So I got myself some earplugs so I could get in the pool without getting water in my ears and I discovered that my lights (circa 1980) are permanently bonded in. The screw holding them in is so tight that I literally flipped myself up and out of the water several times trying to turn it with all of my strength. They don't budge. I imagine it's 35 years of calcium build up cementing them on. Any ideas short of draining the pool below the light levels and drilling them out?
Can't Remove Lights
- Thread starter sbcpool
- Start date
You could try some muriatic acid in a syringe. Fill the syringe with acid and squirt it underwater around the screw and behind it if you can. Scrub it with a toothbrush or small wire brush right after you squirt the acid. Maybe the concentrated local acid will break up some of the corrosion and allow you to free the screw. Are you able to reach the screw when you lay on the pool deck? Might be able to get better leverage that way. If you do try the acid in a syringe, just be careful as I'm sure you know it's nasty stuff. Pour a small amount into a glass or other durable container so that you can draw the acid into a syringe from there. Wear gloves and safety glasses for sure.
That's a good idea. I'll give that a go. Otherwise I'll wait until I have the pool resurfaced in a few months and they can worry about it.