Amazing underwater swimming pool light

I found this light last week and had to share it. I've seen this happen before, but have never been able to take pictures to prove it because it would trip the breaker or GFCI too quickly. In my last post I explained how water gets inside a light fixture and that it is almost always going to stop the light from working, instantly, even in small amounts. Well, this one definitely had quite a lot of water inside, and seems oblivious to my previous blog about this exact thing.
The original call was about the computer control system intermittently shutting down. The electrician had connected the pool lights and computer controls on the same breaker, so when the light was turned on (and stayed on for a short time) it caused the breaker to trip, and it turned off the entire filtration system (I'll rant about that another time). I have some theories about how this light stayed on at all (and didn't instantly trip the breaker/GFCI), which I will offer as I go through these pictures.

I enjoyed being able to get these pictures because it gives me the chance to explain to swimming pool owners and professionals exactly why replacement is the best option. At the end of this post you will see another reason I try to replace every light that gets water inside.

Clearly, this light is half full (always optimistic!) of water and still on. I'm confident that the water was getting in through the lens gasket because it seems to have been slowly creeping up to the socket and just at the point of contact with it when the problem was discovered, tempting me to replace just the bulb and lens gasket.

After the light was removed from the pool, I decided to get deeper into analyzing it and found a few interesting items to discuss. Again, it seems that the water level inside just had not risen high enough to contact the bulb socket, which is the electrical contact point.

The cord entry seal seems to be in tact and is, likely, holding water out as it was designed to do - again tempting me to just dry out the inside and replace the lens gasket and light bulb. I didn't have a picture to share of an in-tact cord entry point in my last post as I explained the one that had been epoxied, so here ya go. The manufacturers have designed the stainless steel fixture with a formed hole and the rubber grommet (installed with a press) squeezing the electrical cord with enough pressure to hold out water. This is one reason why we must request a specific cord length when we order a fixture.

Looking at the calcium (or salt) build up and algae (or fungus, or bacteria) buildup on the bulb, it seems that the water has been inside for quite some time, maybe a few months.  I think the light would stay on long enough to heat up the water inside enough for it to expand (and turn into steam) and come in contact with the bulb socket, causing a ground short - just another theory. I almost made the decision to dry out this light and just replace the bulb and lens gasket - once again, I'm glad I didn't.

Here you may be able to see where the water level was (I took this immediately after removing the lens and bulb hoping to get an accurate view while it was still wet.) and notice that it stops just under the bulb socket. I suspect that this is the reason it was not effecting the breaker every time it was turned on, until now. The light was not used over the winter which is (apparently) when it filled up, slowly.

SO, as I pulled this light out of the pool and began the process of installing the new one, I found these! These 2 cord repairs seem to have been done at the time this light was installed. It is now (and will always be) my opinion that this must never be done. If there is any type of break in the cord the entire light should be replaced. One reason these underwater swimming pool lights come from the manufacturer with specific cord lengths already installed, watertight, is safety. Even though there are safety devices installed to prevent electrocution, we must do everything in our power - as professionals - to contribute to the safety of people coming into contact with the water. If this means we loose money and time then that's too bad. We must not risk injury or death regardless of monitory loss. This light should have been thrown in the trash the moment someone found an issue with the cord.

As you may have read in my other posts, I tend to think of scenarios as a lawyer might. Here's one for this:
Since one of these breaks in this wire was in contact with the swimming pool water there is a potential for electricity to flow into the water at that point. Suppose the GFCI/breaker failed and someone was killed or injured by this. I would expect the family to sue the crap out of any person having anything to do with this light since it was installed, including me. Had I made the decision to dry out the inside of it and put it back together with a new lens gasket and bulb, instead of replacing it, I would have felt massive grief and tried to find the person that originally did this and found a way to make them feel even more grief, as I would expect the court to do, also!

I will be creating a different swimming pool professional blog with clear, precise installation and repair procedures for underwater swimming pool lights, including instructions for electricians, sometime soon.