Electrics and water bodies are not best combined with each other, but this is not a reason to completely do without lighting plumbing and hydrological zones. Especially when it comes to the area where the role of decorative lighting is so important . Properly organized lighting of the pool can even become a central decorative composition, which also performs a practical function.
Basic safety standards
According to SNiP, lighting should be organized according to the following rules:
- Power is provided by a 12 V network. The use of 220 V lines is strictly prohibited.
- The bottom and walls of the pool must be sealed. Particular attention is paid to the entry points of the wiring for connecting fixtures and backlight.
- Lamps and lanterns should not give glare on the water surface.
- Lighting devices are selected with an insulation class of at least IP68.
- Light should completely fill the bottom and walls of the structure.
There are also standards for lighting a swimming pool that works in natural mode without special equipment:
- The size of the openings for light is determined by the percentage of the area of the structure. With multilateral lighting in the room - up to 13%, with unilateral lighting - up to 16%.
- Light openings in the ceiling and walls should provide continuous uniform illumination with tape devices.
- Openings cannot be placed below 2 m from the level of the walkway.
- Access to windows and stained-glass windows for installation of step-ladders and other devices which will allow to get to the level of a light stream.
- Orientation of the direction of sunlight should not allow blind users of the pool.
Selection of lighting equipment
Traditional light sources are impractical to use in pools. The optimal solution will be LED devices, which are distinguished by their small size, long service life and ease of installation. Such lamps do not give harmful infrared radiation and do not overheat during operation, which is important for operating conditions in the pool. Optimized luminaire housing designs make it easy to integrate them into the bottom and walls.
Advantageous LED pool lighting and decorative qualities. LED light technology allows you to change the shades of the stream - from soft relaxation tones to festive bright colors. As for the designs of the fixtures themselves, it is possible to give preference to point waterproof models, as well as LED strips that show themselves well in the arrangement of pools of complex geometric shapes.
From the point of view of power supply, low-voltage devices from 5 to 12 watts should be selected.
Organization of electrical wiring
The pool supply lines should be drawn from common electrical routes or switchboards, from which the rest of the lighting in the area is powered, highlighting both the architectural elements and the surrounding area. For the transition from 220 V to 12 V and lower voltage in the branch nodes, special adapters are used.
Laying of lines is preferably carried out underground using high-quality insulation. Standard pool lighting requires a pair of two circuits - phase and neutral. If luminaires with the first protection class are used, then there are three wires, among which there will be a grounding one. In this case, a special clamp is provided for lighting devices for connecting to the grounding cable.
Outdoor lighting device
The general lighting system can be divided into two categories:
- external (around the pool and above it),
- internal (underwater lighting).
Outside, conventional models of luminaires can be used - both LED ceiling devices and energy-saving streetlights, when it comes to operation on a house plot. External lighting of the pool room can be realized on the walls and ceiling, but so that the rays capture the bath itself, the sides, entrances with exits, as well as adjacent recreation areas. The emphasis is on uniformity with a comfortable reflection of the light flux from the water surface, but without glare. Ceiling organization of light is performed from the side so that the light is directed at an angle, and not strictly vertically.
Installation of underwater LED lighting
For interior lighting , use lamps with a stainless housing. For them, special niches and connectors in the bottom and walls of the pool are prepared in advance. For example, in a bowl of a plastic construction, holes can be made corresponding to the format of hermetic fittings.
Further, through an organized connector, a lamp is also connected and mounted, also suitable in diameter and fixing system. Electrical wires to the LEDs are already laid to the pool with a corrugated hose. Specialists do not advise organizing underwater lighting for pools using spotlights. They are optimally suited for surround external illumination, but due to the large size it is undesirable to mount such structures at the bottom of the bowl. In the process of integrating small spotlights, waterproof silicone sealants should be used . All output channels must be reliably sealed without the slightest gaps and gaps.
Water discharge is organized separately and away from the places of installation of lighting devices.
Organization of tape lighting system
Tape LEDs will allow underwater illumination to be implemented around the entire perimeter of the structure. It sinks to the bottom and forms a lighting ring. Fixing is performed on magnets if the structure is metal. In other cases, adhesive methods of fastening to the same sealants or waterproof construction glue should be used. Posting of tape lighting from the pool is usually deduced according to the functional structural elements, for example, through the railing pipes, through the same sides, etc.
Fiber optic installation
A relatively new lighting method based on the operation of fiber optic elements. The main advantage of such systems can be called a high degree of tightness and safety. There are special fiber optic lighting devices for water objects, more reminiscent of projectors. The system is formed of many light-conducting veins, the glow of which under water becomes diffused and voluminous. That is, a small light beam visually increases at times, although its source is small.
It is important to emphasize that fiber optic circuits conduct precisely light, not electricity. Directly under water there will be no conductive parts at all, and this is the main advantage of this system over LED lamps. Lighting of the pool on the fiber is performed by the type of the same tape. Flexible contours of such elements allow you to mount the backlight of any configuration, but in this case, you will need to create holes in the walls for laying light-scattering optical fiber.
In practice, this option is not only the safest, but also economical. Only its modest possibilities for regulating the glow parameters can be attributed to its disadvantages.
Lighting control
In the simplest version, if underwater and floodlight overhead lighting are used, you can limit yourself to switches or a dimmer. The controls are located either in the technical room or near the switchboard. Modern technology allows you to use the remote control directly in the pool. The most complex configurations of changing the lamp operation settings for pool lighting are implemented using controllers and drivers of LED systems. Actuators of this type support several programs and glow modes, in which not only the color gamut with brightness changes, but also the flicker frequency. Moreover, the driver signal can be connected to the audio input to a CD / MP3 player or music system. In this case, color combinations will be played in time with the music. Real light shows allow you to implement controllers connected to a computer. By connecting each lamp through the digital bus of the controller to the control panel, you can create full-fledged light and music performances.
Security Systems Implementation
The presence of protective electrical devices is a prerequisite for the organization of any water lighting system. At a minimum, experts recommend using transformers to connect strip lights and 12 V lamps. Even with a small aggregate power of up to 28 W, having at least one transformer for 30 W will not be superfluous. Again, the devices must have moisture-proof insulated enclosures, since they will have to be located close to the object of operation, for example, in a technological pit.
Also in the lighting system for the pool is to include safety blocks and a stabilizer, if you plan to use energy-intensive controllers.
Conclusion
Providing the pool with light is not just a utilitarian practical task, but in some way a creative task through which you can express all your design preferences. Playing with light and water, you can create a variety of visual compositions that will undoubtedly decorate the surroundings. At the same time, one should not forget that pool lighting is also a technically complex system that requires special attention at every stage of its implementation. The issues of safety and reliability in the work of the future electrical infrastructure must be considered without fail.
You can not ignore such qualities of the system as functionality and ergonomics. These and other characteristics must be balanced and calculated.