‘WIRED FOR SUCCESS’
It’s time to dive into the electrifying unknown with our new column featuring Reuben Clark, the wizard of wires in pool service! Reuben is here to illuminate the path to a safer, more efficient, and expertly-wired outdoor oasis.
Reuben Clark has been the President and cofounder of Consolidated Manufacturing International, LLC (CMI) for more than 22 years, developing and manufacturing electrical products for the pool industry. Reuben holds an MBA, is a member of the IAEA, NCEIA, and NFPA, and has been involved in development of the National Electrical Code. He lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife and has three grown children.
Let Reuben’s expertise shed light on everything electrical from the complexities of bonding and grounding to electrical code compliance and troubleshooting issues.
Send your questions to info@serviceindustrynews.net.
Today’s Topic: Low Voltage Pool Lights
Several years ago, I heard about a child who was electrocuted in his family’s pool when something went wrong related to the pool light. Afterward, there was a big push for low-voltage pool lights. Are low voltage lights really safer than standard pool lights?
Are Low Voltage LED lights safer than the older standard 120V lights? Yes. Exposure to 120 volts can and has been fatal to humans, particularly in environments where the protection of skin has been reduced, such as immersion in swimming pools.
Can proper installation, and GFCI’s (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) keep 120V lights safe if they do indeed fault?
Yes, because the GFCI function cuts the power to the light if it detects a leak in the current, such as some of the power is leaking into a human and not being fully returned on its path. However, this REQUIRES the GFCI to be properly functioning and constantly employed. The reason for the statement requiring them to be “constantly employed” is brought to mind from a somewhat recent example in Houston, TX. A 27-year-old man was electrocuted while swimming in a hotel pool. At dusk, the lights came on and the younger brother of the 27-year-old began screaming in pain.
The 27-year-old jumped in and was able to remove his younger brother from the energized area of the pool. However, he was unable to remove himself, and after he was finally pulled out by heroic bystanders, he experienced cardiac arrest and succumbed to the fatal effects of the electricity.
It was discovered that the pool had recently been serviced by a journeyman electrician and his apprentice, and that the GFCI function had been bypassed because of nuisance tripping of the GFCI feature. Therefore, to eliminate the “nuisance” of the light’s power supply constantly being interrupted and thus the light not illuminating, the “nuisance” GFCI apparatus had been removed or bypassed. The proper next step would have been to determine the reason the GFCI kept tripping, as it is a life safety device and was performing exactly as intended. It was preventing fatal electricity into the pool!
A friend of mine once asked me if I could give him a “regular” electrical outlet for his kitchen, since I would know the correct one. He told me his current GFCI receptacle was “broken” because it kept “tripping and turning off” when he tried to use his coffee maker. I retorted that his disdain was directed at the wrong device, and the GFCI receptacle was actually doing its job protecting and informing him there is a problem with an appliance it is powering. Replacing the GFCI would be akin to killing the messenger informing him of peril while ignoring the perilous situation. I instructed him to replace his coffee maker, and be glad his GFCI receptacle did its job.
Regular 120V lights when installed per the most recent version of the National Electrical Code and protected by GFCI’s on the circuit, can be very safe. However, low-voltage swimming pool lights generally do not pose enough of a serious threat to rely on a messenger or guardian to warn or protect if they fail. In Article 100 of the 2023 version of the National Electrical Code, the Low Voltage Contact Limit is defined as 12 volts sinusoidal AC and 30 volts continuous DC. Low-voltage lights, including LED’s are typically 12V or 24V DC, which fall within the low voltage contact limit. Generally, short exposure to voltages less than the limit will not have lasting harmful effects on humans.
At least one municipality in southern Florida has mandated the installation of low-voltage lights in pools, and it is anticipated that more will follow. Most probably, advancements in LED technology and market forces will drive the industry in that direction. LED lights are now brighter, last longer, and are more energy efficient than the old 120V lights. They are also easier to install, and now at least a couple of companies offer low-voltage LED lights that can replace the old 120V bulbs with retrofit bodies and can even use the same electrical cord.
For new installations, there is the option of smaller 1-1/2” nicheless lights that are easier and safer to install, and at least one company that offers a separate app to operate the lights and can change colors continuously to literally any color on the spectrum and be installed on as many devices as desired. Additionally, these devices can operate the light color and intensity at the same time; everyone can be logged on simultaneously, so there is no concern about the inability to operate the lights when a remote is misplaced or unavailable.
Advancements in product safety, performance, and convenience will drive the market to ever increasing safety for the consumer. This should also make the installation of swimming pools a much more desirable feature for homeowners’ back yards, as obstacles in the safety realm are constantly being removed.
National Electrical Code (NEC
), published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA
) (both are registered trademarks of the National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA)
