Despite being surrounded by plenty of ocean and lakes to swim in, the hot weather here in South Florida has made pools extremely popular. While they do represent an initial investment, pools have become more common and affordable than ever. After all, we’re one of the few places in the country where the weather is hot or at least mild enough to go swimming at pretty much any time of year, so it’s no wonder they’re so familiar here. Since we pool owners in Florida are probably going to be putting their pools to more use when compared to the weather patterns experienced in most of the country, you’ll definitely want to make sure that you keep your pool looking nice and functioning properly at any given time.
Picking the right accessories & hardware for your pool, as well making sure you’re keeping up with their respective maintenance is extremely important to insure that you and your family get the most out of your investment. Even details like the lighting you choose for your pool can make all the aesthetic difference for your backyard. But what do you do if one of your lights go out or begins to malfunction? Swimming at night can be extremely enjoyable, but you don’t want to be left in the dark. Changing these underwater bulbs is a bit more complicated than simply replacing a lightbulb in your kitchen or bathroom, but MTS Power Products can show you how!
As we’ve discussed in previous articles, any kind of maintenance work involving electrical currents requires that extreme safety precautions be taken at all times, especially when water is also a factor. We’ve all seen enough Bugs Bunny cartoons to know that water and electricity don’t mix, but the consequences of not following basic electrical safety protocols could be far more serious in real life. To replace a worn out or defective light bulb in your pool, you will require the following – a fresh bulb, a lens gasket that will fit in the lighting fixture, some clean towels, both a Philips-head and standard screwdriver, and a circuit tester. The type of light bulb required is generally written on the edge of the fixture, but if not, the diameter can be measured and compared to replacement bulbs. Making sure that you have the right kind of bulb will help ensure that water does not enter it and cause a potentially dangerous electrical short.
Before even going near the light bulb, make sure that you turn off the electricity to the entire pool area has been turned completely off, either via the breaker box or main shut-off switch. Once you have the proper tools and the power has been cut, you can switch out the bulbs by first removing the old bulb from its casing by unscrewing the screw at the top of the fixture holding the unit together. Once you have the spent light out of the pool, gently remove the face ring, lens, and gasket to grant you access to the bulb. Carefully unscrew the bulb from the casing, wiping off any moisture and possible corrosion from the entire assembly as you do so. Be careful not to scrape the unit, as doing so may make it difficult or impossible to successfully put back together.
Finally, you can screw in the new bulb, install the new lens gasket, and put the pool light unit back together exactly as you took it apart. Return the fixture to its casing, replacing the set screw. Then, once everyone is safely away from the water and you’ve double check to make sure that the light is secure, you can turn the power back on and see if your replacement attempt was successful. However, if you’re not comfortable doing it yourself, MTS Power Products can help! Call us today for all of your electrical and power product needs!
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