Choosing Pool Lights - ColorLogic v Intellibrite, Rope Lighting, and Other Questions

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BrownEyedSusan

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Dec 11, 2015
38
Chattanooga, TN
I need to choose underwater pool lights and have these questions:

1. I have read all the threads I could find on each light and there seem to be a lot of concern about the Hayward design of the ColorLogic pool lights leaking and causing premature failure. The last extensive post on this was a year ago and I wonder if anyone knows if this design problem has been corrected? And is the Intellibrite 5G considered significantly better? Any other better option?

2. My PB put 3 lights in the contract. I am concerned that won't be enough. I was thinking of putting four lights in the pool - first in the middle of the 25 feet shallow, second in the middle of the 25 feet deep (both of these on the same side, facing them away from the side where we will normally be sitting), third under the diving board, and the fourth in the middle of the wall where it drops from the 18 inch deep sunshelf to 3 feet deep shallow.
a. Do I need 3 on that 50 foot stretch (so 5 total of the normal size lights)?
b. Will the ones on the side light the pool across the 25 foot width?
c. What should I put in the middle of the sunshelf (which is the first 10 feet of the pool) as the Hayward specs say the top of the lens of the ColorLogic lights - even the Spa lights - (haven't checked Intellibrite) has to be not less than 18 inches below the waterline and pool depth is only 18 inches total. Anyone know of another light? I don't want that area to be dark at night.

3. Has anyone found a good LED rope lighting that fits under the coping for a soft light when the big lights are off?

4. PB specified 120 volt lights. I read the thread about 120 volt v 12 volt, though it is now marked as "old". Should I ask my PB to use 12 volt instead as the 12 volt is safer? How much increase in price should I expect?

Thanks everyone. Making all these decisions is the most stressful thing I have done in years - and the TroubleFree community is making it tolerable.
 
Three years in on our ColorLogic lights with no issues. Just one data point though. Love them.
 
2. My PB put 3 lights in the contract. I am concerned that won't be enough. I was thinking of putting four lights in the pool - first in the middle of the 25 feet shallow, second in the middle of the 25 feet deep (both of these on the same side, facing them away from the side where we will normally be sitting), third under the diving board, and the fourth in the middle of the wall where it drops from the 18 inch deep sunshelf to 3 feet deep shallow.
a. Do I need 3 on that 50 foot stretch (so 5 total of the normal size lights)? We really need a diagram but 3 LED lights in 50 feet is stretching it.
b. Will the ones on the side light the pool across the 25 foot width? Probably depends on how much total light in pool. A diagram would help.
c. What should I put in the middle of the sunshelf (which is the first 10 feet of the pool) as the Hayward specs say the top of the lens of the ColorLogic lights - even the Spa lights - (haven't checked Intellibrite) has to be not less than 18 inches below the waterline and pool depth is only 18 inches total. Anyone know of another light? I don't want that area to be dark at night. There are lights that can be as little as 4 inches below the surface. Look for Nicheless lights. Also the NEC generally requires all lights to be 18 inches below the surface, except lights designed to be less than that and they must be at least 4 inches below the surface. Furthermore lights in the sunshelf can be tough because they generally have to have sufficient cord wrapped around the fixture so they can be placed on the side of the pool for servicing. Thats 680.23 (B)6. But nicheless lights are covered in 680.23(D). So its arguable that they don't have to be able to have sufficent cord to place them on the side of the pool for servicing -- they have no extra cord. So while the code doesn't expressly say it a nichless light should be ok under your sunshelf. Clear as Mud?

3. Has anyone found a good LED rope lighting that fits under the coping for a soft light when the big lights are off? Lets just say no. Low voltage LED is probably OK under the 2014 NEC if using a swim rated transformer and OUTSIDE THE POOL. Inside the pool its just not allowed. No LED rope lighting is listed for use in a pool and its use is not permitted by the NEC. There are fiber optic rope lights you can use.

4. PB specified 120 volt lights. I read the thread about 120 volt v 12 volt, though it is now marked as "old". Should I ask my PB to use 12 volt instead as the 12 volt is safer? How much increase in price should I expect? Not really mush price difference and really I'm not aware of any studies that show one is safer than the other. 12 volt requires a Swim rated transformer
 
I too have been looking into lights. I just talked to Hayward yesterday, I was wondering about the difference between the universal color logic lights and the color logic 4.0 lights in terms of connecting to the Omnilogic system. They said the only difference was that the universal lights will require a transformer.
 
I know I should not muddy the waters :) but what fun would that be :stirpot:

This is in no way NEC legal (they just do not and have not caught up with the tech) I have multiple safety features on this install and have years of knowledge in using these type systems.. I will in no way "teach or show" someone how to do this but the tech is out there and can be safe :)


 
2. My PB put 3 lights in the contract. I am concerned that won't be enough. I was thinking of putting four lights in the pool - first in the middle of the 25 feet shallow, second in the middle of the 25 feet deep (both of these on the same side, facing them away from the side where we will normally be sitting), third under the diving board, and the fourth in the middle of the wall where it drops from the 18 inch deep sunshelf to 3 feet deep shallow.
a. Do I need 3 on that 50 foot stretch (so 5 total of the normal size lights)? We really need a diagram but 3 LED lights in 50 feet is stretching it.
b.Will the ones on the side light the pool across the 25 foot width? Probably depends on how much total light in pool. A diagram would help.

View attachment 20160327001133411.pdfIMG_4184.jpgIMG_4197.jpgView attachment 20160327001133411.pdf
 

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I would consider doing three full-size lights on the house side of the main pool section (50' x 25'). Then three or four nicheless lights on the sunshelf (one on the 9" section and two or three on the 18" section) all pointing towards the diving board.

The LED's will be fine going across 25' of width so long as you have enough of them. Four wouldn't be ridiculous overkill on the one side (it's only money right?), but three should be good (except on the darkest colors). We have two over 38' length and 18' width (on the darkest color, 3 would be better - but I'm happy with 2). I am not a fan of having the big lights pointing in three different directions in the main pool area. Kind of like there's no way to get away from looking at them while swimming. You are almost always looking right into them.
 
bmoreswim said:
I would consider doing three full-size lights on the house side of the main pool section (50' x 25'). Then three or four nicheless lights on the sunshelf (one on the 9" section and two or three on the 18" section) all pointing towards the diving board.

The LED's will be fine going across 25' of width so long as you have enough of them. Four wouldn't be ridiculous overkill on the one side (it's only money right?), but three should be good (except on the darkest colors). We have two over 38' length and 18' width (on the darkest color, 3 would be better - but I'm happy with 2). I am not a fan of having the big lights pointing in three different directions in the main pool area. Kind of like there's no way to get away from looking at them while swimming. You are almost always looking right into them.
Click to expand...

Thank you, bmoreswim! Your comment about not being able to get away from the light if they are on too many walls makes me wonder about having the nicheless lights on the end wall instead of the same wall as the other bigger lights. I will be swimming laps at night and I'm not sure I want to be facing the light as I swim that direction. If I put 4 of the 65 watt ColorLogic Universal Networked lights on the south wall in the 50 feet that covers the shallow and the deep, I wonder if two 320 nicheless lights that are 23 watts each would be enough to reach across the 25 width of the sunshelf. What do you think?

Another question, I want to have the 4 large lights even on the wall and I read that the optimum level for a light is 12 inches below the waterline. Is that true and do you think that will throw enough light to the bottom of the pool where it is 9 feet deep?
 
Karen14 said:
I too have been looking into lights. I just talked to Hayward yesterday, I was wondering about the difference between the universal color logic lights and the color logic 4.0 lights in terms of connecting to the Omnilogic system. They said the only difference was that the universal lights will require a transformer.
Click to expand...

The Hayward person didn't tell you the whole story. The other difference is that the Univesal ColorLogic light - if it is Networked - is the latest technologically and will be able to be updated when the new OmniLogic module is finished where the 4.0 will not. Having talked to 6 or 7 Hayward tech guys in the last week, I have learned that if you are really depending on some technical aspect, you better call back and confirm it with at least one other tech guy. All tech guys at Hayward were not created equally. :cool:
 
BrownEyedSusan said:
The Hayward person didn't tell you the whole story. The other difference is that the Univesal ColorLogic light - if it is Networked - is the latest technologically and will be able to be updated when the new OmniLogic module is finished where the 4.0 will not. Having talked to 6 or 7 Hayward tech guys in the last week, I have learned that if you are really depending on some technical aspect, you better call back and confirm it with at least one other tech guy. All tech guys at Hayward were not created equally. :cool:
Click to expand...

Thank you, I just confirmed that as well. We are going to go with the 12v universal lights that are networked and one 320 12v accent light that is networked as well. I hope they will all sync together.
 
I have intellibrites and love them so far. On my sunshelf I did 2 globrites and it looks great. They sync up with the intellibrites. The light on the left is a intellibright spa light and on the deep end on the right is an intellibrite pool light.
1a9a20e6aedbc0c98909065902ec574d.jpg
 
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