Upgrading to LED pool lights is a great way to do this. They're much more durable than incandescent light bulbs, lasting up to 50 times longer. While you enjoy the lowered energy costs, you'll also need pool light repairs less frequently than you do with your current bulbs.
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.
LIGHT TYPES - Pool lights come in three types: INCANDESCENT, HALEGON, and LED. The older style INCANDESCENT lights have light bulbs much like the standard bulbs used in your house before we went the newer more cost efficient CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light) bulbs.
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.
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.
An LED light will save you roughly 75% on your energy usage compared to a comparable incandescent light. REMEMBER, that LED pool lights cost more, on average, than a simple incandescent light so your cost savings will not start till you recoup the additional money that you spent on the LED lights.
Rope light is also listed for use in wet locations as long as it is uncut. Like waterproof tape light, the rating is voided once its cut. However, rope light can be resealed with shrink tubes and silicone glue to protect connections against water.
LED strip lights are the safest and most desirable bet you could make for swimming pool lightings. Swimming pool lighting is more of an aesthetic need than a real utility. LED strip lights are IP68 rated but still, they are protected by a layer of polycarbonate material.
4) Is there a way to install the light without having to drill into the pool wall of an existing vinyl liner swimming pool? Yes. By installing the light near the seam of two pool panels, the wire from the light can be run up behind the liner to the coping.
A: Generally speaking, when you're purchasing an LED strip light, you can see its level of waterproofing on the part that presents the product details. Overall, it is mainly divided into non-waterproof, waterproof against drops and splashes, and completely waterproof.
Place lights at a uniform depth, between 9-12 inches below the waterline, throughout the pool. Possible exceptions would be if the lights need to be placed on a step or bench or extremely deep pools (see Pro Tip). Lights should be positioned 4 inches beneath the waterline.
You will apply strip 1 and 3 clockwise around your pool rim and strip 2 and 4 counterclockwise. If you have a flat surface, use mounting clips to secure the strips in place as you go. If you want to mount the strips under your pool rim, drill small holes in the trusses approximately every 2 feet.
If you have a round above ground pool, measure the diameter straight across the center of the pool from a couple of different spots, inside the top of the pool liner wall to inside the top of the opposite wall.
Running costs
So, in terms of annual running costs, presuming you light your pool for 6 hours a day, 7 days a week, for 6 months of the year, at an average kilowatt/hour price of $0.27, a single LED pool light will cost you $5.90 per year.
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.
At the time of this writing, full size LED pool lights, like what are typically installed in vinyl liner or concrete pools, usually cost between $1,000 and $1,500 installed. The smaller LED lights like the Pentair Globrite or PAL 2000 typically cost between $700 and $900 installed.
12V pool lights operate with the use of a transformer that steps down the voltage from 120V 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.
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.
Typically, backyard swimming pools are equipped with 1 or more underwater lights. Just like any light, the bulb can burn out and will need to be replaced. There is no need to lower the water level in your pool to replace the burned-out bulb.