I've been reading topics all over the internet about converting a 120v incandescent pool light to 12v and I just can't seem to get a good feeling about it. Every thread I've read seems to have complications about shorted wiring, tripping GFCI, damaged conduit, etc... and seem to go off on a myriad of reasons not to do it. I would like to believe my situation is different, so I'm posting - yet another - 120v to 12v conversion thread.
I have an older pool with a Pentair 120v niche housing directly running back to my equipment pad. No above ground conduit or junction boxes till you get to the pad. The control center is a Polaris EOS and is about 5' above water level. The 120v light has worked for years, but I do have to replace the bulb every couple of years due to heavy use. We run the lighting a lot since we do most of our swimming at night due to the heat in Texas. I want to convert to 12v LED lighting for both the lower operating cost, longer bulb life, color changing features, and perceived safer operating voltage. I considered replacing the housing, cable and conduit, but the expense is huge due to it running under concrete deck and pool house. I had a contractor look into it when I had the pool refinished 5 years ago and they said the cable was stuck in the conduit and it would they would have to dig up the entire conduit run at a cost of about $5000.
In this situation, why couldn't I disconnect the lighting wire running at the control box on the pad, hook it to a 12v transformer, and replace the 120v incandescent bulb with a 12v LED bulb? On the surface, it would seem to be a simple task. I'm just sending 12v through the existing cable rated for 120v to the housing in the pool where a 12v LED bulb sits, right? The transformer would be plugged into GFCI at my equipment pad. It seems like this solution would get me the results I want, for about $500
What am I overlooking here?
I have an older pool with a Pentair 120v niche housing directly running back to my equipment pad. No above ground conduit or junction boxes till you get to the pad. The control center is a Polaris EOS and is about 5' above water level. The 120v light has worked for years, but I do have to replace the bulb every couple of years due to heavy use. We run the lighting a lot since we do most of our swimming at night due to the heat in Texas. I want to convert to 12v LED lighting for both the lower operating cost, longer bulb life, color changing features, and perceived safer operating voltage. I considered replacing the housing, cable and conduit, but the expense is huge due to it running under concrete deck and pool house. I had a contractor look into it when I had the pool refinished 5 years ago and they said the cable was stuck in the conduit and it would they would have to dig up the entire conduit run at a cost of about $5000.
In this situation, why couldn't I disconnect the lighting wire running at the control box on the pad, hook it to a 12v transformer, and replace the 120v incandescent bulb with a 12v LED bulb? On the surface, it would seem to be a simple task. I'm just sending 12v through the existing cable rated for 120v to the housing in the pool where a 12v LED bulb sits, right? The transformer would be plugged into GFCI at my equipment pad. It seems like this solution would get me the results I want, for about $500
What am I overlooking here?
