Pool light dont work now I'm trying to track down problem

[sgt173]

The light worked when we moved in last year. I tried it recently and it wont come on now so i think bulb is out now. We just haven't used it in awhile because its too bright.The switch to turn it on is a Intermatic remote (RC613) with a (RC939) transmitter that works it from the lanai/house and yes I did put in a new battery just to be sure.
So I decided to get a LED color light and change it out.I tested it inside the house before i tried it in the pool light so I knew it worked. Now when I took the old bulb out that was in the pool to see if it was bad it still looked OK until I took it in the house and put it in a lamp to test it and as soon as I turned it on and POW a big flash and popped the main breaker on the panel box.OK so now I know the bulb is toast.So I put in the new bulb and tried it and nothing seems to be no power to the light niche.
The only thing I can think that could be bad in between the main breaker panel and the light niche is the remote switch (RC613) to the junction box.
I guess my question is do these remotes just go bad very often and is there any way to test it before I buy a new one? I read they are throw away and not fixable.

 

[gwegan]

First, if that's a 120 vac light you need a GFCI in there somewhere. If this is an older pool and there is not one, you need to add one. So check the bulb that failed does it say 120 or 15? All circuits serving a pool except low voltage lighting should be protected by a GFCI.

Second, is the light 120 or 15 volts? If its 15 volts there may not be a GFCI but there should be a transformer there somewhere. So pull the housing from the pool, open it up and use a multi meter to determine if you are getting 120 or 15 volts when the light is on. If you don't have a multimeter then you may want to call a pool service or electrician.

Third, Check your junction box. With the multi meter check to see if you are getting 120 or 15? Check all the connections for tightness. Is there a transformer there with 120 in and about 15 out?

Fourth, assuming you are getting nothing start with the panel. and make sure you get 120 out of the panel. Then get 120 before the switch, then after the switch. Where the 120 stops is most likely your problem.

If you don't have a multi meter or don't have experience opening a panel you should call a pool service or an electrician.

 

[sgt173]

Thanks gwegan, No GFCI its low voltage thats why it popped the circuit when I brought the old bulb in the house to test.Anyway so I tested everything up to the transformer and it reads 120+ up to the 12v transformer but I don't have anything past that to the J box and the niche, but i can still read 120+v up to the remote switch which is past the transformer box. Actually Im still kinda confused on that unless if the transformer is bad and it's not converting it to lower Volts.
So now I think a got a bad transformer instead of a bad Intermatic (RC613) remote switch to the J box and niche, but who knows it might be both!! I'll get a new transformer and go from and there was white powder on the top of it when I open it up too. I guess Ill just forget the color light show idea now and get another 100watt white pool light bulb and get a color lens cover to tone it down.