Pool Lights

[Saltwater Soul]

Is there anything special to know about replacing your in-ground pool light bulbs? Seems the bulb is labeled 500W Pool Light. I don't know what is special about them but evidently they are available at the pool store. Would a flood light work?

What about the fixture and gaskets? Should I replace at the same time? It all seems straightforward but I don't want to electrocute my family. The fixture I have looks like the following:

[Ted Gentry]

I changed out many over the years in our pool. Purchase the bulb from a pool supply store, turn off breaker, remove fixture which it seems you already have. Carefully unscrew existing bulb and reinstall new bulb. do not overtighten. Check existing gasket for cuts and wear, if it appears ok then Replace lens cover, place underwater for a leak test. If no moisture appears on the inside at a depth of a couple of feet then you should be good. reinstall fixture into mount in pool wall, do not overtight'n the screw or screws. ours had just one screw to hold in place. That done, turn breaker back on and flip the switch. Now have JC dive in for a shock test. You might also check power to the socket with a meter prior to placing a new bulb in. good luck

[shorty70]

lol...x2

[Saltwater Soul]

OK, new gasket and new light installed. Still does not work. Has no power at the fixture although the light at the other end of the pool is lit. What do you do if you have to change out the whole fixture? Looks like that could be a real challenge. While I am waiting for advice, I'll check power at the switch.

[Ted Gentry]

Saltwater Soul, A few questions for you. Are both pool fixtures on the same switch?, Did you test the power at the socket with a meter prior to installing the bulb and reinstalling in the pool?, Is the socket free of all corrosion on the center tab and screw base walls?, If not you should clean these connections, please make sure breaker and switch are tuned off. If you have power on the down side of your switch and no power at the socket, then you may have a pinched wire where it enters the fixture, seems like our had a watertight compresson fitting to seal off the wire as it entered the fixture. Did you test the new bulb with a a meter to make sure the new bulb is good? Also, test thebreaker to make sure you have power coming out of it. Good luck.

[Saltwater Soul]

Thanks Ted. I'm a little ahead of you now.


Both on same switch
Socket had corrosion but I have cleaned it
Used meter and have:

No power at fixture
Power at switch
Power at GFI switch

Bulb works -- in fact, the old cruddy looking bulb I took out worked after I put it in another fixture. I had just assumed it didn't.
The next step I am going to take is to open up the junction box under where the GFI breaker is. Hopefully there is just a loose wire in there for that one light.

Anybody got any other ideas?

[Ted Gentry]

Thanks Ted. I'm a little ahead of you now.


Both on same switch
Socket had corrosion but I have cleaned it
Used meter and have:

No power at fixture
Power at switch
Power at GFI switch

Bulb works -- in fact, the old cruddy looking bulb I took out worked after I put it in another fixture. I had just assumed it didn't.
The next step I am going to take is to open up the junction box under where the GFI breaker is. Hopefully there is just a loose wire in there for that one light.

Anybody got any other ideas?
ok, you've got a switch, and another switch that you say is gfi switch, and now your going to check the gfi breaker. Starting to sould like to many gfi's with this circuit. how do you have two switches for this single circuit providing power to two fixtures. do you have a switch in one location to turn off and on and another in other location that will also turn said lights off and on?

[Saltwater Soul]

Sorry, there is not a GFI "switch" just a mistype on my part. Just a single GFI breaker.

[Ted Gentry]

Sorry, there is not a GFI "switch" just a mistype on my part. Just a single GFI breaker.

Still curious about the layout of your electical layout?

[Saltwater Soul]

Still haven't had time to tear into that junction box. Got a crack now in the spa which is leaking. Must be from ground movement. If it is not one thing, it is another.

Configuration is that there is a switch (controls both lights) that goes to a GFI breaker/outlet that is mounted on top of metal junction box mounted about a foot off the ground. From this junction box, a number of conduits take off into the ground toward (I assume) the various lights in the pool and spa.

[nightgigger]

If there is any leak in ether light housing on that GFI circuit, it will trip the GFI.

[tlbullfrog]

My pool light won't work either. Ran all new wiring up to a junction box, just before the old wiring (in conduit) went under the concrete. The old wiring was submersed in water within the conduit, and has become extremely corroded.
Connected new wire to old wire and energized the circuit (which contains GFCI) in hopes that the old wire could handle the load. The light came on for about a minute, then tripped the GFCI. Evidently, the corroded wiring somehow heated up and shorted.

So, corroded wiring might be something to check for.

Not to hijack this thread, but MY question is this...
Can I rewire the sealed light fixture instead of buying a whole new unit? (~$600-$700!!!)

TL

[1brokemofo]

every pool light i have ever replaced came with a new wire sealed into the light fixture. i would never try to splice or reuse this wire going to the breaker.

[tlbullfrog]

every pool light i have ever replaced came with a new wire sealed into the light fixture. i would never try to splice or reuse this wire going to the breaker.

But I'm wondering if you can break the seal, replace with new wire, then properly re-seal the fixture. (?)

[Super Dave]

this thread is giving me heart palpitations. Unless you know what you are doing, a pool light is no place to be experimenting. Firstly, I would replace the entire sealed light. It comes with the wire sealed into the light. Simply secure the old wire to the new and snake the new wire into the conduit to the box. It is common to have water in the conduit. The point of connection at the box will be dry, however. A properly installed light will last for years so it is not the place to be trying to save money by replacing the bulb, imho.

[nightgigger]

Replace the whole light, but also check the price at wharehouse pools. It seems like they had the lights with a 20' cord for under $200.