Swimming Pool Project – Putting in the Endless Pool Fastlane Current Generator

I have learned to accept the fact that my living room may become a workshop at any moment.  In this case, it meant that my Fastlane current generator (to go inside my Tuff pool) was going to be assembled after dark, on top of it’s own cardboard box, on the living room rug; and the Diligent Husband would have easy access to the comfy recliner couch.  Perfectly understandable decision.  

The manual was almost all he needed.  He asked that I make a phone call to ask about “attaching the sacrificial anode” per instructions.  A call to the folks at Endless Pool quickly clarified that this anode was only needed for salt water pools.

Another question was about an apparent extra piece that looked similar to, but smaller than, the curled piece that attached to the back of the Fastlane so that it can hang on the side of the Tuff pool.  (see second photo below of Fastlane being put into the pool to see the piece it hangs from.)  It seems the instructions specific to the Fastlane being put in a Tuff pool had not been included with our order.  The “extra” piece was meant to attach at the bottom of the Fastlane generator and hold it a few inches out from the side of the pool.  This is necessary because the side of the Tuff pool angles out as it goes down.  Without this piece, the Fastlane would slouch at the wrong angle.  Finally, everything was assembled.  My dad agreed to come over the next day, at 7AM, before both men had other obligations, to help carry the Fastlane out to the pool.

It was fairly obvious right away that the Fastlane was going to sit too low, even though the hanger bracket had been put on according to the directions.  The choices were:  1) to lower the water level, which wouldn’t work because of the skimmer’s set location, or 2) try the top set of holes.  They hoisted the Fastlane up, and DH repositioned the large hook.  This looked more hopeful, and I would get to try to swim the next day.

My first swim was very fun, right up until the 15 minute mark, when I got sea sick.  I thought I was going to just have to be brave and let myself get sick for days on end until I got over it.  However, DH was still problem solving in his head and decided, based on what he had read about the Fastlane placement, that if it was raised more, it might create less turbulence in the water.  We propped the Fastlane up on a part of the pool ladder, while he drilled a couple of extra holes in the hook piece with his drill press.  Then, I helped hold the Fastlane while he re-attached the piece.

This definitely brought the Fastlane closer to the description of where it should sit in the water, but I was still getting sick.  Ever thinking outside of the box, DH came up with a 3 inch piece of hard foam from the packing materials. When this is placed vertically behind the Fastlane, it held the bottom away from the side of the pool at an angle that keeps the top of the Fastlane just at the surface of the water.

Now, I have been able to swim without getting sea sick.  I’m only up to 30 minutes at a time, for a few reasons, even though I had been regularly swimming an hour (for a distance of 1.25 miles) in the gym’s lap pool.  I will have more to say about the swimming experience so far in my fun new pool in another post.