AG Pool Solar Cover Holder and Privacy Screen

I had two problems with my above ground pool:
#1 - The solar cover is large and there was no easy way to store it when our above ground pool is in use.
#2 - Although our pool is in our back yard on the side of the house, the front of the pool is clearly visible from the street.

To solve these problems I built these PVC supports to get the cover out of the pool and out of our way. They also obscure the view from the street, so it also acts as a privacy screen when storing the cover. PVC TO THE RESCUE!

This device couldn't be easier to build and use, and it is very affordable. The total cost of this project is under $30 - YAY! Seriously, on a difficulty scale of 1-10 this build is at worst a 2. This is also very easy to customize for your preferred height and you can use as many as you need for your pool cover. You can put them anywhere you want to get the cover out of the way. I started with them on the side of my pool, and moved them to the front for better privacy.

1/2" PVC Pipe - at my local store they come in 10' segments for under $3 each. Buy as many as needed - each support uses about 4 feet of PVC.

3/4" PVC Schedule. 40 90-Degree S x S Elbow Fitting - Each support takes 3 of these. 50 cents a piece, or buy them in bulk. These always come in handy so having extra is never a bad thing.

24" Jumbo Bungee - Each support uses one of these. At approx $1.50 each buy as many as needed.

Drill and drill bit - You need to put a couple of holes into the PVC. Pick a bit size larger than the end of the bungie cord connector.

Those are the only things you need to buy - the rest are optional:

Tape measure - Honestly, you don't even need this unless you like to make exact cuts. This project is so forgiving you don't even need it.

PVC Pipe cutter - Meh. I just used a hand saw and a miter box to keep the cuts straight. You can cut the PVC with whatever tools you have on hand.

Sandpaper - It's probably a good idea to smooth out any of the PVC pipe's cut edges. Just about any grit will do. You don't want to scratch a hole in your solar cover when putting it up onto the supports.

Beer or Wine - for when you are done to celebrate completing one of the easiest upgrades ever. If you aren't a drinker or under the legal age (because a child can do this project it is so simple) this step is optional.

The Build
Cut the PVC. Do the math for supplies. Each support uses 46" of PVC using my specs, so every two supports requires about 8 feet of PVC. If you are shorter or taller you can adjust the length of the "D" piece. I would get in the pool and reach up near the edge, and have someone outside the pool measure from the top rail to the top of your wrist. Use this measurement to adjust the length of "D". I am about 5'10" with an average reach and when putting up my cover I don't have to be on my tippy toes or stretch. Cut the PVC as show in the sketch for each support:
2 segments 6 inches long
1 segment 11 inches long
1 segment 23 inches long or adjusted for your height and reach

Sand the cut edges smooth. Drill two holes (halfway through the pipe, only on one side), one near the top and one near the bottom, on the "D" segment large enough to fit in the ends of the bungee cord. Assemble with the 90 degree S angles as shown in the sketch. Use pressure with twisting only on the pipes and connectors, no need for adhesive. This also makes the pieces easy to disassemble and store when the summer is over.

Installation
Figure out where you want to hang the pool solar cover and attach the supports as shown. I spaced mine based on the main rails on my pool's fencing. I put the one end of the bungee cord into the lower hole of the support, then wrap it around the fence rail, and put the other end into the top hole on the support.

How to Use
Get in the pool and slowly roll up your solar cover like a poster. The objective is to make it a long tube. My pool is oval so I start in the middle and go back and forth to get it as compact as possible. This is a good time to remove any debris from the cover while rolling it up. Try to brush off any standing water on top as that will make the cover lighter and easier to lift. Once the cover is rolled up tight like a tube you can easily move it to where you installed the supports. Before you lift it over the supports you have the option to twist down the top of the supports to make putting up the cover easier - this is why you don't use adhesive. Put the cover over the support and twist the end up to hold it in place. If you twist the top down and up, make sure to give the pipes a small push back into the connector as the twisting may loosen the connection. Go to the next one and keep doing this until your cover is fully above the water hanging on the supports. It may take a few times to figure out how much slack to have between supports and how much space to leave on the edge. When you are done swimming twist the top of the supports down and take the cover down (or lift it carefully over the end pipe without twisting them down). Unroll the cover back in the pool and call it a day.

Crack open that beer or pour the wine, you're done.