replacing surface mounted pool lighting

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olive
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replacing surface mounted pool lighting

Postby olive » Sat Jun 10, 2017 5:48 pm

I have four surface mounted standard pool lights that mount on plastic crosses fixed to the pool wall.. I think they have 100watt bulbs off 12 volts. Just tested them to find two have gone and one of those is a quarter full of water. They are 12 years old but the plastic housing looks fine.

Rather than go down the route of replacing like for like and renewing bulbs, grommets and seals, I am wondering if the perceived wisdom is to change to LED, lower wattage bulbs or renew the entire fixing? Also is there a good place where you can go and have a look at priced items on display anywhere between and including Granada and Malaga?

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Re: replacing surface mounted pool lighting

Postby telboy » Sat Jun 24, 2017 1:42 pm

Don't take my word for it, but when I recently had a light replaced for a holiday rental the electrician stated that bulb fitting allowed water to get into the outer casing to keep the light cool, and yes they are normally half full of water, he told me never to switch the pool lights on if the water was ever below the light level as they would blow.

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Re: replacing surface mounted pool lighting

Postby TorreDelAguila » Sat Jun 24, 2017 6:41 pm

They shouldn't contain water, although one of our two does, and keps on working. Light from it a bit rust-tinted!
The 100W/95W bulbs are expensive, and run very hot. I replaced ours with 2 x 50W, which work fine.
All those pool lights seem hellishly over-priced, especially the Astral brand ones, and the LED ones are were the worst.

There must be some totally encapsulated LED units on the market now, 12v, sealed and lower current. Just be wary of cheap Chinese stuff.
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peteroldracer
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Re: replacing surface mounted pool lighting

Postby peteroldracer » Sat Jun 24, 2017 8:12 pm

Seems an odd subject, as we had the same lights and bulbs for the eleven years that we lived in Comares.
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olive
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Re: replacing surface mounted pool lighting

Postby olive » Sun Jun 25, 2017 1:17 pm

Chris, you are spot on with the prices being high especially for Astral products. The pool shops around us have a captive market and can get away with list prices.

I am going to keep looking for a reasonably priced new unit as not much point in buying bits and pieces to repair ( seal, bulb for example).

TorreDelAguila
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Re: replacing surface mounted pool lighting

Postby TorreDelAguila » Sun Jun 25, 2017 3:43 pm

If you do need Astral kit, avoid the pool shops, and try plumbers' merchants who stock Astral. One such is Proinco - big one in Velez Malaga (behind Peugeot), but not sure up your way. Another (Torre del Mar) is Tobaxa, near old Azucarera.
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olive
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Re: replacing surface mounted pool lighting

Postby olive » Sun Jun 25, 2017 4:34 pm

Thanks, we have had plumbing stuff from Proinco Malaga before. I will give them a try next month when we are down in Malaga. :thumbup:

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chrissiehope
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Re: replacing surface mounted pool lighting

Postby chrissiehope » Sun Jun 25, 2017 10:43 pm

I don't know if it is still there, but I think there's a Proinco on a small poligono alongside the road into Antequera from the A45
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TorreDelAguila
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Re: replacing surface mounted pool lighting

Postby TorreDelAguila » Mon Jun 26, 2017 8:31 am

Unlike Malaga*, the Velez-Malaga branch has the advantage that you can walk round it, supermarket-style. Useful if you're not sure what you want, or are trying to cobble together various fittings.

* My guess is that the local scavengers find copper and brass fittings irresistible :think:
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olive
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Re: replacing surface mounted pool lighting

Postby olive » Mon Jun 26, 2017 2:59 pm

Chrissie- yes there still is a Proinco up on the industrial estate near Mercadona distribution depot.

There are at least two Proinco's in Malaga. The main one is huge and on two floors (upstairs is displays of bathrooms and the like). Downstairs is walk around. We had to go to the smaller shop last time as we needed ten 15 mm pipe bends for use with flexible piping. They had six in stock at the large shop and sent us to the other shop for the other four , which were ready and waiting for us..


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