Henry Thompson
Member
Bought cheap led lights, all burned out quick. is there ANY brand that actually lasts more than a year?
Pool lights keep dying?
- Thread starter Henry Thompson
- Start date
John Harrison
Member
I ran into the same headache with the cheaper LEDs, looked great for a few months, then one by one they went out. I finally invested in a better brand (Pentair in my case, but Jandy and Hayward have solid options too), and the difference was night and day. They cost more up front, but mine have been running for a few seasons without issues. Another tip is to make sure the wiring and seals are solid; sometimes it’s not just the bulb, but water creeping in that shortens their life.
Mason Blake
Member
I’ve been through that too, those bargain lights just don’t seem built for the long run. After replacing them twice, I went with a mid-range brand and haven’t looked back. They’re pricier, but they’ve lasted way longer and the brightness is better. I’d also double-check your install; if moisture’s getting in, even the good lights won’t survive.
Daniel Adams
Member
I’d stop chasing bargain bulbs go with a solid brand (Pentair/Jandy/Hayward) or a fully sealed unit. Then fix the install: new gasket, check the cord grommet/conduit for water, add silicone grease, and make sure the transformer/voltage is right. If moisture gets in, even good lights won’t last
Hajar Al-Harbi
New member
I’ve had the same issue with cheap lights. They burn out fast. Once I switched to a better brand, they lasted way longer. Just make sure the install is sealed well, because if moisture gets in, even good lights won’t last.
Henry Graham
Member
Yep, that’s super common with the cheap LEDs. The way I see it, it’s worth spending a bit more on a trusted brand like Pentair, Jandy, or Hayward. They last way longer and are actually bright. Also, check the install carefully, poor gaskets, water in the conduit, or wrong voltage can fry even the good ones. A fully sealed unit plus proper installation usually saves a ton of headaches down the line.
Henry Graham
Member
Went through this exact mess a couple seasons ago. I was convinced it was just junk lights because they’d look great for a few months, then start flickering or straight up die. Swapped brands twice and got the same result, which was frustrating. What finally made me dig deeper was noticing it always happened after heavy use weeks, parties, kids, lots of splash out.
Turned out my water balance wasnt doing the lights any favors. pH kept drifting high, sometimes pushing 7.9, and alkalinity was all over the place. Add in higher bather load and the waterline area stayed harsh longer than I realized. I cleaned things up, got alkalinity stabilized first, then locked pH back in range. I also did a full cleanup and reset with aquadoc flocculant to get all the fine junk out that was clouding the water and sticking to surfaces. Filter pressure dropped back down a few psi after vacuuming to waste.
Since then, even the mid-range LEDs have lasted way longer. I’m not saying chemistry is the only cause, bad seals and wiring matter too, but aggressive water will absolutely shorten light life. If lights keep dying fast, I’d check pH drift and alkalinity before buying another bulb. Anyone else notice failures lining up with bad balance periods?
Turned out my water balance wasnt doing the lights any favors. pH kept drifting high, sometimes pushing 7.9, and alkalinity was all over the place. Add in higher bather load and the waterline area stayed harsh longer than I realized. I cleaned things up, got alkalinity stabilized first, then locked pH back in range. I also did a full cleanup and reset with aquadoc flocculant to get all the fine junk out that was clouding the water and sticking to surfaces. Filter pressure dropped back down a few psi after vacuuming to waste.
Since then, even the mid-range LEDs have lasted way longer. I’m not saying chemistry is the only cause, bad seals and wiring matter too, but aggressive water will absolutely shorten light life. If lights keep dying fast, I’d check pH drift and alkalinity before buying another bulb. Anyone else notice failures lining up with bad balance periods?
Mark Moore
Member
Looking at the pattern here, it’s often not just the light itself but the conditions it’s installed in. Lights that actually last tend to be well sealed and properly installed so moisture can’t creep in. I put more emphasis on good sealing and setup, because that usually matters more for longevity than just how cheap or expensive the light is.
Giulia Durand
New member
Reading what Daniel Adams and Henry Graham mentioned about moisture and installation, I made the same mistake focusing on brand instead of sealing. I replaced lights twice in one year, and the real issue was moisture getting into the housing. Once I made sure the gasket was clean, seals were dry, and there was no leak in the conduit, the next light lasted much longer. Before jumping to a more expensive option, I’d double-check the installation because water and electricity are a very sensitive combination.
Andrew Coleman
Member
I chased this problem for two summers and kept blaming the “cheap LEDs” too. Some of them probably were junk, but in my case that wasn’t the whole story.
What finally tipped me off was that they’d fail faster after big swim weekends. Lots of splash out, topping off with fresh water, then a few hot days. My pH would drift up into the high 7s and my calcium hardness was creeping higher than I realized. When your saturation index starts leaning scale forming, that stuff doesn’t just show up on tile, it can build up around light niches and gaskets too. That buildup traps moisture and heat.
I pulled one light and found light scale and moisture inside the niche. Not flooded, just damp enough to cause problems over time. I cleaned the niche, replaced the gasket, and made sure the cord wasn’t wicking water through the conduit. I also started paying closer attention to my CSI instead of just “is chlorine fine.” Since keeping pH closer to 7.5 and not letting calcium get out of hand, the replacements have actually lasted.
Brand matters, sure. Pentair, Jandy, Hayward all make solid units. But if balance is off or moisture is sneaking in, even a good fixture won’t survive long. I’d check water balance trends and the niche condition before throwing more money at another bulb. Sometimes it’s not the light, it’s the environment we’re putting it in.
What finally tipped me off was that they’d fail faster after big swim weekends. Lots of splash out, topping off with fresh water, then a few hot days. My pH would drift up into the high 7s and my calcium hardness was creeping higher than I realized. When your saturation index starts leaning scale forming, that stuff doesn’t just show up on tile, it can build up around light niches and gaskets too. That buildup traps moisture and heat.
I pulled one light and found light scale and moisture inside the niche. Not flooded, just damp enough to cause problems over time. I cleaned the niche, replaced the gasket, and made sure the cord wasn’t wicking water through the conduit. I also started paying closer attention to my CSI instead of just “is chlorine fine.” Since keeping pH closer to 7.5 and not letting calcium get out of hand, the replacements have actually lasted.
Brand matters, sure. Pentair, Jandy, Hayward all make solid units. But if balance is off or moisture is sneaking in, even a good fixture won’t survive long. I’d check water balance trends and the niche condition before throwing more money at another bulb. Sometimes it’s not the light, it’s the environment we’re putting it in.