Automatic Cover Guidelines

When designing a pool that will include an automatic safety cover, it is important to consider the following guidelines:

• Drop to water - This is the distance from the cover guide to the water level in the pool.  For the best possible results, it is important to keep the track as close to the water level as possible.  Strive to keep your cover guides within 4 inches of the water’s surface.
 
• Drag (or resistance) - It takes almost no effort to push or pull a cover across water. Pulling a cover across a dry surface can create a lot of drag or resistance.  This drag commonly occurs on freeform pools where the cover guides are mounted outside the shape of the pool.       

One way to combat drag is to limit these drag areas to 10% of the total cover size. This is done by keeping the cover guides as close to edge of the pool as possible.  Another way to handle drag is by using blowers. Lifting a cover with blowers requires a significant amount of air flow (more than you might think) and must be done properly.  Blowers will create a cushion of air that the cover will ride on rather than riding on the dry surface, significantly reducing the amount of drag.   

•  Switch location- Having the switch correctly located can prevent many problems and costly repairs. When selecting a location for the switch, keep in mind that you must be able to see the entire pool at all times.
  
  It is best if you can be closer to the Leading Edge Bar when the cover is in the open position so you can see that the cover is running straight.  We recommend that the switch be located along the length of the pool halfway between the middle of the pool and the mechanism end, not more than twelve feet from water’s edge. Poorly located switches are one of the largest contributors to cover failure. 

• Drains- Lack of sufficient drainage is the most frequent cause of cover failure. When a cover housing is flooded, it is not just the motor that might be damaged.  The roll-up tube often fills with water, which can weigh several hundred pounds causing the tube to fail and the cover to rip.  The best way to protect your automatic cover is to have proper drainage. We recommend at least one three inch (3”) drain.  Increasing the size of your drain to four inches (4”) can offer additional protection.  Additional drains can be added to further prevent the possibility of flooding. Drain pipe smaller than three inches is not recommended.

By following the above guidelines, we are confident that your automatic safety cover project will be a pleasant and trouble free experience.