Swimming Pools

[PessOptimist]

Back to the light thing. Made time to get in the pool today for the first time this year. The temperature is delicious.

Note to self: go in the pool. Every day.

I took a #2 phillips with me. I could not unscrew the screw that holds the light. I may not be applying enough presure. I am floating and weigh about 165. What to do? I really don't give a rodent's rump about the light. I MUST fix it. I have a few implements around from my previous life for breaking free phillips head screws on aluminum alloy parts. I suspect that the problem is not breaking free the screw but perhaps the way it was installed early this year by the contractor who redid the surface. I suspect that it was installed with a power tool and perhaps cross threaded.

Oh me, oh my. Any thoughts? I can always go ask the real pool guy, but I owe him so much.

 

[PessOptimist]

Since this is moaning mainly about the pool, I thought I would dust off this musty thread. I just love being a homeowner and a pool owner. Just back from vacation and doing all the things that need doing, dealing with what needs to be dealt with. Contemplating going back to work Monday. Trying to ignore the 4.5% loss in the TSP account.

The pool pop up cleaner valve has malfunctioned once again. I think this will be the fifth or sixth time in the pool's 12 years. I am pretty familiar with this valve's inner workings and it is designed to fail. Fortunately the builder gave me a lifetime warranty. Unfortunately, the builder and the manufacturer of the valve no longer are in business. Last time it failed I just sucked it up and paid a pool store $80 for the rebuild kit. Now I see they are about $150 so I will attemt to track down the company's present owner. The company was CSI from Scottsdale, AZ. They were absorbed by Polaris, who sent me two free rebuild kits over the years. Now I see they are owned by Zodiac. You can only call them weekdays. I will see what happens Monday. I took it apart and eyeballed it and saw one valve was leaking. No prob, I saved all the still working parts from last time. Wait, we cleaned out that cabinet a couple years ago. No sense being a pack rat.

Other good news, sig other announced the house will be paid off next year. I responded that it meant I could retire. I was told no, we still need money. In the next breath I was told the A/C needs replacing because it will save money. It is 12 years old but is is also 12 SEER. I suggested keeping the house at 76 when it is 115 outside may be a factor. It is nice to sleep under a blanket after Alaska.

Let's see what else? Got a letter from Hertz about damage to a rental car. No inspection where we dropped it off. The damage line on the form letter was blank. Just another company phishing for money? They may go on the same list as Avis who tried to charge us for a blowout on the Autobahn a few years ago.

Someone replied to one of my posts "I'd rather stay home". Might have been nnuutt. I am in complete agreement.

Time to go to sleep and try to reprogram myself to the 0530-1715 work day. That includes drive time. Does not include getting up and ready time.

Eeyore attitude or not, I am not sure how many more vacations I can survivie.

 

[Buster]

I don't know if Spa's count in this topic..But mine is sitting at 107 degrees without running the heater...I went to 7-11 and bought two bags of ICE and tossed them in, to cool it down..worked nicely

 

[KevinD]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDIS6nXeyp4

Why am I showing a video of me abusing this poor piece of rental equipment?

​

I had to put it up twice. The first time the ground hadn't settled enough and it was off by as much as 6" in places. After slaving to level the ground the second attempt to put it up was "good enough." It's been up all summer and I really like having it. I would love to have an inground pool. Not bad for a $400 pool from Sam's club.

 

[FAB1]

We have a Kayak above-ground pool. Its almost maintenance-free really and is an attractive addition to the home. No lie, I dont have to do much of anything to it and the water stays sparkling clear and beautiful (I will post some pics later). I keep the pump on 24/7 water circulation keeps algae from forming. I use the 3" tabs a floater and usually put in a new one a few days after the last one has dissolved. Never use shock except to open the pool. Backwash weekly, clean the skimmer and vaccum when needed (maybe once a month, easy job).

All that PH stuff is a lot of bunk, I dont test the water and I dont care as long as its clear and clean. PH UP or PH down, or whatever, its a waste of money as far as I can see. Again Water Circulation, keep the pump going.

Also change Sand in sand filter EVERY YEAR, fresh sand keeps the water filtered best.

A vinyl liner lasts about 10 years. Replace when worn out and its like a brand new pool.

FAB1 LOVES his pool. No problems, Mon.

 

[KevinD]

We need to upgrade our pump and filter. Ours came with one of those paper filter things. There are kits to convert to salt water.

 

[KevinD]

I don't know if Spa's count in this topic..But mine is sitting at 107 degrees without running the heater...I went to 7-11 and bought two bags of ICE and tossed them in, to cool it down..worked nicely

I've been wanting to find or make some block ice to float in my above ground...

 

[burrocrat]

We have a Kayak above-ground pool. Its almost maintenance-free really and is an attractive addition to the home. No lie, I dont have to do much of anything to it and the water stays sparkling clear and beautiful (I will post some pics later). I keep the pump on 24/7 water circulation keeps algae from forming. I use the 3" tabs a floater and usually put in a new one a few days after the last one has dissolved. Never use shock except to open the pool. Backwash weekly, clean the skimmer and vaccum when needed (maybe once a month, easy job).

All that PH stuff is a lot of bunk, I dont test the water and I dont care as long as its clear and clean. PH UP or PH down, or whatever, its a waste of money as far as I can see. Again Water Circulation, keep the pump going.

Also change Sand in sand filter EVERY YEAR, fresh sand keeps the water filtered best.

A vinyl liner lasts about 10 years. Replace when worn out and its like a brand new pool.

FAB1 LOVES his pool. No problems, Mon.

I'm jealous you two. Seriously. Nothing like kickin in the water on a nice day, wherever you find it. You gots yourselfs a little piece of redneck riviera heaven in your own back yards no doubt (it's considered tacky to put it in the front and can invite unwanted guests).

As a kid I always had a swim pass and spent a lot of time at the pool, got really good at diving lessons after the usual course of 'this is how not to drown' classes. Still today I can do some of the jumps, much to the delight of other swimmers, probably because I'm not so lithe anymore and rarely stick a landing. But that don't stop me.

Do they sell padded bottoms for those pools, and where's the board? Or do you just swing from the branches?

And did you see KevinD own that stump, that's how you run a rental!

Cheers.

 

[nnuut]

As far as lowering the water temp with ice, yep I tried it one time. Water was 92 I put a 128 Quart cooler in my freezer, when frozen me and a buddy took it out of the freezer and threw it in the pool. I took about 45 minutes to melt away and lowered the water temperature ZERO DEGREES. I don't know how much Ice it would take to cool off all of that warm water [16,750 gallons] but it would be expensive as hell. There is a water misting system that pumps water in the pool and sprays a fine mist that they say can lower the temperature using the cooling effect of evaporation, I've never tried it. It has to be cheaper than all of that Ice.

Here's a link. http://www.mistcooling.com/pool_cool.htm

 

[Buster]

As far as lowering the water temp with ice, yep I tried it one time. Water was 92 I put a 128 Quart cooler in my freezer, when frozen me and a buddy took it out of the freezer and threw it in the pool. I took about 45 minutes to melt away and lowered the water temperature ZERO DEGREES. I don't know how much Ice it would take to cool off all of that warm water

In your case, you would probably need an Ice Berg..My spa is only 500 gallons and 60 lbs of ice dropped it 10 degrees

 

[nnuut]

Yep 500 LBs of Ice may help but the ICEMAN wants $25 for 150 LBs!!! Isn't that frozen water?

 

[burrocrat]

No, ice is hard water. soft water is the kind you can pee in without anybody noticing.

 

[nnuut]

 

[Buster]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx_8jBbBrO0&feature=related


This was the only pool not radioactive..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inA-36YRV0Y&NR=1&feature=fvwp

 

[FAB1]

My pool.

 

[PessOptimist]

Did you know that uric acid can lower your pools PH usually for free?

Good news for me amongst all the doom and gloom. The maker of my popup valve, CSI, later bought by Polaris, absorbed by Zodiac, is going to honor my life time warranty. Gonna save me at least $150. Woohoo! So what if I just lost enough in my TSP to buy a whole new pool in the last two weeks? Celebration time!

 

[JTH]

Jogged 5 miles in 103 degree heat, had to walk the last mile. After I finish the third margarita I'm dipping into the pool.

 

[burrocrat]

PO, it's the small victories that count,

and,

FAB1, how did you get that giant beer to float like that?

 

[nnuut]

A floater in the pool? That doesn't sound good at all.

 

[PessOptimist]

That good news about the rebuild kit...4 days and no kit. If I were sending something to a customer who I had no expectation of having to serve after 12 years, wouldn't I send it priority?

Bad news is we seem to have a different carrier every day. Much confusion about pink slips and dates and threats to send packages back. I advised my sig other to go to the local PO early Monday and talk about mail. Was told it was all under control.

Gotta go in to the pool for maintenence reasons. Who was it that advised me when to take that deep breath? I am getting mixed information from the sig other.