Free wire in light housing

[Thimble]

I took my light out for the first time since owning the pool, figured it was time to get in there and clean and also for a general look around. There was a ribbed cord that supplies the power to the light- it was in good shape. Coming out of the same grommet in the housing as the light power cord, there was a single wire- green insulation with about an inch stripped off the end, about 8-10 inches long and I'd guess a #12 solid copper. The stripped end wasn't attached anywhere, nor did it have a loop in the bare end like it had been fastened to something. I didn't see anywhere on the light case or housing in the pool wall everything fit into that the wire had come off of. The light works fine.

I know green is the universal color for grounding in electrical work. Is this a ground wire for the light or could it be the pool end of the bonding wire ? The cord for the light is about the size of my little finger in diameter, I think it could hold 3 conductors for the light easily. I'd bet a nickle it was attached somewhere, but I didn't see any attachment point. Gave it all a real good feel and didn't find a screw (or hole without a screw) in the housing for a ground wire. In all fairness...the light is in the deep end and I was having trouble being able to get a super good look inside the housing due to wanting to float on the surface and not having my glasses on, only goggles.

Thoughts from the pool pro's ?

Thanks

 

[JasonLion]

That green bonding wire should connect to the bonding lug on the light niche.

 

[gtemkin]

From my limited knowledge, modern light niches have a bond wire connection on the outside of the niche which is connected when the niche is set in the pool concrete, and a separate ground wire connection on the inside of the shell which can be accessed from the water side of the niche. That ground connection, if properly done is supposed to be covered over with a UL approved sealant so it's not soaking in water all the time.

Before you connect up the ground you may want to perform a continuity check to see if there's a bond wire connected to the rear of the niche.

By the way, bond wires and ground wires are supposed to be completely separate wires and you can't substitute one for the other. I think the electrical standards currently call for an 8 gauge (or 6, I'm not sure) ground wire going to the ground connection so a 12 gauge would be undersized, but better than nothing.

 

[Thimble]

I've got to pull it all apart again, so I'll check continuity with the bond wire and find out if it is the other end. My guess is that it is. I have a few ideas on improving vision underwater, so that should help also.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Thimble]

Got the bonding wire reattached today. After using a mask and snorkel, the wire was much larger than a #12, 6 or 8 would be about right. Found the lug for attaching it at the back of the housing.