forgot to pull out the pool lights... suggestions?

[PrairieGirl]

We closed yesterday... and forgot to pull out our 2 pool lights.
It would be a huge pain to pull the cover back on the 2 walls enough to get in to remove the lights. They're about 2 - 2.5 feet below the level of the pool deck.

Soooo. what are the risks to the lights/pool if we leave them in? To my knowledge, we have not had significant surface freezing, and our pool refills over winter (it has mesh panels in the safety cover) which would raise water level away from the light. Is the concern more about water freezing in the light niche behind an installed light?

 

[mknauss]

None of our closing documents nor those whom have posted about closing ever mention their pool lights. So I would assume it is not an issue. Let's see what others have to say.

 

[PrairieGirl]

yeah. I must have read something way back in the day about pulling them out and leaving them on the bottom of the pool. maybe it has to do with making sure we're not growing algae in the niche. If freezing is a non-issue, then we'll just pull it out when we do our start up, to adequately circulate water into the niche at that time.

 

[mknauss]

Nicheless lights will not grow algae in the conduit. There is no sunlight.

 

[Leebo]

The main concern is if the ice freezes enough and all the water from the surface to below the light freezes. If so the light could become the weak point and get crushed. Some pull it out and let it sink as almost never does the pool freeze 100% of the way.

If it were me I’d sleep well and not worry about it UNLESS you get a very early hard freeze this year and the weather stays horrid. Then seeing how you can sometimes get bad winters I’d scramble some, but since I’m praying for 60’s all winter…….no worries.

 

[Justify]

The main concern is if the ice freezes enough and all the water from the surface to below the light freezes. If so the light could become the weak point and get crushed. Some pull it out and let it sink as almost never does the pool freeze 100% of the way.

If it were me I’d sleep well and not worry about it UNLESS you get a very early hard freeze this year and the weather stays horrid. Then seeing how you can sometimes get bad winters I’d scramble some, but since I’m praying for 60’s all winter…….no worries.

@Leebo - if you are praying for 60s all winter - aren't you also inviting algae to have a winter party in your pool?

@PrairieGirl - our pool guy handled closing for us the past 2 winters and he never worried/did anything about the pool lights. Sounds like our pool lights are similar to yours, and I am in Iowa so probably our winters are similar as well (we got several days/nights in row with sub-zero temps this past winter).

 

[Leebo]

@Leebo - if you are praying for 60s all winter - aren't you also inviting algae to have a winter party in your pool?

I will gladly deal with a green pool next Spring in return for 60’s all Winter.