My two complaints about solar covers. One is that I wish they came custom sized for the pool. I can buy a Loop-Loc safety cover sized for the pool but unless you are extremely lucky, you are buying a larger size solar cover and trimming it with scissors. Second is that since it is not cut to shape, it is hard to get a seam on both sides of the pool. The seam which joins sections is stronger than the rest of the cover. As the cover ages, there will come a time where a chunk of solar cover ends up in your hands after tearing from the main cover. I can eke out a few extra months or year if I can grab a seam while pulling the cover off the reel and on to the pool.
Solar pool cover & reel advice for in-ground pool
- Thread starter SorryImaNewb123
- Start date
As I'm currently doing my own research on new solar covers and reels, I wanted to chime in on this old thread. Caution to anyone with a 20x40 getting the Vingli reel. Due to width of the pool, the Vingli becomes fairly flexible after assembly and the center drags. This will be our third season with it, and I haven't been super impressed. A 20x40 cover is heavy, and the aluminum isn't particularly thick. After year one, the self-tapping screws were already falling out.
I rebuilt my 'heavy duty' Rockys reel each year. It needed fresh holes each year because they became long slots over the season allowing lots of sag. Twice I went with larger bolts and they just made wider slots than the old ones.
The self tapping cover strap screws were similar. When they popped off sometimes they would grab the old hole again but usually I had to tap a new hole.
Between the 2, it looked like Swiss cheese on year 5, but it worked to keep the cover attached and the middle less saggy.