Pool Lights - Spa Lights

Pool and spa lighting is arguably some of the most interesting equipment available for your backyard escape. Yes, you need the basics such a pump and filter but lighting is your opportunity to have some fun adding creativity and ambience to your pool and spa. There are many options to choose from - with more coming on the market all the time - so we'll do our best to help you sort out what type of lighting will work best for your needs.

In-ground Pool and Spa Incandescent White Lights

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The most basic illumination you can get, incandescent white lights come in two sizes, one designed for pools at about 9 - 11 inches in diameter and a smaller one for spas with a diameter of about 5 - 6 inches. The exact size will depend upon the make and model as this varies from one manufacturer to another. These lights typically have a 300 - 500 watt bulb for pools and a 100 watt bulb for spas. The light is comprised of the light housing that holds the bulb and lens, a face ring and an electric cord. The face ring is usually either white plastic or stainless steel. The distance between the location of the light and the electrical supply for your equipment will determine the necessary cord length. PVC conduit is usually run underground for the cord. Most pool and spa lights are available in either 12 volt or 120 volt to meet with local code requirements. Normal household electrical current is 120v but some areas of the country require lower voltage for pool and spa lighting. In this case, you would purchase a 12 volt light and use a transformer to drop the voltage before it reaches the light. The transformer is based on the wattage of the light; for example, a 300 watt light will require a 300 watt transformer.

These lights, as well as the color-changing LED lights discussed below, must be installed within a niche. Sometimes also referred to as a "can", the niche is shaped like a cup and molded from either plastic or stainless steel which is embedded into the pool or spa wall during construction or renovation. The light fixture fits into the niche which helps to secure the light and provide a watertight seal. The niche is mandatory. If you want to add a light to an existing pool with no niche and are not planning to renovate, you'll need to look at non-niche lights which we'll discuss further on.

Some advantages to these conventional lights are that white light travels well through water and provides good illumination to enhance the safety of nighttime swimmers and soakers. Replacement bulbs come in standard sizes, are relatively inexpensive and readily available. Most installers and service people will be familiar with installing, repairing or replacing these basic lights. On the down side, incandescent lights cost more to operate than energy efficient LED lights and do not offer any color-changing options. Some white lights, such as the Hayward Astrolite and the Pentair Amerlite, do have an optional lens kit which contains colored plastic snap-on lenses that fit over the face of the light.

In-ground Pool and Spa Color-Changing Lights

Adding colored lights to pools and spa is becoming more popular thanks to increasingly available LED and fiber optic lighting options. These lights take the basic white bulb to the next level, offering color-changing capacity and even pre-programmed light shows designed to create a tranquil retreat, a high-energy party and any atmosphere in between. With color-changing lights, pool and spa owners are now able to create resort-style waterscapes in their own backyards.

LED Lights
LED stands for light emitting diode which is a small semiconductor device that converts electrical energy directly into a discrete color of light. You may have noticed LEDs in newer traffic lights. If you look closely at these lights, you'll see that instead of one solid bulb, they are comprised of multiple tiny bulbs which look similar to Christmas tree lights. LED pool and spa lights use this same technology to provide the practical - energy efficiency - along with the beautiful - color-changing lighting.

Brightness

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Many customers ask about the wattage of LED lights, trying to determine the brightness. While these lights are rated by watts for their power consumption, LEDs are not rated for brightness in watts. There are a couple of reasons for this - one, wattage is a measurement used only for standard incandescent light bulbs and two, colored light does not travel through water as far as white light and each specific color will travel a different distance. For example, blue light will travel further than red. So it is very difficult to specify a standard "wattage" for LED lights. A basic guideline is that the white light setting of any LED pool light is equivalent in brightness to about a 270 - 300 watt regular light bulb. The brightness of the color modes will vary but it is important to keep in mind that colored light is meant more for an aesthetic effect and not to light up your pool like a baseball stadium.

LED lights vary in their size and internal components according to the manufacturer and we'll cover the different models below. All of the following lights will require a niche for installation.

Hayward ColorLogic Lights
This LED light comes either in a larger pool or smaller spa model like the white lights mentioned above. Instead of a bulb, the ColorLogic has a circuit board comprised of multiple LEDs. It still has the glass lens and face ring (in either stainless steel or white) with a length of cord coming off the back of the light. Pre-programmed into the ColorLogic are seven color-changing shows which are designed to fit various moods. "Tranquility" is a relaxing transition of calming blue tones and white light while "Mardi Gras" features thirty-six fast-changing colors. You also have the option to set the ColorLogic on one of five fixed colors. A normal household light switch will allow you to toggle through the different settings and for a certain period of time (about a month), the light will recall the last mode it was set to.

Super Vision Galaxy Lights
The Galaxy is available in both pool and spa sizes, has a stainless steel face and contains an LED lamp which screws into the fixture like a typical light bulb. What's nice about this is that, if necessary, you can purchase a replacement Galaxy lamp instead of having to replace the entire light fixture. The lamp is roughly half the price of a complete Galaxy light. In addition, many standard white pool light bulbs can be replaced with the Galaxy lamp. This light features a color lock that allows you to set it on one of seven color options: white, yellow, blue, orange, green, hot pink or cyan. It also has pre-programmed modes like color mixing that transitions through the spectrum, blue-green fade, and party mode which features rapidly changing colors.

Super Vision Savi Lights
Savi LED lights are the next generation of color-changing illumination from Super Vision. The Savi features a chip inside the light that provides a very smooth, blended lighting; you cannot see the individual LED's inside the Savi like you can with the Galaxy light. Another unique aspect of the Savi is the size. Super Vision designed both the pool and spa Savi lights to be the size of a typical spa light, with the pool version being the brighter of the two. Many pool owners seem to like this smaller light which is less obtrusive than a conventional pool light. And if you have an existing Savi-compatible large niche, the smaller Savi can be retrofitted using a separate retrofit plate. The Savi lights come with nine preprogrammed shows and automatic memory that saves the last setting. You can also set them on one particular color.

Pentair IntelliBrite
Similar to both the ColorLogic and the Galaxy lights, Pentair's LED pool and spa lights offer five fixed colors and seven preprogrammed shows. The IntelliBrite also has a reflector and lens designed to increase light intensity, minimize glare and distribute light more evenly. This light will work with the Pentair IntelliTouch automated control system.

Lighting for Non-Niche Pools
If you do not have a niche in your pool or spa wall, there are still some viable lighting options available to you. We'll start with some basic lights that require little to no installation and then cover more extensive lighting systems.

Nitelighter In-ground Light

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For basic white light, the Nitelighter in-ground pool light can be installed almost anywhere using its adjustable poolside mounting bracket. It has a 50-foot cord which runs across your deck which is covered by a low profile, concrete-colored conduit to prevent anyone from tripping on it. The Nitelighter is a 50 watt light and comes with colored snap-on lenses. Two or more units are recommended for illuminating larger pools. While some may not like the bracket and the cord being visible, this light's simple installation makes it fast and easy to add some additional illumination to your pool when renovation is not an option.

Floating Lights
There is a number of interesting floating pool lights on the market powered by either batteries or solar. The Glow Buoy runs on rechargeable batteries and provides white light to illuminate pools up to 20' x 40'. An optional kit containing three colored lenses will change the Glow Buoy to a red, blue or green light.

If you're trying to live a little greener, Floating Solar pool lights have solar cells which collect energy from the sun all day and store it in a rechargeable battery. At dusk, this stored electricity automatically turns on the color-changing LED bulbs inside the light, lasting for up to twelve hours. Keep in mind that these lights are meant for more of a decorative effect and will not provide adequate illumination for nighttime swimming.

To get the party going, consider the Aqua Glow and Starship floating pool lights which project colored light patterns on the floor of your pool. It is basically like having a disco ball in your pool - and who wouldn't want that? These lights run on battery power and will shut off automatically after a set period of time.

Fiber Optic Lights

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Another option for adding color to your pool or spa is a fiber optic lighting system which consists of two basic components, the illuminator (or light source) and fiber optic cable. The illuminator is a box that houses a special lamp, usually metal halide, and a color wheel that turns in front of the lamp. Fiber optic cable inserts into the illuminator and the colored light then travels through the cable. For underwater lighting, the cable runs underground between the light source and a lens in the wall of the pool or spa. The lenses will usually fit into a standard wall fitting. For perimeter lighting, which outlines a structure with light, the cable starts and ends at the illuminator, making a loop around the edge of the pool or spa. Depending on which type of lighting you are installing, you will need additional parts such as lens fittings, perimeter track and some proprietary tools.

There are several advantages to fiber optic lighting. For one, the cable carries no electricity or heat, only light. The electric runs only from your power supply to the illuminator. This makes it very safe for lighting a body of water and some pool owners like that feature. Another great feature of fiber optics is that it allows you to create an overall lighting environment because it offers greater flexibility than lights that require a niche. Fiber optic cable comes in different strand counts which determine its brightness. It can run to underwater lenses, landscape fixtures, waterfalls, laminar jets, and around the perimeter to outline your pool or spa with colored light. You can also upgrade an illuminator to accept more cable or purchase a synchronous unit that will communicate with a second illuminator should you decide to add more lighting in the future. There is also a separate remote control kit available to control the light source or you can tie it into an automated control system.

The down side to fiber optic lighting is that the upfront cost can be more than LED lights, depending on which light source and how much cable you need. And while the illuminator lamp life is typically rated between 6,000 - 10,000 hours, lamps are not covered under warranty and are somewhat expensive to replace, about $110.00 - $130.00. The power consumption of illuminators - about 200 watts - is higher than LED lights which are usually about 25 watts for spa lights and 50 watts for pool lights.

Savi Notes
Some new LED lights have recently entered the pool lighting scene, combining the best features of LEDs and fiber optics. The Savi Notes from Super Vision offer a niche-less underwater LED lighting system for pools and spas. Like a fiber optic lens kit, these small light fixtures fit into a standard wall fitting for easy design and installation. Savi Notes offer an aesthetically pleasing, smaller profile lighting option. Their compact design also makes them ideal for retro-fitting fiber optic systems in applications where the pool owner is changing from fiber optics to LEDs. Savi Notes are ETL approved for mounting only four inches below water level, which makes them ideal for swim-outs, beach entries, sun shelves and other shallow water applications. Most standard pool lights must be installed at least 18 inches below the waterline.

An electric cord runs off the back of the Savi Note to a M4 controller which is used to control the color changing ability of the light. One M4 can control up to four Savi Notes. There is also a DMX version of the M4 controller which requires a signal from an existing DMX audio system. The standard M4 controller comes with five static colors - white, green, dark blue, light blue and pink - and four color modes - smooth color transition, blue/green fade, medium and fast color changes. The DMX M4 has the same five static colors along with three color modes - rainbow wave, smooth color transition and blue/green fade - and software for creating your own custom effects.

Above Ground Pool Lights
Manufacturers have recognized that above ground pool owners want multiple lighting options too. As a result, there are now more choices for adding light and color to above ground pools. Any of the floating lights mentioned above can be used but there are also some lights designed specifically for above ground pools.

Nitelighter Above Ground Lights
This white pool light is installed over the pool wall underneath the top rail. It has a 50 watt halogen bulb and a built-in timer which is automatically set for three hours and can also be manually overridden with the on/off switch. Unlike some other above ground pool lights, the Nitelighter does not take up a return line and you do not need to drop your water level to install it.

The Nitelighter also comes in a color-changing model which has multi-colored halogen bulbs. These bulbs produce vibrant color on either a manual or auto cycle.

Aurora
This above ground pool light uses LEDs to create white, blue, green, pink or turquoise light. The Aurora can be set on any light in its color spectrum or it can cycle through the entire spectrum for a "party effect". It installs directly into your pools return line, replacing the current return to insure proper water filtration with its directional flow water jet.

Seeing the Light
A very common question from pool owners is "how many lights do I need for my size pool?" It is not the easiest question to answer because unlike the horsepower of your pool pump or the BTU rating of your heater, lighting is very subjective. Much will depend upon what effect you are looking for - are you lighting for safety, or to create ambience, or a combination of the two? What appears bright to one person looks dim to another. It is worth some homework to make sure you end up with the best lights for you and your pool.

One thing we recommend is checking out someone else's pool lighting, whether it be your neighbor's, a relative's or perhaps a pool builder's showroom. Hotel pools are another option, especially if you live near a resort area with some high end hotels. This is a great way to determine what you do and don't like and get some information about lights that are already installed. Another helpful step is to call the manufacturer(s) of the lights you're considering. Their technical support can help you determine if their lights will work for your pool and how many you would need.

There are some basics to determine how many lights you need. The first consideration is your purpose in lighting the pool. If your family consists of avid nighttime swimmers, especially younger ones, you are probably going to want some decent white light so everyone can see clearly and safety is enhanced. So you might opt for higher wattage white lights instead of the color-changing models. For others, the pool is more of a landscape feature that is used infrequently. In this case, creating an aesthetically pleasing environment may be more important than brightly illuminating the pool. Thinking about your goal and the look you want to achieve will help narrow down the type and quantity of lights you'll need.

Secondly, you need to take into account the surface color of your pool. White or light-colored surfaces reflect light and color best while dark surfaces absorb light and won't show much color change. More or brighter lights may be required for a darker surface.

The third thing to consider is placement. For instance, if you have a pool wall 40 feet in length and place one light in the dead center of it, the light will cast a triangular beam of light across the pool and create shadows on either side. You might want two or more lights not only for brightness but more even dispersion of light. The more lights you install, the more even the overall illumination will be.

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