Star Floor Fiberoptic Light Questions

[azdesertpool]

Trying to decide whether to carve out space in the budget for star floor fiberoptic lights.

- Does anyone with them wish that they hadn't spent the money on these lights? (and do they look as good in person as they do in the pictures and marketing materials?)

- What do you recommend for the number of points of light for a given pool area? Is 1 light per 5 sq ft enough? 1 per 10 sq ft? (I am thinking 75 or 100 in a 16x32 pool)

- Any difference in brightness based on the depth? (will lights in the 8' deep end appear similar to those in the 4' shallow end)

- Do you wish that you had put them in a different area (i.e., left them out of deep end, or Baja bench, or spa, or covered the whole pool instead of leaving out one area).

- After install, is the difference in feel between where the fiberoptic line ends and the surrounding plaster noticeable?

- Not counting the cost of materials for the lights themselves (cables, illuminator, etc), how much more did your electrician charge for installing these (assuming that is who installed them)? Did your shotcrete company or plaster company charge more for working with/around these?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts/opinions!

 

[cowboycasey]

This is the only thread I have read about, they are a newer thing so not many people have them yet

Star floor installed

 

[Just-a-PB]

We have done quite a bit of them. Not really new at all, fiber has been around for a very long time. Not a do it yourself project at all.
Electrician will only install the conduit from the floor to the illuminator, and hook up the illuminator. You need someone that will install the individual fibers on the floor and grout over them.
In 8' deep not sure how bright they will be. I think they are cool, I like them on sun shelves, and certain accents. Use more then you think you will need, as you will lose some when they plaster the pool. Lots of led fiber drivers out there,(check amazon) and can find those inexpensive. the fiber stars kits usually don't included those.

Call your plaster company, they more then likely have a contact in your area.

 

[XSurfX]

SR Smith sells (or distributes) the Older fiberstar name. They have 2 options: a 25 light kit with 25' lines and led driver (includes driver housing), and a longer kit that uses the old school high watt bulb with rotating color wheel. I have 3- 25'led drivers

After I doing the install myself, I think I would have 1) done less lights. 2) created my own fiber kit (cheaper and custom lengths) and 3) installed @ shell to avoid the unven plaster finish. (pic)

As far as brightness, I've noticed that some lights are slightly angled differently from install, so you don't see the same intensity of light. (pic)

 

[bmoreswim]

As far as brightness, I've noticed that some lights are slightly angled differently from install, so you don't see the same intensity of light.

I would agree, in nature when you see stars in pools, they are not all the same brightness. Looks natural.

Also agree (sorry) on the other option for install you mention if that would create a smoother bottom.

But very cool!

 

[Tucker020]

I agree that is looks way more natural with the brightness variations; like looking up at the sky and some stars are much brighter than others. From now on you should say "that was the intended effect"

 

[azdesertpool]

Thanks for everyone's responses and expertise. I definitely prefer a "natural" effect with lights of different intensities, I'm just trying to avoid the shallow end having all noticeably brighter stars and the deep end with noticeably less bright stars. I may have to think about placement in strategic areas more.

After I doing the install myself, I think I would have 1) done less lights. 2) created my own fiber kit (cheaper and custom lengths) and 3) installed @ shell to avoid the unven plaster finish.

XSurfX, - I saw on at least one pool builder's website where after the shell was shot, they used grinders to grind out paths for the fibers to follow. Is that what you meant when you said install @ shell to avoid uneven plaster, or is there something you think could be done while the shell is being shot (or before)?

I talked with our shotcrete sub (one of the bigger and best-regarded in Tucson) who was completely unfamiliar with star floors. Our electrician said he had heard of/seen star floors, but never installed any himself. Calling plaster companies next is a good idea.

 

[XSurfX]

Thanks for everyone's responses and expertise. I definitely prefer a "natural" effect with lights of different intensities, I'm just trying to avoid the shallow end having all noticeably brighter stars and the deep end with noticeably less bright stars. I may have to think about placement in strategic areas more.


XSurfX, - I saw on at least one pool builder's website where after the shell was shot, they used grinders to grind out paths for the fibers to follow. Is that what you meant when you said install @ shell to avoid uneven plaster, or is there something you think could be done while the shell is being shot (or before)?

I talked with our shotcrete sub (one of the bigger and best-regarded in Tucson) who was completely unfamiliar with star floors. Our electrician said he had heard of/seen star floors, but never installed any himself. Calling plaster companies next is a good idea.

You could grind out a channel for each one, but that'd be a lot of work. They always broke at the insertion side (rod into base). The rod itself is pretty durable, and there was plenty of length left over after plaster. Look at my photos on the other thread to see what I'm talking about. Grinding would be plan B

My suggestion if you do them: find a way to get them partially submersed in the concrete shell when it's being shot. Then find a way to protect them until marcite goes in. The only issue with placing them in deeper area would be getting fiber lines long enough to make the run. You need to get something like this (or make it yourself) http://srsmith.com/media/176808/sr-smith-sfk-25-60-fiber-star-floor-installation.pdf

Overall, it's cool, but if I had an opportunity to do this for a living or if a neighbor asked me to help I'd say helz no.....keeping in mind I way overdid the lights and also had to figure it all out myself. So I'm still in the burnout stage. I still need to make a nice home for the driver boxes outside my screen.