Enjoying your pool shouldn’t be limited to daylight hours. Maximize your investment by installing pool lights
Many of us do not have time to swim during daylight hours. Installing underwater pool lights allows you to swim safely and enjoy your recreation time in the pool at night.
Your pool and spa are a feature in your garden. Without lights, your pool feature becomes a black hole at night. A comfortable ambience can be created using lighting. At night your pool can be transformed from a swimming centre to a tranquil, relaxing entertaining area.
WHAT LIGHTS ARE AVAILABLE?
Underwater lights are available in two styles. You can install a Surface Mounted Light or a Flush Mounted Light, commonly known as a Niche.
The Surface Mounted Light is installed on the side of the pool wall. Which brand of light you choose will help to indicate how far the light will protrude from the pool wall.
The Flush Mounted Light is installed inside the pool wall and exposes only the face-plate of the light, therefore it sits flush against the pool wall with minimal protrusion. It is always advisable to discuss which style of light is suitable for your pool with your chosen SPASA Victoria member.
HALOGEN VS LED
Once you have chosen the exterior of your light, you will then need to decide whether the pool light internals should be a Halogen globe or an LED. Light output for either of the above varies according to the brand of light, and should be discussed in detail with the SPASA Victoria member, light manufacturer or builder.
The difference between the two:
When choosing Halogen lights, a higher wattage always produces a brighter light - the only way to produce more light is to use more power. By comparison, one of the key benefits of high quality LED technology is the ability to deliver more light while using less power (compared to Halogen technology).
As technology evolves, lights are becoming brighter while their energy consumption remains the same or even reduces. Therefore, it is possible for an advanced 10W LED light to have a noticeably higher light output than a less advanced 20W LED light. The technical term for this is Luminous Efficacy – how many lumens of light are produced for every Watt of power used. A common mistake is selecting an LED light based on lumens or watts alone. LED light selection should be based on Luminous Efficacy to ensure that you get both a bright and efficient LED for your application.
MORE INFORMATION
All underwater lights require a waterproof rating of IPX8 and new installations must not exceed 12V A/C or 30V D/C.
Your light must be water cooled at all times. It must never be turned on unless it is completely submerged in water, otherwise damage will occur. Cable size and cable length have an effect on voltage. Extending or reducing supplied cable lengths can alter the performance of the light. If you are unsure, contact the light manufacturer.
Always ensure your lights are positioned, installed and accessible, leaving enough cable length behind the light for ease of servicing. The depth of the light should be between 300 to 400mm from the top of the coping. Any deeper will make the light difficult to service.
Use your pool light at least fifteen minutes per week. This will aid in removing any excess moisture within the light cavity and increase the longevity of your globe.
Positioning and quantity of lights is important. Safety for swimmers at night should be taken into consideration when positioning your lights. To maximize and create pleasing effects, seek advice from the underwater light manufacturer or your chosen SPASA Victoria Pool Builder Member.
