Pool lights not turning on

[mikeybunes]

I have an easy touch 8 with intellibrite lights, this is a new install and the contractor flaked out before completing everything so my electrician is finishing the install and has not worked on this system before. All the wiring is done and correct but the lights aren't turning on via screen logic or the control board.

Any ideas on what may be causing this.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mike,

The number one reason for the lights not working is a popped GFCI outlet on the side of the enclosure.

If that is not it, show us several pics of the inside of your EasyTouch so that we can see the wiring and relays.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[mikeybunes]

Hi Jim,

Photos are attached.

Thank you so much for the help. Everyone on these forums is excellent to work with.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mike,

Most LED Pool lights normally run off of 12 volts AC.. It appears to me that you have things connected to 15 volts DC.

Normally 120 volts goes to the light relay which sends the voltage to an external POOL RATED transformer that steps the voltage down to 12 Volts AC.

Your internal power supply is for sure not pool rated and provides DC not AC voltage.

Do your yard light work?

There appears to be an "External" transformer breaker, but I can't see the wiring. Do you have an external lights transformer? If so, show me some pics.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Poolbreh]

There is so much wrong with this picture. You should only use white as a neutral, it confuses everyone when it isn’t. It appears your hots are going into the load side of relays and you have 2 jumpers. Everything is bundled together so it’s hard to see where what goes where.

 

[Poolbreh]

And it does appear the pln-100 output is vdc. Can you also give pics of the light specs?

 

[mikeybunes]

Mike,

Most LED Pool lights normally run off of 12 volts AC.. It appears to me that you have things connected to 15 volts DC.

Normally 120 volts goes to the light relay which sends the voltage to an external POOL RATED transformer that steps the voltage down to 12 Volts AC.

Your internal power supply is for sure not pool rated and provides DC not AC voltage.

Do your yard light work?

There appears to be an "External" transformer breaker, but I can't see the wiring. Do you have an external lights transformer? If so, show me some pics.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Yard lights haven't been installed yet. Like I said its a new build and the PB basically dropped the pool in hooked up the pump and said see ya later. I barely have the correct paperwork for everything.

There is a junction box to the left of this panel but I don't know what it is. I will grab a pic of it.

My electrician isn't a pool installer so wiring probably looks like a mess because he's not familiar with pool wiring and what not, he just ran the cables and connected everything based on how he interpreted the owners manual.

 

[Poolbreh]

Best thing to do is try and organize the wires in an easy to follow way. You can label breakers or take a sharpie and follow all the whips at the bottom and label them as they come in to the best of your knowledge. Filter pump, booster, lights, etc. If you can take pics of the junction box and give the specs. I wouldn’t try and turn the lights on until it’s figured out. Some of those wires should be replaced with color(black,red) if they are hot.
I’m sorry your pb left you hangin.
Example

 

[mikeybunes]

Here are photos of what I’m assuming is the pool light box you're referring to.


Mike,

Most LED Pool lights normally run off of 12 volts AC.. It appears to me that you have things connected to 15 volts DC.

Normally 120 volts goes to the light relay which sends the voltage to an external POOL RATED transformer that steps the voltage down to 12 Volts AC.

Your internal power supply is for sure not pool rated and provides DC not AC voltage.

Do your yard light work?

There appears to be an "External" transformer breaker, but I can't see the wiring. Do you have an external lights transformer? If so, show me some pics.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[mikeybunes]

Best thing to do is try and organize the wires in an easy to follow way. You can label breakers or take a sharpie and follow all the whips at the bottom and label them as they come in to the best of your knowledge. Filter pump, booster, lights, etc. If you can take pics of the junction box and give the specs. I wouldn’t try and turn the lights on until it’s figured out. Some of those wires should be replaced with color(black,red) if they are hot.
I’m sorry your pb left you hangin.
Example
View attachment 429358

Trust me it’s on the to do list but my first and only concern right now is getting this working before the 4th and then the weekend after I’ll power it all down and rewire accordingly as I can essentially just swap wires myself and label.

Thankfully I know what relays are connected to what on the board so they’re labeled.

 

[Poolbreh]

That would be your step down transformer for the lights, that’s what you need to hook up to. How far is the junction from transformer? You’ll need to pull wires from junction to transformer and from transformer to panel. I’m guessing you have a spa light and pool light and you them and we’re attempting to have them operate separately? We may have to start fresh. Send pics of the junction box it’s where the conduit or whip is fed.

And specs of lights

 

[mikeybunes]

Junction box is 15 feet away

Dont have specs on the lights. Just know they're intelibrite cause thats what pentair support said they were

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mike,

That DC power supply needs to come out of your EasyTouch as it is never going to work for your lights.

The external transformer needs to be wired into the lights as well as the EasyTouch.

I'd be glad to try and get you pointed in the right direction if you wish,

Jim R.

 

[mikeybunes]

Mike,

That DC power supply needs to come out of your EasyTouch as it is never going to work for your lights.

The external transformer needs to be wired into the lights as well as the EasyTouch.

I'd be glad to try and get you pointed in the right direction if you wish,

Jim R.

Makes sense. That would be a huge help so that I can get this going.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mike,

Unless you need the pool lights right away, I suggest that we test out the rest of the system and make sure that it works first.

No matter what we do next, the first step it to remove that DC power supply.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Poolbreh]

You will need fish tape, electrical tape, wire nuts, strippers, multimeter, roll of 12gauge white, black, green and 20 amp gfci cb if you want. Here is a rough draft. But keep us posted step by step so we can inspect and help hook up the right wires in transformer.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mike,

How many pool lights do you have?

If you have more than one light, then keep in mind that with only one transformer, they will all come on at the same time and be the same color.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Poolbreh]

At second glance it looks like you have wires from et to transformer, hopefully transformer isn’t toast. You also have a gfci breaker so scratch that off your shopping list. You’ll need wires from jbox to transformer. I would get rid of the zip ties and zip tie or wire strap each individual circuit. The clearer everything is the better help we can be.

 

[mikeybunes]

Mike,

How many pool lights do you have?

If you have more than one light, then keep in mind that with only one transformer, they will all come on at the same time and be the same color.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Two pool lights and 1 spa light

 

[Poolbreh]

I take a sharpie on my installs and mark everything at the bottom for better clarity and have each circuit wires clean and easy to distinguish amongst each other.
Example