Do it yourself

Breakers are much more convenient than fuses and can do some things that fuses can't such as ground fault interuption and arc fault tripping. Arc fault breakers handle the problem mentioned earlier in the thread about a specific area overheating from a poor connection but not drawing over the amperage rating of the breaker so a regular breaker (or fuse) won't trip.

EB is right on faulty breakers most studies put the number of faulty breakers currently installed at between 25% and 40% of all breakers installed. Most of them will still trip but not within factory specs. Faulty fuses are very rare.

Not sure why you kept all your old fuses EB. I have been an electrician for over 50 years and have made dozens of chargeable service calls to solve someones problem after the "new" fuse they put in ended up being an old blown fuse they had kept around for some reasons.

Quote: kenarman

EB is right on faulty breakers most studies put the number of faulty breakers currently installed at between 25% and 40% of all breakers installed. Most of them will still trip but not within factory specs. Faulty fuses are very rare.

I was just discussing if this could happen. My upstairs unit had a breaker trip a few times the past month when it never would before. I pre-wired a circuit for a dishwasher and will be adding a plug for just the fridge so it does not trip. I think I will change the breaker now knowing this.

Let me preface this that I am not much of a "do it yourself" guy.

I just bought a new light for my pool and I need to install it. The caveat is that it is a 12v LED pool light and the current one is a 120v incandescent light. I bought a pool step down transformer from 120 to 12 but then I ran into an issue. The new pool light only has a 10 foot cord where the old one was long enough to run from the pool all the way back to the breaker panel. I think I am going to be forced to cut the existing wire and splice the new light into it. That in itself doesn't sound to bad until I mention that the splice will be under water in the little cubby hole behind the light.

How dangerous is 12v electric current in a pool? I know there are ways to "waterproof" the splice but how much can I trust it?

Quote: DRich

Let me preface this that I am not much of a "do it yourself" guy.

I just bought a new light for my pool and I need to install it. The caveat is that it is a 12v LED pool light and the current one is a 120v incandescent light. I bought a pool step down transformer from 120 to 12 but then I ran into an issue. The new pool light only has a 10 foot cord where the old one was long enough to run from the pool all the way back to the breaker panel. I think I am going to be forced to cut the existing wire and splice the new light into it. That in itself doesn't sound to bad until I mention that the splice will be under water in the little cubby hole behind the light.

How dangerous is 12v electric current in a pool? I know there are ways to "waterproof" the splice but how much can I trust it?

I never did wiring in a pool but that sounds very not good. Any splice you do in the home needs to be in a box with a cover plate. AFIK there is zero way you are going to be able to do this and make it watertight. Anyone else?

Why does the splice have to be in the cubby underwater? Can't you just use the 10' supplied to get it out of the water, and make the splice at the end of the line? Splicing line into line is just as easy as line into device...

Quote: DRich

Let me preface this that I am not much of a "do it yourself" guy.

I just bought a new light for my pool and I need to install it. The caveat is that it is a 12v LED pool light and the current one is a 120v incandescent light. I bought a pool step down transformer from 120 to 12 but then I ran into an issue. The new pool light only has a 10 foot cord where the old one was long enough to run from the pool all the way back to the breaker panel. I think I am going to be forced to cut the existing wire and splice the new light into it. That in itself doesn't sound to bad until I mention that the splice will be under water in the little cubby hole behind the light.

How dangerous is 12v electric current in a pool? I know there are ways to "waterproof" the splice but how much can I trust it?

It can be made safe with a ground fault circuit interupter. It will need to be on the 12v side of the transformer and rated for 12v. A lot of juristictions probably require a GFIC on any swimming pool light regardless. It probably will cost more than your light fixture but don't cheap out as it would be very dangerous without it.

Quote: DRich

Let me preface this that I am not much of a "do it yourself" guy.

I just bought a new light for my pool and I need to install it. The caveat is that it is a 12v LED pool light and the current one is a 120v incandescent light. I bought a pool step down transformer from 120 to 12 but then I ran into an issue. The new pool light only has a 10 foot cord where the old one was long enough to run from the pool all the way back to the breaker panel. I think I am going to be forced to cut the existing wire and splice the new light into it. That in itself doesn't sound to bad until I mention that the splice will be under water in the little cubby hole behind the light.

How dangerous is 12v electric current in a pool? I know there are ways to "waterproof" the splice but how much can I trust it?

It depends on the current... 100mA can kill you, which is only 1.2Watts through a 12V light fitting. Not that it matters, as any short will drain direct from the breaker box, so the wattage of the bulb doesn't matter.

Seems a good way to electrify an entire pool, and cause problems, unless the splice is in a watertight junction box.

Quote: DRich

Let me preface this that I am not much of a "do it yourself" guy.

I just bought a new light for my pool and I need to install it. The caveat is that it is a 12v LED pool light and the current one is a 120v incandescent light. I bought a pool step down transformer from 120 to 12 but then I ran into an issue. The new pool light only has a 10 foot cord where the old one was long enough to run from the pool all the way back to the breaker panel. I think I am going to be forced to cut the existing wire and splice the new light into it. That in itself doesn't sound to bad until I mention that the splice will be under water in the little cubby hole behind the light.

How dangerous is 12v electric current in a pool? I know there are ways to "waterproof" the splice but how much can I trust it?

If you don't do a lot of "do it yourself" jobs, this is a lousy place to start, imho. I would hire a pro, your pool guy will know all about it.

Is this one of those color changing led's or why are you changing it?

Quote: AZDuffman

I was just discussing if this could happen. My upstairs unit had a breaker trip a few times the past month when it never would before.

Breakers go bad and need to be replaced. Breakers
scare me, fuses don't.

I am changing the pool light because the seal on the old one went bad and let water in.

There is no junction box because the wire runs directly from the pool light through about 30 feet of conduit directly to the breaker box. With only a 10 foot cord I will have to splice it in to get back to the breaker. A pool light needs enough slack in the cord so it can be removed from the pool and placed on the deck. I don't think there is a way for me to get the splice up into the conduit and still have enough cable to remove the light.

There is currently a GFI on the circuit but it will be on the 110v side.

It will cost me an additional $700 if I need to buy the same type lights with a cord long enough to reach the breaker box.

Although I am concerned about doing this, it must be done somewhat regularly because others are buying these lights that I bought.