Pool Light Identify and Replacement Options

[runboy]

Trying to identify my pool light and figure out what options I have. Still trying to figure out if I need to switch out just the bulb or the fixture.
Light filled with water and threw the GFCI. Not 100% sure if the water is coming in from the front or rear. I emptied the light and it has been drying, but I'm still measuring a ground fault. Maybe it just needs to dry out some more, but looking at the general condition of the wire tells me I probably should consider switching out the fixture.

1. What light do I have? I'm guessing some kind of AquaLight. Its 110v and about 18 years old.
2. Would like to get a color switching option if possible without breaking the bank. What are my options?

Thanks!!

 

[runboy]

The Niche says American Products Co. No.R-325893

But I can't seem to find any information online about this niche

 

[KDpoolguy]

It’s available as a direct replacement Pentair (Amerilite) SpaBrite. Part number varies based on 120v/12v and on the length of cable you need but I ordered part: 78106000

Edit: here’s Inyo’s products, but has part numbers for the Incandescent versions) Pentair Amerlite - SpaBrite - INYOPools.com
Amazon has great prices too (if ya have Prime)

Pentair bought the OEM, believe it was originally manufactured by American pool products, but the entire fixtures are very much available by Pentair as white bulbs or LED color changing. I just replaced mine if you wanna see my old posts.

IMHO, this is my approach. I just got a 60w 120v version and removed the incandescent bulb and swapped in a Bulbwizards $100 color changing spa LED. I got fixture as an inexpensive return item, as a Warehouse Deal on Amazon & it works great.

The Pentair Intellibrite LED series are expensive (see link-checkout INYOPOOLS.com), I liked my way better, and plus there’s no user replaceable bulb in them.
Pentair IntelliBrite Color LED Pool Light - LED Spa Light - INYOPools.com

I was where you are and thought leak was just tired gasket and made the mistake of replacing bulbs and gasket only and burned up 2 expensive bulbs before it was clear the epoxy back was the leak source. I pulled through a new fixture (uh, what a chore), but wished I would have done that before trying to just do stop-gap measures. It’s up to you, but short of a full replacement keep a cheaper incandescent bulb in, try a new gasket and use a diy epoxy to plug up the back (where wires enter). Many members have done this and got their bulb housings to limp along for a year or two.

 

[runboy]

The size looks right, but I am curious about the wattage. The bulb in my unit was a 250W bulb of the following kind:
Amazon.com: Pentair 79113800 130-Volt, 250-Watt Halogen Quartz Screw Base Bulb Replacement Pool and Spa Light: Garden Outdoor

Can't help but wonder if the fixture was even rated for that.

This is the only light I have in the pool, so I am afraid a 60W version would be inefficient. The Bulbwizards LED is 7.5W which I would think is pretty low to light up an entire pool with.
Was yours 7.5W and did you use it for your pool or spa?

Thanks

 

[KDpoolguy]

The size looks right, but I am curious about the wattage. The bulb in my unit was a 250W bulb (halogen)

This is the only light I have in the pool, so I am afraid a 60W version would be inefficient. The Bulbwizards LED is 7.5W which I would think is pretty low to light up an entire pool with.
Was yours 7.5W and did you use it for your pool or spa?
Thanks

Ah, so this is your pool bulb. My pool, and most of my experience they use the larger Amerilite niches in the pool, but your pool isn’t huge so I’m sure, depending on placement, it’s fine. I have the SpaBrite in my spa. It’s all about lumens, or ‘power’ of the light, and Bulbwizard’s 7.5w LED is equivalent lumen output to a 60 watt halogen bulb. It’s all that will fit the SpaBrite fixture physically. My pool bulb was a 300 watt halogen replaced with a comparable 30 watt LED.

In Calif and across the country there is a phase-out of energy guzzling incandescent and halogen bulbs in a transition to LED, so get ‘em if you need ‘em. I’d imagine someone put the unrated 250w into the fixture, but maybe it was capable of handling it, not sure..but I don’t think it’s necessarily a safety issue to get a direct replacement. Obviously a 250w bulb eats a lotta electricity.

I’d do some investigation into lumen output to get the most out of the bulb. Just due to the pure physics of color spectrum, and the color-changing LEDs just don’t put out the lumen output of a pure white bulb where all the LEDs put out white light, so consider a good white LED. If brightness is a concern, an Intellibrite may get you the lumen output you need.

 

[runboy]

I would definetely prefer an LED option, but I am afraid I won’t be happy with a 7.5w led option that only put out 150 Lumens.
I’m sure the 250W Halogen put out more lumens than that and I wasn’t too impressed with that one.
Wish there was a 35W or so LED version in that size.

 

[KDpoolguy]

It’s not countermanded to try a household Edison base LED bulb that is 100w-150w equivalent to meet your need. It’s if it fits is the challenge.

I think you’re in a pickle to find a good solution for a smaller housing. Are you going to pull a new fixture, should be your first decision, as if not you’ll risk tripping more GFIs. Call Pentair or s good online retailer and they may have a solution. Also, There’s no shame in keeping a new halogen in there. If you’re like me, I only keep the pool lights on very seldom.

 

[Arizonarob]

Runboy, contact inyopools via email with pictures of what you have, those folks are really good at knowing what will work.

 

[runboy]

Runboy, contact inyopools via email with pictures of what you have, those folks are really good at knowing what will work.

I will do that. I am almost 100% sure that this is what I have:
[h=1]Pentair 77168100 Stainless Steel AquaLight Halogen Quartz Light 120-Volt 250-Watt, 50-Feet Cord[/h]
The thought of having LED is appealing since I would like to keep the pool light on together with the landscape lighting. I am considering going with the IntelliBrite 5G Color since it seems like it gives a little more lumens than going with Bulbwizard.

I did see an option for LED replacement for my current light that uses an E11 socket, but their lumen claim of 1900 seems ridiculous since its a 6W bulb:
https://www.florida-sunseeker.com/products/pentair-120v-color-led-upgrade-kit-for-aqualite-spa-lights-16-colors-shows-1900-lumens-e11-base?variant=33603517649&_vsrefdom=adwords&gclid=CjwKCAjwuO3cBRAyEiwAzOxKsnXxtCjgw4NM2MWKTcZHlIqfxzA-YBPmPiQszFuZGDOOQJx-Q3-JKBoCtwwQAvD_BwE

 

[KDpoolguy]

The thought of having LED is appealing since I would like to keep the pool light on together with the landscape lighting. I am considering going with the IntelliBrite 5G Color since it seems like it gives a little more lumens than with Bulbwizard.

I did see an option for LED replacement for my current light that uses an E11 socket, but their lumen claim of 1900 seems ridiculous since its a 6W bulb:

The quality of the LED is really important. You do get what you pay for. Watch out for manufactures with poor warranties. InYoPools is awesome and Doug at Bulbwizards was awesome, and warrants their products well, but just a reminder the 2 avenues that either you go with a direct-replacement 60w Edison style (& swap bulb?), or the Intellibrite style that’s got a long advertised life, but when it’s kaput, you gotta purchase and pull a whole new fixture, so see what Inyo Says and let us know...I’m curious about Intellibrite warranty and reviews.

 

[Tanner M]

+1 for inyopools they were very helpful and the price for the bulb was not to bad.

 

[runboy]

I dd reach out to inyopools, but probably a little late friday so I got impatient a got a decent deal on an Amazon Returned IntelliBrite 5G Color SPA Light.

Whoever did my conduit, did a nice job so it was an easy 5 minute job to pull out the old and put in the new cable.
I noticed the threaded portion of my Niche where you attach the light was starting to come apart. I did manage to get it tightened, but it had me looking for solutions to fix this in the future without having to tear the niche out.
I noticed some of the solutions involved plastic wedges like the Pt Light Wedge 132. How is this a viable solution since you loose the bonding??

I think the light did a good job lighting up my small pool. The red color is not that bright, but the others are really nice. Because my pool bends where the light is and the white is put together by using the other colors, I do get a rainbow effect which is kind of funky when using the white.

 

[Arizonarob]

Runboy, are you ok? You are nit picking the details. Your pool looks great. Now sit back, grab a cold one, and enjoy.

 

[runboy]

Runboy, are you ok? You are nit picking the details. Your pool looks great. Now sit back, grab a cold one, and enjoy.

Thanks you are right I guess I can worry about it if somebody kicks it out one day.

 

[Dirk]

Ever been snorkeling? Scuba diving? Everything looks blue/green because red light does not penetrate water very well. It's why even with white plaster pool water looks blue. I use my red light when I want a bare minimum of light in my pool. Stealth mode, baby!!

 

[runboy]

Ever been snorkeling? Scuba diving? Everything looks blue/green because red light does not penetrate water very well. It's why even with white plaster pool water looks blue. I use my red light when I want a bare minimum of light in my pool. Stealth mode, baby!!

The boys like the red water. They say it's like there has been a shark attack

 

[KDpoolguy]

I concur, it looks great. Everyone experiences the same white and red with the color-changing bulbs , so nothing to be concerned about. Glad it worked out. An easy pull is always a good thing, did you have a bonding wire sharing the same conduit? When I did mine it was a back killer, but I did it in middle of summer and 115 outside. Next time I’ll wait until Fall.
Not sure the exact issue your having with the loose niche, but sounds like it’s manageable for now.

 

[runboy]

I concur, it looks great. Everyone experiences the same white and red with the color-changing bulbs , so nothing to be concerned about. Glad it worked out. An easy pull is always a good thing, did you have a bonding wire sharing the same conduit? When I did mine it was a back killer, but I did it in middle of summer and 115 outside. Next time I’ll wait until Fall.
Not sure the exact issue your having with the loose niche, but sounds like it’s manageable for now.

Didn't have a bonding wire since my conduit is brass. The light is secure now, but if I remove it in the future, I'm not sure if the pilot screw in the light fixture will have enough thread to grab. Part of the thread in the niche is missing, so it forms a U instead of an O.
Since the connection is probably not the best one either, I'm wondering if I satisfy the water bonding requirement. Guess that's part of the purpose of the pilot screw.