Low Voltage Lighting

[SecoSteve]

I want to install low voltage lighting around the deck of our pool. After the deck was done last year and during sod laying, I put a low voltage direct burial wire around the deck in anticipation of adding lights. Well, I finally bought the lights and transformer. I opened the box and was reading the directions, and it said "do not install within 10 feet of a pool" . Some parts of the desired lighting location will be about 5 feet from the pool.

Is there really a safety issue locating lights closer then 10 feet from the pool, or is the light company just trying to "CYA"?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Steve,

In the world of common sense it is not much of a safety issue, as the landscape transformer would have to short internally causing the 120 VAC to jump over to the output line going to the lights for there to be a real safety concern. It would also have to do this magic without popping a circuit breaker.

That said, electrical codes require low voltage lights to be run from "pool rated" transformers, if within 5 feet of the water, which most landscape light are not.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[AK-]

That said, electrical codes require low voltage lights to be run from "pool rated" transformers, if within 5 feet of the water, which most landscape light are not.

Yes to "pool rated". It can actually be less than 5ft from the internal wall of the pool: NFPA 70 (NEC 2020) 680.22(B)(7)

 

[SecoSteve]

Steve,

In the world of common sense it is not much of a safety issue, as the landscape transformer would have to short internally causing the 120 VAC to jump over to the output line going to the lights for there to be a real safety concern. It would also have to do this magic without popping a circuit breaker.

That said, electrical codes require low voltage lights to be run from "pool rated" transformers, if within 5 feet of the water, which most landscape light are not.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Thanks Jim. Would you do what I want to do on any of your pools?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Steve,

I live in the world of commons sense..

Jim R.

 

[SecoSteve]

Steve,

I live in the world of commons sense..

Jim R.

You must have been a lawyer or a politician in a previous life. I can't get a definitive answer out of you . Thanks for ALL your input on this great site!!