Pool light GFCI

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T

trivetman

Bronze Supporter
Jul 14, 2017
818
Jenkintown, PA
Pool Size
24000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
My pool light is tripping the GFI protection as soon as it's turned on. Best place to start troubleshooting?

I can't give much details about the kind of light except to say the pool is an 80's build and I assume it's the original fixture.
Also - we just did a plaster/tile/coping reno and the fixture got moved around - probably for the first time in 30 years.
 
T,

Normally the power leaves the GFCI breaker and goes to a junction box then to the light. Most often the light is in the deep end and the junction box is roughly behind the light about 10 to 15 feet away from the water.. In older pools, junction boxes sit about 2 or 3 feet above the ground on two copper pipes.

If your pool has a circuit breaker panel at the equipment pad, the light may just be wired right into the circuit breaker box.

The most likely cause of the problem is that water has gotten into the light fixture... You can either just pull the light out and sit it on the decks and inspect it.. Or, if you can find the junction box, you can disconnect the wires going to the light and see of the GFCI still pops..

It is possible that the GFCI is bad, but that would not be my first choice.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Hey - That must be what that junction box sitting in the middle of my garden behind the pool is for! I’ve been wondering about that.

If there is water in the fixture (which seems likely) is that possibly repairable with a sealant or definitely need to replace it?
 
If the junction box has water in it, just dry it out and see if your GFCI problem goes away.. You should never have to replace a junction box..

If the GFCI still pops, then disconnect the wires coming from the pool light.. they will be in a black cable... and see if the problem goes away. If it does, then something is wrong with the light assembly. Most likely has water in it..

Jim R.
 
I finally got a minute to take out my pool light and take a look at this problem. The fixture definitely has water in it. No obvious sign of where the water is coming in but I imagine it wouldn’t take much of a gap.

Is there a way to troubleshoot the fixture or best to replace?

Does replacement necessarily involve rethreading the wire through the housing in the pool shell or is it possible to use the existing wire going into a new fixture?

Fyi - i am comfortable working with electrical.
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T,

Just so that we are on the same page... the water always surrounds the assembly that you have in your pic. It basically floats in the water.. What you want to know is if there is water inside. The glass comes off the front... There is gasket under the glass that can leak and you must install a new gasket if you take if apart.

If it just has a little water inside, open it up, dry it out, replace the gasket and reinstall it. Never turn it on for more than 1/2 a second when out of the water..

You normally just have to replace the gasket, and maybe the bulb...

Jim R.
 
Got it. There is definitely water inside the glass, so gasket replacement called for. Is the gasket only at the front of the fixture under the glass? Is there a gasket in the rear where the wire is attached to the fixture which may need replacing as well?
 
T,

I do not believe there is, but it would be best to call INYO pool, or some other pool supply place, and confirm the exact P/N you need.

It appears there are several different gaskets depending on which light niche you have..

Jim R.
 
Tried to to replace the gasket. Couldn’t squeeze the assembly together enough to get the bolt through both ends of the wire to start tightening it up.

Any tricks to this? A longer bolt (half inch) would get the nut started but I’m wondering if a longer bolt might interfere with getting the light into the niche.

Would a stainless bolt work or do I need to get something specific from a pool supply? I assume that a typical steel bolt would corrode pretty quick.
 
Yes a longer bolt won't fit in the niche.. I use a pair of long nose vice grips to hold things just close enough to get the nut to engage the bolt.. then after a few turns of the nut I take the vice grips off... I sheared my old bolt as there were deposits in the threads.. had to get another bolt and nut, if that happens make sure its stainless and about the same length so it fits in the niche.
 

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Thats a big vice grips! I’ll definitely need to get something bigger than what ive got.

Think this will work? I’m not seeing any vice grips which look big enough.

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DEWALT 10 in. Straight Jaw Pushlock Plier DWHT74427 - The Home Depot

This DEWALT Straight Jaw Pushlock Plier is designed to deliver the same standard of excellence as its power tools. True quick adjust one handed operation.
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