Electrical Housing??? What the heck is this?

[cjttaylor]

I am trying to identify the function of electrical housing that is located about 3" from the deep end of the pool. I assumed that this was housing for the pool light but now I am not so sure. My pool is a 30+ year old Sylvan pool that was here when we purchased the house. I am about to replace the concrete with pavers and I will need to contact an electrician to relocate the wiring (if I actually need it).

I have attached a few photo's. Can anyone tell me what this is?

Thanks so much!

 

[tim5055]

Without opening it up and looking inside I think I agree it's an old connection box for the pool light.

If it is, current code requires it to be a minimum of 4" above the deck and 8" above the water line. It must be at least 4 feet back from the inside wall of the pool unless behind a solid wall.

 

[CJadamec]

Yep that's a pool light junction box. To remove and relocate it will not be a small task if you plan on keeping the lights in the pool. It is against code to have any splices or repairs to a pool lite wire so unless there is a lot of of slack in the wire you will probably need a new light fixture that has a longer cord attached to relocate the junction box. A new bonding wire will also need to be pulled if you start messing with the brass conduit.

 

[Jimrahbe]

cj,

I assume that this junction box was once under a diving board and inside the support box that was holding up the diving board...

I would leave it right were it sits and cover it with something.. Another box disguised as a bench or ??? Just make sure that it would not collect water.. like a flower bed or planter box...

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

 

[cjttaylor]

My thanks to each of you for the advice. It was spot on!

I emailed photos to an electrician who specializes in pool/spa and he confirmed this as well. It seems that the cost to repair/replace this will be hundreds of dollars ($500 - $1,000) since they will have to replace the light in the pool as well. Since we only turn on the light a few times each season, its hard to justify the expense.

My thought is to have the electrical turn off the power at the junction box and have the landscaper bury the wiring under the pavers that will replace the concrete.

Thanks so much for the advice!

 

[CJadamec]

The light housing are most likely what is bonding your water to the bonding system. You don't want to simply cut and remove all the wires. If you can figure out a way to creatively build something around that junction box and leave it alone that would be the best and probably cheapest thing to do.

Otherwise you should have an electrician who is familiar with pools and bonding disconnect everything and make sure the bonding connection is still there. At the same time you should extend the light conduit out to a new location so that you can replace the lights in the future without needing to dig up the pool deck. A couple pieces of conduit now is really cheap compared to concrete work later if you ever change your mind about the lights.

 

[tim5055]

The light housing are most likely what is bonding your water to the bonding system. You don't want to simply cut and remove all the wires. If you can figure out a way to creatively build something around that junction box and leave it alone that would be the best and probably cheapest thing to do.

Otherwise you should have an electrician who is familiar with pools and bonding disconnect everything and make sure the bonding connection is still there. At the same time you should extend the light conduit out to a new location so that you can replace the lights in the future without needing to dig up the pool deck. A couple pieces of conduit now is really cheap compared to concrete work later if you ever change your mind about the lights.

Very good advice!!

Plus, if you are going to abandon the light, the power wire should be removed rather than just have the power turned off and buried at the other end. You have to look to the future, someone may not know what that breakers is that is turned off or capped wire in the panel.

I second the suggestion, have the electrician who confirmed our opinion (seems to know pools) safely abandon the circuit.

If it were me I would go along with the idea to build a bench or something similar and just hid it.

 

[cjttaylor]

Thanks so much for the advice. There is more to this than I realized!

I have decided that I will NEVER use the pool light again. I was also thinking that next time I have the pool refinished (probably in a couple of years), I would have them remove the light and fill in the area with concrete/gunite

I was thinking of permanently removing the electrical connection to the pool light at the circuit box (which controls all pool electric). I certainly don't want anyone getting hurt in the future.

Also, do I need to worry about pool water leaking through the pool light? I have some concerns that when they jackhammer the concrete that it will disturb whatever seal or caulking that stops pool water from leaking from around the pool light. How worried should I be?

 

[tim5055]

Also, do I need to worry about pool water leaking through the pool light? I have some concerns that when they jackhammer the concrete that it will disturb whatever seal or caulking that stops pool water from leaking from around the pool light. How worried should I be?

Not very. The most common is a wet niche pool light, meaning that the light is actually sealed in a waterproof capsule that is held in a niche in the side of the pool that has water in it. The electrical pipe from the wet niche to the junction box usually has water in it which is why they are required to be higher than the pool water.