One night I wanted to use the pool lights. If the screw is stripped or lost, make sure you replace the screw and the gum o-ring. The reason is simple: TFPC (Trouble Free Pool Care) is a methodology, not a product that you must purchase. You can find GFCI buttons on electrical outlets in your bathroom or kitchen, anywhere where electricity and water might mix.
But pool lights can be a bit trickier. They are simple tools that measure electrical current. One is a "reset" button (red button in image below) and one is a "test" button (black button in image below). Have an electrician inspect and install a new main line from box to breaker. Remove the lens frame and take out the old gasket. https://www.osha.gov/electrical/hazards/grounding/gfci. What could cause this? Remove the bulb and shake it next to your ear. When they dont work, it casts a shadow over everything! Why Is the Winter Off Season the Best Time for Pool Renovations? Check your GFCI. Purchased this pool light in May 2015 for $484 which I thought was outrageous but I was intrigued by the features. And remember: Older GFCIs will not test without power, but they will reset. GFCIs also need to be replaced every once in a while so test your every month. Step 4: If the GFCI passes the test in Step 1, the bulb tests poorly in Step 2, and the fixture tests well (over 100 megohms on both legs) in Step 3, then and only then is it time to replace the bulb and gasket. Compare quotes for free from fully vetted pool professionals. Poor build quality and limited warranty . LED Pool Light Not Bright Enough? But do it quickly! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Reliable Pool Care is licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to safely perform all of your pool equipments electrical installation needs. So, Ill be taking their definition over yours. Annoying because most of the time the reason for the trip is a mystery, unless of course you just plugged in an appliance that overloaded a circuit. Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2013. I recently had an electrician out to test my pool light because it would not work even with a new bulb. Its a single POLE breaker. I would do the standard circuit troubleshooting to determine if the breaker or the light cable is compromised. The ground fault circuit interrupter, better known as the GFCI is a safety device used on installations with a higher than normal risk of electric shock. If your pool light will not turn on and you suspect the bulb, the old shake test is simple enough for any pool owner to do. Pro-tip: putting a bit of dielectric bulb grease in the socket will make the bulb much easier to remove the next time you have to change it! A working pool light is not worth risking electrocution. I have a PAL color touch lighting system. The Spa Light worked fine. apparently the light curcuit power source was connected to the a/c Power outlet on the side of the Easy Touch panel which had a GFCI breaker on it. If the ring fixture that holds the light into the pool wobbles when you touch it, then it means you have to tighten the lock-screw. A light that doesnt work isnt necessarily the result of a bad bulb. Then, turn the light on. If you hear something loose inside, it means the filament has burnt out and that you need to replace the bulb.
To perform the latter, we will unplug any appliance that may have immediately caused the overload. There is 120 volts on the hot lead to ground. I did not purchase the first one here but they both quit working in just a little over a year. Next, we will reset the breaker at the box. The GFCI outlet itself also works as an electrical outlet to supply most tools and/or appliances. We have customers call us and say, "I can't get my pool lights to come on. I want to preface this by saying if you have a spa and pool light, but only ONE of them is working, this most likely will not work. I rest the GFCI and they work again for about an hour. They are controlled by a Pentair EASY Touch 8 panel. If the above do not apply to your tripping circuit, it may be time to replace your GFCI. open the panel tested voltage. For the close observing swimmer, you may notice water in the light fixture. I was still protected by the GCFI because I had disconnected the main pool light wires in the connection box and put wire nuts over the power leads. The multimeter will have two leads: one Red lead (positive) and one Black lead (Negative or Ground. I decided to go for the whole new light and fixture. What is the purpose for the metallic coating on the outside of an incandescent pool light? The usual hurdle homeowners have to overcome is getting a multimeter to complete the task. Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2019. So what do you do when your pool light doesnt work? To test a single pole 120 Volt breaker we will need to remove the front panel of the breaker box to access the terminals. Warning Do No Buy Jandy Color LED lights they do not work as advertised. Please make sure that you are posting in the form of a question. The electrician found that one of the transformers was dead so they wired the pool light to the transformer for our inground spa light. Thanks for any info you can provide. The LED color lights are bright, energy efficient and can be controlled by the Jandy controller (and Alexa as a skill). I dont know where to check otherwise. Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them. Remove the light housing unit from its niche in the pool wall and remove the bulb. Our Contractor License # TICL 231. Then, flip the ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). Not all applications utilize a junction so this step may not apply. I read above that maybe the GFCI is old. To complete these steps, youll need both a volt-ohm meter and a megger two measuring devices essential to any service tech. So once you screw your new bulb, check to see if it works by turning the power back on to the pool. Bad light bulb or possible water in fixture? Place both prongs of your multimeter into the socket. A true example of customer experience excellence and committment - not only in standard duties, but going the extra mile where and when needed. If they dont, you have a bad GFCI. The lights come on and work for approx 1 hour and then they trip the GFCI breaker.
If not, then your breaker needs to be replaced. But the fixture still may function reliably without tripping the GFCI, especially if the ground fault is in the neutral line. Most homeowners are familiar with GFCIs from their bathroom electrical sockets. The following two troubleshooting techniques require whats called a multimeter. Not only does Kevin D look after our pool very well. Reliable Pool Care, LLC. Most of the time, this issue is not discovered until the bulb blows. steps from your back door is truly a splendid thing. If there is an imbalance, it trips the circuit. The o-ring is important to prevent excess water leakage into the niche or housing. Chlorine exposure or old age can deteriorate the rubber to warp so that it allows water to reach the light internals. I want to give a 5 star rating to our pool guy,Charles,he has been a true professional and has taken the time to answer my questions and deliver the best customer service possible. Replaced the PCR-4, lights work, but one light does not display green (The other work fine). A junction box is the point at which multiple electrical device cables can be joined to one main line.
Nick had Clayton assigned to the repair and he was on it quickly. Pool is 18 months old and lights would not work. Step 2: With the power off, disconnect the black (hot) and white (neutral) stranded wires of the light cord at the junction box. The is 72 volts on the neutral wire to ground.
A Dozen Ways to Strengthen Your Remodeling Brand, Decoding the Framing Square for Rafter Layout, New Tool: Metabo HPT MultiVolt Cordless Compressor, A Deck Builder's Guide to 'Google My Business', JLC Rolls Out Deck and Railing Skills Workbook, Webinar: What You Need to Know About Decking. If you are swimming with goggles, its good to check your pool lights for leakage. I have a full article on how to replace a pool light bulb that you can read for more detailed instructions. Copyright 2022 Zonda Media, a Delaware corporation. You can still see all customer reviews for the product. The colors are bright and illuminates my whole pool. If you are an electrical engineer, you may be able to open it and troubleshoot the circuitry, but that process is above my ability, unfortunately. Locate the TEST button on the outlet, usually between the two sockets. They can be pretty sensitive and prone to nuisance tripping, where they shut down the current even though there is no danger. DO NOT, REPEAT, DO NOT BUY THIS PENTAIR PRODUCT!!!!!! A loose lighting unit is one of the more straightforward fixes. When I say burns out it doesnt flash then out, it fades out. When providing pool repairs and equipment installations in Dallas, we use only supplies and parts from top pool companies. When a GFCI is tripped, the reset button will be popped out further than the test button. On the other hand, 20 megohms is a major ground fault, and youre probably best off disconnecting the fixture. Often pool electrical circuits can run dozens, if not hundreds of feet, to reach the pool in your yard. Could the problem be the transformer when a load is applied? Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2016. Thank you! It is original and 40 years old. If your light bulb is in good condition, it should read about 3-20 ohms. The first thing to do is unplug any extra appliances you may have on the same circuit. ", "I just want to start off saying how impressed I am with this company. It is able to sense a mismatch as small as 4 or 5 milliamps, and it can react as quickly as one-thirtieth of a second. A GFCI is a device that monitors the amount of current flowing from hot to neutral. Reset the power outlet and its fixed. Also make sure to check out my design guide on pool lighting ideas. If the fixture wobbles when touched or a strong ripple hits it then a loose screw is likely the cause. As long as both the test and reset functions operate, youre ready to proceed to Step 2. Regardless of where these circuits originate, the reason there should be a minimum of two is that the light circuit should be dedicated to the light only. And I would highly recommend this company for its great customer service. The ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) is a safety mechanism designed to lower electrocution risk. Engineers design the light fixture to stay dry, and water in the housing means the bulb could blow at any moment. Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2020. I was thinking heat or something??? Depending on your pool color, colors will vary. And it was Kevin in fact, who found and brought him back. For swimming pools especially, because water and electricity dont mix. How many people does it take to change a pool light bulb? Is there water in the light fixture? It is still possible, however, that the fixture is the problem and not the bulb, so test the bulb for continuity when you remove it. This page works best with JavaScript. My pool lights stay on for 1 or 2 seconds and then the GFCI circuit trips (sometimes). I wanted LED because of the low power consumption compared to the 500w light it replaced and I get the different colors. Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2017. If both the test and reset functions operate now, you have a ground fault somewhere downstream and you must check the loads with a megger. JavaScript is disabled. Here it is 2021 and the exact same situation I had less than hours on the new light because I had it installed during the winter and this summer I turned the light on the exact same think happened flicker and no lights . If you correctly reset the breaker but it continues to flip to neutral, replacing the breaker may be necessary. We put in two large Intellibrite lights and 3 smaller ones using the existing conduit that the fiber optic used. ", "Contacted Nick requesting that the equipment be reviewed/repaired. i have a question.i noticed that my gfci does not worki replaced it but still it does not work. Does this sound like I need to run new power leads for the spa light? We didn't even get to enjoy this one. The long length of the cabling means that there are more chances of something going wrong. Otherwise it worked ok. Also lubed new wire. If the bulb was relatively new before it blew, I would not run out and replace it right away. A GFCI circuit can be activated by a current change as low as 4 milliamps. I contacted Zodiac they sent me another Light out and I replaced it. Again this task can be done with the handy dandy multimeter. Tom. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. I swear that is the last pun in this blog. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Turn the power off, replace the GFCI and repeat Step 1 again. Something went wrong. Required fields are marked *. Finally, use an electrical test meter or multimeter (available at most hardware stores) to triple-check that the electricity is off. "Hi all, simply a 5*, a thank you and a strong recommendation. Pool lights are often halogen, and even brand new bulbs will burn out quickly outside of water. I installed the exact same model and ran the new wire from niche to junction box. Again light works for about 5 minutes and burns out. laminar pentair sunplay You should take a moment to locate the GFCI for your pool light and test it to make sure it works properly. Dont bother selling its worse than trying to call the irs during a pandemic, I purchased Jandy color light LED in 2019. I found some solutions to try that other people have done and will hopefully figure something out there, Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2016. Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2015. Grand kids love the transitions of color in Caribbean mode and fast moving colors of Party mode. Now that you have tested the light circuit GFCI, you need to reset the GFCI to restore power to the light.
Have you done that? The socket GFCI are also used on construction sites where machinery cords could come into contact with water or sheared. I replaced the main pool light last year after it not functioning for several years. How? It's my first property with a pool so I'm still finding my way. Even OSHA calls it a ground fault circuit interrupter. Rather, it can be the symptom of any number of problems, including a bad GFCI, a blown fuse or faulty fixture. Next time you turn on your pool or spa light and it fails to turn on. We had installed fiber optic with the original pools and they never were bright enough so we wanted to use this opportunity to correct this problem. The customer service is the WORST. Do you have a junction box? Then, place the unit back into the wall and refasten the lock-screw. A pool light, despite all its waterproofing and hundred or so volts of electricity, is held into the pool wall by one bolt called the lockscrew.
A phenomenon known as nuisance tripping occurs when a GFCI trips when it mistakenly reads a current change as a potential shock hazard. catcher mx8 cyclonic baracuda mx6 Another less likely cause of a pool light fixture leak is a power cord conduit seal leak. I had probably less than 4 hours on the light. Great lighting can give your swimming pool area an ambiance and create an wonderful atmosphere for you and your guests. a source of evening relaxation, to a morning fitness spot, to a social status symbol. The convenience of having your own beautiful glimmering oasis of refreshing pool water just a few Hello, In that case, what you want to do is simply find the GFCI (usually located near or at the box where you turn on your pool light/lights) and check to see if it has been "tripped".
It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. I replaced a pair of incandescent pool lights which were working fine after 11 years but I felt that the energy savings of LED combined with the novelty of color was worth the cost and trouble. Take a dip and tighten the screw. Should You Consider Switching to Cost-Plus Pricing? It is maybe 12ft between the two even though they give you the full 100ft cable.
Fixed.
Im thinking of replacing that next. )The black lead is connected to COM port and the red to the mAV port, the latter will be touched to the hot wire to measure volt load. They have two prongs attached to a device thats a bit bigger than a cellphone. We needed to do a pool re-surface since our pool was installed in 2000. Any other ideas? The problem is when I attach the new bulb. Let me know. You should check to make sure Intellibrite lights are programmed via the Easytouch panel. What causes nuisance tripping? How to Test Your Pool Water Without a Kit. When youre checking line continuity, you will need a multimeter. Unfortunately, this was an expensive lesson for the homeowner to learn. You dont necessarily need to call a professional or drain the pool. Push the reset button back in and try turning on the pool light/lights again at the switch. This part is also called the housing gasket. You are using an out of date browser. The heavy gauge rubber ring acts as a clamp seal that waterproofs the joint between the lens and light housing. Click here to shop our store. Yes, we can help. Its a box where electrical lines converge or split to various locations. I need to try baking soda next. What really gets me is how come a supposedly reputable company as PENTAIR simply ignores all these poor reviews expressed by verified customers. It was installed in the summer and we didn't use it right away. I sound like a broken record, but I would try to put it on a different breaker or install a new one. How Can I Protect My Pool From a Winter Storm? GFCI switch would not re-set and allow pool light to come on and heater was malfunctioning. If not, turn the power off, disconnect the GFCI loads, turn the power back on and repeat Step 1. Then push it in, you should hear it pop. As you can see the testing of a pool light is straightforward due to the simple nature of its design. Also, our weekly pool guy is performing A+ also. I tested everything with the multimeter before connecting and everything was great. Set your volt-ohm meter to continuity test (or lowest ohm scale), and test between the black and white wires to the light (they connect to the bulb). A fixture filled with water can also cause a breaker to trip, so be mindful of that when troubleshooting. If you see a water line in your light, it means you have a warped or broken lens gasket, and its time to get to work! Flipping the GFCI ensures electricity doesnt accidentally flow through the circuits. ", "Ryan Wagoner with Blue Science has gone above and beyond to make our pool look great! Put Dawn dish soap in conduit and inserted high pressure hose. If your pool has a light out, follow this step-by-step process to properly diagnose the problem. Bulbs that use a mirrored coating on the back of the light, do so to maximizes the direction of the light emitted by the bulb. As with anything electrical, if you have any questions or reservations, ask a professional before fiddling with live wires. All of these issues should be inspected and diagnosed by aqualified repair technician. Looking for pool parts? I checked the voltage from the control box and this may be my problem. Have you rewired anything in that breaker box just before this problem started? Get yourself a Phillips screwdriver and some swim goggles. If it reads 0, then you have a problem between the electrical box and the junction box. This is Poolside Chat where every week we answer your questions on how to fix and maintain your swimming pool. You dont need to drain the pool for this! 4 Easy Fixes - Backyard Pool Guy, Lighting circuits using fluorescent bulbs, Permanently installed electric motors, i.e. If the conduit seal degrades to that point, the light is likely dead and will require replacement. If the breaker automatically flips back to OFF, then you may need a new breaker. The light worked for 6 hours or so then tripped the breaker, and now it trips the breaker after between 6 and 20 minutes. Its as easy as removing the lock-screw and pulling the light out of the pool wall. When we went to use it late in the summer it was not working right. Changing a light bulb is the stuff of dumb-blonde jokes. It had a problem with algae, which is normal this time of year, and he worked hard to make sure the problem was taken care of and that our pool sparkles.
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