Need new LED pool light

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Z

z3540i

0
Jul 21, 2018
31
Dover, DE
Hello all, new to this forum. I joined after researching help for finding a replacement for my LED pool light and finding many helpful tips on other "pool stuff".....VERY good forum u guys have here!!

However, I have not found an answer to my question. First, let me state that we had our inground 25K gallon freeform gunite pool built in 2007 and a Hayward Colorlogic LED light was installed. We have had many years of use out of it during the summer months. Now, when I turn on the light via the toggle switch, it trips the GFCI. I have changed the GFCI again (fixed the issue 3 years ago when same thing happened) and the toggle switch (very rusty) and it still tripped the new GFCI. I called pool experts to inspect and they said I needed new light (Hayward Colorlogic 12v with transformer) and quoted me $1144 (parts and labor). My questions are:

1. Is Hayward Colorlogic 4.0 12v any good? The reviews I have seen online have been horrendous (not lasting more than 1-2 years, sometimes less) but most reviews are several years old. This surprised me since we have had our Colorlogic (version 1.0?) for 11 years and had no problem until now. I don't want to pay a lot of money for it to fail in less than 2 years. Any Hayward representatives on that can shed light (pun intended lol)?
- I saw someone suggest putting silicone to seal the back. I was thinking of using Flex Seal (sprayable rubber): https://www.getflexseal.com has anyone tried this?
2. I looked at Pentair Intellibrite 5G but that is not much better in failures (water getting in). Again, any Pentair representatives on that can help?
3. Someone here suggested Pentair/LED light bulb combo...cheaper to replace just the bulb vs the entire unit. Anyone here go that route and happy with brightness, color intensity, and color programs?
4. Anyone have another alternative(s)?

I plan on doing this myself and saving half the amount the pool experts will charge. I have done lots of renovations/repairs/electrical work in the past.

By the way, I am attaching a picture of the dead Colorlogic LED light. At the bottom left corner of the Hayward Colorlogic label, there is an oval, discolored indentation on the back plate. Is that evidence of the circuit board overheating? Could that be the source of GFCI tripping?

20180630_112720.jpg

Thanks in advance for your input/advice! :cool:
 
Greetings Z...

I hope it is OK if I jump on your thread, as I am in a similar situation and since the EVERYTHING ELSE section gets less "love" than some other parts, maybe my bump will get more eyes. Plus, the answer we both are seeking (or getting confirmation) is probably the same.

To the question you asked with the picture, yes, I would be somewhat concerned with what looks like a burn mark on the back. Did it come from the inside or did it come from the extra cord inside the housing that got pinched? Have you verified the cord is in good shape (under water, that would have possibly contacted the back of the housing)? Because the slightest opening in the wiring or housing under water would likely trip the GFCI. If either is the case, water in housing or water in wiring, it will require a new unit. Luckily, replacing these things as a whole unit is pretty easy--certainly easier than tracking down the problem causing it not to work.

My unit is exactly 3 years old and is a Pentair 5g 120v color LED light. So the fact that you got around 10 years out of yours makes me envious. If I got 10 years out of mine before it quit working, I would have no problem just buying another one and being done with it. But mine only made it 3 years--way too short for a $550 light. Mine is not a GFCI problem. My light worked like a charm until a few weeks ago when I would see two or three quick flashes of the light after turning it off. So I checked the unit and underwater electrical cable for water compromises, the connections at the junction, the GFCI and the on/off switch, and breaker, thinking that if electrical was leaking around something in mix, it might trigger a couple of flashes. All was good and intact. I even replaced the switch for good measure, as even in a sealed outdoor box, these things corrode (off-gassing and water vapor from the open path in the conduit back to the pool?) and have to be replaced every 5-7 years. So I started researching and did not see anyone on the net mentioning the problem I was having.

So this past week, the light simply would not come on. But it did do the flashing thing when I turned it off. I also cycled through all the color settings to make sure one or more of the colors did not die and if it would come on on a solid color. But nothing, no light at all now. Bad timing, as I am having a large annual gathering next Saturday in which night swimming is a big player, so I have to decide what I am going to do ASAP. Like you, there are several replacement options, none of which are ideal. If I had more time, I might consult Pentair for a better idea of things but I kind of need to order by Tuesday to get the fix and get it installed before 25+ people converge on my house Saturday afternoon!

Options below, anyone have suggestions:

1. New Pentair 5g color light, replace in 30 minutes and be done--NO, this one should have lasted more than 3 years, especially as little as it gets used--maybe 1000 hours over the three years I have had it

2. Replace board in existing light--NO, for $400, might as well buy whole new light for $500

3. There is aftermarket solution from Florida Sunseeker, the Pool Baron product that retrofits the Pentair housing with their board and led panel. $250 is much better than $400 but what if the problem is some other component in the housing and not (or not just) the board/led setup? I could spend this and not solve the problem. Plus, there are not any solid reviews of how well these work.

4. This is the one I am leaning towards (and wish I had done 3 years ago--live and learn). Get all new unit but get the old-school Pentair that uses the halogen bulb and also get one of the color LED bulbs to put in it. This would be about $180 for the light and $100 for the bulb. About the same as the Pool Baron retrofit but allows me to easily and much more cheaply replace the bulb when it goes out. And if the LED bulbs don't cut the mustard (either quality or bright enough light), I have the setup in place to simply throw a halogen back in there. Plus it is also an easy 20-30 minute job to replace. A question if I do this. If I, before ever installing, replace the white halogen stock bulb with an LED, do I need to replace the gasket on the light? Can I expect a quality seal since it is new or even with a new unused fixture, if you break the seal, you need to replace the gasket?

Anyone with some advice for either of out situations. I know my stuff is Pentair and Z's is Hayward, but if I am not mistaken, both of our niches will likely take either a new Pentair or Hayward or other brand of housing. So if someone thinks the basic screw in housing unit from one brand or another is better, certainly chime in. Right now, unlike Z, mine is 120v. I have room in the junction for a 12v transformer, so is there a benefit to changing to a 12v vs. continuing with 120v?
 
Another option is to call InyoPools and see what they have. They market a house brand light replacement for most niches.
 
Thanks for the replies. After seeing the longevity of the new LED lights from Hayward and Pentair, I wish I had a spare "old" Hayward light. lol. I need to remove the LED light and inspect the wire wrapped around in the niche to see if there is anything wrong with it as you said, DencoPaul (and to also see the type of niche I have). I may go with what Patrick3229 suggested. Please see the 3rd post by Patrick3229, he even has pictures of the effects: https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/159063-LED-light-replacement I may be going with Pure Colors LED.

As mknauss suggested, I will be calling InyoPools and ask questions.

Unfortunately, DencoPaul, your time is more limited compared to mine. Good luck in your search and please let me know what you end up doing. I will do the same.
 
Well, just got off the phone with InyoPools and they said that I had to replace old Hayward LED with new Hayward LED since I "probably" have a Hayward niche. Is this true? I have read other people changing brands as long as the new light fixture fits in the niche. I will be removing the old LED light to look at the niche....
 
Yep, thanks Z...

I am pretty sure the solution I am going with is a whole new Amerlite housing that I can change bulbs. While I like INYO and have purchased things in the past, when you separate the LED color change bulb from the package (at $159 by itself), the cost for the Amerlite 120v housing works out to $230. I can buy it from Amazon for $180 with free 2 day prime shipping.

Then the question of the lamps for it. I can get a similar or identical LED color change bulb for as low as $80 (and as much as $250). Knowing they are all likely made in China and may be the exact same thing (if the specs match) with just different branding depending on who is selling it, it certainly would make sense to spend $260 instead of $390 (in my particular case). Even still, if by the time I pull the trigger tomorrow, I discover that the INYO bulb IS a much better product than what is on Amazon/Ebay, it still comes out cheaper to buy the housing and bulb separate rather than as a package.

So the real question is whether there is a difference in all the different bulbs being sold out there? Is the Purelight that INYO is selling at $159 better than the $89 one with decent to good reviews on Amazon? I have no problem spending $50-75 for a truly better product but I am not sure I/we know that one is better than the other? I would have thought the $550 Pentair 5g would be better than the 3 years and less than 1000 hours it actually lasted. So I guess it is just a shot in the dark--unfortunate reality since pool shot in the darks are kind of pricey!!! LOL

One other thing--I never found a definitive answer on replacing the gasket on the light if you change the bulb before ever using it or submerging it. But I do remember that for the Pentair 5g the instructions gave you the option of rotating the lens for a wide or narrow beam depending on placement in pool. To do this, you have to unseal the gasket and rotate the front glass 180 degrees. In the instructions, it does not say if you do this you have to replace the gasket. That is probably with the assumption that the user would make that change when installing the first time, not several years down the road. This leads me to believe that the "change the gasket every time you change the bulb" mantra is based on the thing being installed for several years. I will probably buy an extra gasket just to be on the safe side, knowing that even if I do not need it immediately, I will have it for the future.
 
Additional info on my previous posts about "what really is the difference between the bulbs"...

Here is the INYO bulb, as they sell on Amazon too

https://www.amazon.com/Pureline-Pool-Bulb-Color-Changing/dp/B078TK9SPB

Then these bulbs seem identical in every way, just badged differently--shape, specs, and # of colors/light shows:

$119
https://www.amazon.com/TOVEENEN-Color-changing-Replacement-500Watt-Incandescent/dp/B0738284MN/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1532390301&sr=8-1&keywords=TOVEENEN&dpID=41j0wNXQKXL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

$89
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DNVMD2M/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07DNVMD2M&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=1713835751726239774&pf_rd_r=GVH65CF4NBQ3R2ZJHS2W&pd_rd_wg=NwcwU&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&pd_rd_w=WEvI4&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pd_rd_r=5480fb87-8ed4-11e8-8c50-7bcf6a096853

And then this one, also $89, that comes with the remote control
https://www.amazon.com/LED-Changing-Replacement-Swimming-Inground/dp/B01JOFE4EO/ref=lp_14841511011_1_1?srs=14841511011&ie=UTF8&qid=1532390824&sr=8-1

I could post many more examples. While there are several that do actually look different, all the ones that seem to get better than average reviews, at least on Amazon, look the same, have the same measurements, and have the same specs. My guess is they are the same exact thing. If you zoom in on the face of the lamp, the LED array and placement is definitely identical.
 
Thanks for the info but I am back on the fence between Hayward Colorlogic and sealing the back with silicone/flexseal vs Amerilite +LED Bulb. The Amerilite/LED bulb is cheaper but we (esp my wife) loved the brightness/color saturation of the Colorlogic

Hopefully, your repair/replacement goes well in time for your gathering on Saturday. Please post pictures of your new light in action!! This may help me in my decision. lol

BTW, I went to a local pool shop that had the Pentair Intellibrite 5G and the price on the box was $980! I can find it online for about half that price. Sheeesh!
 
Hey Z...

Sorry so long getting back. Life kind of got crazy busy all at once. All went well with the gathering and the light was a hit. I went with the Pentair Amerlite 500w old style housing. With the 15 foot cord (all I need), it was $169 and got the following LED color changing lamp with remote for $89.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0793T6SFK/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A15S0G26UGJS57&psc=1

The only cons I can see is that in the color changing mode, the colors do not "blend" into the change of colors as smoothly as the Intellibrite 5G did. Of course I was the only one that really noticed, everyone that did not remember the old light thought it was GREAT. That is minor, as I am more about leaving it on blue, cyan, or purple most of the time and only kick in the color changing for a party or when I have nephews/kids over.

I actually think the solid colors are brighter than the Intellibrite 5G except for the white. It was a more pure white on the old one and brighter whereas the new one is a mix of the RGB to make the white, which comes as a very light blue. Again, that is not a problem in my mind. I rarely run the white except when brushing or doctoring the pool at night as it tends to attract natty type bugs hovering above the waterline near the light.

So I am very pleased. I will try to post pictures by the weekend. Cannot speak on the longevity of the lamp, we shall see. But the Pentair Amerlite is a solid performer and I expect many years of service out of it like I got from the two that I had in there before. But at $89 and replaceable, if the lamp lasts the same 3 years the board in the Intellibrite did, I will be OK with that. At least the lamp comes with a 2 year warranty and those with problems on Amazon got replacements from the vendor when it died prior to 2 years. Much better warranty than the Pentair.
 

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