Crystal Fountains is a globally recognized leader in commercial water features, founded in 1967. It has expanded from one office to locations around the world. There are two main types of lamps used in fountain lighting - incandescent and halogen. Incandescent lamps are inefficient but halogen lamps offer improved efficiency and lifespan through a halogen gas that recycles evaporated tungsten back to the filament. LED lighting systems now provide color-changing capabilities and long lifespan. Proper cable sizing and transformer selection are important for low voltage lighting systems.
2. Founded in 1967, Crystal Fountains is now a globally recognized leader in the commercial water
feature industry. With a history of product innovation, design, commercial and custom manufactur-
ing, the company has expanded from one office to offices in Canada, U.A.E, Singapore and Poland.
www.crystalfountains.com
3. There are 2 lamp types commonly used in fountain light fixtures
Incandescent and
Halogen
4. What is Incandescence?
Incandescent tungsten filament lamps were the original electric light
sources developed by Thomas Edison. With some refinements, they
still employ basic technology that is over one hundred years old: a
tungsten wire filament is placed inside a glass bulb, an electric current is
passed through the filament, and resistance in the filament causes it to
heat and “incandesce” or glow.
Where as early bulbs contained a vacuum to prevent the filament from
combining with oxygen and “burning out,” most of today’s lamps use
various mixtures of inert gases – usually a mixture of nitrogen and
argon for the same purpose. Unfortunately, incandescent lamps are
inefficient. Because they produce light by heating a solid material until it
glows, most of the energy they consume is given off as heat, resulting in
low performance. In other words they don’t burn as bright for the
amount of energy they consume.
5.
6. What is a Halogen lamp?
Tungsten halogen lamps are a refinement of
incandescent technology that offer up to 20 percent
greater energy efficiency, longer service life and
improved light quality.
In a standard incandescent lamp, tungsten from the
filament evaporates over time and is deposited on the
walls of the bulb causing the sides to turn black, thus
reducing light output. The filament gets thinner and
thinner and eventually breaks, causing the lamp to fail.
The halogen gas (bromine and iodine are suitable) inside
a halogen lamp causes the evaporated tungsten to
redeposit on the filament. This process, along with high
pressure inside the capsule, slows down deterioration
of the filament, improves lumen maintenance and
extends the lamp’s service life. Therefore Halogen
lamps might cost more, but they last longer
7. What is a Halogen lamp?
Halogen lamps have higher color temperatures than standard incandescent
lamps and their light output contains more blue and green.
Therefore Halogen lamps therefore appear whiter and brighter.
8. PAR LAMPS
PAR is an acronym for parabolic aluminized
reflector. PAR lamps have a thin layer of
aluminum vaporized inside the reflector. The
filament is also precision mounted in the
reflector. This along with a lens account for a
high beam control. Beam spreads range from
narrow spot to wide flood. A PAR lamp
which may utilize either an incandescent
filament or a halogen filament tube.
Commonly used PAR lamps in the fountain
industry are the PAR 38, PAR 56, PAR 64.
9. LAMP SIZING GUIDE
Lamp size or diameter (Maximum) is expressed in
eighths of an inch (1/8” .125”)
For example an A17 household lamp is 17-eights
of an inch or 2 1/8” in diameter at its maximum
dimension
A PAR 56 light is 56 X 1/8 = 7” in diameter
A PAR 38 light is 38 X 1/8 = 4 ¾”in diameter
10. Watts, Lumens and Efficacy
Many people think that a higher wattage lamp will always produce more
light than a lower wattage one. This confuses light output, which is
measured in lumens, with the electric power a lamp uses, which is
measured in watts. In fact, a 20W compact fluorescent lamp can produce
just as much usable light as a 75W incandescent lamp. The most common
way to express the energy efficiency of a light source—its “efficacy” — is as
a ratio of the number of lumens it produces to each watt of power it
consumes. In today’s energy conscious world, a lamp’s lumens per watt
(LPW) performance is one of its most critical characteristics.
11. COLOR TEMPERATURE
• A number indicating the degree of "yellowness" or "blueness"
of a white light source. Measured in Kelvins.
• With increased temperature, the light would shift gradually from red to
orange to yellow to white and, finally, to blue white.
• The higher the temperature the whiter the light.
13. How fiber optic cable works
• The plastic optic fiber bundled into PVC jackets and used in the swimming
pool industry uses the same principle to carry light into or around the
perimeter of a pool, the adjacent water features or the landscaping. Each
of the optic fibers in a cable is coated with a "Cladding" of different
refractive index that helps keep the light inside the fiber. However, there
is still some loss of light from each fiber. This loss amounts to
approximately 2% per foot
15. Fiber optic Cable Has Light
Transmission Loss
One of the problems that the fountain industry has with fiberoptics is the
light transmission loss. Light Transmission Loss is the percentage of light that
is lost over the distance of the fiberoptic cable run. The greater the distance
the more the transmission loss. Fountain designers always have a hard time
trying to find a location for a fiberoptic illuminator. The illuminator of a
commercial project must be:
Within 30 feet of the fountain
Hidden from plain view
Housed in a weatherproof enclosure
Secure from vandalism
19. What are Dichroic Filters?
• Dichroic filters are multi-layer thin-film coatings deposited on
a glass substrate. Each film layer is approximately one one-
thousandth of a millimeter thick.
• Dichroic filters permit a narrow band of light frequency to go
through. In other works, dichroic filters will permit more of
the spectrum of the color you want to pass through. It will
block out the other color spectrum.
• Transmission in dichroic filters typically average 90% or
better. Dichroic filters are very efficient in blocking unwanted
light. Therefore a blue dichroic lens will only allow the blue
spectrum to come through.
• Absorption filters are made primarily from colored filter glass
or synthetic gels.
• Commonly utilized to isolate a broad band of wavelengths
(see Figure 2), absorption filters are also helpful to block
short wavelengths while transmitting longer ones.
20. Dichroic Filters
Advantages
• Dichroic filters permit selection of colors that were not available to
the fountain industry in the past. Glass lens have only 5 colors
• Dichroic filters reflect unwanted wavelengths back to the light
source. Other filters absorb the unwanted wavelengths and dissipate
them in the form of heat, ultimately leading to performance
degradation (melting, bleaching out, scorching, etc.).
• Dichroic filters are highly color selective producing brighter, cleaner
appearing, saturated color.
• Dichroic filters will not melt, wrinkle, shrink or fade like gel filters.
• Dichroic filters retain their characteristic spectral transmission
properties indefinitely for long life and value.
• Dichroic filters are low maintenance and seldom if ever require
replacement.
• Dichroic filters offer superior performance and long term cost
savings.
21. Dichroic Filters
Disadvantages
• Dichroic filters are more expensive than colored glass lens
• Dichroic filters are inefficient. They block out more light
than they let pass through. Therefore, it takes a lot of wattage
to get light through a dichroic filter.
• Wattage = $$$$
• Dichroic Filters are used mostly in color changing fountain
lights. LED fountain lights are replacing dichroic filters use
in water features.
22.
23.
24. LED
LED’s (Light Emitting Diodes) are small, purely electronic lights that are
extremely energy efficient and have a very long life. The first LED’s were
invented in the early 1960’s and were limited to emitting a dim glow of
red light. Now, LED’s have increased in light intensity and color range
and provide unlimited creative applications.
25. How do they work
• Each LED is about the size of a pencil eraser, so hundreds of
them are used together in an array. LEDs are like tiny light
bulbs that fit easily into an electrical circuit. But unlike
ordinary incandescent bulbs, they don't have a filament that
will burn out, and they don't get especially hot. LED’s are
illuminated by the movement of electrons in a semiconductor
material, and they last just as long as a standard transistor:
• The most important part of a light emitting diode (LED) is the
semi-conductor chip located in the center of the bulb. The
chip has two regions separated by a junction. The p region is
dominated by positive electric charges, and the n region is
dominated by negative electric charges. The junction acts as a
barrier to the flow of electrons between the p and the n
regions. Only when sufficient voltage is applied to the semi-
conductor chip, can the current flow, and the electrons cross
the junction into the p region.
26. 3 components required for LED color changing lights.
Lights, Animation Controller, Power/Data Supply
The animation controller is the computer than tells the lights what colors to
change to.
The power/data supply takes the info from the animation controller and sends it
with the power to the color changing lights.
27. LEDs are Low Voltage
• LED's operate at relative low voltages between about 1 and 6 volts, and
draw currents between about 10 and 40 milliamperes. Voltages and
currents substantially above these values can melt a LED chip.
28. LEDs are now available in High-Intensity
LEDs were not bright enough in the past to illuminate aerated water. New
High-Intensity LED’s can provide illumination of vertical foamy water.
29. LEDs can do RGB color changing
• RGB refers to Red, Green, and Blue and can be combined in various
proportions and combinations to obtain any color in the visible spectrum.
Levels of R, G, and B can each range from 0 to 100 percent of full
intensity.
• LED lighting systems provide an almost infinite range of color options that
can be achieved using the RGB system. RGB systems provide the color
information used in computer monitors, other digital devices as well as
your television set.
• The total number of available colors is 256 x 256 x 256, or 16,777,216
possible colors!
32. LED advantages
• LEDs last on average 80,000 hours.
• LED lights run on very little power (milliamps). An array of LED that
take 25 watts of power can give out as many lumens as a lamp that
takes 200 watt of power
• LED lights offer color changing. Over 16,777,216 possible colors
• LED bulbs last for years. While halogen bulbs last for months.
Replacing bulbs costs money so increasing the replacement
interval can save a fountain owner significant dollars.
• LED lamps produce very little heat. LED lamps can be UL approved for
wet/dry fountains.
• LED bulbs save energy.!!!! Energy = $$$$
33. LED disadvantages
• LED lighting controls are more complicated than other controls.
• LED lighting controls are not user friendly
• You require the design services of a fountain designer who knows LED
lighting systems
• LEDs are more expensive than Halogen lamps
34. There are 3 voltages that are used in waterfeature lighting :
120 VOLT
• North America
• Very common. 120 volt is the standard for most water features.
• South America
• Very Common. Latin America follows North America standards
35. There are 3 voltages that are used in waterfeature lighting :
12 VOLT
• North America. 12 Volt is required on all interactive water features.
Electrical standards have been changing region by region over the last 10
years. In the near future, 12 Volt will become the standard in the water
feature industry
• South America Not very common at this time. The requirement of
transformers add additional costs to the waterfeature. Latin America is a
low cost region that wants value. Electrical standards will only change
after supply of 120V is rare.
• Asia Common to water features
• Europe Common to waterfeatures. No other voltage is permitted
• Middle East Not presently common. Demand will depend upon the
influences in by British or American Specifiers. These two countries do
most of the consulting in the region and will specify the standards that
they are used to.
36. There are 3 voltages that are used in waterfeature lighting :
24 VOLT
• Middle East A common voltage until the last recent 10 years. The Middle
East is also a dumping ground for different voltages such as 120 volt and
12 volt depending upon the specification
38. Typical requirements for
low voltage lighting
• Because of the addition of a transformer, low voltage lighting is more
expensive than high voltage lighting.
39. Line Loss Affects Low Voltage Lighting
• In order for low voltage lighting to work properly, you must supply 12
Volts at the lamp. Line loss is the resistance in the cable. The greater the
line loss, the less voltage at the lamp. The lesser voltage at the lamp, the
less the lamp will illuminate brightly
DWG M
In order to overcome the line loss, you need larger cable going to the lamp.
• The greater the size of cable, the less the voltage will be affected by line
loss
DWG L
40. Low Voltage Lighting
Advantages
• SAFER!!!!.
• Local codes are changing over to low voltage lighting for that reason.
• Low voltage lights have a higher color temperature. They are whiter than
higher voltage lights.
41. Low Voltage Lighting has a Higher Color Temperature
12 VOLT LIGHTING 120 VOLT LIGHTING
42. Low Voltage Lighting
Disadvantages
• Low voltage takes more amperage
• More amperage = bigger cable requirements
• Bigger cable = More $$$$$ for cable & More $$$$ for
installation
• You need a transformer
• You still need a GFCI in front of the transformer
• LOW VOLTAGE COSTS FOR MONEY
43. Cable Sizing
• Standard high voltage (120V) underwater cable to lights is 16-3. This
means that the underwater cable has 3 conductors of 16 gauge each.
• 1- black conductor 16 gauge
• 1-white conductor 16 gauge
• 1-green ground conductor 16 gauge
Underwater cable for low voltage (12V) lights
will use 2 sizes of cable depending on the
wattage of the lamp.
• 16-3 cable for lamps up to 75W
• 10-3 cable for lamps from 76W to 300W
44. Cable Sizing
To determine the cable
size to run from the
transformer to the light
• Determine the total
wattage to be used i.e.:
3 lights at 75watts each
= 225W.
• Convert the total
wattage into amps. 225
watts/12 = 18.75 amps
• Determine the length of
cable run i.e.: 40 feet
• Check chart for sizing
45. Transformer Sizing
• A transformer changes the current from one current to another. i.e.:
120V to 12V
• All transformers have a primary side and a secondary side
• The primary side is the voltage that is provided in the building and the
secondary side is the voltage that the waterfeature light requires.
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46. Transformer Sizing
• Off the self transformers come in standard sizes
300 VA 500 VA 600 VA Etc
• VA closely relates to WATTS. Therefore a 300 VA transformer can
handle up to 300 WATTS of light.
• To size a transformer, take the number of lights X wattage of each light
i.e.: 8 lights X 75 watts each = 600 watts
• Multiply the total wattage X a service factor (safety factor) of 1.25 = 750
VA
• Therefore you need a transformer that can handle a minimum of 750 VA
or greater.
47. Multi-Tap Transformers
• Transformers can also come with different voltage taps on the secondary
such as 13 volts and 14 volts.
• If you are only getting 11 volts at a lamp because of line loss, you can
change your voltage on the secondary side to a higher voltage and get
your 12 volts at the light.
• Multi-tap transformers provide some good insurance incase you need
extra voltage during the start up.
• Always ask your electrician to provide multi-tap transformers.
Q
49. Location of Transformers
• Transformers can be located both inside the pump room or outside near
the fountain.
• Locating a transformer inside a building could require a larger cable to
ensure that you have the correct voltage at the lamp$$$$.
• Locating a transformer outside a building
• could require the transformer to be enclosed in a water resistant Nema 4
enclosure
• Is sometimes difficult to find a location
to mount the enclosure or hide the
enclosure from physical view.
• Keep away from locating a transformer
panel in the deck of a fountain.
Rule of thumb: if you dig a hole,
water will eventually get into it.
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50. Lamp Beam Spread
There are 2 typical lamp beam spreads used in
Waterfeatures
Narrow Spot
• Narrow spot lamps focus the light to approx 13 degrees beam angle.
• Narrow spot lamps are used on nozzles sprays over 10 feet in height
Wide Flood
• Wide flood lamps focus the light to approx 44 degrees beam angle
• Wide flood lamps produce a wash effect onto streams or structures
• Wide flood lamps are used on
• nozzles sprays less than10 feet high
• short water walls less than 10 feet high
• short water fall less than 10 feet high
51. Wet/Dry Lights
• Wet/Dry lights are lights that can be used in
water or out of water.
• Wet/Dry lights are usually low voltage
• Wet/Dry lights must be approved by UL as for
use in wet/dry applications
• To meet UL standards, wet/dry lights must not exceed a certain
temperature rating on its body. That why wet/dry lights are usually only
35 watts. The body of the light cannot dissipate the heat of higher
wattage lamps
• When a light is not submerged, you don’t require the lamp to have as
much wattage as a light that is submerged. Surface water restricts the
lumen output of a lamp
53. Wet/dry lights are used also on
waterwalls that have remote
collector tanks
54. Wet/dry lights can also be used in winter.
They can Illuminate the accumulated snow in a
waterfeature.
55. Basic Components
for Fountain Lights
• A fountain light is a housing
manufactured to incorporate a
stock lamp from a lighting
manufacturer.
• All fountain lights incorporate the
standard components
56. Lens
• Lens for fountain lights are made of tempered glass.
• Lens must conform to UL standards
• Lens are available in standard colors Clear, Red, Blue, Green, Amber,
Turquoise
• Lens are available in 2 standard sizes 5 5/8”and 8 3/8”.
This helps with replacement of lens from different manufacturer
• Lens are also custom made for certain lights by individual manufacturers
57. Lens Gasket
• Lens gaskets are circular and U shaped.
This helps prevent leakage
• Lens gaskets are made of either neoprene or silicone
• Neoprene gaskets are stronger than silicone gaskets but cannot take the
heat loads that silicone can withstand.
• Silicone gaskets are soft and spongy. They are not as strong as neoprene
gaskets but can withstand stronger heat.
• Lens gaskets must conform to UL standards. They check this by putting
the gasket in an oven for a period of time which accelerates the life of the
gasket.
• A lens gasket should never be
used more than once.
58. Lamp Sockets
• Lamp sockets are made of porcelain. Porcelain is excellent for holding
away heat
• Lamp sockets must be UL approved
59. Cable
• Underwater light cable must be water resistant
• The cable must be UL approved and indicate “water resistant” on the
jacket and the cable must be permanently attached to a light.
• The light cable must be attached with a strain relief (cord seal)
• Underwater light cable is available in 2 styles STW and SOW
• SOW means Soil – Oil Resistant jacket – Wet Location
• STW means Soil – Thermoplastic Jacket – Wet Location
60. Body and Face Ring
• Fountain light bodies are made of bronze
• UL approved fountain lights cannot be made of Plastic or Aluminum
• All fountain lights are pressure tested during production to ensure that
the light will not leak.
61. Strain Relief
• This is commonly known as a strain relief.
• Its purpose is to accept the strain or load that is put upon the cable so
that it does not pull out of the light.
• All cord seals must be UL approved
62. Rock Guard
• Rock Guards are made of bronze or stainless steel
• Rock Guards must be UL approved. They cannot allow an object of
2” in diameter to come in contact with the lens
63. UL (Underwriters Laboratories)
• UL is a testing lab that certifies products that meet their safety codes.
Many installers will not install components that are not UL approved
• The fountain industry is subject to UL Standard 676
• All fountain lights require UL 676 approval
• UL 676 states that you cannot have a fountain light made of plastic or
aluminum
• UL 676 states that the light CANNOT be supplied with a plug or
receptacle
• UL 676 states that the light MUST be installed with a rock guard
• UL676 states that a light must be removable from the water for
maintenance
• UL 676 indicates that lights must have a strain relief (cord seal)
64. NEC (National Electrical Code)
• The NEC produces the rules for electrical
construction and operation. The fountain
industry adopts these rules and incorporates
them into the design and installation of
waterfeatures.
• Some of the more common rules for
waterfeatures are
• Underwater lights shall be protected with a
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)
• Fountain equipment over 15V shall be
protected by a GFCI
• Underwater lights must be protected from
overheating by a low-water cut off or other
approved means such as a water level
sensor.
• Underwater junction boxes must be filled
with an approved potting compound to
prevent entry of moisture
65. Thermal Cut-Offs and Water
Level Sensors
• The NEC dictates that underwater fountain lights must be protected by a
low-water cut off or other approved means.
• There are 2 types of low water cut off devices :
– Thermal Cut-Offs
– Water-level Sensors
66. Thermal Cut-Offs
• Thermal Cut-Offs are heat sensitive sensors that are mounted inside the
light fixture. If the heat of the light does not get dissipated by the water of
the fountain, the thermal sensor will cut off power to the light. Only when
the heat is lowered will the light turn on again.
• Thermal Cut-Offs are available in different heat cut off settings.
67. Thermal Cut-Offs
Advantages to using thermal cut-offs
• Thermal cut-offs are small and can be placed in all light fixtures
• Thermal cut-offs do not require any maintenance
• Thermal cut-offs are inexpensive
• If you fountain has many pools, you don’t need a float sensor in each pool
Disadvantages to using thermal cut-offs
• Thermal cut-offs can fail or cause nuisance tripping even if the light is
cool.
• Thermal cut-offs are hard to replace in a light. In many cases the entire
light will have to be replaced
• A fountain still requires a water level sensor to cut-offs the power to the
pump. Why not have one sensor protect both the pump and lights???
68. Water Level Sensors
• Water level sensor are electronic water level
floats that if you have a low water level situation,
it will send a signal to a control panel which will
then turn all the lights in the pool off.
• Water level sensors can also turn off other
• equipment in a fountain such as pumps.
69. • Water level sensors can also turn on equipment such as electronic water
fill solenoid valves or activate alarms to indicate high water in a pool
70. Water Level Sensors
Advantages to water level sensors
• Water level sensors seldom fail.
• Water level sensors failures are easy to diagnose
• Water level sensors are easy to replace
• Water level sensors can turn on or off several items at one time.
I.e.: pumps, lights.
• Water level sensor can also signal a solenoid fill valve that will add water
to a fountain
• Water level sensors provide electronic signals. They can be used by a
fountain operating computer eliminating the need for a water level control
panel.
• Water level sensor require very little maintenance
71. Water Level Sensors
Disadvantages to water level sensors
• Water level sensors are required in each basin of a fountain
that has lights. This will add costs to a fountain
• Water level sensors need to be periodically checked to make
sure the float is operating properly.
• Water level sensors and control panels cost more that
thermal cut off systems.
WARNING:
• Never use a water level electric conductivity probe system.
These probes work by sending electricity through the water
to function. Electricity + Water + People = DANGER!!!
.
73. Placement of lights in a fountain
• Don’t keep the lights more than 2” underwater.
• The deeper they are underwater, the more lumens you will need to
penetrate to the surface of the fountain.
90. The sloped angle of a stepped cascade makes
illumination difficult
Submersible lighting can be ineffective to illuminate a stepped cascade.
Submersible lights will illuminate the bottom of the cascading water leaving
the top dark.
92. To get a water stream to light up
properly, you must light up both
sides of the stream.
A minimum of 2 lights should be used on streams over
4’high
