Pool Light Replacement and Installation in Central Florida
Premium Pool Light Replacement for Homeowners Across Central Florida
Safe Pool Light Replacement and LED Upgrades
Expert Pool Light Replacement, Repair and Installation
A lit pool looks great on a warm Central Florida evening, and it helps swimmers see the steps, the edges and each other after dark. When the light goes out, flickers or keeps tripping the breaker, it’s more than an inconvenience. An underwater light is one of the biggest electrical hazards in any pool, so it needs careful, qualified work.
Our pool light replacement service starts with safety. First, we shut off the power and test the ground fault protection. Next, we find out why the light failed, whether it’s a burned-out bulb, water inside the fixture, a damaged cord or a tripping GFCI. Then we explain your options, from a simple bulb change to a new LED pool light, in plain English.
Once you choose, we give you a clear quote before any work. Most wet-niche lights come up to the deck on their cord, so the pool usually doesn’t need draining. After the new light goes in, we reseal it, set it back in the niche, test the GFCI and check the bonding.
We install Hayward, Pentair, Jandy and Zodiac lights across Central Florida. Whether you need pool light repair or a full color LED upgrade, fill out the form for a free pool light replacement quote. We’ll help you pick a light that fits your pool and the way you use it at night. In addition, every visit includes a GFCI and bonding check.
Why Pool Lights Need a Pro
Water and electricity don’t mix, and the underwater light is where they meet. If a light fixture develops a short, current can leak into the pool water. A swimmer touching a metal ladder or rail could then become the path to ground. It doesn’t take much current, either. A few thousandths of an amp can make it hard to let go, and not much more can stop breathing.
That’s why Article 680 of the National Electrical Code covers pool electrical work. It’s also why only qualified, licensed people should install, repair or replace pool lights. The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s pool and spa safety guide also lists electrical hazards among the risks families should know about. We treat every light job as safety work first.
Pool Light Repair: Why Your Light Stopped Working
A pool light that stops working usually has one of a few problems. The bulb may have burned out. Meanwhile, water may have leaked past a worn gasket and into the fixture. The cord may be damaged, or the connection in the junction box may have corroded. Also, the GFCI may have tripped, which cuts power to the light on purpose.
Start with the simple checks. Look at the switch, the timer and the breaker, and press the test and reset buttons on the GFCI. If the light still won’t turn on, or if the GFCI trips again, stop there. Don’t pull the light out of the wall yourself. A light that trips the GFCI is telling you something is wrong, and it needs a licensed tech.
Pool Light Tripping the GFCI
A GFCI compares the current going out to the light with the current coming back. When the difference hits about 5 milliamps, it shuts the power off. So when a pool light trips the GFCI, current is leaking somewhere. Water inside the fixture is the most common cause, followed by a damaged cord or a failing bulb or LED. A fresh gasket and a dry fixture sometimes fix it. Often, though, a new fixture is the safer choice.
Wet-Niche and Dry-Niche Pool Lights
Most home pools have wet-niche lights. The fixture sits in a metal or plastic shell in the pool wall, surrounded by water, with extra cord coiled behind it. That extra cord lets us lift the light up onto the deck to work on it, so the pool usually stays full.
Dry-niche lights sit behind a sealed window in the pool wall, and techs service them from outside the pool, often through a tunnel or a panel. They’re less common on homes. We’ll check which type you have before quoting.
LED Pool Light Upgrades
An LED pool light is the most popular upgrade we install. LEDs use less power than old incandescent and halogen bulbs, last longer and come in color-changing models. Many owners like being able to switch from bright white for night swimming to soft blue or a slow color show for a party.
You have two choices. A retrofit LED bulb can go into some older fixtures. However, if your fixture is old, corroded or has a worn lens or gasket, a new complete LED fixture is usually the better investment. Pool water, especially water with low pH or high dissolved solids, slowly corrodes metal light parts, so an aging fixture is often ready to go anyway.
White or Color LED Lights?
White LEDs give you bright, clean light for night swimming and make it easy to see the floor and steps. Color LEDs add a set of fixed colors and light shows on top of that. For example, many families use white on school nights and switch to color for parties and holidays. If you have more than one light, or a spa with its own light, we can match them so they change together.
12-Volt vs 120-Volt Pool Lights
Pool lights come in two main voltages. Many older lights run on 120 volts, straight from the house power. Low-voltage lights run on 12 volts through a transformer that sits near the equipment or the junction box.
The electrical code requires GFCI protection for underwater lights that run on more than 15 volts. So a 120-volt light must be on a working GFCI, and a 12-volt light adds a transformer between the house power and the pool. Switching voltages means changing the fixture and, in many cases, adding or replacing the transformer. We’ll tell you what your system has and whether a switch makes sense.
Safety Checks on Every Pool Light Replacement
Every light we touch gets a full safety check. We confirm the GFCI trips and resets the way it should. We also check the bonding, which is the copper wire that ties the light niche, ladders, rails, pump and other metal near the pool to the same ground. Bonding keeps every surface a swimmer can touch at the same voltage.
Older pools deserve extra attention. Pools more than 30 years old may not have GFCI protection on the light circuit at all. If yours doesn’t, we’ll recommend adding it. We also make sure the light sits snug in its niche, with no gaps between the fixture and the wall.
Pool Lights and Florida Thunderstorms
Summer afternoons in Central Florida bring frequent lightning, and water and metal both conduct it. For that reason, get everyone out of the pool when you hear thunder or see lightning, and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before swimming again. In addition, storms can cause power surges and trip breakers and GFCIs. If your pool light stops working after a storm, check the GFCI first. If it trips again when you reset it, leave the light off and call us.
Our Pool Light Installation Process
Every pool light installation follows the same steps:
- Shutting off and locking out the power to the light
- Testing the GFCI and checking the junction box and cord
- Explaining what we found and giving you a clear quote before any work
- Removing the old fixture and bringing it up to the deck
- Installing the new light or bulb with a fresh gasket and a proper seal
- Setting the light back in its niche and restoring power
- Testing the light, the GFCI and the bonding
- Showing you how to use the switch or change colors
If you’d like to control your lights from your phone or a control panel, our pool automation team can set that up.
Pool Light Replacement Cost
Pool light replacement cost depends on what the job needs. A bulb change in a good fixture costs the least. New LED fixtures cost more, and color-changing models cost more than white. Extra work adds to the price, such as a new transformer, a longer cord run to the junction box, damaged conduit or adding GFCI protection to an older pool. Because every pool is wired a little differently, we look first and give you a clear price before we start.
Why Central Florida Homeowners Choose Sunwave
Sunwave is a family-owned Central Florida company with a licensed team. We put safety first on every light job, and you get a price before any work begins. There are no long-term contracts. Plus, one company can handle your lights, your equipment and your weekly cleaning. If you’re replacing more than one piece of equipment, see our pool equipment installation services.
Schedule Your Pool Light Replacement Today
Pool light installation is part of our pool service in Central Florida. Fill out the form or call (689) 312-9063 to light up your pool again.
Our Service Areas
We serve homes across Seminole County and Orange County, including Sanford, Lake Mary, Oviedo, Winter Springs, Orlando, Winter Park and Windermere. See every community in our service area.
Pool Light Replacement FAQs for Central Florida Homeowners
Here are the pool light questions Central Florida homeowners ask us most. Still have a question? Give us a call at (689) 312-9063.
You shouldn't replace your pool light yourself unless you're qualified for pool electrical work. The underwater light is one of the most dangerous electrical parts of a pool, and a bad seal or connection can put current in the water. The electrical code for pools calls for GFCI protection and bonding. A licensed pro handles the power, the seal and the safety checks.
The cost to replace swimming pool lights depends on the fixture and the work around it. A bulb change in a good fixture costs the least. A new LED fixture costs more, and color models cost more than white. A new transformer, a longer cord run or adding GFCI protection adds to the price. We inspect first and give you a clear quote.
You usually don't have to drain a pool to replace a pool light. Most home pools have wet-niche lights with extra cord coiled behind the fixture, so a tech can lift the light out of the wall and up onto the deck. The pool may need draining only if the cord is too short or the niche itself is damaged.
Changing a pool light is expensive because it's more than swapping a bulb. The job includes shutting off and testing the power, pulling the fixture, sealing it against water, checking the cord and junction box and testing the GFCI and bonding. Underwater lights carry real shock risk, so the work needs a qualified tech and quality parts.
Yes, a pool light can often be repaired. A burned-out bulb, a worn gasket or a loose connection can usually be fixed without a new fixture. A cracked lens, a corroded fixture, a damaged cord or water damage inside the housing usually means replacement is the safer choice. We test the light and tell you which option makes sense.
Your pool light trips the GFCI as soon as you turn it on because current is leaking where it shouldn't. Water inside the fixture is the most common cause, followed by a damaged cord or a failing bulb or LED. Leave it off and don't keep resetting it. A licensed tech needs to find the leak before the light is used again.
If you need a new pool light fixture, switching to 12 volts can be a good choice. Low-voltage lights run through a transformer, which puts a step between house power and the pool. Switching means a new fixture and usually a transformer. A 120-volt light still works safely when it's on a working GFCI and properly bonded, as the code requires.
You can retrofit an LED bulb into your old pool light if the fixture, lens, gasket and cord are all in good shape. If the fixture is old, corroded or leaking, replacing the whole fixture is usually the better choice. A new fixture gives you a fresh seal and a new cord. We inspect yours and give you both options.
If your pool light stopped working and you're new to pools, start with the safe checks. Look at the light switch, the timer and the breaker, then press the test and reset buttons on the GFCI. If the light still won't turn on or the GFCI trips again, stop there and call a licensed tech. Don't open the fixture yourself.
To replace a really old pool light, have a licensed tech check the whole setup first. Older pools may lack GFCI protection on the light circuit, and the fixture, cord and niche may be corroded. The tech shuts off the power, pulls the old fixture, checks the conduit and bonding and installs a new light that fits the niche.