Joseph Swan and Thomas Edison are generally given credit for inventing the light bulb back in the early 1800s. Modern thinking is that both of these men adapted previous inventions. In fact, historians estimate, over 20 inventors worked toward the creation and design of the light bulb. Of these, Edison’s version was the most efficient. Swimming pool lighting technology is evolving just as frenetically.
Driven by energy efficiency awareness, legal regulations and aesthetic improvements, suppliers from all around the world are fast tracking lighting design. From fluorescent, through halogen and on to LED; all shown off with an abundance of fixtures and fittings – the possibilities for lighting appear virtually limitless.
“Imaginative use of lighting can bring a pool design to life,” comments Carl Porter, head of UK sales for the Pollet Pool Group. “It is astonishing to see how some pools can change mood completely just with the flick of a switch,” he says. “Whether it is adding a touch of subtle light or colour or whether it is for a spectacular light show, you can transform tired swimming pools comparatively easily these days,” adds Carl. “Add to that the latest technology with remote control and frequency programming and with a varied choice of lighting effects you have a pool that is fit for the 21st century,” he adds.
Pollet is pinning its significant flag to the Adagio range of led pool lights that is made in Belgium. With a wide choice of face plates in polymer, stainless steel and a rainbow of colour finishes, Adagio lights offer uniform illumination in the pool plus three white tone and 11 colour tones. The Adagio lights can be installed in Pollet’s wall conduits or most 1.5” standard inlets. The ADAGIO pool light is amazingly thin, it does not need a niche and is available in two sizes. It can be mounted in a standard inlet fitting. Twelve modes of colours are controlled by the remote control or control box. The colour light can also give white light in 3 tones (warm white, neutral white or sun white). This ultra flat pool and spa light needs to be connected to the powerbox and is extremely power efficient, it has a bulb life up to 50,000 hours.
The new patented ADAGIO pool light includes the popular Spectravision LED technology. Together with Philips, the industry leader in LED technology, this light has been developed to produce industry leading high light output: the colour model gives more than 3500 lm, the white version disperses more than 8000 lm. Also available from Pollet, the Laminar MagicStream creates totally clear, uniform arcs of moving water that originate either from the pool deck or surrounding landscape. At night, these translucent streams are brilliantly coloured with an LED light source. Water Arcs can reach up to 2m high and project about 2.5m into the pool. The MagicStream Laminars come fully assembled and ready to install with various colour sequence programs from same colour, ten second colour changes and party mode with quick flash and strobe changes.
NEW GENERATION
Paramount boldly promise a new generation of LED pool lighting with multiple options for all pools from above ground pools to the biggest commercial project. Its Seamaid system is ideal for all liner and concrete refurbishments. “Ultimately, sizing the lighting for a pool is down to the personal preferences of the individual,” advises Steve Martin, Paramount’s managing director.
“You may need to decide what type of lighting is required, perhaps subtle, harmonised, or traditional, not forgetting poolside lighting.” Steve advises, as an example, for a 10 x 5m pool, most companies would recommend that two LED lights are installed on opposite sides, distributed equally along the length of the pool – that’s roughly one per 25sqm. He adds: “If in doubt, it may be worth installing another inlet fitting into the pool structure so that another light can be added at a later date if needed.”
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Certikin
Tel: +44 (0)1993 777200
www.certikin.co.uk
Golden Coast
Tel: +44 (0)1271 378100
www.goldenc.co
Hugo Lahme
Tel: +49 (0) 23 33 / 96 96 – 0
www.lahme.de
John Cullen Lighting
Tel: +44 (0)20 7371 9000
www.johncullenlighting.co.uk
Paramount
Tel. + 44 (0) 1256 748 380
www.paramountpools.co.uk
Pollet Pool Group
Tel. +44 (0)1635 234038
www.ppgeurope.com
