxy -you can use it underwater.
I repaired several leaks in my last pool and still have most of the bottle of dye and half the epoxy!