Pool Light in winter. Am I overly concerned?

[jaybob]

Hi Guys. First year pool owner here. I am also closing my self. I have a cyclone blower and I drained to pool to 4 inchers below the returns. Blew out and plugged all lines.

My water is 4 inches below the returns which leaves the water 4 inches above the top of the light ring. Is this enough protection from ice damaging my light? I live in Iowa and I could possibly see the ice getting 8 inches thick.

 

[JVTrain]

I would say that your light should be fine. If you're concerned, you could remove housing from the side of the pool and hopefully the power cord was left long enough behind the light and you can put the light on the pool deck over the winter.

 

[Awilli8203]

i live in pittsburgh pa and we only drain the pool to about 2 inches nelow he skimmer opening so that leaves the lights much deeper and perhaps to deep to freeze. we still blow out the return lines but they are underwter when we see air coming out and plug them

 

[samt]

I don't have any problem with the light. We also get a lot of ice and it's been fine. However someone in our house must have turned on the light switch during winter when we had a lot of snow on the cover and we couldn't see that it was on.
So the light burned out. This year I taped it so that wouldn't happen again.

 

[wjr75]

They take our light out and string it up close to the top of the pool after draining a couple of feet.

 

[Swampwoman]

Welcome, jay bob. Here in Michigan I use a pool tech (orig builder) to close and they remove the light (cord is long enough) wrap it in an old towel, then plastic garbage bag. You may be fine either way, but I'm telling you the how in the event you're more comfortable removing it

 

[jaybob]

I would like to leave it in, although I do not want to damage it or the niche. I spent enough money this summer renovating the pool with a new liner and have some more renovating to do next spring.

It would seem to be somewhat difficult to remove. It is pretty far down in the deep end. The water is only 50 degrees. It may be able to be reached from the deck but someone would have to hold my legs to keep me from falling in. Also I know some lights are held in with one screw. Mine seems to have about 20 screws. Am I not seeing something correctly?

 

[JVTrain]

Do you know what type of light it is? Nearly all niche lights can be removed by taking out one screw located at the top of the light and either tipping the light forward, then lifting out or rotating slightly then removing. An image of the light would help for identification.

 

[ping]

The 20 or so screws are most likely holding the ring to the light and there should be one screw that holds the light and ring to the niche.

Seems like you could remove the light from the niche and attach something to the light that will make it sink towards the bottom of the pool where the water doesn't freeze. That way it will not freeze or be exposed to any weather above the ground.

 

[samt]

I also think there is only one screw. Look on the very bottom, center.

 

[jaybob]

I will check it out and get a picture. Thank you.

 

[jaybob]

OK. here is the anti climactic ending. Found the single screw at 12:00 and removed it. Light is on the deck now. Can anyone recommend something good to sink the light with that will not damage my liner?

I ended up Tying a rope to my belt so I could dangle over the deck and get the screw out. Man that water was hurting my arm like a brain freeze.

 

[samt]

How about a plastic milk jug with some gravel. Also poke a few holes so air can escape.

 

[OldPoolMan]

Not gonna say this is the best method but I used to live in Pittsburg and we would wrap a brick with foam and duct tape and wrap it to the cord just above the light and sink it
Always was ok, even with a vinyl liner. Used to work up in Vermont and the ice would get pretty thick and would crack the glass on the light if it was close to it. So, we sunk those lights also.