ION-8000 LED illuminator for fiber optic system upgrade

mnvron · May 12, 2016

Greetings,

I've searched several ways and not found anything on this topic, so hopefully this hasn't been asked/answered a dozen times already...

Does anyone have experience with the ION-8000 LED illuminator for fiber optic pool lights? http://www.inyopools.com/Products/00100015077531.htm

I need to replace the light source in my fiber optic-equipped pool. I have one small fiber lens in the pool and one in the spa. Both are threaded into 1 1/2" wall fittings. The old Fiberstars incandescent illuminator and color wheel were discarded when we moved in, as they were completely ruined from years of neglect. My first plan was to replace the fiber optic lenses/cable with TREO LED illuminators in the pool & spa, since they are designed to mount right in the 1 1/2" wall fittings. Unfortunately, when I pulled the spa lens out, I discovered that the conduit behind the 1 1/2" wall fitting lens is only 3/4". The pool conduit appears to be slightly larger, at 1", but both are still well below the needed 1 1/2" conduit for installing the TREOs.

Now I'm left with either tearing up the pool and spa walls (pebble finish) to increase the size of the conduit so I can go with the TREOs, or retrofitting a new light source to the existing fiber set-up. The LED illuminator for the fiber seemed like the next best thing... It would allow for remote control of lighting color, dimming capability, lower power consumption, longer life than metal-halide bulbs, etc. I don't know anyone with experience with the product, so I'm seeking some input... The ION unit allows for wireless control via iPad/iPhone with the addition of some more hardware.

otter86753 · May 17, 2016

mnvron · May 21, 2016

Thanks for the bump! I'm bummed that there wasn't a single response... I was hopeful someone out there had some experience (good or bad) to share.

gwegan · May 22, 2016

Fiber optic has kind of had its day in the sun. Most systems re being replaced by led

mnvron · May 23, 2016

Which is exactly what I'd like to do...except it would mean tearing out the existing in-wall fittings and conduit, since the conduit behind the 1 1/2" lens fitting is only a 1" diameter and is too small to insert one of the new LED retrofit units into.

I figured that the LED illuminator in conjunction with the existing fiber would be the next best thing, and save me from having to chip out the pool wall and refinish.

gwegan · May 24, 2016

I would agree on that.

Its just I don't know how to help you find someone with experence.

jazzon · Jun 7, 2016

Hello,

I'm in the same boat - inherited a pool with a waterfall that has a fiber optic light bar (not sure if correct terminology?). There really is no way to replace it with LED as it's fiber optic cable (2 of them) run underground about 50'70' to the side of the property where I found what was the remains of a Fiberstars PT-6000 halide illuminator that critters+weather destroyed. After quite a bit of research (and determining that re-building the PT-6000 was a lot of time and effort and retro-fitting LED would probably be $thousands or more), I got a test $35 fiber optic illuminator off of ebay (16watt version supporting up to 200 strands of .75mm fiber optic). My intuition told me that it really wouldn't have enough juice to light the thing up the way I wanted, and if it didn't work, I'd have a cool little illuminator for party landscape lighting or whatever. What happened is that it kind of surprised me (in that it actually light stuff up fairly good) but just wasn't as bright as I wanted (I'm guessing the 'light decay' over the 50'-70' length was too much for it). All I can do is speculate that the ION 8000 is really what I need based on my $35 test unit (and from what I've read as far as the ION 8000 specs). Sorry I don't have actual usage of the ION 8000, but from my observation it might just be the best alternative for you given tearing up the pool seems cost prohibitive. I'm also contemplating trying a cheaper 45watt illuminator to see how much difference it would make vs the 16watt illuminator (the ION 8000 seems ridiculously expensive).