problem with replacing original pool light

[red seewun]

(Pardon the lack of a sig: the page has been difficult re my submission, & a moderator has been PM'd for help)

our in ground pool has the original light fixture from 1959, and we'd like to replace it, but, when it was installed, someone sealed up the cable port in the back of the housing with plaster, which prevents the old cable from being pulled out, or a new one being installed.

short of scuba gear, does anyone have ideas on how to break this out, without doing damage to the rest of the fixture? since i'm in SoCal, draining down the pool to gain access is NOT an option at this time.

 

[danpik]

There should/will be a conduit going from the back of the light niche to a deck box where the wiring connection is. a pool this old may not have a metal light niche. It may be a formed concrete niche (assuming the pool is a concrete/plaster pool). The conduit is most likely brass being this old. If the pool was renovated at some time the light niche may have been plastered over. Someone also may have just plastered over the conduit opening. This is usually done if the conduit is leaking. You will need to chip out the area around the wire to be able to pull it out.