How to Upgrade Your Pool Light To an LED Color Changing Light

To avoid possible electric shock, turn off the power to the pool light at the circuit breaker. Also at this time try to determine what voltage level your pool light is operating on - 120V or 12V. If your light uses 12V, you will find a transformer usually mounted on the house wall between the circuit breakers and your light fixture. If you control your light remotely, check that your remote system handles low power (<40W) LED lights. Some only support higher power (40 - 500W) incandescent lights.

Purchase your light ahead of time so you have it on hand for replacement. We had to take our light fixture out of the pool wall to determine what it was. For instructions in how to identify what light you have, go to our guide How To Identify a Replacement Pool Bulb / Light . Then go to our website Pool Light Bulbs to find a comparable replacement bulb. Also when you replace your bulb, we strongly recommend that you also replace your pool lens gasket to ensure a water tight seal for your pool light. See Pool Lens Gaskets


Click Here to View Your Pool Light's Led Replacement Bulb

Click Here to View Your Pool Light's Lens Gasket

Our light is an old American Products Amerlight pool light (now Pentair) which has a regular (Edison) base so we need a replacement light bulb with an Edison type base. One of the most popular LED color changing bulbs with the Edison base is J&J Electronics' Color Splash LED Pool Lamp. For economic reasons, we are installing a 2G Color Splash version. Another option you might want to consider is the newer 3G version which cost a little more but is brighter and provides more uniform light.

Your first step in replacing the light bulb is to remove the pool light fixture from the niche in the pool wall. Most pool light fixtures are secured to the niche with a single screw at the top of the light. Remove this screw. If the pool light is just below the surface, you may be able to remove the screw by leaning over the pool deck. In this case I had to get in the pool with a snorkel and goggles.

Pull the pool light fixture out of the niche. You should have enough excess cord to be able to lay the light fixture on the pool deck. Note how the excess cord is stored in the niche so you can replace it the same way when you reinstall the pool light.

Lay the light fixture gently on a soft surface on the pool deck and dry it with a clean towel.

Disassemble the light fixture. The older models like ours have a series of brass retainer clips and screws around the perimeter of the light fixture to keep it together. Remove all the clips. Note: the newer models are held together with a unitension wire clamp with one bolt and nut. See Pentair Amerlite Pool Light for examples of both models.

Gently pry the lens and gasket off the Face Assembly Ring.

Gently pry the lens and gasket off the light fixture housing.

Remove the old gasket from the lens.

Clean any old gasket residue from the surface on the lense using a damp rag.

Carefully remove the old bulb with towel.

Dry inside of light fixture and clean any gasket residue from the light housing that comes in contact with the gasket. Do not use hard scraper to clean. If you score the surface of the housing, it may not seal properly.

Screw in the new bulb securely. Do not over tighten or you may break the bulb.

Wrap the new gasket around the edge of the lens.

Click Here to View Pool Light Replacement Parts (Lenses, Gaskets, Face Plates, & More) 

Place the gasket & lens on top of the light housing.

Set the light housing (with lens and gasket) on top of the Face Assembly Ring. Reassemble the light housing assembly by screwing in the brass retaining clips. Alternate tightening of screws/clips to allow the gasket to seat properly -two on one side then two on the other side. Do not over tighten. Hand tighten only. If you find that the gasket is not fitting into the groove of the Face Assembly Ring, you might try stretching the gasket a little.

Submerge the assembled light housing in the water. Watch for bubbles. A few bubbles may float up, but air should not be coming from the sealed outer edges.

Replace the light fixture by first recoiling and storing the excess cable as observed in step 5. Then push the light fixture back into the niche.

Replaced the single screw to secure the pool light fixture to the niche

Restore power to the swimming pool light fixture.

Test operation of the light. When you first turn the light on, it should sequence through its 7 colors.

Click Here to View Your Pool Light's Led Replacement Bulb

Click Here to View Your Pool Light's Lens Gasket