Pentair LED Pool Lights

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Pentair LED Pool Lights

Pentair IntelliBrite 5G

Early Model IntelliBrite Defect

Pentair had problems with early gen IntelliBrites and had since fixed the problem. Apparently they had some defective chips on the board, and the board itself was backed by a thin aluminum heat sink that was found to be inadequate. They now have a thick copper heat sink and he claimed they haven't had to replace any of those yet.

They always lose the red color first. It's the driver in the light that goes bad and a replacement driver is nearly $400. Might as well just but a new light

The U1 chip that seems to blow up is a Linear Technologies (now Analog devices) LT3496 LED driver, packaged in an impossibly-small-to-hand-solder UFD form factor. They make a 125 and a 150 degree C version but they have the same markings so I can't tell what's actually on the board.

I've got two of these boards on my bench: - #1 has the older smaller aluminum heat sink backing and weighs 3.6 oz... this one has a visibly smoked U1 - #2 has the extra copper heat sink backing and weighs 6.5 oz... this board probably works but J4 has been torn off, taking the board traces with it. This is a different issue but the board was designed with a surface mount quick-fit connector whereas I'd prefer to see a stronger physical connection to the board. Considering their cost, these things should be able to deal with a bit of force!!

Anyway, Digi-Key has the 150 degree U1/LT3496H part (H denotes the 150 degree version) for 9 bucks and change: https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/linear-technology-analog-devices/LT3496HUFD-PBF/LT3496HUFD-PBF-ND/2333084?utm_source=505&utm_medium=supplier&utm_campaign=buynow

The datasheet suggests that if the junction temperature gets over 125/150 degrees it will have problems. If these failures are indeed heat related, I'm not yet sure which part is actually overheating... it could be the driver itself, or it could be that another part - in conjunction with the thin heat sink - gets hot enough to raise the temperature of the entire board above the driver's junction temp threshold and smokes it. 125/150 degrees C is pretty hot though.

Pentair GloBrite

The average life span of those seems to be about 2-4 years. They crack and water enters and they get destroyed.

The GloBrites use a proprietary niche so you're stuck to using them.

If you are planning a pool build Pentair has a new version called the MicroBrite that you should consider.

Pentair GloBright & IntelliBright colors don't match

The GloBrites are 12V and your IntelliBrights are likely 120V so the colors don't give off the same hue. This is a problem that cannot be corrected and a reason to use only the GloBrites or IntelliBrights.