Pre wiring for Intellibrite landscape lights

[ddjax]

I'm currently building a new pool that will be using Pentair Intellibrite 5G LED pool lights. The pool and paver deck will have a full screen enclosure around it. I'm interested in tying in lighting for my future landscaping that will be around the outside of the enclosure but I wont be doing the landscaping until a while after the pool is completed. I'll be controlling the pool lights from the Intellibrite controller (no automation system in my set up). It's my understanding that the Intellibrite controller can also sync and control the Intellibrite landscape lights along with the pool lights. Since I haven't designed the exact landscape layout yet I don't want to pre place the lights at this point. Does anyone know how difficult it would be to have the electrician run the wiring around the outside of the enclosure while he's doing the other electric for the pool so that I could come back later myself and add a number of the Intellibrite landscape lights after I get the landscape design done? Do these lights simply daisy chain from one to the other on a single wire or would they need individual home runs back to the controller for each light? Any advice is appreciated if you have experience with these lights.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Standard low voltage landscape lighting, including the Pentair landscape lights, use very simple two-wire cabling. The wire gauge for most residential runs is typically 12-guage wire, especially if your lights are going to be mostly LED (which I would recommend for both power savings AND thew ability to string A LOT more lights on a single run). It is directly buried in the ground with no conduit. So, I think your absolutely fine if you setup the proper transformers and controllers needed to run the landscape lighting and then just do the wiring and lighting layout at a later date. It's actually quite simple to do, the hardest part is the manual labor to dig all the trenches for the wiring. But, even if you have basic electrical skills, you can do the landscape lighting installation yourself. It's usually one of the cheaper items on a landscape project so, if you're going to be doing a big budget project, just let the landscape crew do the lighting work.

 

[gwegan]

You live in Florida so I have bad news. Your pool is governed by the 2011 NEC. Generally it prohibits any lights within five feet of the pool unless they are at least 12 feet above the water. 2011 NEC 680.22(B)(1). And under a strict interpretation of the chart in 2011 NEC 680.8, the wire can be no closer than 10 feet.

Also the Pentair manual for these lights (2010) prohibits their installation within ten feet of a pool. It's the third warning down on the first page.

The 2014 edition of the NEC does allow certian landscape lights within ten feet (even right next to the pool) but it has not been adopted in Florida. It will become effective in Florida on Dec 1' 2017.

Under the 2014 NEC you can have low voltage landscape lights within five feet of the pool if they are supplied by a listed pool rated transformer, the lights are listed for installation within five feet of a pool and they don't require grounding. 2014 NEC 680.22(B)(6)

From what I see on Pentair 's site their lights do not meet these standards. I would call Pentair and find out if they have upgraded their lights to the 2014 code standard.


So I would talk to you contractor and electrician before you commit. Also talk to the local building inspector, see how they handle this.. You can always install larger conduit as a raceway and install the lights later when they become legal.

 

[ddjax]

You live in Florida so I have bad news. Your pool is governed by the 2011 NEC. Generally it prohibits any lights within five feet of the pool unless they are at least 12 feet above the water. 2011 NEC 680.22(B)(1). And under a strict interpretation of the chart in 2011 NEC 680.8, the wire can be no closer than 10 feet.

Also the Pentair manual for these lights (2010) prohibits their installation within ten feet of a pool. It's the third warning down on the first page.

The 2014 edition of the NEC does allow certian landscape lights within ten feet (even right next to the pool) but it has not been adopted in Florida. It will become effective in Florida on Dec 1' 2017.

Under the 2014 NEC you can have low voltage landscape lights within five feet of the pool if they are supplied by a listed pool rated transformer, the lights are listed for installation within five feet of a pool and they don't require grounding. 2014 NEC 680.22(B)(6)

From what I see on Pentair 's site their lights do not meet these standards. I would call Pentair and find out if they have upgraded their lights to the 2014 code standard.


So I would talk to you contractor and electrician before you commit. Also talk to the local building inspector, see how they handle this.. You can always install larger conduit as a raceway and install the lights later when they become legal.

Thanks gwegan, that's very helpful. I had no idea there could be a code issue. I'll definitely check it out with the electrician.