How to Ensure Your Pool Doesn't Pose an Electrical Risk

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Swimming pools are a beautiful addition to your outside space. They add value to your home as well as enhance your enjoyment of your space and improve your health and wellness.

Unfortunately, home pools can also be a high risk feature due to the unique relationship between water and electricity.

Modern pools have high-tech electrical set-ups with lights, heaters, solar panels, and pumps which over time could degrade; or, if it’s newly installed, may have not been installed correctly. For any electrical work in or around our pool, we always recommend you choose a qualified Northern Beaches electrician.

Sadly, electrical issues or pool installations are nearly always due to human error. Plateau Electrical are pool electricians available to help you with your home’s electrical issues – our experts ensure any potential dangers are avoided. We’re always available to help when you need us.

How do I know if my pool is electrified?

Unlike many other potential hazards at home, if your pool is electrified this is invisible to the human eye.

So, what steps can you take to keep your family and friends safe? Book an urgent inspection with a professional electrician if you notice any concerning signs.

While it’s difficult to see if the pool is electrified, there are a few warning signs to watch out for:

• Pool lights flickering
• Other lights flickering
• Electrical sounds, like buzzing
• Tingling sensations
• Muscle cramps

The electrical fault is nearly always due to improperly installed lighting, earthing, or faulty wiring.

How do you prevent electrocution in a pool?

In most cases, you can prevent the risk of electrocution in a pool by ensuring the electrics are installed properly. This means proper earthing, wiring and bonding, performed in-line with Australian safety standards.

Bonding and earthing are the best defences you have against pool electrocution.

Earthing involves electrically attaching powered equipment to the ground. This means that if there’s a short in the system, the safety switch shuts off the power almost instantly, which renders the equipment harmless.

Plateau Electrical offers electrical safety inspection services you can trust to check your home, including the pool.

We check that your pool is safe:

• Correctly set up safety switches
• All electrical equipment and wiring is properly earthed, bonded and sealed
• Correctly installed electrical functionality with lights, pumps, or heaters

Sometimes external “plugged in” items can make contact with the pool water – for example if a radio, power drill or lawn mower goes into the water, the safety switch should shut down all the power within a quarter of a second. In the event this happens, please do not attempt to help anyone in the pool before you shut off the power to your property completely; otherwise you could come into harm’s way too.

Can you get electrocuted by pool lights?

Yes, you can be electrocuted by pool lights if there is faulty wiring or defective lighting equipment. Any fault can result in an electrical current being released into the water which could cause serious injury or even death.

You can be electrocuted by a pool light due to:

• Faulty electrical wiring
• Broken lighting equipment
• Poorly maintained lighting equipment
• Defective lighting equipment
• Lack of ground-fault circuit-interrupters
• Lighting equipment that doesn’t comply with approved safety standards

What are the electrical requirements for an inground pool?

For an inground pool, there are set safety requirements that must be adhered to which Plateau Electrical can help you with – either as the installers or as the third-party check for an existing pool.

The safety requirements include:

• 1200mm barriers or fencing around the circumference of the pool
• A third-party check of all electrical equipment and wiring by a qualified electrician
• Specific locations, depths and installation rules regarding bonding, wiring, lighting and circuit breakers that electricians must adhere to, to comply with Australian safety laws
• Rules around what types of materials and technologies are suitable in line with safety standards
• Additional guidelines regarding switches and sockets to reduce the risk of water in the event of housing or flooding.

How do I make sure my pool light is safe?

Pool lights should be sealed behind watertight casing which stops water from making contact with the bulb or electrical points. Older lighting should not be repaired. You can replace a bulb, but once the major component has decayed the light must be replaced.

Earthing

The Earthing for the pump, pool lights, hot tub motors, electrical outlets, and pool heaters should be checked annually. All of the ground wires go back to the breaker panel and attach to the ground which is connected to a buried grounding rod.

We’re your local and trusted electricians; contact us for pool inspections or electrical repairs in the North Shore.

Bonding

Bonding provides a continuous loop of copper wire that connects all the metal equipment and components of your pool (the pump, motor, heater, lights, ladder, diving board or slide).

It’s necessary to bond all exposed conductive parts of any electrical equipment near the pool. This means all metal objects or electrical equipment needs to be connected to the earthing conductor.

Wiring

Wiring should always have adequate space and be accessible. Wiring should be installed according to health and safety laws which set out the height and location of any sockets or switches.

Australian safety laws explain all wiring needs to be:

• Protected against mechanical damage
• Protected against corrosion
• Made using a suitable device in according with manufacturers specification that provides adequate electrical conductivity

Need a trusted local electrician to inspect or repair your pool lights?

Electrical safety around your home swimming pool is vital to keep your family, friends and guests safe. Ensure your pool is inspected annually by a licensed electrician.

As well as annual pool safety checks, we’re also available if you need an emergency electrician for urgent support and assistance. Contact Plateau Electrical today by calling (02) 9982 8668 or reach out online.

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