- When I change my pool light, do I have to drain the pool?
Do I need to drain the water to install a new light fixture in my inground pool?
The cable on the pool light fixture is sealed and there always tends to be water inside that conduit. Even if you do drain, water gets into that conduit. Like I said, the cable is sealed. It runs all the way through the conduit and it terminates above ground into a junction box. Water is not going to get into the electrical cord. That’s why they also recommend don’t splicing. Don’t splice the cord because then you risk water touching inside of the cable. There are times when draining the pool would be necessary.
Like if your pool was on a hill. Let’s say, the pool is on an embankment and the equipment is down below, obviously, all electricity and pipes would be going downhill. If you pop open that Epoxy or unplug the cord stopper, the water’s just going to go swishing down to your equipment and wash everything away. It’d be the hardest draining bathtub you would ever come across, also the most expensive. Outside of that occasion, that’s the only one we could really come up with.
In summation, the rule would normally be: No, you don’t have to drain water except for that rare instance. 98% of the time you don’t have to drain the water, other 2% bring your floaties. If you have any questions or if you have a pool on a hill, leave a question down below in the comments. For any of your pool needs, visit us over at INYOpools.com. Thanks for watching.
Hello
I live in Houston Tx and about to change the Pool Lights housing and all for am LED light.
My Question is if I have to seal the wire hole with epoxy if my junction box is above the water as most pools. The one installed now does have epoxy but I have read that you may not need it.
Yes, you should seal the niche conduit hole. If by chance, your junction box conduit gets cracked, you’ll have one heck of a leak on your hands. If this leak happens a couple of years down the line, you will have forgotten that the conduit is not sealed, which means you’ll spend a lot of time (and money) trying to find a leak in your pool basin or plumbing. Then you’ll be left wondering why you didn’t seal the conduit with a $2 cord stopper or a few cents worths of epoxy when you had the chance.
I don’t know any good reason why you shouldn’t seal it.
My ground came undone from the lug in the pool niche when pulling the old light fixture out of the conduit. Do I need to drain my pool to reattach it? I cant find any potting compound that you can apply to to the ground wire while its submerged underwater. Thanks in advance!
Thanks for the info. I’m glad I don’t have to worry about draining.
Thanks