Worried about pool light with snow here

[rstandi]

Hi,

Literally poured my last concrete on Friday to finish an ungodly diy inground pool install. Have a Hayward prologic light in the pool. I live in a suburb of Toledo, oh. So, from all I have read and been told, there should be water in the conduit coming from the light. This just does not make sense to me, especially since it's under concrete now. and the light is in 2.5 feet of water after draining below my skimmer. Will the water freeze in the bucket? Just can't wrap my head around this issue.

Any experience, helpful!!!

Rod

 

[jblizzle]

I am confused about what you are asking. What bucket?

Yes it is normal for water to be in the conduit between the light fixture and the deck box. Whether the water will freeze that deep depends on your weather.

 

[steveg_nh]

That's one thing I certainly never thought about, when it comes to winterizing.

I think he's talking about the light niche by the way (bucket).

So when a pool is winterized, nothing is done to the water in that conduit...so don't you run a risk of it bursting from ice?

 

[rstandi]

The light niche is called a bucket I thought... Sorry for the confusion. my pool had to be raised 20 inches due to ground water. the conduit comes out of the retaining wall and then up to the junction box.

 

[rstandi]

I wanted to put some jb weld/potting compound over the hole in the niche where the wire exits. It got to cold and didn't get it done. that way antifreeze could be dumped in the conduit. Read of some doing it. But I'm wondering how far down the water freezes in the actual pool as now the light is only in 2-2.5 feet. I'll send some pictures and maybe it will be clearer...

Rod

 

[steveg_nh]

I'll be curious what folks say here. My pool is done (no patio, but the pool is all done) and winterized. But no attention was paid to the light conduit...hmmm

 

[Leebo]

I'm just a bit down the road from you in Steubenville Ohio. Winters are about the same (you get more lake effect snow). In the 20 years with our pool not once have we had a problem. It's not a spot to worry about as the water has room to expand IF it freezes. With our temps, I highly doubt it will freeze that far down.

 

[rstandi]

Here are some pictures. The first is of the light. It is 3 1/2 feet of water. I took the level of the pool down 4 inches below skimmer. The actual pool water will freeze at the level of the light, I assume. That means water in the niche also. Maybe this isn't a big deal, but if it cracks, it will be a bad day..... The others show the conduit coming out of the retaining wall..[attachment=2:2h744cqo]small1.jpg[/attachment:2h744cqo][attachment=1:2h744cqo]small2.jpg[/attachment:2h744cqo][attachment=0:2h744cqo]small3.jpg[/attachment:2h744cqo]

 

[duraleigh]

In a nutshell, you are overworrying about the water freezing in that conduit....disregard it.

 

[ouachita]

I wanted to put some jb weld/potting compound over the hole in the niche where the wire exits. It got to cold and didn't get it done. that way antifreeze could be dumped in the conduit. Read of some doing it. But I'm wondering how far down the water freezes in the actual pool as now the light is only in 2-2.5 feet. I'll send some pictures and maybe it will be clearer...

Rod

DO NOT put JB weld in the conduit! If you ever need to replace the light you will be in trouble. If the water can freeze in the light niche you may want to consider removing the light for the winter. It's not a big deal. My water level was about at the top of my light last year and it froze and cracked the seal on the light (that or I had a colorlogic that the seal went bad in after only 3 years).

 

[swimcmp]

rstandi most generally I would agree that you are worried about that conduit for no reason. But with the way your conduit is exposed that is a possibility. Pull the light from the niche. pour rv antifreeze into the conduit and you should be okay. better to be safe than digging up to repair

 

[steveg_nh]

But for those with fully installed lights, why do you not have to worry about the water freezing and cracking the conduit?

 

[toofast]

But for those with fully installed lights, why do you not have to worry about the water freezing and cracking the conduit?

I have the same question...in fact my LIGHT MFG says I need to completely remove my light, etc. Yet by PB told me not to worry.

 

[steveg_nh]

But for those with fully installed lights, why do you not have to worry about the water freezing and cracking the conduit?

I have the same question...in fact my LIGHT MFG says I need to completely remove my light, etc. Yet by PB told me not to worry.

Really? That would stink every year! I didn't read that on mine, but maybe it's there. I have a Hayward ColorLogic 4.0 light in a PentAir quickniche.

 

[ouachita]

I don't think it's a matter of the water freezing the conduit. It is a matter, depending on the water level, of water freezing and damaging the light itself.

 

[steveg_nh]

Cause the niche is filled with water to? Why do they do this, vs a dry niche? Never understood that.

 

[toofast]

I have a Fusion G4 RGB LED - (think someone bought them though) cause their web site is dead.

 

[Leebo]

But for those with fully installed lights, why do you not have to worry about the water freezing and cracking the conduit?

I have the same question...in fact my LIGHT MFG says I need to completely remove my light, etc. Yet by PB told me not to worry.

They suggest this to avoid all damage to the light itself......not the niche or conduit. IF ice were to freeze as deep as the light it COULD cause pressure to crack the light itself. The water would have to freeze into a very thick piece of ice however for this to happen. The majority of the time it only freezes maybe a foot deep at best in Ohio. Maybe in area's with harsher winters it could be a problem, but around here I've yet to have an issue. This year is the first time ever I've worried about ours, as the water level is even with the light due to a leak and us replacing the liner next year. If our water freezes at all it's against the light....but simply removing the light will avoid this problem.

As for the niche itself.....the way they're kinda built allows for the ice to expand if it needs to. Highly doubtful the PVC would completely fill with water and freeze......but as swimcmp suggested if you're really worried add some antifreeze to stay on the safe side. Do NOT use JB weld however.....as if you ever need to remove the light you'll be cussing up a storm.

 

[rstandi]

Wouldn't the antifreeze just go directly into the pool water without plugging the hole where the wire exits the niche?

 

[Scottman]

I have the same problem. I just back filled my DIY pool 2/3 and the pool is full and it just dawned on me that I ran my conduit horizontally along the pool wall with the plumbing at 30"ramping up to ground level. This exposes about 60 feet of water filled conduit to freezing. Has anyone ever successfully blown out a light line and found a plug that would seal around the light cord and into the conduit hole in the niche or should I dig the up and bring the conduit straight up to the surface then to the transformer so when the water freezes it can expand upward?