Off-Center Bulb in Brand New Amerlite - this isn't normal, is it?

[gkw4815]

Have been having issues with one of the original PacFab Hatteras lights in our 1996 pool - melted potting compound in the fixture and two blown bulbs in a little over a year. I ordered and quickly received a new Pentair Amerlite fixture and included 500w bulb.

As shown in the attached picture, the bulb/socket is very noticeably off center (pointed towards top of fixture). This isn't normal, is it? The bulb should be centered? I plan to call PoolSupply4Less tomorrow and request a replacement, but thought I'd ask the experts here first.

 

[generessler]

I have AquaLite, not Amerilite, but agree this looks hinky. (That's a technical term. ) The manual Fig. 2 makes it look like the bulb should be centered. Have you opened it? This will be required for installation anyway. Maybe the bulb is just loose in the socket. Or maybe the neck has snapped in shipping.

 

[gkw4815]

Thanks for your reply. I hadn't opened it yet (if I keep the fixture, I'll open it to straighten out the lens, which is also slightly out of alignment). The bulb doesn't seem to be broken though (it doesn't move around when I rotate the fixture).

Maybe I'm missing something - but why does the fixture need to be opened for installation? (assuming that the bulb is installed correctly) Wouldn't I just pull the cord through the conduit, hook it up, and install the complete fixture in the niche without needing to open it?

 

[bradgray]

Thanks for your reply. I hadn't opened it yet (if I keep the fixture, I'll open it to straighten out the lens, which is also slightly out of alignment). The bulb doesn't seem to be broken though (it doesn't move around when I rotate the fixture).

Maybe I'm missing something - but why does the fixture need to be opened for installation? (assuming that the bulb is installed correctly) Wouldn't I just pull the cord through the conduit, hook it up, and install the complete fixture in the niche without needing to open it?

Don't open it! There is a roughly 1-in-4 chance your gasket will leak after you open it (filling your light with water). Anytime you open it (hopefully only years later to replace the bulb) you should replace the gasket. The tension on the ring that clamps it down is very high and it leaves a memory on the gasket that you'll never line up again.

You are correct, you don't need to remove the lense to install it. It's a sealed unit. You've probably done the research already, but you'll use the cord from your current light to pull the new cord through to the j-box, and mount it in the niche by nesting against the lower tab and 1 single screw.

It's possible the socket is bent or just that the light was installed angular in the socket; its a regular medium base socket and it's easy to misalign them.

If it bothers you and you can wait, returning for a new unit is a better option.

 

[JamesW]

I would return it for warranty replacement.

 

[Randrx2]

It would drive me nuts that is off center, so you should return.

Sometimes, the sockets are skewed as well as the bulb. This happens in regular fixtures as well. I am not sure you will see the skewiness (super technical term) when the fixture is underwater.

Test the light prior to installing. Remember, only turn it on for a little bit as it can overheat. Manual states 10 secs. max or it will overheat.

Also, any reason you went with incandescent instead of LED? The LED will last much longer and less time between bulb replacements.

 

[Newdude]

Sometimes, the sockets are skewed as well as the bulb. This happens in regular fixtures as well

I don't think there is one straight one in my house. I'm a big oaf whose hand never fits in the housing with the bulb, so they're all bent.

Also agree that OP will be the only one to ever know it's not centered.

 

[gkw4815]

Thanks everyone, I'm going to request a return/replacement fixture. In addition to the cosmetic issue - I'm wondering if having the bulb socket off-center in the housing will affect heat transfer from the bulb and compromise the fixture. Maybe I'm overthinking, but FWIW I'm replacing my old fixture because the potting compound apparently overheated and melted.

Randrx2 - I went with incandescent instead of LED because of the LED light reliability issues that are discussed quite a bit here and because I want all of the pool lights to match (the other lights are incandescent and have been trouble-free since we bought the house). I might eventually install LED bulbs in all of the lights, but it's not a priority as we rarely use the lights and energy consumption isn't a big concern.

 

[gkw4815]

PoolSupply4Less suggested that the bulb was threaded in crookedly, so I opened the fixture to investigate. It actually looks like the lowest-bidder light bulb they stuck in this thing was built crooked. I put in a spare 500w bulb I had and it looks much better.

But I noticed a new issue - the green ground wire behind the bulb is protruding through the potting compound, as shown in the attached picture. This isn't right, is it?

 

[JamesW]

Looks sketchy to me.