Solar Cover Troubleshooting

To troubleshoot issues with your solar pool cover, locate your problem below and then read the recommended solution.

 

 

Problem 1: Cover blowing off the pool

For the cover to blow off the pool the wind needs to be able to get underneath it, causing it to lift up and blow across the pool.

This may be happening for a number of reasons:

i) The cover has not been cut to shape and you are attempting to keep it in place by using weighted objects.

Solution - To work most effectively and not blow off the pool, it is essential the cover is cut to shape and installed correctly, please refer to Installation Instructions.

ii) The cover has been cut to shape (allowing an upturn) but the upturn is too large and protruding above the top edge of the pool.

Solution - Trim the cover carefully until the upturn is the correct 75 - 100mm and does not go above the pool edge.

iii) There has been enough rain to significantly raise the pool water level resulting in the cover edge sitting above the coping of the pool.

Solution - Reduce the amount of water in the pool with your wastewater facility or remove the blanket until the excess water has evaporated.

  

Problem 2: Cover keeps moving to one side

i) This normally happens on a kidney-shaped or curved pool with an 'inside curve'. When the cover is cut allowing an even 75-100mm upturn all around, the upturn on the 'inside curve' tends to push the cover away from that side and up over the opposite edge of the pool.

Solution - carefully trim the blanket flat to the waterline on the 'inside curve' side or put some dressmaking tucks in the upturn along the 'inside curve' to alleviate the pressure.

ii) The cover is being moved by water return jets angled up directing the water at the cover - or, jets set too high in the pool.

Solution - if a jet is aimed up at the cover, loosen it and aim down, away from the blanket. If the jets are too high, you may be able to add more water to bring the water level above the return jets.If not, you need to contact your local pool shop about a redirection fitting to move the return water jets further under the water level.

  

Problem 3: Rips, tears and holes in the cover

A small perforation in the plastic cover material is not a major problem.

The damage is primarily cosmetic and the cover is just as effective and the warranted life span is not compromised. However, some water may seep through and collect on top of the cover.

Solution - You can purchase self-adhesive patch material that will cover most small holes or tears when applied to the top of the cover. The patch is cosmetic (but is darker than the colour of the cover) and will stop water coming through the hole.

 

Problem 4: The pool is going green with the cover on

A green pool indicates a high concentration of algae.

Algae is a pest organism that is always present, to some extent, in your swimming pool.

However, it can become resistant to normal levels of chlorine and breed rapidly if the conditions are right. The conditions that promote algae growth are:

• low chlorine levels
• warm water
• a food source (phosphates).

Simply fitting a solar pool cover will not make the pool go green. However, because solar covers will warm the water, they can accelerate algae growth.

Solution - Change the pool conditions to prevent algae growth.

It is important you consult with your pool shop as to the best method for your pool.

A common method is to add algaecide or shock chlorinate the pool to kill the algae spores, filter the pool for longer to remove the algae, and use an algae starver to remove the phosphates from the water.

Please Note - Remove Pool Cover for 48 hours after shock treating a pool.

 

Problem 5: Water entering pool cover bubbles

Water can enter the bubbles if the material is punctured by something - an object or rough pool surround.

Water trapped in the bubbles may go green as the chemicals dissipate from the water.

Water entering some torn or punctured bubbles will not affect the effectiveness or durability of the pool cover - see Problem 3 - Rips, tears and holes in the cover above.

Solution - handle the pool cover with care and be wary of sharp objects or pool edges. You may need to move the roller right to the end of the pool - or over the water to avoid dragging the cover across rough surfaces or edges.

 

Problem 6: Water condensation in the bubbles

The polyethylene plastic material used in the manufacture of Sunpool solar pool covers is permeable to a degree. This means it will allow tiny quantities of liquids or gases to go through it. Some water vapour will permeate the material and enter the bubbles. As the temperature outside the bubble drops below 'dew point', the water vapour inside condenses, leaving a small quantity of water in the bubble.

Solution - this condensation is perfectly normal and does not affect the cover's performance or life span in any way. As soon as the temperature inside the bubble increases again, the water will evaporate.

 

Problem 7: Bubbles have gone flat

This is a rare occurrence, and if it happens within the first twelve months of use, Sunpool Pool Covers will replace the cover.

If the cover is replaced, it is important you understand why it happened to prevent it occurring again. As chlorine reacts with other chemicals and organic material in your pool by-products called chloramines are created. One of these is a gas, Nitrogen trichloride. It is responsible for the strong chlorine smell around pools, particularly indoor pools. When Nitrogen trichloride builds up under the pool cover it can create very high pressure.

If there is a particularly low-pressure weather cell over the pool, the opposing pressures can create a powerful vacuum that forces the air out of the bubbles.

Solution - before installing a Sunpool solar pool cover, it is a good idea to shock chlorinate the swimming pool to burn off residual chloramines and then allow chlorine levels to return to normal.

Regular super chlorination or oxidation will avoid any future excessive chloramine build-up. Consult your local pool shop for advice.

 

Problem 8: Bubbles breaking up and falling off underside

This degradation will only occur when the antioxidants present in the cover material have been used up.

In short, the pool cover has worn out.

The antioxidants help protect your pool cover from chlorine's natural sanitisation process of oxidising everything in your pool. Oxidised plastic can be bleached white, become brittle and will break up when you touch it.

If you have kept the recommended chlorine levels in your pool, then, this oxidised condition will mean that you have achieved the expected life span of the cover and it's time to replace it. If the pool cover has not achieved its expected life, then it almost certainly has been subjected to excessive chlorine levels - either intermittently or consistently.

Solution - never place the pool cover on a pool with extremely high chlorine levels - for example, when super (shock) chlorinating. This will cause a severe immediate depletion of antioxidants from the cover material causing a significant increase in the oxidisation process and may damage the bubble wall.

Monitor chlorine levels regularly and maintain them as recommended at all times. A pool cover that is consistently subjected to even slightly higher than recommended chlorine levels will have its useful life reduced due to an acceleration of the normal oxidisation process.

 

Problem 9: Outer (top) surface of bubble peeling off

Ultraviolet energy from the sun will quickly break down most forms of plastic molecules. To counteract this, Sunpool adds the maximum UV inhibitors to its pool cover material to prolong the life of the product. Due to harsh UV radiation and corrosive pool chemicals, all solar pool covers have a finite useful life, and some breakdown will naturally occur as the cover reaches the end of its expected lifespan. However, there is an important step which will help ensure the cover's maximum expected life is reached.

Solution - when the cover is not in use, always store it out of partial or direct sunlight. If a roller system is installed, fit the UV protective overcover as soon as the cover is rolled off the pool.

 

Problem 10: Seams in the blanket

The base material Sunpool uses to make its solar pool covers comes in a roll 50 metres long and 1.6 metres wide.

The material width means that a Sunpool pool cover is manufactured from a number of 'panels' of material welded together. For example, a Sunpool cover for a 5 metre wide pool will consist of 3 'panels' welded together. Sunpool solar pool covers (and those from all other suppliers) have always been manufactured this way - as it is simply not practical to produce the base material in greater widths. The welded seams are at least as strong as the material itself, and do not affect the cover's performance or life span in any way.

Solution - this is normal!

 

Problem 11: Start of seam is open

When a new pool cover is unrolled ready for installation, you may see that at one end of the pool blanket the start of the seam is not welded. This unavoidable 'gap' is where the welding machine has been started from.

Solution - extra material has been added to the length of the blanket. You simply cut off this 'unwelded' area when trimming the blanket to fit the pool.

  

Problem 12: Blanket coming apart at the seams

This is an extremely rare occurrence and would only normally happen due to a fault in the welding process during manufacture.

Solution - Notify Sunpool so we can ascertain the age of the blanket and effect a replacement.

  

Problem 13: Salt build up on top of the pool cover

If water from a salt pool is left on top of the pool cover, the water can evaporate leaving salt behind.

This salt crust will not harm the blanket in any way, however, it is advisable to periodically wash any salt build up off as it can affect the cover's solar heating performance by inhibiting the passage of solar energy through the cover.

Solution - it is practically impossible to prevent any water getting on the top surface of the pool cover, however, try to pull the cover onto the pool with a bow motion to reduce the water that does get on top of it.

  

Problem 14: The pool cover has shrunk

The manufacturing of solar pool cover material uses plastic extrusion under heat and pressure in specialised equipment.

It is the nature of the process that some subsequent settlement of the material is to be expected. In our experience, up to 1% shrinkage can normally occur in the length of a pool cover (a 9.0 metre cover can shrink up to 90 mm). To allow for this, an extra minimum 300 mm is added to the length of the cover from the measured size of the pool to enable the installer to cut the cover to shape and allow an upturn of 50mm - 100mm average 75mm all around the pool. This is much more than adequate to compensate for the expected 1% maximum shrinkage in length. If a pool cover has shrunk more than 1% in length, or it has shrunk in width (shrinkage in width does not occur naturally), then the only possible explanation is that the blanket has experienced very significant overheating.

Solution - 1% shrinkage is normal!

 

Problem 15: Shrinkage caused by overheating

Overheating occurs when the cover is off the pool, folded or rolled up and left exposed to partial or direct sunlight. Over time, heat builds up within the layers of the folded or rolled-up cover, the plastic becomes more malleable, and the air inside the bubble expands. The expanding air stretches the bubbles and they take on a convex profile, rather than flat. This stretching of the bubble material over areas of the pool cover will abnormally shrink it. Such shrinkage is not covered under the warranty. The cover will continue to work effectively to warm the pool and prevent evaporation, however, you will experience some loss of useful life.

Please Note - leaving a cover under shadecloth or a patio is not protecting the pool cover from the sun, you must store it in complete shade.

 

Problem 16: The cover is wrinkly and doesn't sit flat on the water

i) When the cover is rolled up and put into a box after manufacture there can be some folding lines or creases in the material. These will eventually disappear as the material has a memory and will always try to lay flat. If you have a roller, you can accelerate the process by leaving the cover rolled up on the roller for a few days.

ii) Minor manufacturing distortions in the base material can give it a slightly wrinkly look. This is not a fault, but an unavoidable consequence of the plastic extrusion process.

When Sunpool cuts and welds the material to form the finished pool cover, some heat distortion can accentuate this 'wrinkliness'. The manufacture and welding processes makes this unavoidable and therefore, normal. It does not affect the pool cover's performance or life span in any way.

Solution - Leave the cover on the water/ on the rolller for a few days to return to its fibre memory.

 

Problem 17:  Fallen bubbles

A fallen bubble has had the top film of the bubble layer of material fall into the bubble-shaped lower film when in a semi-molten state during manufacture.

These fallen bubbles are not uncommon in all types of 'sealed air' bubble products - including our pool covers. We accept a tolerance level of two fallen bubbles per square metre as within the manufacturer's guidelines.

A fallen bubble cell, whilst not cosmetically uniform to the rest of the cover, is not a weak spot (in fact as a double layer of film it is stronger), and it will not affect the warranty, life or performance of the pool cover in any way.

 

Problem 18:  Blanket not rolling up straight/is difficult to roll up

i) If the pool is kidney-shaped, an unusual shape or has a step area, there needs to be a clear "line of sight" from the roller edges down the pool cover before attempting to roll up. Ensure all step areas are folded over giving you this clear "line of sight" before rolling up. The shape of the pool may tend to push the cover one way, so you may need to pull the cover gently while rolling to keep it straight on the roller.

ii) Ensure the roller position is perpendicular with the main body of the pool so the cover can come up evenly onto the roller.

iii) Ensure the cords are pulling the cover evenly off the water and onto the roller. If not, adjust the cords so the cover is being pulled evenly.

iv) Ensure the cover is being rolled onto the roller over the top of the tube, not underneath.

iv) Ensure the roller is right at the end of the pool, or even extending over the water, before trying to roll in the cover. If the roller is back from the end of the pool (over the pool surrounds) it will make it hard to roll in the cover. Some pool shapes require the roller to be over the water by 1 meter or more to make it work correctly in rolling in the cover.

 

Problem 19: Pool cover is not warming the water

Providing the bubbles are inflated and the blanket is in place, it warms the water and retains heat. It is as simple as that. In fact, short of covering the pool cover, you can't stop it warming the water, and even then only partially. There is no way possible for the blanket not to warm the water. Only the environmental conditions - temperature and degree of sunshine/cloud - will limit the heat and are the only variable factors.

 

Have other questions? Contact your Sunpool expert on 0800 Sun 002 (0800 786 002) for further advice and additional questions answered.

 

Learn More:

Measuring your pool for a Sunpool Solar Cover

Guide to Installing your Solar Cover on your pool

Pool Cover Use, Care & Maintenance Guide