A swimming pool is a place of well-being that must be aesthetically pleasing, but above all practical and safe. Installing the right lighting around and in the pool is necessary to enjoy it safely in the evening, but also to create a convivial atmosphere around the garden. The installation of pool lighting must therefore be carried out in advance to ensure that the electrical installation and the location of the lights are up to standard. Water and electricity are not the best of bedfellows, so not just any light fixture can be installed in or around the pool. Let’s see which ones best meet the requirements depending on the type of pool you have or are planning to build. Underwater lighting and Choosing out-of-water lighting.
Lots of choices for lighting your pool
Whether your pool is in-ground or above-ground, the technologies available today are more or less the same, with the main difference being the choices that need to be made during construction.
Underwater lighting : to be anticipated during construction
If you have an in-ground pool and want to enjoy it in the evening or at night, it is recommended that you install underwater lighting, which lights the pool directly from the inside. This choice implies digging the recesses for the spotlights and the wiring during the construction of the pool, before installing any lining.
There are several technologies for lighting the pool directly from the inside:
- The halogen spotlight offers powerful lighting and is easy to install. The halogen floodlight is the most commonly used for home use as it is the cheapest of all the floodlights to buy, however it has a high electricity consumption.
- Fibre optic lighting. The principle of this installation is simple: a halogen lamp is used as a power supply for hundreds of optical fibres placed in the pool, offering a well-distributed light.
- LED underwater floodlights. These consume very little energy and are available in all colours. They can be used to create a wide range of different atmospheres and can be programmed remotely. Although they are more expensive than halogen, they are the most economical to use and probably the most efficient in terms of lighting.
- Magnetic LED spotlights for above ground pools. Extremely easy to use, simply place the two parts of the lamp on either side of the wall so that they are held together by a magnet.
First of all, you should choose a high light intensity to illuminate the entire pool and make it safe. That said, if you want to give priority to aesthetics, it is possible to light only the surface of the water, in particular with a fibre optic system, thus giving a Zen effect to your installation. However, this will require the addition of auxiliary lamps around the pool.
It is then preferable to opt for spotlights with white light, which are better able to bring out the colour of the pool’s lining. They should also be placed harmoniously according to the depth of the pool, i.e. between 30cm and 90cm from the coping.
Choosing out-of-water lighting
Underwater lighting is not the only solution for illuminating an in-ground pool, it is also possible to light your pool out of the water, and ideally you should opt for both types of lighting.
Above-water lighting can be achieved by embedding floodlights in the ground around the perimeter of the pool. Unlike underwater floodlights, these should have low intensity lamps that do not heat up to avoid glare and burns. Safety is paramount around the pool, so the placement of floodlights should be carefully considered to avoid the risk of tripping over them. The final criterion to consider is the impact resistance index (IK), which ranges from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest level of resistance.
Solar panels provide environmentally friendly and economical lighting in the long term and can be fixed in the ground near the pond. There are even floating solar lights for use on the water: a trendy and poetic way of lighting.
Some practical tips
Safety of the installation is paramount
The danger of poor electrical installation in an aquatic environment cannot be stressed enough. If there is one area in which YouTube tutorials will not suffice, it is the lighting of your pool. Therefore, call on qualified craftsmen to install your floodlights and guarantee your safety.
Find out about the legislation in your country
When it comes to lighting, the equipment is essential for safety. The risk of electrocution is real even with a good installation if the spotlights are of poor quality. This is why spotlights must comply with specific standards.
Avoid energy-intensive installation
LED and solar lighting offer more efficient technology than halogen. They have lower power consumption and a longer life. The most economical choices today are also the most ecological!