While digging in my backyard, I hit the PVC conduit to my pool light. I thought I was well clear of it but obviously not. I hit it hard enough to crack the PVC and of course it is now leaking. Obviously this means I have a leak in the light, but from reading on here, this might be normal? Are lights designed to leak into the conduit or do I need to fix a leak in the light? Any way to make the light water tight? It'd be much easier for me to fix the light than the buried PVC.
Pool light PVC conduit leak
- Thread starter tangouniform
- Start date
It is normal for the light to allow water into the conduit. The conduit needs to be water tight back to the junction box.
There is a quick patch that I really don't recommend, but which many people use. You can remove the light and seal the back of the niche with epoxy putty and reinstall the light. However this will make it impossible to replace the light fixture at a future date. Also, you need to make sure that there is enough free cord left on the water side to raise the light up onto the deck.
By far the best repair, though the most work, is to repair the conduit.
There is a quick patch that I really don't recommend, but which many people use. You can remove the light and seal the back of the niche with epoxy putty and reinstall the light. However this will make it impossible to replace the light fixture at a future date. Also, you need to make sure that there is enough free cord left on the water side to raise the light up onto the deck.
By far the best repair, though the most work, is to repair the conduit.
Thanks for the response. Repairing the conduit is impossible as the ground above it is now covered in concrete. My only method of action is to use the epoxy putty. Is there any type of sprayable expanding foam that would work? I figure that'd be the easiest route.
I think you can look on amazon and find a rubber plug that goes around the cord and will seal the conduit. It may leak just a bit but not much. I epoxied mine once and when I had to replace the light it was not fun at all.
http://www.amazon.com/Rubber-Plug-Leaking-Pool-Lights/dp/B002XKR4R2
Here is what I was referring to.
Here is what I was referring to.
Dumb question, since I don't have the plugs yet, but how do you install them over the wires? It seems like I'd have to disconnect the wires at some point along the line to run them through the plug.
I think you would have to pull the entire fixture and cord out through the niche end then slide the plug over the cord and re-assemble. Don't forget to tie a strong pulling rope to the cable before you remove it so you have an easy way to pull it back through. Make sure you leave cable wrapped around the fixture so it can be brought to the surface for easy lamp replacement in the future.
- Jun 20, 2012
- 439
Slice the plug half way through (parallel with the hole in the plug), Spay some lubricant on it. Work the plug around the wire. Shove the plug into the conduit hole.