Extreme noob needs help with pool lighting idea

Hello guys. I just stumbled upon Led lighting by buying a few strips from my favorite deal site slick deals. Nubee® 16.4ft 5M RGB SMD 5050 Waterproof Strip light 300LEDs + 44Key IR Remote Controller + 12V 5A Power Supply These thing are awesome. I want to light everything up with them. I have an above ground pool and I would love to stick these things under the lip to light up the pool. I figure 100feet would do it. Can it be done? What would I need to accomplish this? I am limited in power outlets. Would 1 20amp outlet be enough? Any suggestions on where to buy 100ft of these?

Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks

Cheers
Chad

Power isn't your problem. A few amps is plenty. Water is your problem.

I've never seen one of these products designed to be operated in the presence of water. While properly isolated 12V is certainly okay to use around a pool from a safety standpoint, you'd have to protect the entire system from water if you wanted it to last more than a few hours, days or weeks.

Unless it says it's good for use around water AND it's from a reliable source, I wouldn't expect anything to last more than a few days of use in this application. And if it doesn't say it's safe to use in water, I wouldn't expect it to be safe either.

Hello DIWdiver.
Thank you for responding to my question.

It will not be under water, it will be under the lip which is above the water. Occasionally it will get splashed and the ones I'm looking at are waterproof. The controller and adapter will not be close to the water. What is needed to make 100ft of these work? Are there other led strips better suited for my application? I want it bright and able to do all the effects.

anyone?

Okay so I am about to order this. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Continuous-...Light-Strip-Flexible-12V-Power-/171396391946?
anyone care to comment?

Don't know how much I'd trust their IP rating, or how long it would last (see other threads RE: LEDs degrading in coated strips)

Something that I noticed is that it shows the controller only being 30cm away, and the power only another 1m away; that could seriously cramp your style?

LEDchadd said:

anyone?

Click to expand...

I own a Pool company in seattle washington ... it wont last , why ? because its going to get wet with splash and pool water, then its going to get eaten by either the PH of the water, or the chlorine, weather its the 3 inch tablets you use or your weekly chlorine shock... of calcium Hypochlorite , dichlor, or non chlorin oxidizers ..if you want to add light to your pool , use either a Led light with color changing Leds made for an above ground pool... Or use Fiber Optic cable... My 2 Cents with 19 yrs in the pool and spa industry

The stripes won't last. You need a proper dive light, or underwater light. They will last years if you just take care of them a little bit (clean the lens and little bit more)

How about an RGB spotlight (or two) mounted so it points into the pool? So you get the same type of colour control, but getting the source well away from the nasties in the water? Downside being you won't get the "strip" effect, but it may be suitable anyway?

As H2Odooctor pointed out, you can also get fibre-optics, but you need to look for "side-emitting", or sometimes known as "super side light". Usually pretty expensive, not overly effective, and you need to figure out how to both couple the source with the fibre and keep the source away from the water. Actually, you can probably scrap that idea if you are talking about 100ft worth, it would probably struggle to do 10ft effectively.

Thanks for your input guys. I will not be getting these now.

Are these strip leds good for anything?

Yeah all sorts of stuff, use your imagination, just saying that they aren't really suitable for use that close to chlorinated etc water. Personally I'd also err a bit on the side of caution with regards to how long you run them for at a time, ie. not left on permanently.
Christmas lights, step highlights, patio lighting, under-cupboard mood lighting (foot level), whatever.