Hi there, I could use some advice on pool light placement. We wanted 2 pool lights for more even lighting and to make sure deep end is not too dark. Original design placed 2 full size LED pool lights at position 2 in attached drawing. The pool builder ended up placing a full size LED light in baja ledge and smaller led at position 1. He says this is sufficient and will reduce shadows. I'm not convinced. Seems like placing 2 full size leds at each end would probably be best right (position 3)? Anyway, we're awaiting gunite so can still make this change easily enough, so any advice is appreciated! Thanks! Oh, the spa will have a LED sheer descent (2 foot), but since that is not in the water, figure it won't help a lot in illuminating deep end.
Pool Light Placement
- Thread starter swolk
- Start date
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,913
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
You don't want any bulb in direct line-of-site with the windows of your house, or your primary sitting area when out by the pool. The glare from a pool light can be annoying, and not nearly as nice as a pool lit such that you don't see the bulbs. I think one of your position 3 lights would be a problem.
I think two lights are the way to go, especially if they are color-changing LED lights, which don't provide the coverage of white incandescent or halogen lights, especially colors in the red spectrum. If your primary seating area is between pool and house, I would go with the right hand position 1 (full sized light) and right where the lower-left arrowhead of the dimension line labelled 16' touches the side. That would give you one at each end of the pool, both shining away from the house.
Position 2 lights would also work, as originally spec'd. A lot depends on where your primary seating area is. The left-hand position 1 light will not cover the deep end very well, IMO.
I would ask them to "home-run" the wiring from EACH light back to the pad (or wherever the light switch will be). This gives you the option of wiring all three lights together, on one switch, or wiring each light to its own switch. When kids are in the pool: light it all up. But for a nice romantic or ambient lighting affect, it might be nice to have just the spa on (or off!), or just one or two lights on. Running the wiring now leaves you the option to change your mind about the switching configuration in the future. If they're all wired together out in the yard somewhere, in a J-box, it might be difficult or impossible to change that up later...
I think two lights are the way to go, especially if they are color-changing LED lights, which don't provide the coverage of white incandescent or halogen lights, especially colors in the red spectrum. If your primary seating area is between pool and house, I would go with the right hand position 1 (full sized light) and right where the lower-left arrowhead of the dimension line labelled 16' touches the side. That would give you one at each end of the pool, both shining away from the house.
Position 2 lights would also work, as originally spec'd. A lot depends on where your primary seating area is. The left-hand position 1 light will not cover the deep end very well, IMO.
I would ask them to "home-run" the wiring from EACH light back to the pad (or wherever the light switch will be). This gives you the option of wiring all three lights together, on one switch, or wiring each light to its own switch. When kids are in the pool: light it all up. But for a nice romantic or ambient lighting affect, it might be nice to have just the spa on (or off!), or just one or two lights on. Running the wiring now leaves you the option to change your mind about the switching configuration in the future. If they're all wired together out in the yard somewhere, in a J-box, it might be difficult or impossible to change that up later...
Thanks Dirk! Primary seating is south of spa, to left of house. Your positions make sense and I share your concerns about not covering the deep end very well. I'm going to talk to my PB and see what can be done. Thanks!
See this Jandy guide for some great tips -
Below is a pentair guide on how many lumens their lights output. A simple guideline from them was to hit 4 lumens per sq ft of pool. So for example - a 500 sqft pool would need 4x500 = 2000lumens total light output.
So that will help guide you in how many lights you should attempt to have. Everyone's idea of what is enough is subjective. I wanted to be sure I would have plenty of light and followed these guidelines and I am extremely happy with the result.
As many have said on this site - almost no one says their pool lights are too bright. Except maybe the ones that aim them right back at their house anyway... definitely follow that advice.
Below is a pentair guide on how many lumens their lights output. A simple guideline from them was to hit 4 lumens per sq ft of pool. So for example - a 500 sqft pool would need 4x500 = 2000lumens total light output.
So that will help guide you in how many lights you should attempt to have. Everyone's idea of what is enough is subjective. I wanted to be sure I would have plenty of light and followed these guidelines and I am extremely happy with the result.
As many have said on this site - almost no one says their pool lights are too bright. Except maybe the ones that aim them right back at their house anyway... definitely follow that advice.
Attachments
Thanks Joe, very helpful! I'll check this out. My PB uses Hayward colorlogic 4.0 so I'll search for the equivalents.
We are in the process of building a new pool too - rectangle with a baja shelf on the house side of the pool that is in addition to the rectangle. Due to our sun/baja shelf, our builder has recommended putting the lights on the opposite side of the pool so that the light would be directed at the house. The reason being that this will light up the baja shelf and steps beside the shelf better. How annoying will that be?
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,192
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Hi Roger we are putting LED bubblers in our baja shelf, maybe you can do something similar in floor of baja without having to direct lights back to house.
Hi @joepaiii the Jandy guide really helpful as I did not want any hotspots and more even lightling. For my pool I'm thinking at least 4 of the 23 watt hayward 320s spaced out 8' should be sufficient. Sound about right to you? Each of the 320s is rated for 1000 lumens. What is nice with the hayward system is the lights can be fully dimmable and networked to work individually or as a group. ColorLogic 320 & 160 LED Lights | Lighting | In Ground Pool Lighting - Hayward Pool Products
I thought these 1.5" lights would be too puny, but having 4 of these rather than 2 of the big ones should give me the lighting I'm looking for.
I thought these 1.5" lights would be too puny, but having 4 of these rather than 2 of the big ones should give me the lighting I'm looking for.
How many square feet is the pool? Also - what color plaster? The darker you go the more light you will need... They are very bright at 1000 lumens, twice as bright as the pentair micro brites.
You should be able to put a light in the shelf facing away from the house to light it up, or dont light it and use an LED bubbler. I have read around here that the bubbler lights look kind of puny and sometimes it looks better to just light the shelf itself and the bubbler catches some light from the side. Definitely don't face them towards your house.