We have an Air-Lok cover system that uses a small air pump to inflate
the cover into a somewhat dome shape that does a good job of sluffing
off leaves and Sweet Gum seed pods. Our mistake was reusing the
plastic cover a second year and it shows by stretching and the air
pump is unable to get it taut. Rain is a problem in settling in the
low spots causing the water to collect. The shop vac has been used to
pull the water out but it is FAR from desirable as it gets it's fill
and has to be drained. Repeatedly!!

We wonder what the positives are for the inflated cover compared with
the covers that lay flat on the water with bags of whatever to hold
them in place. A Google search for pool cover pumps found a multitude
of variations on a theme but descriptions/details were woefully
inadequate. A pool service store had one pump, maybe Little Giant by
name, with a mesh on the bottom and place to attach a discharge hose
that we didn't think would work for our situation. The directions had
a caution/warning that the pump was cooled by the water and it SHOULD
NOT be run dry.

I'd like to find a pump to place at the edge of the pool with a short,
hopefully 3' length, of hose to put into the water and a discharge
hose about 6' or so. Ideally the pump would be self priming.

Would like to read observations about domed cover vs. flat and how
flat cover users deal with water from rain.

Haven't found a pump yet but LOML suggested siphoning out the few
hundred gallons as we live on a sloped lot that ends in a pond. Filled
a 5/8" hose with water and about 4 hours later MOST of the puddle was
gone. No attention needed. Idea carryover from emptying a water bed
with hose stuck out of the window. Worked slick!

On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 07:33:18 -0500, wrote:

We have an Air-Lok cover system that uses a small air pump to inflate
the cover into a somewhat dome shape that does a good job of sluffing
off leaves and Sweet Gum seed pods. Our mistake was reusing the
plastic cover a second year and it shows by stretching and the air
pump is unable to get it taut. Rain is a problem in settling in the
low spots causing the water to collect. The shop vac has been used to
pull the water out but it is FAR from desirable as it gets it's fill
and has to be drained. Repeatedly!!

We wonder what the positives are for the inflated cover compared with
the covers that lay flat on the water with bags of whatever to hold
them in place. A Google search for pool cover pumps found a multitude
of variations on a theme but descriptions/details were woefully
inadequate. A pool service store had one pump, maybe Little Giant by
name, with a mesh on the bottom and place to attach a discharge hose
that we didn't think would work for our situation. The directions had
a caution/warning that the pump was cooled by the water and it SHOULD
NOT be run dry.

I'd like to find a pump to place at the edge of the pool with a short,
hopefully 3' length, of hose to put into the water and a discharge
hose about 6' or so. Ideally the pump would be self priming.

Would like to read observations about domed cover vs. flat and how
flat cover users deal with water from rain.