VOLTAGE 12V vs 120V - Pool lights are designed to operate with 12V or 120V. In some areas of the country the local code requires a low voltage 12V light while in other areas it is fine to use a 120V light. Before installing a light, find out what your local code require.
Swimming pools and spa's always need 12 Volts of AC power. Most people hear 12 Volts and immediately think of DC which is used in cars and also outside landscape lighting.
In truth, 12V Lighting can be the brightest, safest, most cost and time-effective option you can offer your customers.
Some older swimming pools still have a 240V cable leading to them. If you have one of these, do not try to uninstall it yourself as an electrician is required by law. Nowadays, LED pool lights typically use only 12V and new transformers are normally installed near the pool equipment to reduce the standard 240V to 12V.
If you install a 12V light you will need to install a transformer to convert the 120V house voltage to 12V.
120V bulbs will not work in a 12V pool, and vice versa, and a 12V bulb will burn out if used in a 120V lamp. The first thing then, is know what voltage your pool light is, 12V or 120V. It will state such on the pool light label, and on the light bulb.
You will need to know the manufacture name, model #, voltage and wattage of your light. This information is generally on a label on the backside of the light fixture.
The number of lights you need depends on the size of your swimming pool. 15' x 30' pools only require one light. 20' x 40' pools require two lights. 20' x 42' pools and up require three or more lights.
Always try to have the lights point away from the house. By doing this you will avoid the headlight effect of the lights shining in your face. If you build a spa with your pool you will want a light in it also.
You can get electrocuted by a pool light where faulty wiring or defective lighting equipment causes an electrical current to be released into the water and you come into contact with the electrified water.
12V Is More Energy Efficient
Low voltage systems are more energy efficient than 120V systems. They typically use 20 to 40 percent less electricity than 120V, and that savings is even higher if you use LED lighting.
If your current pool light is a 120V pool light, then you'll need to have an electrician install a transformer between the power source and the junction box. The Junction Box, or J-box as it's sometimes called, is the point where the wires from the pool light meet the wires from the breaker box.
Many people are turning to LED lights as an alternative to incandescent pool lights. LED bulbs are brighter, more efficient and last longer. They also offer more color and installment options.
Landscape lighting, however, is typically supplied in lower voltage (12 Volts) spread out through several different lights. A transformer can convert the 120v electrical currently supplied from your house down to the 12v needed for each low voltage landscape lighting fixtures in your lawn!
Addition of a dimmer switch is possible and would help regulate the brightness of a standard incandescent bulb. These dimmers can be purchased at home-improvement centers, hardware stores or lighting centers for $5 to $25 depending on style and range of dimming.
Are pool lights worth it? Pool lights are worth it because they provide the necessary lighting for a pool especially during the night, which prevents accidents because you can see every area of your pool. Moreover, they are considered a necessity most especially if you want to get maximum usage out of your pool.
How many lights do I need? It depends on the type of light, but we currently use the smaller LED lights like the Globright or the Pal 2000 in our fiberglass pools and suggest that one light, at a minimum, will adequately illuminate a pool up to 30' long. Pools longer than 30' will require two lights.
It costs a lot of money to have sales people to go to all the different pool store chains that must be covered in the bulb price. You aren't paying for a better bulb, you are paying for expensive overhead and multiple mouths to feed when each bulb is sold.
The most basic illumination you can get, incandescent white lights come in two sizes, one designed for pools at about 9 - 11 inches in diameter and a smaller one for spas with a diameter of about 5 - 6 inches. The exact size will depend upon the make and model as this varies from one manufacturer to another.
Pool Lights: 12v, 3.5 watts each. Self-Contained Hot Tub: 240v 50 amps. Automatic Pool Cover: 220v, 5-7 amps OR 110v, 11-13 amps.
The 220Va 4 Inlet Transformer is a garden light transformer that can run pool lights and withstand complete immersion in water.
Technically, yes. You can add pool lights to your existing pool, but it might mean that your pool needs to be remodelled, which requires a considerable amount of work. If you have an older pool, it could be a good chance to combine your need for lights with the need for a pool refresh.
12V is a very common voltage level primarily due to its common use in desktop computing. This makes power supplies readily and cheaply available and can help reduce your purchase costs. When it comes to LED product safety, optical, shock and fire risk are often considered.