SWIMLINE HYDROTOOLS 55000 Commercial Truss Base Solar Reel System For Inground Pools | Heavy Duty | Non-Corrosive | With Straps & Hardware | Stable Foundation | Easy Cranking | TUBE KIT NOT INCLUDED

This worked great for my purpose. I have to state right up front that the pool for which this was purchased is only 7 feet wide. I bought a used reel which had a minor cosmetic flaw that was of no consequence. Because both ends had handles, I had to saw off the handle on one end to fit in the tight space I had available. Given that it was used and quite inexpensive, this was painless for me. I think this is quite sturdy in my application and it has simplified my previous manual process of placing and removing the cover from my pool. If you have a larger pool (longer span), you will want to get a sturdy pole, which I believe they sell. I was able to use a wooden dowel a little over 1" in diameter, but that was something I already had in my possession. There is a plastic bearing on each end. I can't say for certain if it's durable under a lot of weight. There are some retracting rollers on the bottoms, but I can't say if they're of any use to anyone else. My installation is permanently placed, but since it's so small, I can pick up the whole thing and carry it elsewhere if needed. This is dictated by the size of my pool, not the system.

The pool blanket solar reel I purchased came with clips and straps. In 3 months, most of the straps have deteriorated and I needed to replace them. I was leery of a Universal Pool Solar Reel Replacement Strap Kit, because sometimes universal isn't. In this case, the replacement system was even better than the original parts. Not only I got the 3/4" straps, new brackets, self-tapping hex-head screws but it even came with a bit to use on the hex head screws! Replacing the old straps and old brackets went quickly because of the tool included. I replaced everything in about an hour. Having a pool cover reduces water evaporation in my dry state. Having a solar blanket reel system makes using the solar blanket to the best advantage so much easier. Having replacement parts that are as good as the original ensures longevity of the solar blanket. I'm very happy with this solution that was under $16!

1st point - be careful in your order. This item is only the end pieces (the bearing assembly). You need to order seperately the aluminum tube that goes between these 2 wheel-looking items. The object description does state this, but I have seen many reviews where buyers were disappointed because they didn't get the whole kit. 2nd point - very easy to assemble. Putting the ends together took around 5 minutes. Putting the seperately purchased tube together took around 15 minutes and attaching the cover to the whole assembly took another 20 minutes. I needed a battery powered drill, screw driver and a seperate wrench for the whole thing. 3rd point - works very well with my 15' by 30' rectancular pool. The whole cover can be rolled up relatively neatly. The great thing is that I can actually re-cover my pool with no help and no running around to each side to advance the cover. I just slowly pull out the cover from the reel and make sure it lays flat on the water at the beginning. If I advance it slowly, it just rolls out flat and smooth onto the surface of the water, without the cover bunching up. 4th point - the plastic seems sturdy, but the aluminum for the reel pole is pretty easy to damage. I did have one of my mounting screws for the cover pull out of the aluminum. I had to replace the origianal screw with a slightly larger one to hold more firmly in the relatively soft aluminum.

It took some time, but I installed this reel system with their recommended pole. I mounted the actual reel system on two 4' x 4' five foot high pressure treated wooden posts, as I have an INTEX ultraframe pool, and cannot mount to an edge. These posts are at the end of the pool, 2 feet away, where I can still reach the solar blanket to pull it over the pool. I drilled holes in the base of the reel mechanism and then screwed these reels to a wood platform that then goes on top of the 4 x 4 post. Turn handles are screwed to the collar that holds the actual pole, so that nothing moves, then the pole is screwed to that collar. So there is definitely no wobbling or shifting. It took careful measuring to get the length of the poles correct. You need to drill holes in the poles to keep in place together, and for the end keeper plates and straps for the solar blanket-measuring for these also. I did not use their end predrilled plates to hold down the reels. I may put rubber bushings on my reels' bottoms where I drilled and screwed- so that they do not crack on the wood platform I made for each. These reels move beautifully! No struggle whatsoever rolling out the solar blanket onto the pool, or rolling it back up onto the pole again. After taking the time to configure my own pool situation, I am very happy with this product!

We have had this reel system for the solar cover for two summers on our 16-feet diameter Intex pool. We mounted the brackets to 4x4 treated posts and zip-tied them to two pool supports. We use Gorilla tape and stainless steel screws to keep the center section of the pole from sliding back and forth inside the end sections of the aluminum pole. The stainless steel screws held up but the rotation of the pole pulling the wet solar cover puts a lot of strain on those connections. The handles on the ends appear to be pvc and these usually fell off and broke or broke and fell off often. I tried using Gorilla glue to mend them, but alas the handles were rendered useless by the middle of the second season. Perhaps the sun breaks down the pvc and makes them brittle. The system was a good value and it is attractive and easy to work with since the two-piece pvc brackets pivot. Even a small woman can easily remove the cover by herself. I could put it back onto the brackets by myself, but unrolling the cover and getting it spread out evenly on the pool was much easier with two people.

Owned 1 week. Also purchased the hydrotool pole (54000). Received defective product at first (plastic was molded out of shape not allowing reel to roll). Amazon was great replacing with 1 day shipping. Replacement worked perfect. The instructions aren't great, but installed within 2 hours. I have a 21' round pool so installed right down the center. Rolling the cover up is incredibly easy (about 20 seconds). I love how the reel swivels right and left and open at the top so you can lift the pole up to remove it completely. Cranks on both ends will be useful if someone else wanted to help, but it's easy to roll by myself. Any debris on top of the cover goes in the water when you roll it up, but that's with any solar reel on a round pool. It's too early to speak to the durability of the resin/plastic, but it seems strong; doesn't bend as I crank the cover on/off. Putting the cover back on is not so easy. With the pole in the middle, the cover should unroll on both sides. Instead, the cover sticks to the other side and both sides roll out to just the right. I use my skimmer pole to separate, but it's easier to be in the pool when you start unrolling it. Once you get it started, it's goes pretty smooth. It takes me about 3-5 mins to get the cover back on by myself. I've noticed my cholrine is lasting longer compared to when I didn't use my solar cover. Overall, worth the money and I'm now using my solar cover all the time (I used to not ever want to mess with it). This will definitely give me more swimming time in the season.

This set includes 10 straps, about 25-26 inches each, "brackets" for each end, self-tapping hex-head screws to attach one end of the strap to the reel and plastic "screws" to attach the other end to the cover. There is also a hex-head socket you can use to install the hex-head screws. Most of the parts are nearly identical to the set that came with my reel, many years back. The hex-head screws are a better idea than the phillips-head screws that came with the reel since it's easier to strip the phillips heads. Perhaps the best part was the instruction sheet, which included excellent drawings of how everything fit together. Update: April 2018-- Five years later, the straps are coming apart and must be replaced. I put the pool cover, on the reel, in shade and cover it with a drop cloth when not in use. Here in Florida, we only use the cover a couple months in spring and again in fall.

Our pool is 20x40; I needed a way to take the solar cover off by myself & didn’t like it piled up to the side. I was very excited about the commercial quality & that the cover would be neatly out of the way when not in use. My research suggested 3 or 4” tubes sag, so I bought the 5”. It was difficult to put together, the sections didn’t ‘lock’, lining up to drill the holes took some time. It is impossible to roll up myself (I couldn’t roll 3/4 of it without help). It sags. Although the leg supports are adjustable (was hoping to go over diving board) but were not strong enough & tipped when trying to roll along pavers so I had to move to a lower setting & roll off to the side. We’ve had a heat wave, so I haven’t bothered to use the cover and am not looking forward to it when I need it. What a waste of time and money.