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A swimming pool is a real plus for any home. As a place to relax and unwind, it's a great place to spend time together as a family. And when evening falls, the pool becomes a real decorative element, provided it's well lit. There are many advantages to poolside lighting, but it's not something to be done at random. A number of criteria need to be taken into account to ensure that it is carried out properly.
So how do you choose the right poolside lighting ? What safety standards need to be met? What are the advantages of this type of lighting? We tell you all about it in this guide.
The benefits of well-lit pool surrounds
Poolside lighting offers a number of advantages. First of all, it makes your pool safer. After dark, it can be difficult to make out the perimeter of the pool, and the risk of falling can be dangerous, especially if you have children. That's why it's important to be able to define the pool's perimeter for everyone's safety.
Poolside lighting also has an aesthetic dimension. 12V recessed spotlights installed around the perimeter of the water feature, illuminated bollards framing the path leading to the pool, or submerged spotlights illuminating the steps to your pool are all possibilities that will bring obvious charm to your exterior, and enhance it. These various solutions also allow you to create effects, play with light and shadow, or play with different shades of lighting, all of which will create an original ambience and a unique atmosphere.
Finally, poolside lighting also has a practical function. It's much easier to control a spotlight on the edge of the pool than one submerged in the water.
How to choose your poolside lighting solution?
To choose your lighting system, it's important to know not only your needs, but also where the fixtures will be installed.
Mark out a path
If you want to illuminate a path leading to your pond, you can opt for LED bollards or spotlights. Lumihome's Pyramide 12V bollard is ideal for this purpose. Elegant and timeless, it's available in a low-energy 12V version for marking out terraces or paths leading up to pools.
The range's LED post spotlights are also designed for installation in damp environments, and will punctuate a path leading to a pool in all sobriety.
Mark out the contours of the basin and secure access
If you'd like to secure the perimeter of your pool, we recommend recessed spotlights that can be positioned at regular intervals around the pool. They'll effectively delineate the area around the pool, make it easier to get around in the evening, and add charm to your pool. "LED spotlights are an excellent idea. Not only do they save a considerable amount of energy, but they also give off very little heat, for an ideal level of watertightness." Christophe Coelho
Recessed spotlights also have the advantage of providing discreet yet effective lighting. In fact, your lighting must not dazzle guests, at the risk of disorientating them.
LED spotlights not only help to secure the perimeter of the pool, they also create an original atmosphere by allowing you to play with color. For this purpose, Lumihome offers 12V RGB CCT recessed LED lights capable of generating pure cool or warm white, as well as colored lighting that can be fully controlled by remote control.
Lighting staircases
To illuminate your pool's interior stairs, choose IP68 recessed spotlights. They'll make your descent safer and lead you to your midnight swim in complete confidence. Lumihome's range of fully submersible LED spotlights is ideal for this purpose. Waterproof, they feature a 316 stainless steel housing in a brushed aluminum finish, and are capable of creating a 90° beam of the most beautiful effect.
Finally, it's also possible to vary lighting solutions to create different spaces and moods. For example, you can use recessed spotlights to delineate the contours of your pool, and create a more romantic, intimate setting with warmly lit bollards. Vary the pleasures and create an ambience to suit your taste and your image, while respecting your lifestyle and your family's habits.
Choosing the right lighting power
When choosing the wattage of your lights, it's once again important to choose the right location. Indeed, if the lights are to be placed at ground level, there's no point in choosing overly powerful lighting, which could dazzle you and therefore constitute a hazard.
Too high a wattage could also "eclipse" the elements located close to the water feature and hide its beauty. You should therefore choose a reasonable luminous flux (200 lumens maximum), and a fairly wide beam of light.
The importance of safety standards
When it comes to lighting your pool surrounds, you can't just do things by chance. There are very strict safety regulations, defined by the NF C15-100 standard, also known as the installer's standard. So, as with bathroom lighting, there are a number of criteria you'll need to meet before deciding on a particular fixture.
The importance of volume
Zoning allows us to delimit safety volumes, and consequently to choose the right types of luminaires for the chosen location. There are 3 volumes:
Volume 0
This corresponds to all the areas inside the pool, both below water level and up to the junction with the pool contours. In volume 0, therefore, you can only install luminaires with IPX8 protection. IP68 lighting solutions are therefore ideal. You should also be aware that you'll need to supply your lighting with very low-voltage current, i.e. 30V maximum in direct current, and 12V in alternating current.
Volume 1
This volume corresponds to the entire area around the edge of the pool and the foot bath, over a distance of 2 meters long and 2.5 meters high around the pool. For this volume, you'll need to choose IPX5-rated fixtures, i.e. lighting with a rating of 65 or higher. As for the power supply, as for volume 0, the luminaires in volume 1 will be powered by very low-voltage current.
Volume 2
Volume 2 adds 1.5 meters in length and 2.5 meters in height to Volume 1. For outdoor pools, you'll need to choose IPX5-rated fixtures (i.e. IP equal to or greater than 65). For indoor pools, IPX2 is sufficient, unless the luminaire is likely to be hit by a jet of water. In this case, you should opt for IPX5 lighting too. "For simplicity and maximum risk avoidance, we advise you to opt for an IPX5 rating for this volume, i.e. IP65. As for the power supply, very low voltage current is strongly recommended, as for volumes 0 and 1." Christophe Coelho
Please note that you can also choose luminaires with reinforced insulation, protected by a 30mA differential circuit breaker.
Please note that, whatever the volume, the safety transformer must always be installed outside the volume, and placed inside a securely closed enclosure or hatch. Low-voltage lighting requires a high level of safety. That's why Lumihome has developed specific connectors that ensure perfect watertightness. The 12V pool lighting range makes illuminating pool surrounds quick and easy. The connectors can be plugged in using the ingenious Easy Fix screw system, without the need for tools, and ensure a perfect seal for the entire installation.
As you can see, the installation of a poolside lighting system can't be improvised. Even if you don't necessarily need to call in a professional to do it, you do need to take into account a number of criteria, such as compliance with current safety standards. These strict rules should not, however, deter you from installing this lighting solution, which, once installed, will bring you nothing but benefits.
