Swimming Season is Coming!

As the swimming season is quickly approaching, swimming pools will soon be uncovered, cleaned, chemicals balanced and prepared for family fun, relaxation and entertaining friends. We would like to remind you that in addition to preparing your pool for spring, it is also important to prepare your Coverstar Automatic Safety Cover for the season. Like anything that is exposed to harsh chemicals and wide variations in environmental conditions, a pool cover also needs regular maintenance.

We recommend that the following items be checked each spring to insure that you’re Coverstar automatic safety cover will operate smoothly and perform reliably.

· Lubricate all pulleys

·Adjust the torque limiter

· Adjust the ropes for smooth cover operation

· Flush dirt from the cover track

· Tighten loose bolts and screws

· Clean leaves and debris out of the cover box and make sure there is adequate drainage from the cover box

· Clean the cover

· Replace sliders and pulleys as needed

By properly maintaining your Coverstar Automatic Safety Cover, it will continue to provide the best protection available for your family and your pool investment.

2014 New Automatic Cover Products

Coverstar, a division of Latham Pool Products, is pleased to introduce several new products that will be released in the coming weeks.


Wireless Touch Pad Control Switch

• The wireless touch pad control switch can be installed  in conjunction with a hard wired receiver touch pad unit. 
• This allows a homeowner to install a second touch pad, which is in full view of the pool, in a second location without the need of running conduit. 
• The wireless touch pad must be mounted in a secure location.  

Available April 1st.



CS300HD Spa Mechanism Package
 

• The CS300HD spa mechanism includes a stronger motor.
• Great solution for spas or small pools up to 12 x 24. 
• It features a tuck under gear driven motor which allows the system to be installed with a much smaller motor offset. 

Available April 1st.



Slim Flush Guide

•  Slim Flush Guide is a low profile track that positioned outside the shape of the pool. 
• It is poured in the deck so it is flush with the top of the finished deck.
• It features a pulley that is mounted to the guide feed and a two inch end pulley to provide smooth cover operation.

Available April 1st.

2 1/2 Inch Leading Edge Tube

• 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" Leading edge tube
• Provides stronger deflection in both the horizontal and vertical directions 
• Can be used with either rope or loop cover application.
• Maximum length is 24 ft.

Available April 1st.

Coverstar is committed to having the highest quality and most durable products on the market. As we enter the 2013 season, these new products and product enhancements will once again distinguish Coverstar as the market leader in automatic pool cover products.

Updated Coverstar Dealer Manual

Last year, we introduced our new Coverstar Dealer Manual. The dealer manual provides detailed information that that is helpful when building a pool that will include a Coverstar automatic safety cover. The manual includes information such as:

• Installation instructions for full Eclipse, CS3000 and CS300HD spa systems
• Specifications sheets for each mechanism, system type and housings
• Wiring diagrams for the standard switch or new touch pad switches
• Cross section drawings of housing, walk on lids, housing drainage etc.
• Sections for special applications including blowers, perimeter overflow, vanishing edge etc.

The manual is organized with an easy to follow table of contents which will help you navigate through the different options whether they are looking for information based on pool type (gunite, vinyl liner and fiberglass) or system type (underguide, topguide, deckmount).

We are excited to announce that the new dealer manual has been updated to include improvements that have been made to our systems and products.  This updated version of the manual has been posted on our website and is available for viewing or for download. To access the manual, go to www.coverstar.com. After the website opens, click on the link that says "are you a builder/dealer". Next, use the mouse to hover over the link that says "Automatic" along the top of the page. This will bring up several options, including "Dealer Manual".

After clicking on the manual link, you will see that it has been set up with a number of links throughout it. Each of the line items in the table of contents is a link that will take you to that section of the manual. Additional links titled "return to table of contents", have been included at the top of each page throughout the manual. When clicked, these links will take you back to the table of contents.

The dealer can be downloaded in its entirety using this link at the top of the page or, if a specific section is needed, the individual section can be downloaded.

We hope you find this new manual helpful as you implement automatic covers in your pool designs.

Automatic Cover Maintenance

Extending the life of a pool cover is neither hard nor time consuming. Proper cover maintenance will help lengthen the life of your cover and keep it running smoothly. An automatic pool cover not only provides safety for your loved ones, it can also save you money by reducing heating loss, chemical loss and water evaporation. Additionally, it can be used to winterize the pool and protect it from the harmful effects of the sun.

Throughout the years Coverstar has identified a number of ways to prevent early wear and tear of automatic pool covers and to increase their life by following some simple maintenance techniques.

• Keep water levels in your pool at the mid-skimmer level. If the pool is overfilled, water can flow over the bond beam into the housing and flood the mechanism. If the water level is too low, the cover will have a lot more sag in it, which adds more stress and wear to the system. It is critical to maintain the correct water level especially in the winter months if the cover is being used as a winter cover. If the water level in the pool is too low to support the weight of the snow load, significant damage can occur to the pool and pool cover. By simply maintaining your water level, it will help keep your system running smoothly.

• It is also important to monitor the chemistry of the pool water and keep it properly balanced. Doing this will minimize the harmful effects of chemical imbalance. The general rule is that you only cover a pool that you would swim in. After adding any chemicals to your pool, allow the chemicals to circulate before closing the cover. If you are unsure if it is safe to close the cover, test the water at the surface with your test kit. If the cover is closed before the chemicals have had a chance to mix, this could shorten the life of the fabric or not allow the chemicals to balance properly in the pool.

• General cleaning maintenance of the cover, housing drains, pulleys, and cover guides can greatly impact the operation and life of the cover. Periodically removing debris and dirt from the guides and pulleys with a high pressure hose will allow the cover to operate efficiently. In windy and dusty areas, covers may become inoperable until the debris has been hosed from the guides. The build up of this debris, if not removed, can cause premature wear and tear on all components of the system.

• When you uncover the pool, the water in the pool is transferred from the pool to the top surface of the cover. The sun then dries it, causing high concentrations of chlorine on top of the cover that may damage the fabric. To remove this build-up and other debris, wash the cover with a mild hand dish washing liquid every 3-6 months. However, do not use laundry detergent or any other chemicals to clean the cover.

• In order to meet ASTM safety standards, a closed cover should have a cover pump in place on top of the cover to remove any accumulated water. Not only is the accumulated water on top of the cover a safety hazard, but the increased weight on top of the cover will strain the system if you try to operate the cover with water on top of it.

• Proper operation of the autocover can also impact its life span. We suggest that homeowners stop the cover a foot before the cover is completely uncovered or covered, then bump the switch to inch the cover until it is fully open or closed. This will reduce the wear on the ropes and the webbing by preventing hard hits against the coping on the deep end of the pool as the cover is closed and on the cover stops as it is opened.

• Finally, you may want to consider employing the services of a local authorized pool cover professional to provide an annual maintenance and check-up of your pool cover system. They can provide a variety of service options including lubricating and greasing pulleys and fittings, making cover adjustments, tightening loose bolts and screws and cleaning the box and cover.

Following these few simple maintenance and autocover care recommendations will help preserve the life not only of your cover, but your pool as well. Taking the time to maintain your cover will pay off and will help to keep it operating safely for many years to come.