Retrofitting pool lighting: This is how you provide light at the pool!

pool lighting

Do you have a pool? And now you want pool lighting for it? Retrofitting is no problem! We will show you what technical options you have to illuminate your pool afterward and how you can retrofit the pool lighting to match your pool.

Even a pool in the garden is a dream: on hot summer days, it offers you the longed-for cooling off with a dip in the refreshing water. Whether you go into the pool alone, as a couple, or with the whole family, just take a dip there, play extensively or swim your laps in a disciplined manner, the pool fulfills the dreams of young and old. Have you got a taste for a pool? You will find a selection of different pools for your garden in our online shop – take a look!

With the right lighting, you have the opportunity to enjoy the water in the pool even after the sun has long since set. This will extend the usage times for your garden pool. Because the pool lighting provides atmospheric light in and around the pool at night. There are now so-called mood lights, the light of which shines in different colors or automatically changes from color to color as if by magic.

But pool lighting is not just something for the eye: It also ensures a high level of safety in the otherwise dark of night. A well-lit pool area reduces the risk of accidents and thus protects your well-being and health.

Our tip: The good news for all pool owners who only need the right lighting for a nightly pool party or a romantic bath in the moonlight: You can retrofit pool lighting at any time. How this works and what you have to pay attention to is explained below:

Retrofitting pool lighting – the technical possibilities

Basically, you have various options for adding lighting to your pool. These are the common pool lights for retrofitting:

Floating pool lighting – the very fast and inexpensive solution

Floating pool lights on the water of your pool like blooming water lilies. Modern versions of the swimming lights are battery-operated or run on solar energy, so there is no need for a power supply via cables. Some models can also be remotely controlled via WLAN.

Our tip: When buying your pool lighting for retrofitting, it is best to opt for the latest RGB generation of LED lamps. They save energy and do not heat the water even during long periods of operation. LEDs emit white or colored light and hardly need any maintenance during their long service life.

The batteries sit in a waterproof compartment and the light of the floating pool lamp often switches off automatically even after a certain period of non-use of the lamp. Such swimming lights are available in large numbers in different designs and with varying functionality. On the one hand, tested constructional safety should be decisive for purchase: When buying, pay attention to the protection class (for example IP68) of the floating pool lighting, which is declared by the manufacturer. On the other hand, it depends on the radiance of the light: Pay attention to the manufacturer’s information on the range of the light, both with regard to the illuminated area on the surface of the water and into the depths of the water.

The advantages of floating pool lighting are obvious: You can put them on the water at any time and immediately bathe and swim in their glow. The disadvantage is that you always have to have full spare batteries on hand in order to supply the pool lamps with less luminosity with fresh energy.

Simply hang it in – retrofit underwater pool lighting

Steel wall pools, also known as steel wall pools, can be set up in no time (hence the alternative name “above ground pool”), extremely flexible and therefore very popular in the garden. They consist of the eponymous steel jacket, an inner tank made of plastic film (PVC), a handrail (made of steel or plastic, depending on the model) for more comfort and matching floor rails. Round steel wall pools can be set up at a ground level, while oval pools are usually partly or completely embedded in the garden floor for better stability. If you want to retrofit pool lighting for such a steel tub, the best way to do this is with hanging lights (also known as hanging lights). The type designation is a program for these lamps: You can simply hang these pool lights on the edge of the pool and, if necessary, simply fix them there. Unlike the swimming lights for the pool described above, you have to connect the hanging lights to the mains. Commercially available hanging lights for retrofitting pool lighting often come with a power cable several meters long and a plug-in transformer, so you only need a socket within reach.

Our tip: A practical alternative to the subsequent pool lighting of a steel wall pool are pool lights that you can fix on the pool wall with the help of a magnet. The outside magnet is placed on the outside at the desired location and held inside by its counterpart, the underwater spotlight. Models with a suction cup are also available.

For retrofitting: underwater spotlights for your pool

Recessed underwater spotlights are, as can be deduced from the type designation, intended for permanent, i.e. permanent underwater installation in the pool (for example made of concrete). There are models for installation on the pool floor as well as for installation in the pool wall. The pool stairs are often particularly illuminated with spotlights in order to prevent accidents as much as possible.

Our tip: In case of doubt, you should definitely consult a specialist for the assembly of the pool lighting for subsequent installation.

Compared to the two options already presented for retrofitting pool lighting, the installation effort for these underwater spotlights is significantly higher. In order to retrofit the pool lighting, it must be embedded in the pool wall using suitable installation rails and then connected with the lamp cable. The niche required for installation, to which the lamp cable embedded in a protective tube leads, must be available.

Also think about sufficient lighting of the paths between the house, garden house, or garden sauna and pool so that the walk to the pool does not become a trip hazard!

Additional accessories for pool lighting for retrofitting

When choosing your pool lighting for retrofitting, pay attention to the possibility of functional expansion of the same. For example remote controls (also wirelessly via tablet and smartphone) for switching on and off, for activating various lighting effects such as pulsing light or color changes. A timer can also be a practical function, as it ensures that the pool lighting is only on when it is night.

So you know how to retrofit pool lighting. Are you still missing the pool? In our online shop, we have various solid wood pools on offer for you!

Are you looking for additional inspiration around swimming pools in the garden? Then take a look at our Pinterest board about the garden house and pond. On Pinterest we have also put together a large number of beautiful boards on the subject of houses, gardens and garden shed for you.