LED pool lights not working (not due to breaker of GFCI)

[Toast]

I have a pool that was put in about 5 years ago, LED lights that not used super often so I do not think it can be the bulbs. But last night went to turn on the lights for the kids and the spa works, but the two pool lights are not.

I did the standard checking the breaker, and the GFCI (however with the spa working and on same breaker shouldnt be a problem regardless).

I used a non contact voltage tested for the power line leading out the control panel down to the lights, and when I switch the light on, power starts flowing through that line- so it appears the lights are getting power. I would assume bad bulb- however its both pool lights, and they both have probably less then 100 hours on them.

Any ideas on what to test next?

Thanks!

Matt

 

[rphpool]

The only way to know for sure is to pull the lights out and check them. Make sure you double check that breaker is OFF. You will have to get new seal gasket after you check before putting back together.
Florida Sunseeker Lights has a vid to watch if your not sure how to do it. Good Luck

 

[Jimrahbe]

T,

Since you have two pool lights, then both would have to be bad... Which is certainly possible... but...

I'd want to check where the two lights tie together... I would assume there is a junction box or transformer where the cords from the two lights tie together...

What do you see on your end???

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Toast]

I will do some more searching- I am certain you are right that they have to tie together somewhere. When I pull the face of the pentair panel there is only one line headed out of the relay from the pool lights down into the conduit underground towards the pool. Clearly it has to split somewhere to branch to both lights, I am just not certain where it is. I can always ask the installer.

But that was my thought, I mean sure and LED can go bad (seems odd to go out with so few hours on it though... but for both to go bad- seems, more odd. Unless there was some sort of surge (but again, I would have expected that to throw the breaker or GFCI long before it would hit the bulbs.

I was "hoping" power wasnt coming out of the relay as that would be a clear location to fix, but once I found power running down the line it made me less certain of the direction to go.

Thanks for the advice- I will let you know what I find tomorrow.

Matt

 

[Jimrahbe]

Matt,

Does the same relay drive both the spa and pool lights??

Jim R.

 

[tstex]

Jim is correct. There is a junction box [or boxes] somewhere near your spa where the circuit from the panel connects w both pool lights, then the spa light. You need find and access the junction box(s) [BEFORE YOU DO, MAKE SURE THE BREAKER AND GFCI OUTLET ARE BOTH TURNED OFF].

There are probably 2 junction boxes: One for both pool lights and one for the spa light. Look for the junction box that has the most gray conduits going to it. That’s the one w the pool lights. Each pool light has a home-run going to it. The conduit coming from your panel goes to both pool lights that are interconnected, then the same hot wire goes to the spa junction box. Once you determine the layout, then it's a process of troubleshooting from the circuit breaker until you get down to each light bulb, and everything between.

Good luck, tstex

 

[Toast]

Matt,

Does the same relay drive both the spa and pool lights??

Jim R.

No, its one relay for both pool lights, and separate relay for the single spa light.

 

[Jimrahbe]

T,

I don't have a lot of faith in non-contact meters... Since one relay controls both lights, the most likely failure is the relay.. Not saying the relay has to be bad, just saying that would be the first place I would look. I would take the load wire off the relay and connect it to the line side of the relay.. If the lights work the relay has to be bad.. Easy to do and will eliminate or confirm that the relay is good or bad.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[tstex]

T, Jim has you covered at the panel side.

Another way to do this would be to get a voltage meter, find your junction box w pool lights and test the line wire there.

First, turn of breaker, then open junction box, and w nothing touching the line/hot wires, go turn on breaker and teat the line wire there. This would also enable you to see if there’s any wiring issues at the junction box. Next, If no power, then it’s your relay; if power, and the wiring is solid & connnected, then it’s in your conduit or the light housing or lightbulbs. It’s a process of elimination.

Just to confirm, if you do have 2 diff relays (one for pool & one hot spa), then, you were previously able to turn on just the pool lights or the spa lights independent of each other, correct? if so, then you’d still have two junction boxes (one for pool & one for spa), near the spa, but they would not be interconnected at the junction boxes. Ea would have a home run from each relay.

 

[Toast]

So I will pull out the voltage meter- using the no contact meter just to see if power flowing- shows power from the relay, to the junction box, and down the wires towards the bulbs. So Next I guess its pulling the bulbs out and checking them- still just seems odd for them both to go at the same time.

I only found one junction box- but by turning off the relay and checking the voltage meter it clearly has the Spa light and Pool lights both in the same junction box (tied with separate wire nuts)

I am going to try and attach label pictures of what I am looking at. On the panel- I get current when the relay is turned on for spa or pool side individually (current stops when relay turned off). Same thing happens with junction box.

(I guess one other test I can consider is turning the breaker off- then wiring the pool lights to the Spa side and seeing if that relay would control the lights (and vice versa) to try and determine where in the path there is a problem).

Edit:
Well- I just ran down and did that, rewired the pool side to the spa side and vice verse. When I flipped the pool relay the spa light came on, but still nothing from either pool side. So everything at least to the junction box is working fine.

Looks like might actually be the bulbs (however that's still very odd to me to have two separate LED bulbs go out at the same time, with so few hours. Not certain what the warranty is on them, but it has been about 5 years so I suspect they are out of the time limit by now).

Next stop is pull the bulbs and check (any easy way to check if the bulb is functioning without just replacing it?

Thanks again for everything!
Matt

 

[rphpool]

Pull the bulbs and then screw them into any working light socket that they will fit. I used a lamp with the shade off