Your pool light will not turn on, keeps tripping the GFCI, or has water inside the lens. Or your robot cleaner sits on the floor, will not climb the walls, or leaves the water cloudy. Pool lights and cleaners fail in a few predictable ways, and most first checks need only the breaker panel and a garden hose. This page covers LED and incandescent pool lights, robotic cleaners such as Dolphin, Polaris, Aiper and Beatbot, and suction cleaners.
How do pool lights and cleaners work?
- Power comes through a GFCI or a transformer. A 120 volt pool light runs on a circuit protected by a GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupter, which cuts power fast when current leaks). A 12 volt light runs from an isolating transformer that steps the power down.
- The light sits in a sealed niche. The niche is a can built into the pool wall, with spare cord coiled behind the fixture. A gasket seals the lens, and the pool water keeps the light cool.
- Color lights change by switching power. Many color LEDs step through colors when you turn them off and back on, and the off time has to be right.
- A robot cleaner carries its own pump and motors. It runs on low voltage from a power supply on the deck or from its own battery, drives on tracks or wheels, and pulls water through an onboard filter.
- A suction cleaner runs on your pool pump. It connects to the skimmer or a vacuum port by hose, and the pump’s pull makes it move.
Which light and cleaner parts fail, and what are the signs?
| Part | What it does | Sign it is failing |
|---|---|---|
| GFCI, breaker or transformer | Feeds and protects the light circuit | Light is dead, all low-voltage lights are out at once, or the GFCI trips as soon as you switch on |
| Lens gasket | Keeps water out of the fixture | Fog or water inside the lens, rust, a light that flickers then dies |
| LED module or bulb | Makes the light | No light even with power at the fixture, or color lights out of step |
| Robot filter basket | Catches fine debris | Robot moves in circles, will not climb, or misses spots |
| Robot impeller, tracks and brushes | Pump water and grip the pool surface | Robot will not move, slides off walls, or leaves dirt behind |
| Floating cable | Carries power to a corded robot | Kinks and twists; robot cleans only part of the pool |
| Suction cleaner diaphragm and hoses | Make the cleaner pulse and move | Cleaner sits still or stops and starts; splits in the hose |
What should I check first when my pool light or cleaner stops working?
- Breaker and GFCI. Reset them. If the GFCI trips again right away, leave it off and read the safety note below.
- Switch, timer or controller. Hayward’s light guide says to check that the controller is active and the breaker or GFCI has not tripped.
- The lens. Fog, water or a burned look inside means water got in. Keep the light off.
- Color sync. For Hayward ColorLogic lights on a switch: turn on and wait at least 60 seconds, turn off for 11 to 13 seconds, then back on.
- Robot filter and impeller. Unplug the power supply, clean the filter basket, then open the impeller cover and pull out hair or debris. Dolphin recommends cleaning the filter after every cycle.
- Pool water. Algae makes walls slippery, and Dolphin lists it when a robot will not climb. Dolphin says climbing can suffer below 59 F. See green and cloudy pool water.
- Suction cleaner flow. Empty the skimmer and pump baskets, check the hose for splits, and make sure the pump is primed. See pool pump problems.
Safety first. Turn the light circuit off at the breaker before you touch the light, the niche or the junction box. A GFCI that trips again after a reset means current may be leaking, so leave it off and call an electrician. Pentair says never to splice wires under water or behind the niche, and never to run an underwater light for more than 10 seconds out of the water, because it can get hot enough to burn you or crack the lens. Take a robot cleaner out before anyone swims, as Dolphin directs, unplug it before you open it, and keep children away from cords and power supplies.
Pool light and cleaner numbers to know
These numbers come from the makers’ own manuals and guides for Pentair IntelliBrite, Hayward Universal ColorLogic and Maytronics Dolphin. Limits differ by model, so check yours.
| Spec | Number | From |
|---|---|---|
| Light on out of the water | Never more than 10 seconds | Pentair IntelliBrite |
| Light power | 120 VAC on a GFCI circuit, or 12 VAC from an isolating transformer | Pentair IntelliBrite |
| Light power (low voltage) | 14 VAC; 70 W pool light, 35 W spa light | Hayward Universal ColorLogic |
| Spare cord at the light | At least 4 ft coiled in the niche, so the light can be serviced with the pool full | Pentair IntelliBrite |
| Color light resync | On at least 60 seconds, off 11 to 13 seconds, back on; off 2 minutes to lock in a mode | Hayward Universal ColorLogic |
| Robot water limits | 43 to 95 F (climbing may suffer below 59 F); chlorine 4 ppm max; pH 7.0 to 7.8; salt 5,000 ppm max | Maytronics Dolphin |
| Robot power supply | At least 12 ft from the pool edge and 4 in above the ground; if its GFI trips, switch off, wait 30 seconds, switch on | Maytronics Dolphin |
| Polaris, Aiper and Beatbot robots | See your model’s manual | Each maker |
Which brands are different to troubleshoot?
Pentair IntelliBrite and Hayward ColorLogic lights both change colors by switching power, but the timing and color lists differ, so use the sequence from your own light’s manual. Pentair says to replace a light with the same type and wattage and to use a new lens gasket every time you open the fixture.
For robots, the big split is corded vs cordless. Dolphin and many Polaris robots run from a deck power supply through a floating cable, so cable twists and power supply placement cause many of their problems; Dolphin says to stretch a kinked cable flat in the sun for at least a day. Cordless robots from Aiper, Beatbot and some Polaris lines run on a battery, so one that will not start may only need a full charge. Suction cleaners such as the Zodiac Baracuda depend on your pump: Baracuda says one that climbs too much has too much flow.
When should you call a pool or spa pro?
- A GFCI that keeps tripping. Finding a ground fault takes an electrician.
- Water inside a light. The fixture has to come out, get a new gasket, and often be replaced.
- A new light fixture or cord. Pentair says a licensed or certified electrician must set up the pool’s electrical system, and a new cord has to be fed through the conduit to the junction box.
- A robot with a steady red error light after you cleaned the filter and impeller. Dolphin says to contact your dealer.
Pool pros and electricians bill by the visit or by the hour, so note the brand, voltage or model number before you call.
Common questions
Can I replace a pool light without draining the pool?
Usually yes. Pentair calls for at least 4 feet of spare cord coiled behind the light, so the fixture can be lifted onto the deck while the pool stays full. Turn the breaker off first and only work on the light on the deck. If the cord must be replaced or the wiring is in doubt, hire an electrician.
Why is my LED pool light not working?
Start with the breaker, the GFCI and the switch or controller, because a tripped circuit is the easiest fix. For color lights showing the wrong colors, run the maker’s resync sequence. If the light gets power and still stays dark, or there is water in the lens, the fixture likely needs replacing.
How expensive is it to fix a pool light?
Resetting a GFCI or resyncing a color light costs nothing. A lens gasket is a small part, while a new LED fixture costs far more, depending on brand, voltage and cord length. Labor is billed by the visit or the hour.
How do I reset my robotic pool cleaner?
For a corded robot, turn the power supply off, unplug it, wait, and plug it back in. Dolphin’s manual says that if the power supply’s GFI has tripped, switch it off, wait 30 seconds and switch it on. Cordless and app-connected models have their own reset steps, so check your manual.
Why is my Zodiac Baracuda not moving?
Baracuda says that if a suction cleaner does not move at all, the diaphragm is likely damaged and needs replacing, since diaphragms wear out. If it stops and starts, look for debris in the diaphragm, hose, skimmer basket or pump basket, and check the hoses for splits.
What is the lifespan of a robotic pool cleaner?
Maytronics and Polaris do not publish a lifespan in their manuals. Dolphin’s manual calls for cleaning the filter after each cycle and rinsing the robot with fresh water at least once a week. We also recommend taking the robot out of the water between cycles instead of leaving it in the pool.
Why is my pool cloudy after vacuuming?
Fine dirt stirred up by vacuuming can pass through the filter or hang in the water until the filter catches it. Hayward says to vacuum heavy debris with the multiport valve on Waste, so it skips the filter and goes out the drain line. Dolphin also warns not to run its robots after you add a flocculant or clarifier, because those clog the robot’s filters.