New lights in old pool

[Jon M]

I have an older, cantilever deck pool. I am planning a major restoration that will include installing coping, replacing the decking, new skimmers, plumbing, etc...

I would like to install a lighting system to coordinate with some landscape lighting. What kind of problems can I expect and what kind of features can I include to prevent problems in the future (such as handboxes, spare conduit). How easy is it to retrofit an old pool with lighting?

I don't want to spend a fortune on lights but I don't want to spend money on a second-rate job either.

The pool is a figure-8, with a shallow end 3.5 feet, deep end 8 feet. The walls and floor are concrete and will be painted (seafoam) for now, maybe tile and/or plaster later.

Thanks.
Jon M

[Expert Pool & Spa]

We would recommend using fiber optic lighting but it is not cheap but is easily retrofitted to an older structure and you dont have to deal with issues of electricity and water. Traditional lighting may be difficult with an older pool because alt of older pools used 12 volt lighting systems before we had GFCI devices. The cords on these older lights are much fatter or bigger in diameter and over the years the cord will swell up and become stuck in the light conduit. Also alot of conduits were made of steel and have rusted away causing leaks in the pool. I would firs try to remove your existing light and see if you can replace that light with a 120 volt unit and make sure your conduit is in good shape. If you have some pix I may be able to help further! Hope this helps!

[Jon M]

The existing pool does not have any lights. Since I am removing the existing cantilver decking, my plan is to cut out for 2 new lights (dictated by the figure-8 shape of the pool), and run conduit. Since the system will be entirely new I can incorporate the pool lights into my exterior lighting plan and use isolated circuits.

How easy will it be to cut through the concrete wall? The size of the hole will be small enough that I don't need to be worried about losing structural integrity. Is there an optimal opening size that will allow me to change form one type of light to another?

I don't want to get locked into an inflexible system just because it costs less. I have been condsidering Pentair Sam 12V lights. They seem pretty versatile, but expensive. I am open to suggestions.

Thanks. Jon M.

[Expert Pool & Spa]

You will need to jack hammer out enough concrete to put in a light niche, which will probably be about 14 - 16" in diameter and at least 12" deep into the wall. You will need to run a light conduit to the back of the niche and that will need to terminate above the water line of the pool by 1 foot so that means you will basically be needing to jack hammer a hole through the pool wall and dig out the back side of the wall for the conduit. The top of the hole should be about 20" below the water line. Place the niche in the wall and re-cement it into place. Now you can insall a light in the pool. The niche is like the garage for your car - it is where the light is installed. Be sure to leave enough cord on the light to remove the light from the niche and pull it up to the deck for servicing.

Hope this helps!