In the past, pool lighting wasn’t very exciting. White lights were once the only choice for creating a warm, inviting nighttime oasis. The pool industry is a far cry from its early days!
At the beginning…
It is important to understand the evolution of lighting by looking back on its history. In 1879, Thomas Edison invented an incandescent light bulb which was reliable and practical enough to be used in homes. This innovation changed the world forever, and inspired other inventors to think big. New inventions were created as the tinkering continued: oscillating lights and Christmas light strings, to name a few.
This innovation was astonished by the American public. They still lit many trees using candles. The lights brought warmth into homes all over the country, even the White House. Grover Cleveland’s holiday tree was decorated with multi-colored lights in the 1890s. Astonished spectators watched as the future possibilities of a colorful world were laid out in front of them. Edison Illuminating Company created the first multi-colored light display, but every light string was wired manually. Light strings were therefore quite expensive for the average consumer.
This largely forgotten period in history, however, helped us to move towards a brighter future both in and out of the home. In the 1920s the Jazz Age began, and the extravagant was in style. Albert Sadacca, along with his brothers, set out at this time to bring colored lights to the masses. The public was blown away by this vibrant experience they could introduce to their homes.
Dive into pools that are well-lit.
The young pool industry also took notice of the innovations in lighting that were changing the world. American pools, like lights, were a relatively new innovation at the beginning of the 20 th century. While Roman pools and hot springs were popular in Europe, American pools only began to appear on the East Coast during the 1880s. These early pools were hugely popular, and in the following century new swimsuit styles made swimming more fun.
Wesley Bintz, at the height of Jazz Age, introduced public pools in the Midwest. 3 The following decade saw the introduction of wet-niche lights, which dazzled swimmers all over the world.
Over the next few decades pool lights evolved, improving their ability to distribute illumination underwater, maintain a cool temperature of lightbulbs and adopting new innovations such as fiberoptic lighting. The American Dream was evolving, and a welcoming, well-lit pool became a part of it. The white picket fencing alone was not enough to create the backyard paradise.
Wading into a colorful future.
The public was already fascinated by colored lighting as it had been used in homes for a long time. The next step was to incorporate colored lights into outdoor areas like swimming pools.
The use of colored lights allowed pool owners to create a certain mood for their pool. This enhanced holiday celebrations, pool parties and other pool events in a magical manner.
Turning lighting into a show.
The era of innovation was not (and is still not ) over. Automation further transformed pool lighting. While creative minds were pushing the limits of innovation around the globe, the era of innovation wasn’t over.
Automation allows pool owners connect equipment such as pool pumps, water feature, and, you guessed it, lighting, in one simple-to-manage center. Connected apps, such as Pentair Home or IntelliCenter2, make pool automation easy with the touch of a finger. Automation systems make it easy to turn on and off features in the pool and set schedules. With automation and the Color Sync 
controller for Pentair ColorLED Lights, you can create a stunning light show.
You ask, what is a lightshow? Light shows are not static, but instead cycle through a variety of colors to create an eye-catching scene. Imagine a pool painted in shades of sunset magenta, yellow and green or creating an ambiance of the Caribbean with blue and azure! The beauty of a rainbow backyard oasis is well known to pool owners who have colored lights.
The modern pool industry has a strong focus on sustainable solutions. Pool lights are not forgotten in the wave of energy-efficient lighting. The use of LED lighting can create a colorful outdoor oasis that isn’t expensive. The best part is? The technology and energy efficiency of each new lighting generation improves.
The switch from incandescent lighting to LED lighting.
In the past few decades, LED lights have replaced older incandescent bulbs that are less energy efficient. The Department of Energy has, in part pushed for this recent lighting revolution. has banned the sale of certain types of incandescent low-efficiency lights.
The pool industry made the transition from incandescent lighting to LED lighting in the late 2000s. Pentair first used LED technology for backyard poolscapes in 2007 with its LED IntelliBrite Large Niche Light. Pentair has improved the design and functionality of the original LED product and released the IntelliBrite (r) 5G Colour and White LED pool light, which has illuminated backyard paradises all over the country for more than a decade. Pentair is launching a new LED lighting product that features upgraded optics and power supplies.
What makes LED lighting so much better than incandescents? Let’s look at the physics of light to understand how and why LED lighting is more energy-efficient than incandescent lights. The LED is a type of semiconductor which converts electricity more efficiently into light than incandescent bulbs, which actually burn a filament to produce light. An LED produces more light per watt than an incandescent . This is why it’s possible to change an LED bulb while it’s lit, whereas you cannot do this with an incandescent .
The use of an optics, such as a lens or reflector to change the direction of a light beam, is responsible for many of the differences in energy efficiency and lighting between LEDs and incandescents. Optics guide the light where it is needed. Optics maximize the use of light in an LED light by directing photons only where they are needed. In an LED light however, the optics maximizes the use of the light by directing photons to the exact location where they are needed. This makes LED lighting .
Looking towards the future…
Underwater lighting has evolved a lot since its humble beginnings. The future of the pool industry is shaped by a growing trend towards sustainability and energy efficiency. Every day there are new innovations, and every product has the potential of dazzling the industry as the first colored lights did.
If you’re ready to illuminate the pool possibilities at your customers’ homes, dive into the details of Pentair lighting at pentair.com/poollights.
The post Making A Splash With Outdoor Lighting: Past Present and Future first appeared on PoolMagazine.com. Get The Latest Pool News.
