Most devices and equipment serving pools or spas and the surrounding areas must be protected by
One light for roughly every 8 feet of pool is the ideal option and allows for even light distribution and ensures an even glow without hot spots or dark spaces.
a. At least one (1) 15 – 20 ampere convenience receptacle must be located no closer than 6' feet but no further than 20' feet from the outside of the pool wall. (Can be existing and/or wired with any approved wiring method) (see diagram 2 & 2a) b.
Accidents Happen – When playing in or around a pool, accidents happen all the time. Having a set of lights fall into the pool and potentially injure someone is a risk you should avoid. Why even create the potential for an accident. Don't install string lights over the pool.
Pool lights should be placed at mid-height, almost at the surface of the water. For practical reasons, this will make changing the lighting equipment easier. This position in the structure will give you the best effect, rendering well-lit contours and highlighting the depth.
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.
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.
You can get electrocuted by a pool light in a swimming pool. It can cause serious injury and even death. An experienced electrocution lawyer can help victims and families recover the pain and suffering compensation or wrongful death damages they are entitled to under the law.
There is almost no risk of getting electrocuted by solar lights. Most solar lighting is weatherproof, so the wires are insulated to prevent water from getting in. The current used by most solar-powered lighting isn't high enough to reach a lethal threshold.
The National Electrical Code – Article 680-20a1 states that a pool light fixture over 15 volts must be GFCI Protected.
The pool light must be installed on a GFCI circuit. That means that the wires coming to the pool light J-box must come from a GFCI breaker. These are often easy to spot by the yellow Test button, and are usually 20 amp breakers.
Electrical wires over water features have unique requirements: For electrical wires over a pool or hot tub: a minimum vertical clearance of 22 1/2 feet measured to surface of water or the base of the diving board. For electrical wires over a pond or lake: a minimum vertical clearance of 17 feet.
Water inside the Pool Light? If there is water inside the lens of the pool light, which you can usually see from on-deck, that doesn't mean that the light is leaking, but it does mean that the lamp gasket has failed, letting water leak inside and surround the bulb.
Safety Precautions
Pool lights are sealed inside a protective waterproof casing which prevents water from reaching the light bulb. Water surrounds the unit, keeping it from overheating. For this reason, the light should not be operated outside of water. A niche behind the light stores several feet of electrical cord.
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.
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.
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.
Ideally, there should be no wiring above a pool or the surrounding deck. In fact, CEC Rule 68-054 prevents pools from being located under overhead wiring. However, locating a pool below overhead conductors is sometimes unavoidable.
As noted in Sec. 680.24(A)(2)(b), "The junction box shall be located not less than 4 ft from the inside wall of the pool, unless separated from the pool by a solid fence, wall, or other permanent barrier."
Existing lighting outlets and luminaires that are located within 5 feet (1524 mm) horizontally from the inside walls of pools and outdoor spas and hot tubs shall be permitted to be located not less than 5 feet (1524 mm) vertically above the maximum water level, provided that such luminaires and outlets are rigidly ...
This can be due to a small amount of water being inside your light fixture which the light may heat up and vaporize. This can then cause the GFCI to trip. GFCIs are also known to trip from extreme humidity. Be sure that the outlets that may be on the same GFCI circuit are covered to help prevent this.
GFCI Breakers And Swimming Pool Equipment – What We Know And Our Recommendations. The National Electric Code requires that all swimming pool pumps be connected to a GFCI breaker.
With a GFCI circuit breaker AND a 12-volt transformer, pool lights are rendered much safer, as 2 separate systems would have to fail for a danger to occur. Note: It is important to make sure your pool equipment has GFCI outlets to the pump, pool light, and electrical outlets that are within 20 feet of the pool.