LED light rust?

[GlenTheThird]

I have a flush mount LED light that appears to have rust coming from the “key holes” and staining the plaster.

Pool is about 3 months old (PB is worthless in terms of help).

When I first noticed it I found that some bugs had worked their way behind the bezel of the fixture. I was a able to flush them out with a few swipes of the hand.

This led me to believe the stains were organic. However, neither clorine tablet or vitamin C removes the stain so I had to resort to muriatic acid to remove it.

The stain has returned about a month later. This time no sign of bugs. I’m wondering now if the light itself has metal parts that are beginning to rust. The fixture itself doesn’t seem to be leaking. I can see no water behind the lens.

Any ideas what this could be?

The obvious next step is to remove the light and inspect it, but it appears you need a special tool/key to remove the light. Anyone know where I could find the tool?

 

[JohnT]

If the hardware chosen was the wrong type of stainless steel, you can see rust.

Also, and more troubling, electrical current running through the pool can accelerate rusting and the light is one of the first places it shows.

 

[GlenTheThird]

If the hardware chosen was the wrong type of stainless steel, you can see rust.

Also, and more troubling, electrical current running through the pool can accelerate rusting and the light is one of the first places it shows.

Thanks for point about hardware, the only metal in that area would be inside the light itself. The recess and conduit are all plastic/pvc.


The pool structure is fully bonded (deck rebar, shell rebar, equipment and pad rebar). It’s not code here to bond the water, however the PB installed a skimmer which has a bonding electrode integrated that I bonded myself during construction to the rest of the rebar structure.

 

[JohnT]

Thanks for point about hardware, the only metal in that area would be inside the light itself. The recess and conduit are all plastic/pvc.


The pool structure is fully bonded (deck rebar, shell rebar, equipment and pad rebar). It’s not code here to bond the water, however the PB installed a skimmer which has a bonding electrode integrated that I bonded myself during construction to the rest of the rebar structure.

Particularly when bonded, current flowing can cause accelerated rusting.

 

[GlenTheThird]

Particularly when bonded, current flowing can cause accelerated rusting.

Hm, good to know. I've attached the technical drawings from the manufacturer. There appears to be zero metal exposed to water.

 

[ajw22]

The obvious next step is to remove the light and inspect it, but it appears you need a special tool/key to remove the light. Anyone know where I could find the tool?

PB should have left you the installation tool. They probably have a few in their trucks. Or order from CMP.